Islamabad (Press Release)
The All Pakistan Newspapers and Electronic Media Employees Confederation (APNEC) has strongly condemned the alleged police violence and arrest of Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) Vice President Farhat Fatima Sehrish Qureshi and Ismat Jabeen, terming the incident a direct attack on press freedom.
In a joint statement, Central Chairman Muhammad Siddique Anzar, Secretary General Samad Mengal, Javeria Siddique, Rana Rizwan Arshad, Kaleem Shamim, Muhammad Shiraz, Subiya Khan, Munir Ahmed, Abid Chaudhry, Mahwish Mumtaz Baig, Raja Javed, Gulzar Gilani, Imran Ashraf, along with all members of the executive body, stated that targeting senior women journalists with violence and arrest while they were performing their professional duties is extremely unfortunate and highly condemnable.
They said that such attempts to harass journalists and suppress their voices will not be tolerated under any circumstances, and the journalist community stands united to safeguard press freedom. They further stated that all the journalists were present to cover the Aurat March and were carrying out their professional responsibilities. However, the police’s inappropriate behavior and arrest of the journalists constitute a clear violation of the law and the Constitution.
They demanded immediate action against the responsible officials and emphasized that ensuring the safety of media representatives in the field is the responsibility of state institutions. Unfortunately, in this incident, journalists themselves were subjected to violence, which is deeply concerning.
Issued by:
Syed Mujtaba Rizwan
Information Secretary
