- Part of the Documentation for Emergency 2007
From Mazhar Abbas, Islamabad, Nov 7:
Dear colleagues,
In an emergency meeting of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), held in Islamabad, has decided to resist all kind of pressures against media and has given 48-hours deadline to the government to withdraw the two Ordinances against print and electronic media, end the blockade of private tv news channels, FM- radios.
The meeting, which attended by the President and General Secretaries of affiliated unions, Executive Council members of the PFUJ, unanimously decided to launch a protest campaign against the "anti- people," steps taken by the government and deprived people from their basic right to know.
If government failed to withdraw the two Ordinances, countrywide "Black Day," will be observe during which journalists will stage walkout from the official functions including that of President and Prime Minister.
The meeting strongly condemned Sindh police for producing detained four cameramen and one reporter in handcuffed in court on Tuesday. "Its most humilitating to produce journalists in courts like criminals. It clearly showed that the emergency is not to crush militancy but freedom of expression, voice of dissent and civil society," it said.
PFUJ has worked out a month long strategy to counter anti-media moves which includes countrywide protest day, hunger strike camps, protest demonstrations. Details will be release to the media in a Press Conference on Wednesday, afternoon.
PFUJ has also decided to invite an International Mission of International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) to Pakistan and to observe "Global Action Day," in solidarity with the Pakistani journalists.
PFUJ has also appealed to the newspaper editors, owner's bodies and broadcasters to support journalist's struggle and join hands for combined movement.
Regards, Mazhar Abbas