APNS flays looting, burning of newspaper copies

"The APNS strongly flays attempts to browbeat media by acts of vandalism, looting and burning of copies of newspapers," stated a press release of All Pakistan Newspapers Society, issued here on Thursday. The APNS was approached that some miscreants attacked the offices of Daily Jang and The News and Geo TV in Hyderabad, Sukkur, Larkana, Khairpur, Daharki, Thatta, Jacobabad, Tando Muhammad Khan and Nawabshah.
The arsonists and miscreants forcibly entered the offices and damaged equipment besides manhandling the staffers present at the time of attacks and the bundles of Jang and other newspapers were snatched and torched by some political activists in different parts of interior Sindh.
The hooligans physically assaulted hawkers, distribution agents and threatened dire consequences if the newspapers we distributed. The Akhbar Farosh Federation has communicated the APNS that they would not be able to distribute newspapers unless the hawkers were provided security against the threats and harassment.
The APNS reiterates that its member publications provide a platform for dialogue in the society and thus facilitate different sections to voice their views in the columns of newspapers which is a prerequisite to inculcate pluralism and tolerance. However, if there is any difference of opinion, it may be expressed through argument and not resorting violence. The APNS therefore, strongly condemns the acts of violence as an attempt to suppress the media by force and termed the incident as a brutal attack on freedom of expression and reiterated its resolve that the media would continue to perform its professional duty to serve the peoples right to know'. The task of media is to disseminate the news and report the events without fear of repression and reaction.
The APNS called upon the civil society, human right organisations and democratic forces across the country to strongly condemn the acts of violence against the media. The APNS also appealed to the Chief Minister and Home Minister, Sindh to provide complete security and protection to media men and the, hawkers and take action against the culprits who resorted to strangulate the media.-PR