KPC premises ransacked

Activists of a religious organisation ransacked the Karachi Press Club premises here on Sunday.
They were protesting against a remark by a host of a religious programme telecast by a local TV channel, a few days back.
The miscreants, who were about 100 in number, smashed the reception counter of the Club, witnesses said. They destroyed telephone sets and other accessories causing a big financial loss.
The KPC members, who were present there, had to take refuge in the backyard. The protestors beat up a chowkidar, who received injuries. However, after getting first aid Rafiq was relieved from a nearby hospital.
The journalists, who witnessed the incident helplessly, expressed surprise why the protestors chose to vent their anger against the KPC because it has nothing to do with the TV channel or its host.
According to them the KPC constitution does not allow even the membership to the people belonging to the electronic media.
Meanwhile, the governing body of the KPC has strongly condemned the attack.
In a statement KPC Secretary Khurshid Abbasi said that the Karachi Press Club has been a bastion of democracy, freedom of expression, religious tolerance and sectarian harmony since its inception in 1958 and it will remain so against all odds.
He held the local administration responsible for this reprehensible act because, according to him, it could have been avoided if the administration had taken pre-emptive measures.
The KPC secretary said even after the attack, government officials had not contacted the KPC office-bearers to get details about the incident.
The Karachi Union of Journalists has also condemned the attack on the KPC premises and termed it an attack on freedom of the Press.
In a statement KUJ General Secretary Fazil Jameeli said that such attacks could not deter the journalists community from raising the voice against intolerance.