Hundreds of journalists on Saturday took out a rally to protest target killing and injuring of media personnel in bomb blasts and firing incidents. The rally started from the Quetta Press Club, after marching on various roads it culminated outside the Press Club premises where it turned into a protest demonstration and was addressed by senior journalists.
They underlined the need for providing utmost protection to the media personnel and demanded an increase in the already announced compensatory amount up to at least, Rs 2.5 million to the heirs of the late cameraman of private TV channel, besides increasing the same for the reporters who sustained injures in a blast occurred here in the casualty of Civil Hospital Quetta on Friday.
These views were expressed by the speakers including President Quetta Press Club, Rasheed Baig, President Balochistan Union of Journalists Abdul Khaliq Rind, General Secretary QPC Abdul Rehman Achakzai, Mohammad Aslam Lango and Mohammad Esa Tareen while addressing the participants of rally and demonstration jointly organised by the QPC, BUJ, Editors Council and News papers periodical society to protest against the blast in which one cameraman of private TV channel was killed besides 10 others and left over dozen wounded.
Addressing the demonstrators, speakers paid rich homage to the late cameraman (Samaa TV) who laid down his life while performing his duty and expressed grave concern over the governments apathy as saying even a single government official did not turn to utter a word of grief and sorrow. They, however, hailing the announcement made by the Chief Minister Balochistan demanded at least Rs 2.5 million for the family of the late cameraman Malik Arif and increase in the amount announced for the media personnel wounded in a blast while performing their professional duties.
Without any inclination media always tried to depict the real picture before the public, they added. Ensuring coverage while on front line, life of a journalist was every time is on stake and urged the government to take concrete measure for the protection of media in this regard.
A resolution was also adopted unanimously, demanding provision of bullet proof jackets to their employees from the owners of channels and newspapers. The participants on the occasion offered fateha for the departed soul of late cameraman besides others victims of hospital blast. Earlier, rally was taken out which after marching main passages of the city culminated in front of Quetta Press Club. Participants holding placards shouted to provide security to the media men.
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