Islamabad, (parliament Times) : All political parties and the opposition in the ruling coalition in the Legislative Assembly have strongly condemned this vindictive approach by the government of Azad Kashmir for establishing fake and bogus cases against journalists and obstructing freedom of expression.
The Speaker of the Legislative Assembly has called for a report in the assembly session regarding the government’s prevention of its duties in the name of the Social Media Monitoring Committee, including the alleged cases against journalists.
On the occasion of the Azad Kashmir Legislative Assembly session, and the call of the TV Journalists Association, the Central Union of Journalists and the Central Press Club organized cases against the senior journalists of the state for criticizing the government and black laws to suppress the media.
Journalists protested in front of the Assembly against the implementation. The political leadership of Azad Kashmir expressed solidarity with the journalists.
The protesters tied black bands and shouted slogans against the government’s actions to stifle freedom of expression.
Farooq Haider, Sardar Yaqoob Khan, Tehreek-e-Insaf Leader of Opposition in Azad Kashmir Assembly Khawaja Farooq Ahmed, Leaders of parties included in the government alliance, PPP President Chaudhry Yasin, PML-N President Shah Ghulam Qadir, and Jammu and Kashmir PPP President Hasan Ibrahim Expressed solidarity with the journalists.
As soon as the legislative assembly session started, there was a strong reaction from the political leadership in the assembly against the actions of establishing cases against the journalists. A committee has been set up to present a report to the protestors and strongly condemn the alleged secret cases against journalists.
Protesters strongly condemned the alleged secret cases against journalists Waqas Kazmi and Raja Khalid from Muzaffarabad and journalists Aamir Mehboob, Raja Kafeel, Kashif Mir, and Shahzad Rathore from Islamabad.
Addressing the protest and sit-in of journalists, Leader of the Opposition Legislative Assembly Khawaja Farooq Ahmad said that the Azad Kashmir government is trying to suppress the voice of journalists first secretly and now openly when a government is headed towards failure and does not deliver. If a journalist has done something wrong, then the journalistic organizations Central Press Club, and Press Foundation can be approached to file an FIR and seal it. This shows the weakness of the government. There are defects in the governments.
Former Prime Minister of Azad Kashmir Sardar Yaqob Khan said that he was surprised that this capital was representing Occupied Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. It is unethical to take such measures against journalists. If it had happened, he would not have said such a thing.
President of People’s Party Azad Kashmir Ch. Yasin said that we are not aware of the committees formed by the government and will not be part of any retaliatory action nor will we support such actions.
President Shah Ghulam Qadir expressed solidarity with the journalists and agreed with the stand of Raja Farooq Haider Khan. President of Jammu and Kashmir People’s Party Hasan Ibrahim said in his address that Jammu and Kashmir People’s Party has been struggling for basic human rights, and journalism in democratic societies.
When the Azad Kashmir Legislative Assembly session began, the members of the Assembly Khawaja Farooq Ahmed, Farooq Haider, Sardar Yaqoob Ahmad, Hasan Ibrahim, Ch. Yasin spoke.
Condemning the government’s actions against the media, they announced their support for the struggle of journalists for the protection of freedom of expression, upon which Speaker Assembly Ch. Latif Akbar directed the Minister of Law, Justice, Parliamentary Affairs, and Human Rights Mian Abdul Waheed to meet with the journalists to review the concerns and submit a report in the assembly meeting.
