ISLAMABAD: Journalists are observing countrywide protest on the call of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) against the killing of Journalist Abrar Tanooli and showing solidarity with Wali khan Babar family on Tuesday.
on Monday, the PFUJ strongly condemned the killing of Abrar Tanooli in Mansehra and had asked all affiliated Union of Journalists (UJs) and Press Clubs to arrange protest demo against the failure of police to provide security to a journalist under threat.
Journalist Ibrar Tanoli expired in Ayub Medical Centre Abbottabad in early hours of Monday morning where he was shifted with bullet injuries in neck as attacked by unknown miscreants in Mansehra on Sunday while he was travelling with his family in car.
According to Abbotabad Union of Journalists, an affiliate of the PFUJ, journalist Ibrar Tanoli was general secretary of Press Club Mansehra a district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He was photographer for Reuters and also working as local reporter for local newspapers daily Mahsib. He was under threat from some unknown miscreants for his reporting on Swat operation and IDPs activities settled in Mansehra.
On plea by journalists, he was given police guard few months back. Later new DPO withdrew the security. Journalists protested the police decision and asked Deputy Inspector General Police to provide security because he was continuously under threats but authorities failed to save his life.
In a statement the President PFUJ Afzal Butt and Secretary General Khurshid Abbasi strongly condemned the killing and asked police to trace the culprits.
They said that it is simply a failure of government provided with information that Abrar was under threats and fellow journalists had lodged a proper request to DIG Police to provide guard but no action was timely taken and journalists was targeted on roadside.
The President Afzal Butt said that journalists are facing dire consequences for their reporting and Pakistan is declared most dangerous country by international bodies.
Mr. Butt said that recently anti-terrorist court in Sindh gave punishment to culprits of murder of Geo Reporter Wali Khan Babur. He said that it is the duty of government to trace and trail the culprits so that anti-journalists elements will be discouraged.
The President PFUJ will visit to Abrar Tanoli home at Mansehra to condole the death and lead a protest organized by Abbotabad Union of Journalists in Abbotabad.
The PFUJ has already given the call to show solidarity with Wali Khan Babur family and families of all slain journalists.
