LAHORE, Pakistan: The Journalist Rights Commission of Pakistan has rejected the media policy of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Captain (retd) Arif Nawaz Khan, and asked Prime Minister Imran Khan and the Chief Minister Punjab Usman Buzdar to issue directives to withdraw his illegal orders.
In a joint statement, the Chairman “Qalam Dost” Isar Rana, the President of “Pakistan Federation of Columnists” Malik Salman and the Chairman “Journalist Rights Commission of Pakistan” Sabir Bukhari said that the State granted rights to the Press, not the IG Punjab.
They said that the IG Punjab Arif Nawaz has failed to streamline the police system, and now anger is being directed at the Press over police corruption and remarks by the Supreme Court Judge Justice Gulzar Ahmed.
They said that the people have to suffer animal-like treatment in police stations. They said that the media is the mouthpiece of the people as it highlights social malpractices.
Legal notice issued to IG Punjab & Chief Minister Punjab
Meanwhile, a legal notice has been sent to the IG Punjab and the Chief Minister Punjab Usman Buzdar for banning the entry of media in the Offices of District Police Officer (DPO) & Regional Police Officer (RPO), and in police stations.
The legal notice was sent by a Citizen Rana Nauman Ashraf through Advocate Mudassar Chaudhry.
The legal notice said that the imposition a ban on media’s entry in police stations is against Article 15 of the Constitution. It demanded an immediate withdrawal of the notification by the IG Punjab, or else the Supreme Court of Pakistan will be approached for legal action.
