The president of the Karachi Press Club (KPC), Fazil Jamili, and Secretary Aslam Khan, on behalf of the governing body and the journalistic community, issued an unequivocal condemnation of the recent harassment of journalists and the unauthorized police interference during a media talk at the Quetta Press Club.
This high-handedness by law enforcement represents a shameful attack on the freedom of the press and constitutes a direct violation of the fundamental rights guaranteed under the Constitution of Pakistan, they said in a statement issued on Tuesday.
“The leadership of the Karachi Press Club reminds the state and its machinery that press clubs are sacred, neutral territories. They serve as essential platforms for the public discourse of all political, religious, and social groups. The government and police possess no authority to breach these premises or obstruct the media’s duty to inform the public. Such blatant interference is a clear indication that the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly are under grave threat in the country.”
