ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Sunday ordered a judicial inquiry into the attack on senior journalist and Geo news anchorperson Hamid Mir.
In this regard, the prime minister decided to constitute a three-member judicial commission to probe the murder attempt on Hamid Mir. A formal request would be sent to the Chief Justice of Pakistan to nominate three members of the commission.
The government also announced a reward of Rs10 million for any information leading to the arrest of the culprits.Meanwhile, journalists and civil society members held countrywide protest demonstrations against the attack on Hamid Mir and demanded of the government to take immediate measures to provide protection to journalists.
The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists, Rawalpindi-Islamabad Union of Journalists, and the National Press Club held a protest demonstration against the attack on Hamid Mir and demanded the arrest of the culprits involved in the attack.
Journalists of the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad gathered in front of the Press Club and called for providing security to the journalist community. Speaking on the occasion, leaders of the journalist community said freedom of the press could not be muzzled through such cowardly attacks.
They demanded that the culprits involved in the attack on Hamid Mir should be brought to justice at the earliest.The journalists prayed for the early recovery of Hamid Mir and paid tributes to him for his professionalism and dedication.
Meanwhile, journalists, politicians, lawyers, intellectuals and notables from civil society along with a large number of people protested against the attack on Hamid Mir at the Lahore Press Club.
The protest was jointly called by the Lahore Press Club, Punjab Union of Journalists, Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists, Electronic Media Reporters Association, Electronic Media Cameramen Association and Photojournalists Association.
The protesters were holding banners and placards inscribed with slogans against curbs on the freedom of press. They demanded that the inquiry into the incident be made public and those responsible be given exemplary punishment.
Geo Lahore Bureau Chief Khawar Naeem Hashmi said journalists had braved the most excruciating tortures and life-threatening situations in Pakistan which continued to be among the most dangerous countries for journalists. But it had not deterred media persons from performing their duties. He said Hamid Mir had always been the torch-bearer of truth and journalism.
Imtiaz Alam and Asma Jahangir said the situation was now beyond the limit of endurance and the role of the security apparatus and agencies in deciding who was a patriot would not be allowed any more. They said even if the agencies were not involved in the attack, they should bring to justice the responsible persons and any lapse in this regard would reek of their involvement.
IA Rahman, Najam Sethi and Jugnu Mohsin said the attack on Hamid Mir would not be allowed to become another Saleem Shahzad case, the results of which were never shared and those responsible were never brought to justice. They said it was unacceptable that anyone could dictate through bullets what the media should report or not.
They said the matter was a test case for the government because it would decide if the actors behind the brutal act would be deterred or encouraged.PTI leaders Shafqat Mahmood, Andaleeb Abbas and Ejaz Chaudhry also participated in the protest as did the PPP’s social media team. They condemned the attack and prayed for the speedy recovery of Hamid Mir while assuring that they would stand with the media and for freedom of the press.
Hina Jilani while condemning the attack said absolute transparency was required in the investigation and it was imperative that the results of the probe be compiled as soon as possible.In Nankana Sahib, members of the press club and District Union of Journalists took out a rally against the attack on Hamid Mir in Karachi.
The rally started from the press club and concluded at Burewala Chowk. Speaking on the occasion, press club office bearers said that nobody can surpress the voice of rights through cruel actions. They said that the media was the fourth pillar of the state and such cowardly acts cannot stop journalists from doing their duty. They demanded the immediate arrest of the culprits.
Journalists staged a demonstration in Arifwala. They were holding placards and banners inscribed with slogans against the attack. The members of the PML-N, JI, PPP, PTI, Markazi Anjuman-e-Tajran, DBA, PMA and Apca also joined the rally. The speakers strongly condemned the attack on Hamid Mir and demanded a high-level judicial commission to launch an inquiry into the incident.
Journalists and civil society members held protest demonstrations in Bahawalpur and condemned the attack on Hamid Mir.
Journalists also took out a rally in Okara. The rally was led by Okara Press Club president and District Union of Journalists president. The rally started from the OPC and culminated at Gole Chowk. The journalists chanted slogans against the attackers who tried to kill Hamid Mir. They demanded the immediate arrest of the accused persons.
In Pakpattan, members of the press club staged a demonstration. Meanwhile, various politicians including PML-N leader Sardar Mansib Ali Dogar, ex-MNA Mian Ahmad Raza Khan Maneka, PML-Q leader MPA Pir Ahmad Shah Khagga, MPA Mian Naveed Ali, PTI leader Rao Naseem Hashim, PML-N district president Khan Imtiaz Ali Khan, PPP district president Mian Humayun Sarwar Bodla, ex-tehsil nazim Dewan Azmat, PPP leader Mian Naseem Mehmood, PPP leader Rao Jamil Hashim Khan, JI city ameer Rana Abdul Rauf and others condemned the cowardly attack on Hamid Mir and demanded immediate arrest of the culprits.
Protest demonstrations against attack on Hamid Mir were also held in Burewala, Lalamusa, Kasur, Hasilpur, Mubarakpur, Bahawalnagar, Haroonabad, Khanpur, Liaqatpur and Rahimyar Khan.
Journalists also held protest demonstration in Karachi and condemned the attack on Hamid Mir.In Naudero, journalists and civil society members staged protest demonstration outside Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Press Club.
The participants of the rally condemned the attack on Hamid Mir and chanted slogans against the government for its failure to arrest the culprits. They were holding banners inscribed with slogans ‘Don’t Kill the Freedom of Expression - Its a right’; ‘Provide security to Journalists - Don’t target them’.
Protest demonstrations were also held in different parts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir. People, mostly journalists, thronged the streets to register their extreme indignation against the attack on Hamid Mir in Karachi.
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