ISLAMABAD (Kashmir English): The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has strongly condemned the registration of an FIR by Shukat Nawaz Mir against journalists Mujtaba Butt and Abrar Haider, calling it a “nefarious attempt” to suppress freedom of the press.
In a statement, PFUJ said that filing cases against journalists to silence their voices is unacceptable under any circumstances and goes against the principles of free media.
The union warned that the journalistic community across Pakistan will firmly resist such actions, terming them as attempts to curb independent reporting.
PFUJ further stated that if its concerns are not addressed, journalists nationwide, including its members, will take to the streets in protest.
The organization also emphasized that any move to suppress truth and justice or attack press freedom will be met with strong resistance from the media community.
Senior journalist Khawaja Mateen slams FIR against anchor Mujtaba Butt
Earlier, Senior journalist and analyst Khawaja A. Mateen has strongly reacted to the FIR filed by Action Committee core member Shaukat Nawaz Mir against ‘Kashmir Digital’ anchor Mujtaba Butt.
Khawaja A. Mateen says that Shaukat Nawaz Mir reached the police station with a group to get a case registered against Mujtaba Butt.
He said that Mujtaba Butt’s only “crime” is that he had interviewed Hurriyat leader Abdul Hameed Lone in the past few days, in which Abdul Hameed Lone made serious allegations against Shaukat Nawaz Mir.
Analyst Khawaja A. Mateen raised the question of what is the fault of the host (anchor) in this matter? He said that the job of a journalist is to conduct interviews, and if Shaukat Nawaz Mir had any objection to Abdul Hameed Lone’s statement, he would have sat in Mujtaba Butt’s program and answered these questions and presented his position.
Khawaja A. Mateen further said that Shaukat Nawaz Mir had earlier termed an FIR against him as a restriction on freedom of expression, but now he himself is filing an application at the police station against a journalist.
He bluntly said that taking a group to put pressure on the police against a journalist is a “reprehensible act,” and he, as a journalist, strongly condemns this act.
He said that Shaukat Nawaz Mir should take legal action against the Hurriyat leader who made the allegations, and not against the journalist who had only performed his professional duty.
