Punjab Police are guilty of police brutality upon the press

Pakistan: Punjab Police are guilty of police brutality upon the press. This was witnessed by all those who were protesting, and were demonstrating peacefully at the “Long March’ in support of  Pakistan Tehreek e Insaaf.

A vicious and unprovoked attack was carried out by the police on the press, a highly regarded and most Senior Journalist from Gujranwala and Senior Correspondent of World News TV UK while they were reporting on the PTI Long March.

Abuse, rudeness and violence escalated. The police officers continued their aggressive behaviour, and snatched the journalists mobile phone and microphone, they smashed his collar on the road and threw him into the van reserved for prisoners. According to the details given, a popular senior teacher and journalist from Gujranwala, and Senior Correspondence World News TV UK Abid Hussain Sialvi along with his media team were preparing a special report of PTI’s “Long March”. This incident took place as the media team reached near the Gujarat Toll Plaza.

During the coverage of the protest, hundreds of police personnel from Wazirabad Bypass also reached there and started beating and rounding up the protestors. It was during this period that the press were also attacked by the police even though they were clearly visible by their press passes. During the recording, a police officer tried to snatch and harass Abid Hussain Sialvi, but the senior journalist informed them that the press has a duty to report, and the police cannot stop a journalist from carrying out his professional duties.

This is against the democracy of any country. The police officers demonstrated further rudeness. It appears that other individuals dressed in civilian clothes joined in with the price to further harass and abuse the press. When asked to introduce themselves, they became physically hostile and aggressive, and started slapping and punching Abid Sialvi on his forehead, neck and chest innumerable times and injured him in the process.

International, local journalist organizations and Media Personals strongly condemn the attack on Freedom of the Press. They are calling for the government to carry out an enquiry into Saddar Wazirabad police station.

Repot by S M Irfan Tahir Photojournalist / Member National Union of Journalists (NUJ) Birmingham & Coventry Branch.