Senior journalist and Rawalpindi Islamabad Union of Journalists (RIUJ) Secretary General Dr Furqan Rao was attacked in his office by a mob allegedly linked to local tea merchant Rana Imran Latif after the general election at the Associated Press Association of Pakistan. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its branch, the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), condemned the attack and called on the authorities to ensure the safety of journalists.
Dr Furqan Rao (C) stands with supporters outside a police station in Islamabad on the eve of the mall attack. Credit: X.
Rao, head of the Associated Press Pakistan (APP) China office, said on March 29 at 11:00 a.m., tea shop operator Rana Imran Latif and his associates allegedly forced their way into the agency’s office in Islamabad. The group went to Dr Rao’s office before attacking him. The attackers were met with resistance by APP personnel who protected the senior journalist from the attackers.
A First Information Report was registered on March 29 at the Aabparah police station in Islamabad on rioting, unlawful assembly, destruction of property and criminal intimidation under the Pakistan Penal Code. According to reports, the authorities have launched an investigation into the incident and Federal Minister of Information and Broadcasting Ataullah Tarar will set up an investigation committee to investigate the incident and announce a possible case against the store’s manager director. The results of the survey are expected from April 20.
The strike followed general elections of the collective bargaining agency APP, the results of which were protested by trade leaders. Allegedly, the culprits were external actors not employed by APP, who may have been employed by trade leaders in the intimidation attack on union activist Dr. Rao.
Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ): “We demand the Prime Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif to take immediate action on this serious incident and punish the participants, otherwise PFUJ will be forced to protest and protest across the country. towards Islamabad and hundreds of working journalists.
IFJ: “Trade union elections are an opportunity for workers to make their voices heard at work. If reports of managers hiring people to attack workers are true, this is an abuse of workers’ rights and should be investigated by the authorities.”
