960428

9 injured in

attack on rally for

newsmen's release

LARKANA: Nine persons were injured, five of them journalists, when a joint protest rally of journalists, labour union PML(N) and Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz at Dokri Town was attacked by armed men of a local wadera, brother of a PPP MPA on Sunday morning.

All nine persons were rushed to the casualty ward of Civil Hospital, Larkana, where the condition of one journalist Ramzan Junejo (Kawish) was described as extremely serious.

The rally was organised for release of Daily Sindh reporter, Manus Bukhari, who was falsely implicated in different cases and sent to prison in the aftermath of a story filed by the journalists in his paper against illegal cutting of trees in Katcha area of the Dokri Town. The wadera was infuriated over the story as a case was filed against 70 of his hire bugi. As a result the journalist was first thrashed by the Wadera's men and later he was implicated in false cases and sent behind bars.

A large number of journalists belonging to Wagan Warah Naodero, Dokri, Larkana and other towns had staged a protest demonstration last Wednesday condemning excesses of the wadera against the journalist in front of Prime Minister House, Nao Dero and in Larkana as well.

The journalists also held meetings with the DIG and SSP, Larkana, who assured justice. However, the reporter of Daily Sindh could not be released on Sunday. In protest a rally was organised against the arrest of Bukhari by PML(N) Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz and local workers union.

When the rally set of from the Press Club, Dokri, a group of about 30 persons armed with sophisticated weapons, pistols, sticks and axes attacked the participants of the rally resulting in injuries to some nine persons.

Those injured included Ramzan Junejo (Daily Kawish) Qazi Wahab (General Secretary, Dokri Press Club). Ahmed Ali Soomro Secretary, Dokri Press Club, Babu Sarwar Siyal (President, Dokri Press Club) Asghar Mangreo (reporter Daily Sindh).

Nasimuddin Memon of the Beri Merchants Association, Hassan Junejo (JSSF, Sindh University, Shabir Panhwar (JSSF) and Javed Solangi (JSSF).

Meanwhile, the President of Larkana Press Club, Dr. Maulana Bux Kalahoro has condemned the incident and has demanded action against those involved in this incident.-PPI