Condemning the registration of a case under Terrorism Act against a private TV channel, Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain said such an act on behalf of Balochistan government amounted to `suppression of freedom of Press’.
In a statement issued on Monday, the MQM chief said that it was beyond one’s comprehension that when the country was passing through a critical phase in the wake of internal and external threats and Balochistan’s law and order was getting out of control, the government of Balochistan instead of concentrating on its pressing issues was registering cases against journalists.
Mr Hussain hoped that Balochistan Chief Minister Dr Abdul Malik Baloch would take stock of the situation and order immediate withdrawal of the cases registered against the journalists.
Meanwhile, MQM’s Coordination Committee has also termed the registration of the case against the ARY News `a flagrant violation of freedom of Press and freedom of expression’.
Condemning the Balochistan government for registering the case against the TV channel, the Committee said that since such undemocratic act cannot be tolerated in a democratic society, MQM would continue to raise its voice for the freedom of the Press as well as for the rights of journalists’ community at all forums.
Expressing solidarity with the management of the ARY TV Channel, the Committee demanded of Balochistan Chief Minister to withdraw the cases against the TV channel’s owner, director news and journalists without any further delay.
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