The Pakistani Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), RawalPindi Islamabad Union of Journalists (Riuj) and the National Press Club (NPC) have expressed serious concern about what they called a “unilateral trial” against senior journalist and investigative reporter at Express Pakinomist, Shahbaz Rana, in a local Islamabad court.
In an emergency meeting that was chairman of the PFUJ President Afzal Butt at the National Press Club, participants reviewed Rana’s investigative report, as they said was based solely on official items, documents and even video newspaper for the prime minister.
Despite this, they noticed that both civil and criminal procedures had begun against him, while none of the other respondents named in Petition 1, including the Pakistan Prime Minister, was the Financial Secretary, the domestic secretary, the establishment secretary and the Islamabad IG issued notifications.
The meeting condemned the actions of the court as a violation of fair litigation principles. PFUJ President Butt called on Islamabad High Court to intervene immediately, and emphasized that refusing a prominent investigating journalist the right to a fair hearing raises serious questions about the justice system and has created deep concern about the journalist community.
