950818

Nawaz condemns

police raid on

residence of

Newsline editor

ISLAMABAD: The Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly and President Pakistan Muslim League, Muhammad Nawaz Sharif has condemned the police raid on the residence of Newsline Editor Razia Bhatti as well as in office on Thursday.

In a statement issued here on Thursday, Nawaz Sharif termed this incident as a shameful episode and despicable act of victimisation which is aimed at stifling the freedom of the press.

The PML chief said, midnight knocks on the house of women journalists when a woman prime minister is in office, speaks volumes for the callous conduct and facist mindset of a prime minister who, during her 22 months in office, has shown gross intolerance both towards the Opposition and free press.

Nawaz Sharif maintained that Razia Bhatti is one of the country's eminent journalist who has always been a fearless exponent of freedom of the press and democratic values.

To target such a journalist simply because the magazine she edits has been extremely critical of Benazir's policies particularly the PPP's failure in Karachi.

The Leader of the Opposition said, he is not surprised by the police raid on the residence of Razia Bhatti as well as harassment of other staff members of the Newsline because this is an integral aspect of PPP political culture. The latest incident in Karachi is in fact part of the patron of intimidation of the press whose other manifestation include recent victimisation of employees of the state news agency APP, the politicisation of PTV and threats and assault on independent journalists during the Benazir Bhutto regime.

The PML president demanded that prime minister should publicly apologise to the entire journalistic community of the country for the disgraceful manner in which her minions in the police have behaved towards a woman journalist so that such incidents are not repeated. He also expressed the PML solidarity with the struggle of journalists for democracy, decency and supremacy of the rule of law.-PPI