AUGUST 22ND ATTACK ON TV CHANNELS

Reporters Without Borders urges UK govt to act against Altaf

In the wake of an attack by armed members of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) on a TV channel’s offices in Karachi four days ago, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) calls on the British authorities to bring charges against the MQM’s London-based leader Altaf Hussain, who openly urged his followers to carry out the attack on the ARY News offices in the Karachi district of Saddar and the Karachi Press Club.

They threw stones at the premises and fired shots in the air. Armed with sticks, some of them stormed inside, attacked employees and caused a great deal of damage.

“We welcome the reaction of the Pakistani authorities to these acts of organized violence,” said Benjamin Ismail, the head of RSF’s Asia-Pacific desk.

He said by directly inciting physical attacks on journalists, this politician committed a crime that the British authorities cannot ignore, even if the violence did not take place in the United Kingdom. The British government has an opportunity to directly contribute to the fight against crimes of violence against journalists.

According to the information obtained by Freedom Network, at least two reporters and four cameraman – working for Samaa TV, Neo TV, Channel 24, ARY News, Dunya News and 92 News – sustained minor injuries during the attack.

RSF also hails the fact that the Pakistani media were unanimous in their condemnation of this attack, overcoming political divisions and uniting in defence of media freedom. Such unity is more necessary than ever in what is one of the world’s most dangerous countries for media personnel. Pakistan is ranked 147th out of 180 countries in RSF’s 2016 World Press.