The Baloch Hal NewsQUETTA: The government of Balochistan has assured protesting journalists to investigate the murder of theircolleague Munir Shakir who was shot dead by unidentified people on August 14 in Khuzdar District.
The assurance was given by a group of provincialministers to Essa Tareen and Hammadullah SeyapadPresident and General Secretary of Balochistan Union of Journalists respectively outside assembly premises where the journalist community staged a demonstration against the murder of their fellow journalist.
The protest was arranged by Balochistan Union of journalists to express the solidarity with the district correspondents of Khuzdar and sympathy with the bereaved family of Munir Shakir. After the assembly session started with the recitation from Holy Quran, the media men in the leadership of BUJ President andsecretary walked out of the session and gathered at the main entrance of the assembly. They remained their and observed silent protest against the killing of Munir Shakir.
In the meanwhile, the Health Minister Ainullah Shams drew the attention of chair towards journalist protest. The Speaker Muhammad Aslam Bhootani asked theprovincial ministers to pay a patience hearing to protesting journalists and persuade them to call off their protest.
The ministers Shams, Mir Abdur Rahman Mengal, Mir Hamal Kalmati and Mir Shanawaz Marri in a group came out of the session and negotiated with the protesting media men. Essa Tareen, BUJ President told the provincial ministersthat thirteen journalists were killed in Balochistan during the last five years, but the government failed to provide security to them. He said that so much so, no compensation except in one case was given to the bereaved families either by federal or provincial government. He said that in most cases, the families of slain journalist did not get any compensation amount from their organizations. He demanded of government to appoint an enquiry for probing into Munir Shakir murder, announce compensation and provide security to working journalists.
The provincial ministers conveyed the message of Speaker that a committee would soon be constituted for investigation into Shakir’s killing after returning of Chief Minister Nawab Muhammad Aslam Raisani besides the issues of compensation and security to journalist would be taken with him.
After assurances, the protesting journalists returned to assembly session after calling off their protest.
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