Lahore (AsiaNews/Agencies) In Pakistan World Press Freedom Day was marked by police violence against the mediasome 46 journalists and media workers who were demonstrating in the country's main cities were roughed up and arrested. Eyewitnesses said baton- and stick-wielding police attacked demonstrators breaking TV and photo cameras as well as cellphones.
In Islamabad police broke up a peaceful rally in front of Parliament Building arresting 37 journalists who were shouting slogans in favour of a free press.
In Lahore, police attacked journalists involved in a peaceful rally outside the local Press Club that had been authorised. Nine journalists were detained.
Another peaceful rally by journalists, in Karachi this time, turned into a protest after participants heard of the violence in Islamabad and Lahore. Here, too, the march was broken up by police wielding batons and sticks.
Among those arrested were Pervez Shaukat, president of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists, and Kamal Azfar, president of the Islamabad Union of Journalists.
Police accused the arrested journalists of "violating security regulations",
Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz ordered the release of all journalists on Tuesday night as well as an investigation into the violence.
Minister for Information and Broadcasting Sheikh Rashid Ahmed denied his ministry was behind the attacks, saying instead: "We believe in freedom of the press, which is the pillar of the democracy, and hold the journalists in high esteem."
