Police assault journalists after storming National Press Club

• Police damage property, smash cameras during raid.
• Journalists beaten inside cafeteria without any reason.
• Employees and office holders also targeted, arrested.
  

ISLAMABAD: Islamabad police stormed the National Press Club (NPC) on Thursday afternoon during a protest organised by the Awami Action Committee, assaulting journalists and damaging property in what senior media representatives described as one of the “worst incidents in history”.

The protest was scheduled for around 3pm at the National Press Club. When demonstrators gathered outside, police arrested them.

Journalists on the scene began documenting the events with photos and videos, but police attempted to stop them, even trying to snatch cameras and mobile phones.

Minutes after the police were asked not to manhandle media personnel by senior journalists, police personnel forced open the doors of the press club, with some climbing the walls and entering the building as if “terrorists were inside”.

They attacked multiple journalists, smashed their equipment, and also stormed the cafeteria, beating journalists who were having tea.

Despite journalists repeatedly informing the police that no protesters were inside, the assault continued. Cameras were thrown to the ground, while media workers were assaulted.

Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) President Afzal Butt condemned the incident, saying police broke NPC’s furniture, assaulted both employees and office holders, and even arrested some of the staff.

He said the level of aggression displayed by police was unprecedented.

“Even during dictatorships, such behaviour was not witnessed. The police used to wait outside for a wanted person rather than raiding the Press Club,” Butt remarked.

He warned that Islamabad police would have to answer for the violence, otherwise, journalists would launch a strong protest.

Meanwhile, journalists at the NPC were holding discussions on their next course of action following the assault.

The interior minister took notice of the incident and sought a report from the Islamabad police chief. Ordering a probe, Naqvi said that subjecting the journalists to torture would not be tolerated.

He also issued directives for disciplinary action against the responsible cops.