FIA, police besiege Javed Press
By our correspondent
KARACHI: The sleuths of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and the local police on Wednesday again cordoned off the Javed Press and tried to stop the publication of the group's newspapers. Clad in civvies, the FIA officials along with the policemen started gathering outside the Javed Press after the Supreme Court's verdict to release 200 reels of newsprint to the Jang Group. The officials deployed at the Javed Press said that
they were ordered not to allow the newsprint to the press at any cost. When asked by a BBC correspondent, the FIA official sitting in vehicle M-3721, said that they would comply with the orders and would not allow the newsprint to go to the press. He told the journalists that if they had any doubt in mind, they could check the matter with the Deputy Director FIA. The government agencies' operation started in the morning when the printing of the Jang Group's Urdu evening newspaper 'Awam' was completed. As soon as the agent's vehicles were leaving the press, the FIA and the police blocked their way and refused to allow its distribution.
However, when the staff of Awam, headed by Editor Nazir Leghari, arrived at the press and argued with the law-enforcers, they cleared the way. Later in the evening, the 'law-enforcers' arrived with a huge trailer which they parked just in front of the main door of the Javed Press. Police and FIA vehicles were also parked around the press, checking each and every vehicle coming towards the press. After harassing the press staff, they moved away the trailers and other vehicles. But the step was repeated late in the night and this time they even turned back the press vehicles carrying the 'plates' of Jang and The News. On every such attempt, the editorial and technical staff of the Jang Group had to rush to the press to foil their nefarious designs.
Meanwhile, a joint meeting of the Jang Publications Employees Union, Javed Press and Modern Graphic Service Employees Union held at the Jang Building condemned the continuous intimidation of the Jang Group by the government agencies. The News Employees Union also condemned the attempts and demanded of the superior courts to take suo moto action. They demanded of the government to end the intimidation campaign. Meanwhile, various trade unions and bodies of journalists have urged Sindh governor to take notice of FIAintimidation.