PML-N press conference: Journalists demand lodging FIR against manhandling female reporter

ISLAMABAD: During a Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) press conference, Journalists from different media houses protested on Sunday against manhandling of a female journalist by the officials of Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) hospital in Islamabad, ARY News reported.

The journalists demanded registering First Information Report (FIR) against the officials involved in giving special protocol to the under arrest chairman Securities & Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) Zafar Hijazi and manhandling journalists.

Their outburst came following inaction from the government despite passage of 48 hours.

Earlier talking to media on Friday, the victim female reporter, Saba Bajeer said she was subjected to assault and FIA officials tried to confiscate her phone when she took a couple of photographs of Hijazi, on Friday.

Read More: FIA officials manhandle reporter for filming under-arrest Hijazi’s protocol

She also claimed that Hijazi’s son also used foul language against her.

When one colleague journalist of Saba, Irfan Malik, tried to intervene, he was also badly thrashed.

“FIA Assistant Director Tahir Tanvir an FIA inspector and several other officials manhandled me,” said Irfan.

It is pertinent here to mention that Zafar Hijazi has been remanded to FIA for four days. He was arrested on Friday after Special Judge Central Tahir Mehmood refused his plea for bail extension in a case pertaining to record tampering of the Sharif family’s companies.

Minister of State for Capital Administration and Development Division Tariq Fazal has assured the journalists to register an FIR within 24 hours against all those involved in the condemnable incident.

He said the PIMS hospital lied in his jurisdiction and he assured to take strict action against the administration officials involved in misbehaving with journalists.