KARACHI - The journalist fraternity is going to observe World Press Freedom Day today (Saturday) and, in this connection, Karachi Union of Journalists (KUJ) will organise a torch-bearing rally from Karachi Press Club to the Chief Minister House, said a KUJ official here on Friday. Talking to The Nation, secretary KUJ, Khursheed Abbasi, said that a memorandum would be presented to CM Sindh Qaim Ali Shah while journalists and representatives of the civil society would be the part of the rally. Commenting on the issue of freedom of expression, he said that people should be given the right to express their thoughts without any restrictions. "The journalists have been playing their role to educate people but the rulers do not want to let the truth be conveyed to masses and to achieve this goal they try intimidate journalists through unfair efforts", he added. Abbasi hoped the newly elected government would fulfil its promises for the freedom of expression and would allow the journalists to feel free in their conveying the real pictures of the events to the people. He demanded of the government to provide full protection to the journalists. Meanwhile, Tauseef Ahmed Khan, the Chairman of Mass Communication Department at Federal Urdu University demanded to eliminate Official Secrete Act and abolish the tinted laws that restrict journalists to perform their role honestly. On the other hand, the World Association of Newspapers has issued a report on Friday, which says the Pakistani journalists have suffered last year across the country as five journalists were killed. Zubair Ahmed Mujahid was killed on November 23, Arif murdered in a welcome rally of PPP slain chairperson Benazir Bhutto on October 20, Javed Khan on July 3, Noor Hakim Khan on June 2 and Mehboob Khan was killed on April 2, 2007, the report revealed. It further said that 20 journalists were killed in various countries in Asia including two in Afghanistan, one each in Burma and China, three in Nepal, five in Pakistan, two in Philippines and six in Sri Lanka. "In other parts of the world, many journalists were killed including 13 in Africa, 12 in America, 46 in Middle East & North Africa and 4 in Europe and Central Asia", the report concluded. Meanwhile, Department of Mass Communication, Federal Urdu University, has announced to observe 'World Press Freedom Day' today and organise a seminar in this connection. According to a university official, the seminar will be organised at the Abdul Haq Campus while senior journalists including Sheen Farrukh and Babar Ayaz will speak on the occasion. President Karachi Union of Journalists, Khursheed Tanvir, Prof Suleman Muhammad, representatives of civil society organisations will also participate in the seminar.