LODHRAN - Two lawyers along with private contractors attacked Lodhran Press club, broke locks stolen official press club records, valuable documents and Rs22,000 of a journalist. The personnel of City and Saddr police station rushed to the spot to rescue journalists locked inside the press club.
President Lodhran Press Club Maqsoob Ahmad Butt and General Secretary Sheikh Miraj Uddin have condemned the hooliganism and demanded the Punjab Bar Council and District Bar Association to take notice to the hooliganism by lawyers.
Both the press club office-bearers said that writing truth has always cost much to the journalists community, pledging to also work for upholding the truth and rule of law. They said the attackers on Lodhran Press Club including Advocate Dr Ashraf Malik and Advocate Sheikh Tahir Uddin are permanent members of Lodhran District Bar Association and intentionally interfere in the matters of the press club on the behest of some so-called journalist-cum-contractor who have been involved in acquiring contracts from different government offices under the cover of journalism.
Civil society activist Hakeem Muhammad Asif while talking to the media said that journalists are the eyes of society, posing a question as to how members of the Bar Association can be members of the press club? He said that in this difficult time, civil society of the district stand by the journalists and the Press Club.
Senior Law expert Advocate Tufail Thakur also condemned the attack on Lodhran Press Club and said that professional lawyer cannot be associated with any other organisation then Bar Association because professional lawyer gain their place in the society through their profession.
President Lodhran District Bar Association Rao Khalil Ahmad said that whole incident of Lodhran Press Club is completely has been in his notice, terming the journalism the fourth pillar of the state and said that they respect the journalists community.
President Lodhran Press Club Maqsood Ahmad Butt said that lawyers come after studying law and respected in the society, adding that the journalists in general and office bearers and members of the Lodhran Press Club in particular respect the members of Lodhran District Bar Association.
Meanwhile, a five-member delegation of the Press Club, comprising Maqsoob Ahmad Butt, Rana Asif Hanif, Rajab Ali Mirza, Saqib Mushtaq and Chaudhry Ejaz Yousaf called on DBA president, the Lodhran Deputy Commissioner and DPO to inform them about the ugly episode.
The LPC office-bearers and members have demanded the Punjab Bar Council to take strict notice of the situation.
They regretted that due to lockdown of the Press Club journalists have been deprived of internet facility and are facing difficulty in sending news to their respective organisations.