* Says heavy security was necessary because of opposition threats* Government considering closure of cable media service* Visits PIMS to inquire about Dr SattarISLAMABAD: Federal Information Minister Muhammad Ali Durrani has condemned the torture meted out to journalists, State Information Minister Tariq Azeem Khan and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Parliamentary Leader in National Assembly Dr Farooq Sattar on Saturday.Talking to the media here, he said the government had launched an inquiry into the incidents of torture and assured that all responsible elements would be brought to justice.Necessary security: The minister, explaining the extensive security conditions, said that some leading lawyers had announced they would besiege the EC building. He said the administration had been forced to take necessary security arrangements, as a lawyer had also announced that he would burn the building. “The EC had sought necessary security arrangements. The Information Ministry had also sought help from the capital administration to provide security and assistance to the media. I was present inside the EC building when I was told that some journalists had been injured due to torture. I, along with Tariq Azeem Khan and Dr Farooq Sattar, came out and took the journalists to the Polyclinic Hospital for proper medical treatment,” said the minister, adding that it was very unfortunate that Tariq Azeem Khan had been tortured upon his return from hospital. He said the entire situation required a deeper investigation to determine the guilty parties. He said the Ministry of Information was in contact with all media organisations so they could jointly unearth all the facts. The federal information minister said all the requirements regarding the approval of the nomination papers of President General Pervez Musharraf had been fulfilled and the opposition was welcome to raise any objections it had in any relevant forum, including the Supreme Court. He said the opposition had raised the same objections in 1999 and the Supreme Court had rejected them. He noted that the government had not raised any objections to the nominations of the candidates of the Pakistan People’s Party and the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal.Cable closure: He said the government would also review whether it should shut down the cable media service, reported Online Federal Religious Affairs Minister Ijazul Haq, meanwhile, told reporters that he was not aware that journalists and lawyers were being tortured outside the EC building. He condemned the lawyers and the opposition’s reaction to the Supreme Court’s ruling and said President Musharraf would doff his uniform following his re-election, according to his statement in the Supreme Court. Durrani visits Sattar: Earlier, Muhammad Ali Durrani Saturday visited Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) to inquire about the health of MQM parliamentary leader Dr Farooq Sattar. Dr Sattar told the minister that he had sustained severe injuries to his left ribs, and lower right jaw. He, however, expressed satisfaction over the treatment facilities being provided by the hospital.He said lawyers had brutally attacked him when he had returned after accompanying the injured journalists to the Polyclinic Hospital. He blamed the leaders of the lawyers’ community, saying that they had provoked the young lawyers to the extent where they were unable to differentiate between right and wrong. agencies
* Says heavy security was necessary because of opposition threats* Government considering closure of cable media service* Visits PIMS to inquire about Dr SattarISLAMABAD: Federal Information Minister Muhammad Ali Durrani has condemned the torture meted out to journalists, State Information Minister Tariq Azeem Khan and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Parliamentary Leader in National Assembly Dr Farooq Sattar on Saturday.Talking to the media here, he said the government had launched an inquiry into the incidents of torture and assured that all responsible elements would be brought to justice.Necessary security: The minister, explaining the extensive security conditions, said that some leading lawyers had announced they would besiege the EC building. He said the administration had been forced to take necessary security arrangements, as a lawyer had also announced that he would burn the building. “The EC had sought necessary security arrangements. The Information Ministry had also sought help from the capital administration to provide security and assistance to the media. I was present inside the EC building when I was told that some journalists had been injured due to torture. I, along with Tariq Azeem Khan and Dr Farooq Sattar, came out and took the journalists to the Polyclinic Hospital for proper medical treatment,” said the minister, adding that it was very unfortunate that Tariq Azeem Khan had been tortured upon his return from hospital. He said the entire situation required a deeper investigation to determine the guilty parties. He said the Ministry of Information was in contact with all media organisations so they could jointly unearth all the facts. The federal information minister said all the requirements regarding the approval of the nomination papers of President General Pervez Musharraf had been fulfilled and the opposition was welcome to raise any objections it had in any relevant forum, including the Supreme Court. He said the opposition had raised the same objections in 1999 and the Supreme Court had rejected them. He noted that the government had not raised any objections to the nominations of the candidates of the Pakistan People’s Party and the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal.Cable closure: He said the government would also review whether it should shut down the cable media service, reported Online Federal Religious Affairs Minister Ijazul Haq, meanwhile, told reporters that he was not aware that journalists and lawyers were being tortured outside the EC building. He condemned the lawyers and the opposition’s reaction to the Supreme Court’s ruling and said President Musharraf would doff his uniform following his re-election, according to his statement in the Supreme Court. Durrani visits Sattar: Earlier, Muhammad Ali Durrani Saturday visited Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) to inquire about the health of MQM parliamentary leader Dr Farooq Sattar. Dr Sattar told the minister that he had sustained severe injuries to his left ribs, and lower right jaw. He, however, expressed satisfaction over the treatment facilities being provided by the hospital.He said lawyers had brutally attacked him when he had returned after accompanying the injured journalists to the Polyclinic Hospital. He blamed the leaders of the lawyers’ community, saying that they had provoked the young lawyers to the extent where they were unable to differentiate between right and wrong. agencies
