ISLAMABAD: Members of the Parliamentary Reporters Association of Pakistan (PRA) on Monday staged a mass walkout from a session of the National Assembly, over senior journalist Ijaz Ahmed allegedly being subjected to misbehaviour by PTI founder Imran Khan.
According to Ahmed, who spoke to Dawn.com, the walkout was organised by the PRA Pakistan’s Election Committee.
“[The] PTI founder hurled abuse at me for asking questions,” Ahmed said.
National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq directed Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar to hold talks with PRA. During the walkout, the speaker noted that the PRA submitted a written complaint over the issue, which Tarar spoke about during his address.
“It is your (reporters) right to protest and politics and journalism have a deep relationship,” the minister said, requesting that the reporters listen to what he has to say. “You have a valid complaint.”
“A senior member of the PRA was involved in a verbal altercation at Adiala Jail with a senior leader who hurled foul language at him,” the law minister stated, not mentioning the PTI founder by name.
“It is the job of reporters and journalists to criticise us and show us our reflection in the mirror. We should take this criticism to heart and not silence or attack them.”
Tarar said that Ahmed requested the speaker’s office for permission to speak with Imran at Adiala and requested protection.
“After the discussion and the way he (Ahmed) was abused, there was a social media onslaught targeting him,” Tarar added. “Posts said ‘Look at this man’s face’, ‘don’t forgive him’ and ‘look what he said about our Quaid’.
“This is a distinguished House and I must request that we behave democratically,” he said. “We need to prove through our own attitudes that we listen to other people and that there is room for decency and politics in this House.”
