MINGORA: A large number of working journalists based in Swat and surrounding areas on Saturday staged a protest demonstration against nepotism in Swat Press Club (SPC).
The enraged journalists demanded the district government to get occupation of the press club building back from some influential individuals who have occupied the building for over a year.
The protesting journalists were carrying play cards and banners in their hands and they marched on different roads in Swat and chanted slogans against some influential individuals of print media who have occupied the building and put a ban on the entry of working journalists.
Addressing the protesting journalists, Swat Electronic Media Association President Rafiullah Khan said that the SPC building had been occupied by some non-professionals individuals, adding that these powerful individuals were not allowing working journalists entry in the premises of the club and avail the facilities available there.
The SPC was established by the journalists community with the support of the government and the press club also received grant from the government every year, said Rafiullah, adding that it was a shameful act that the SPC had been in the use of some non-professional individuals, who had nothing to do with journalism but to maintain possession of the property and generate revenue.
“Working journalists and media workers are striving hard to get themselves registered with the SPC as its member, whereas the non-professionals and so-called journalists are frequenting the press club premises for their personal matters,” Rafiullah claimed.
Swat Working Journalists Association President Adnan Bacha said that non-professional individuals had been at the helms of the press club and there was no one in the government to stop them exploitation of the rights of working journalists.
These [non-professional journalists] are mostly the owners of their own launched dummy newspapers and they are not allowing the real working journalists to come and use the facilities,” Bacha added.
He demanded of the government to step in and put an end to this long-standing professional journalists exploitations.
