2 Indian journalists beaten up in Lahore.

[bushwhacker91]

2 Indian journalists beaten up in Lahore.

Vikas Pathak, Hindustan Times
Email Author
New Delhi, February 06, 2009
First Published: 00:17 IST(6/2/2009)
Last Updated: 00:18 IST(6/2/2009)

At a time when India and Pakistan are involved in high-pitched rhetoric on 26/11, unidentified persons roughed up two Indian mediapersons in Lahore on Thursday. They snatched their camera, mobile phones and credit cards before leaving. The incident is expected to further fuel tensions between the two neighbours.

Significantly, the two News X journalists — Jujhar Singh and Tilak Raj — had run an investigative story on Wednesday where they had traced the shop from where engines for the boats used in the Mumbai attacks were reportedly purchased. They had also gone up to the barricades guarding the house of Jamat-ud Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed on Wednesday night, where they were questioned by the security.

Immediately after the attack, the South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA), a body of journalists from South Asian countries, swung into action to help the assaulted mediapersons. The police later reached the hotel and assured the journalists that they would escort them up to the airport. The two will be flown back home via Bangkok.

“We were feeling since yesterday that we were being followed. This morning, we saw two people in the hotel lobby. When we went for work, the two followed us on a bike. A car too was following us. At Anarkali Bazar, 6-7 people suddenly appeared and snatched our camera and other valuables,” Jujhar Singh told HT. He added that director general of external publicity Khalil Humayun talked to him on phone to ask about the incident. “I don’t have too much faith in the apparatus right now. But SAFMA has been extremely helpful,” he added.

Photographer Tilak Raj said that while the assailants asked whether they had their passports, they did not eventually check them and vanished.

The editor of Daily Times and secretary general of the South Asia Media Commission, Najam Sethi, has condemned the attack.

SAFMA secretary general Imtiaz Alam told HT that the association has taken up the matter with top authorities in Pakistan. “We have demanded that these journalists be protected and the attackers rounded up,” he said.

 

[srijeesh]

pakistan is not safe for indians. we can cut off all cultural ties for now.

this also shows that claims by pakistan of going after terrorists is just a farce.

 

[Jihad]

Don't let the door hit them on the way out..

 

[blain2]

pakistan is not safe for indians. we can cut off all cultural ties for now.

this also shows that claims by pakistan of going after terrorists is just a farce.

Please do cut your ties off. You would be doing us a favor. Enough talk, time for action.

 

[TOPGUN]

Yea its the same way in your country for Pakistani's! Your country man beating up a comedien etc telling all Pakistani actors,music artist, book writters etc etc i can go on and on ! to leave giving them threats! Only good point one of u had which was not even your own in your post is the fact it will fuel tension furhter more between the two countries ! but arent u doing that here ? dont you u think that members wont respond to this ? plzz this happens every other day in both nations with each others nationals so dont state things that create tension here stop with this rubish talk no one is safe any where look around the damn world and open your eyes if they closed or shut open your ears !! lets try peace for once!

 

[Skywalker]

pakistan is not safe for indians. we can cut off all cultural ties for now.

this also shows that claims by pakistan of going after terrorists is just a farce.

what ever happened was wrong but atleast they were not killed in a fake encounter by the police. Would you like to compare now which country is more safer...not to forget what you did to Shakil Siddiqui.

 

[srijeesh]

firstly, when I said that cultural ties can be cut off, it was not a threat but an action that would benefit both country's citizens because now is not the conducive time to visit each other's countries.

but wat most of you conveniently failed to remember is that those guys were targeted because they were investigating 'mumbai'. so some elements in pakistan(possibly GOP) doesnt want truth to come out.

 

[Salahadin]

please do even we dont want anything thing from u just give our kashmir back to us then sub kuch khallas

 

[srijeesh]

please do even we dont want anything thing from u just give our kashmir back to us then sub kuch khallas

you guys want kashmir for yourself?!!
but I am afraid kashmiris wont agree to that. and also the rest of india.

 

[koolio]

pakistan is not safe for indians. we can cut off all cultural ties for now.

this also shows that claims by pakistan of going after terrorists is just a farce.

Neither is India safe for Pakistanis, Pakistanis couldnt care 1 inch if the cultural ties are cut off. So it seems these journalists were on a mission trying to fabricate lies against Pakistan to give more ammo to Hindustani warmongers.

 

[blain2]

firstly, when I said that cultural ties can be cut off, it was not a threat but an action that would benefit both country's citizens because now is not the conducive time to visit each other's countries.

but wat most of you conveniently failed to remember is that those guys were targeted because they were investigating 'mumbai'. so some elements in pakistan(possibly GOP) doesnt want truth to come out.

Would India like it if some Pakistani journalists were snooping around in places which could be considered sensitive? While violence against anyone is condemnable, it makes me wonder what these folks were up to? Given the tense situation, to go on your own and stir up controversy is bound to generate some heat.

 

[srijeesh]

Would India like it if some Pakistani journalists were snooping around in places which could be considered sensitive? While violence against anyone is condemnable, it makes me wonder what these folks were up to? Given the tense situation, to go on your own and stir up controversy is bound to generate some heat.

they are journalists, wat to do you expect them to do? ask permissions?

btw, why are those places sensitive in first place and wat does anyone have to fear if all actions taken so far have been transparent as claimed by GOP?

isnt it clear that they were target because of fear that they might stumble upon something that 'elements in pakistan' didnt want to come out.

 

[Dilli]

Would India like it if some Pakistani journalists were snooping around in places which could be considered sensitive? While violence against anyone is condemnable, it makes me wonder what these folks were up to? Given the tense situation, to go on your own and stir up controversy is bound to generate some heat.

We won't like it for sure, but also, we wont beat up the journalists. Journalist is a very respected entity in india, especially foreigner ones.

This is really a shameful act, whoever did that, and gives whole better explanation that why Pakistan ranks so low among countries with Free Press, and high rank for being dangerous for foreigners.

 

[notsuperstitious]

please do even we dont want anything thing from u just give our kashmir back to us then sub kuch khallas

Same here. Give our kashmir back and we'll not bother u.

 

[Jihad]

Does the report also say HOW they were beaten up?
I'd be interested in knowing all ins and outs of this horrible act..