Lahore, MAY 3 /DNA/ – Punjab Union of Journalists (PUJ) held a rally and protest in connection with Labour Day and International Press Freedom Day in front of Lahore Press Club today. A large number of journalists participated. PUJ Chairman Ahsan Zia, President Farzana Chaudhry, General Secretary Amer Malik, Senior Vice President Aqeel Anjum Awan, Vice President Muhammad Mujibullah, Senior Joint Secretary Syed Afaq Ali Zaidi, Joint Secretary Javed Hashmi, Treasurer Derakhshanda Alamdar led the rally.

Addressing the participants of the rally, Ahsan Zia paid tribute to the journalists for fulfilling their professional responsibilities and making sacrifices for the freedom of the press under adverse conditions. He said that restrictions on the freedom of the press will not be tolerated. He also condemned Israel in the strongest terms for the killing of more than 100 Palestinian journalists in Gaza.

Farzana Chaudhry said that while International Labour Day reminds us of the eternal sacrifices of labourers, the role of journalists in the freedom of the press cannot be forgotten. She appealed to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif to ensure the freedom of the press along with the protection of the rights of workers and journalists.

Rehman Bhutta said that the journalists’ community will defend freedom of the press at all costs.

The Photojournalist Association’s acting President Jamil Sheikh and Nawab Maqbool vowed to fully support PUJ in the fight for the freedom of the press and the rights of journalists.

In addition to this, PUJ members including the Vice Chairman of Lahore Journalists Association Zaheer Sheikh, Asim Hussain, Shaukat Ali, Kanwal Naseem, Ejaz Butt, Ramzan Sheikh, Rana Zulfiqar, Atiq Shah, Ajmal Hayat Advocate, other journalists, lawyers and representatives of labor organizations and civil society participated.