Malik Zeeshan Shabbir
LAHORE: Senior Crime Reporter Hasnain Shah killed in broad daylight in front of Lahore Press Club on Monday. Press Club closed in mourning till burial of slain journalist. Black flags were hoisted on the Press Club in protest. 24-hour ultimatum to arrest killers.
Hasnain Shah, a member of Lahore Press Club and a crime reporter of Capital TV, was killed in an assassination attempt at Shimla Pahari Chowk in front of Lahore Press Club. Lahore Press Club President Azam Chaudhry, Senior Vice President Salman Qureshi, Vice President Nasira Atiq, Secretary Abdul Majeed Sajid, Joint Secretary Salik Nawaz, Finance Secretary Shiraz Hasnat and members of the governing body have strongly condemned the incident.
Senior Journalist Capital TV Crime Reporter Hasnain Shah was returning to Lahore Press Club in his car when unidentified motorcyclists opened fire on him in front of the Press Club at Shimla Pahari Chowk and seriously injured him. He died on the spot while the motorcyclists managed to flee the scene.
Journalists protested in front of Lahore Press Club against the indiscriminate killing of a journalist. Addressing the protest, Azam Chaudhry said that this is a tragic event in the history of Lahore. And a question mark for law enforcement agencies is the extent to which the law and order situation has deteriorated to the point where the average person is going through a situation where journalists are not safe.
He further said that journalists are the mirror of the society and by pointing out the happenings in the society, they point out the hidden cankers in the society so that the common people can live in peace and tranquility and their problems would be solved. He demanded the government to take the murder of journalist Hasnain Shah as a test case and list the case as a high profile case.
The killers should be arrested immediately by joining me otherwise we will be forced to take the path of protest. Considering itself insecure over the incident, if the government does not take immediate notice of the incident and arrest the culprits immediately, we will protest at all levels. He also announced to hoist black flags at the press club.
Meanwhile, Inspector General of Police Punjab Rao Sardar Ali Khan took notice of the incident of killing of private TV channel journalist (Crime Beat Reporter) Hasnain Shah by firing on a car outside Press Club and sought a report from Capital City Police Officer Lahore.
IG Punjab directed to ensure arrest of accused with the help of Safe City cameras at the earliest.
Rao Sardar Ali Khan directed DIG Investigation Lahore to investigate the incident and ensure justice for the family of the slain journalist.
He expressed deep sorrow and grief over the death of Hasnain Shah.
IG Punjab directed the officers of police to keep in close touch with the family of Hasnain Shah and use all available resources to provide them justice. DIG Investigation and DIG Operations Lahore also visited Lahore Press Club and met the family of the slain journalist.
