 Instigated by a cleric, several people burnt copies of the regional Urdu language daily, Sarhad News, in Balakot (Hazara division) on Friday, the paper's editor told Daily Times on Saturday. "All this happened because the paper published a report about a cleric who built a mosque with the qibla facing the wrong direction," Chief Editor Ibrar Rashid said.
| Horrors! Oh, Ethel! Hand me my pills! |
Earlier, some people called the newspaper's office and threatened him with "dire consequences", Mr Rashid added. He is also the president of the Abbottabad Press Club. Mr Rashid said he lodged a verbal complaint with Balakot Deputy Superintendent of Police Khalid Khan. "Some people on behalf of the cleric also threatened the Balakot-based reporter Khurshid Zaman, who filed the story," Mr Rashid added. Meanwhile, the Abbottabad Press Club condemned the incident, calling it an attempt to muzzle the freedom of the press. The press club's members and office bearers demanded the NWFP government discourage such elements "who bring a bad name to the government by claiming to be Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal representatives and threaten journalists". |