ISLAMABAD: Islamabad Police on Thursday clashed with journalists participating in a rally to mark the World Press Freedom Day, charging them with batons and humiliating even some woman journalists. The participants of the rally which included journalists from various news organisations, foreign news agencies and Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists, were marching towards the parliament to present their charter of demands. Police stopped the rally at D-Chowk and didn’t allow journalists to march towards the parliament, resulting in clashes between the two parties. The participants of the peaceful rally were holding placards and banners inscribed with slogans like ‘Give Protection to Journalists and ‘Stop Killing of Journalists’, etc. Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Capitan (r) Mushtaq Ahmed arrived on the spot as situation worsened. He then took rally to the parliament under his own supervision. In his address to the rally, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Aitzaz Ahsan strongly condemned the incident and expressed solidarity with the journalists. Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar has taken of the incident and directed the police high-ups to submit report. World Press Freedom Day was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in December 1993, following the recommendation of UNESCO’s General Conference. Since then, May 3, the anniversary of the Declaration of Windhoek, is celebrated worldwide as World Press Freedom Day. The purpose of the day is to raise awareness about the importance of freedom of the press and remind governments of their duty to respect and uphold the right to freedom of expression enshrined under Article 19 of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights and marking the anniversary of the Windhoek Declaration. Published in Daily Times, May 4th 2018.