Published 2014-04-09 08:03:25
MUZAFFARABAD: Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Inspector General of Police
(IGP) Malik Khuda Bakhash Awan had to eat his words at a press conference here
on Tuesday, after terming as personal a question about the murder of a woman
who had been struggling to bring killers of her seven family members to
justice.
The IGP had called a press conference to harp on about the measures
police were taking to maintain law and order in the region.
However, when a journalist drew his attention towards Friday’s murder of
a woman named Noshin Raja in Mirpur, who had met him in December last year and
also the prime minister to apprise them of threats to her life and seek
security, he (IGP) lost his cool.
“You have become personalised… She is not the only one in the world (to
have been murdered). They had enmities and murders were committed from both
sides. I am not much aware about this case. If you have a personal interest,
then it’s something else,” responded the IGP.
However, as it was not enough, shortly afterwards, the IGP again hit out
at the journalists, apparently because two of them were whispering.
“You should maintain discipline in your ranks as well. If you don’t want
to listen, I am not eager either to speak (to you),” he said. On this, the
journalists rose to their seats to leave the press conference, maintaining that
they had come to cover concrete information and ask questions, and not to
suffer insult.
“When people begging security of life would be killed, we would ask
questions and this in no way amounted to being personal. We are journalists not
constables,” a journalist told the IGP. Sensing the anger of the journalists,
Mr Awan changed his tone and offered apologies to mediapersons.
“Please be seated. I offer apologies to you all,” he said, adding that
he did not have any intention to annoy or offend anyone. “You all are wise
persons and I am also IGP. When I have offered apology to you all, this issue
should end here.”
Meanwhile, DIG (HQ) Dr Liaquat Ali also persuaded the journalists to sit
in order to resume the press conference.
Later, the IGP said he wanted to put it on record that the major focus
of his press conference was the murder of Noshin Raja and its investigations
should be held on scientific basis.
“If someone from you (media) could volunteer himself, we will update him
on the progress of this case. We will take personal interest in this case.”
“It’s a heinous crime and you have a right to ask me about its progress
after a week.” He also vowed to cross check the investigations by Mirpur police
through another team from here.
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