[Dawn] Pakistain Tehrik-e-Insaf...a political party in Pakistan. PTI was founded by former Pakistani cricket captain and philanthropist Imran Khan. The party's slogan is
Justice, Humanity and Self Esteem, each of which is open to widely divergent interpretations....
(PTI) Punjab's protest against alleged rigging and police action against party workers at Faisal Chowk was marred by a controversy after several cameramen and news hounds were thrashed by 'party workers'.
The PTI initially said it was a conspiracy to sabotage party's peaceful protest. A party leader alleged that some hidden hands took action against journalists who were highlighting PTI's concerns.
The waves of violent act against journalists reached the Punjab Assembly Press Gallery, where journalists announced boycott and law minister Rana Sanaullah immediately expressed solidarity and requested adjournment of the session. The speaker adjourned the session till Tuesday morning.PTI workers led by provincial president Ejaz Chaudhry began their protest at Faisal Chowk in front of Punjab Assembly at around 3pm against alleged rigging in the by-election in the PP-150 constituency. PTI MPAs were supposed to join the protest after boycotting the session over rigging.
At around 5pm, some young men armed with clubs and iron rods thrashed journalists, including a private TV channel's cameraman who suffered an eye injury. A large number of journalists gathered there and condemned the action. Journalists accused PTI leaders and workers of torture on their colleagues. Some of them also stopped coverage of the PTI protest.
A number of journalists told Dawn that PTI's youth equipped with clubs and iron bars attacked TV cameramen and injured many of them. A Capital TV cameraman sustained eye injuries and was taken to Services Hospital for treatment. Journalists covering the protest raised slogans against the PTI leadership and accused party workers of mistreating them.
Later, PTI leaders, including Punjab president Ejaz Chaudhry and Opposition Leader in Punjab Assembly Mian Mahmoodur Rasheed, apologised to journalists. Expressing solidarity with them, the party leaders said they would conduct an inquiry into the incident and cancel the party membership of those linked to it. Chaudhry said he visited the injured journalist in the hospital and assured him of action against his tormentors.