Srinagar, July 24: The Press Club of Kashmir (PCK) on Thursday strongly condemned the assault on journalists by a group of junior doctors at Srinagar’s SMHS Hospital. The incident took place during a protest by doctors following an altercation with an attendant in the emergency ward the previous night.
Addressing a press conference, M Saleem Pandit, president of the Press Club of Kashmir, said that the journalists were attacked while performing their professional duties and covering the doctors’ protest. Chaos erupted as distressed patients and their families attempted to consult striking doctors, creating a tense atmosphere at the hospital.
Eyewitness accounts confirmed that some doctors physically confronted the journalists, attempting to drag them away from the scene. Shockingly, even female journalists were not spared during the scuffle.
“This was not just an attack on a few journalists but an assault on the entire media fraternity in Kashmir,” said Pandit, addressing fellow journalists at the Press Club. He demanded a swift and transparent inquiry into the incident and emphasized the importance of ensuring a safe and secure working environment for media professionals in the region.
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Pandit warned that if the principal of the Government Medical College fails to take immediate steps to defuse tensions between postgraduate doctors and the media, the Press Club would be compelled to escalate the matter to higher authorities.
“The role of journalists is crucial in a democratic society, especially in times of crisis. Such attacks are unacceptable and undermine press freedom,” he added.
Zulfikhar Majid, General Secretary of the Press Club of Kashmir, reiterated the organization’s unwavering support to the affected journalists and affirmed their commitment to protecting media rights in the region.
