Manhandling of reporter bothers US Embassy

Staff Report

PESHAWAR: The US Embassy in Islamabad has raised the issue of the “manhandling” of a New York Times reporter with the foreign ministry and ministry of information and broadcasting.

“The US Embassy has raised the issue and hope such incident will not be repeated in future,” a diplomatic source requesting anonymity told Daily Times on Wednesday.

Carlotta Gall covering Pakistan and Afghanistan for New York Times told the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) that the Special Branch police “harassed her and photographer Akhtar Soomro in Quetta on December 19.”

“Pakistani authorities must investigate this incident immediately and assure that journalists are allowed to work freely,” said CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon, adding, “We are alarmed by the use of government security services to harass journalists reporting in Pakistan on issues of global significance.”

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