**Governor Punjab Orders Free Treatment for Cancer-Afflicted Cameraman; Pledges Support for Journalists’ Rights**
Governor Punjab Sardar Saleem Haider Khan has ordered that cameraman Arshad Mahmood, who is currently battling cancer, receive full medical treatment at Shifa International Hospital, with all expenses covered by the Governor’s fund. In addition, the Governor has established a relief committee tasked with securing the release of Mahmood’s house in Hassan Abdal, which was mortgaged to cover his treatment costs.
The relief committee will be overseen by Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) Secretary General Shakeel Ahmed and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) City President Raja Kamran. Their primary responsibility will be to settle the outstanding dues and ensure that Mahmood’s property is returned to him. The decision came following a meeting attended by Arshad Mahmood, social media activist Waseem Hashmi, and a delegation led by Shakeel Ahmed and Rawalpindi Islamabad Union of Journalists (RIUJ) President Tariq Usmani.
Governor Haider Khan expressed sympathy towards Mahmood and his family, assuring them that the government would bear the full cost of his medical care. He also agreed to discuss PFUJ proposals related to Media Phase 2 housing initiatives for journalists in Rawalpindi and Islamabad with Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, aiming to enhance media workers’ welfare in the region.
During a meeting at Governor House Rawalpindi, attended by representatives from PFUJ and RIUJ—including Shakeel Ahmed, Tariq Usmani, Farhat Fatima, Qaiser Mirza, Farukh Nawaz Bhatti, Mudasir Ilyas Kayani, Abdul Waheed Janjua, and others—Governor Haider Khan reaffirmed his party’s commitment to freedom of expression and journalists’ rights. He highlighted the PPP’s longstanding support for the journalist community, and noted that President Asif Ali Zardari has consistently worked to address journalists’ concerns, issuing directives to party members accordingly.
Referring to the vital role of a free press in strengthening democracy, Governor Khan cited Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s consistent advocacy for media freedom. The visiting journalists also raised concerns regarding what they described as false cases filed by local authorities against Gujrat Press Club President Abdul Sattar Mirza and other journalists. The Governor pledged to take up the matter with the Inspector General of Police and the Chief Secretary of Punjab, promising accountability and assurances that such actions against journalists would be thoroughly investigated.
Governor Punjab’s latest moves illustrate continued government and party support for journalists’ welfare, as well as a commitment to upholding their rights amid ongoing challenges.
