GUJRAT: The Gujrat Press Club has put the ball squarely in the district administration’s court, warning that the time for soft talk is over after the administration sought more time to address the club’s three-point charter.

President of Gujrat Press Club Abdul Sattar Mirza, addressing a joint protest gathering hosted by Jalalpur Jattan Press Club, said the administration had initially been given 48 hours to respond. Still, even before the deadline ended, a three-member team of senior officials approached the club’s leadership asking for more time and a peaceful way out.

“But let me say this clearly,” said Mirza, “we’ve already shown flexibility. Now it’s up to the administration to decide whether they want another mess or a mutual solution.”

The presser, attended by representatives from 14 press clubs across the district, turned into a loud show of strength by the journalist community. “From one corner of the district to the other, journalists are standing shoulder to shoulder. We are not afraid of these bogus, fake FIRs. They can’t break us,” said Mirza.

Mirza, among four journalists nominated in a controversial FIR lodged by the health department after a prior reconciliation meeting, said: “That FIR was nothing but a trap, an ugly move to destroy the bridge of trust we had built.”

He said the press community has never believed in confrontation but was being pushed into a corner. “We have always worked for the betterment of Gujrat, shoulder to shoulder with the administration. But this time, they’ve crossed the line.”

Calling it a clear case of betrayal, he demanded that all false cases be withdrawn immediately. “We’ll keep our community on standby. If the administration doesn’t act responsibly, the next call will come from the Gujrat Press Club. And we don’t make hollow threats.”

Mirza ended by thanking all district press clubs for their united front. “This isn’t just about four names in an FIR; this is about dignity, about truth, and about not letting bullies dictate the narrative.”
Source: Minute Mirror