Quetta (Balochistan) [Pakistan], May 22 (ANI): Journalists covering the assembly session staged a boycott of the proceedings to denounce the closure of the Quetta Press Club (QPC) and the entry of police into its premises on Saturday, disrupting a seminar organized by the Baloch Yakjahti Committee (BYC), Dawn reported.

The joint decision to boycott was reached during a meeting of the executive committees of QPC and the Balochistan Union of Journalists (BUJ).

Also Read | TikTok Layoffs: ByteDance-Owned Platform To Announce Massive Job Cuts, Likely To Slash 1,000 Roles, Says Report.

Led by BUJ president Khalil Ahmed and QPC president Abdul Khaliq Rind, a significant number of journalists exited the press gallery as the assembly session commenced, congregating outside the hall with placards and banners bearing their demands, as reported by Dawn.

They vocally condemned the actions of the police and local administration in sealing the press club.

Also Read | Pakistan: Three-Year-Old Toddler Booked for Electricity Theft in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province.

Speaking during the protest, BUJ and QPC leaders vehemently criticized the authorities' intervention at QPC, labelling it a blatant infringement on freedom of expression and press freedom, and a violation of Article 19.

In a display of solidarity, a delegation of assembly members, including Finance Minister Mir Shoaib Nosherwani, Mir Zahoor Ahmed Buledi, Rehmat Baloch, and Mir Zabit Reki, met with the protesting journalists, affirming their support for the cause.

Subsequently, representatives from QPC and BUJ held discussions with Chief Minister Sarfarz Bugti, presenting their demands. The CM assured the delegation of a thorough investigation into the incident, Dawn reported. (ANI)

(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)