Express News office attacked in Sargodha, guard injured

SARGODHA: Unidentified attackers hurled a grenade at the Sargodha Bureau of local television channel Express News on Monday evening, the channel's website reported.

No loss of life was reported, however, the channel claimed that a security guard was injured and the building's exterior was damaged in the cracker attack.

Punjab chief minister took notice of the incident and ordered Inspector General Punjab Mushtaq Sukhera to submit an inquiry report.

Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) strongly condemned the attack and announced to hold a protest outside Punjab Assembly on Tuesday.

It is pertinent to note here that it is the third grenade attack on a media office in the last two months, as last week, Din News office was attacked in Lahore in similar fashion, injuring two policemen and a channel staffer.

In November, a similar attack outside the office of another news channel, Dunya News' Faisalabad bureau had left three of the channel's employees injured.

Related: DawnNews DSNG van attacked in Karachi

On November 30, unidentified gunmen attacked a DawnNews Digital Satellite News Gathering (DSNG) van in the Essa Nagri area of Karachi, leaving one staffer injured.

The attack was widely condemned by all sections of society and journalist organisations had announced protests.

Also Read: Journalists under siege in Pakistan: CPJ