LAHORE/KARACHI/ISLAMABAD Political parties, journalists organisations and civil society held countrywide protest to condemn the blockage of some private channels transmission and burning of copies a leading media group newspapers. In Lahore, Punjab Union of Journalists (PUJ) and the workers of various private TV channels staged a demonstration outside the Press Club and condemned the tactics to curb media, saying all efforts would be foiled through a coherent action. In the statements issued by the PUJ and the Lahore Press Club, the media representatives said free media was essential for the growth of a democratic society and such actions could only prove counterproductive. They also condemned attacks on cable operators and burning of the copies of newspapers in some areas of the country. Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) in a statement said, HRCP may not be able to join those who are hurling shoes at the countrys President; however, it condemns any interference with the medias freedom. In Karachi, on a joint call given by the Karachi Union of Journalists (KUJ) and the Association of TV Journalists (ATJ), the journalists and staff members of two TV channels staged a peaceful demonstration in front of Karachi Press Club (KPC) to register protest against the move. They also took out a protest rally, which culminated at the Chief Ministers House where the participants chanted slogans in the favour of freedom of media. Later, the protestors gathered in front of the offices of the top cable operator in the country to mark their protest and to seek an explanation about he blockage of private TV channels transmission. The protest will continue cross the county until their demands are fulfilled, said the journalists leaders while addressing the protesters. They said the incumbent government reminded of the previous dictator regimes by attempting to curb the media but the journalist fraternity would not compromise the freedom of media. Our Monitoring Desk adds: Demonstrations were also held in Quetta, Nawabshah, Chakwal, Peshawar and other parts of the country, as journalists responded to the protest call. Meanwhile, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) demanded immediate resumption of the TV channels broadcasts. According to a private news channel, the threats to cable operators were issued from the Bilawal House to press them for shutdown the transmission of some TV channels. Many cable operators who have refused to comply with such directives have been threatened of dire consequences. The operators have contacted Governor Sindh Dr Ishrat-ul-Ebad for providing protection while different media outlets have decided to challenge the step in the Supreme Court. Meanwhile, Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) along with workers of some private TV channels staged a protest demonstration against the government in front of the National Press Club against banning the broadcasts of some channels on cable network. Te protesters also condemned the incidents of setting ablaze the bundles of a newspaper by some miscreants. They raised slogans against some telecommunication firms and termed it financial death for the workers of those channels. They also raised slogans against President Asif Ali Zardari for the governments anti-media policies. Chairman Senate Standing Committee on Interior, Senator Talha Mahmood, PML-N spokesman, Siddiqul Farooq and some workers of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) also joined the protest. President, PFUJ, Pervez Shaukat while addressing the protesters said that media had raised its voice in the regimes of military dictators and it would not succumb to the incumbent government.