29 | January | 2014 | Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)

Pakistan Press Foundation

Daily Archives: January 29, 2014

Grazie, Mazhar ul Islam!

Pakistan Press Foundation

ROME: We had the good fortune of meeting Pakistani writer Mazhar ul Islam at the home of some friends in Rome, last July. He was visiting the city to introduce his short story collection The Season of Love, Bitter Almonds and Delayed Rains, which had just been translated into Italian by Dr Sabrina Lei. We […]


When stuck in traffic, just tune into FM 88.6

Pakistan Press Foundation

KARACHI: To keep citizens updated on traffic jams and direct them towards alternative routes with the melody of old and new songs being played at intervals, the Sindh traffic police has started FM 88.6 radio station. If you are unsure about which route to take to make it to your destination on time, just tune […]


3G/4G licence memorandum next month

Pakistan Press Foundation

ISLAMABAD: The consultant hired for finalising the auction of 3G/4G licences will finalise its Information Memorandum (IM) within the first 10 days of the next month. The consultant has also been assigned to recommend the allocation of additional frequency for launch of 4G through upcoming auction which will increase revenues for the government. “The consultant […]


3G services to facilitate ARPU boost

Pakistan Press Foundation

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has said that launch of the next generation wireless networks and services would result in an increase in the the Average Revenue Per User (ARPU). After tough market competition and slow growth in the cellular industry, ARPU witnessed a slight decline to Rs211 per month during year 2012-13, compared […]


Cyber reality

Pakistan Press Foundation

Almost all of us have come across the problem: harassment in cyber space and over the electronic gadgets that have now become a part of our lives. Women are the most vulnerable to this and everyday brings new stories. In the worst cases girls have had to change educational institutions because of remarks or photographs […]


LHC orders Pemra to file detailed reply

Pakistan Press Foundation

LAHORE: Justice Ejaz Ahmed Khan of Lahore High Court (LHC) on Tuesday ordered Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) to give detailed argument on the next hearing in the case pertaining to cancellation of a private TV channel’s licence. During the proceedings, Pemra’s counsel Muhammad Arshad Advocate requested the bench to give some time for […]


Three Daily Times’ employees robbed

Pakistan Press Foundation

KARACHI: Unidentified armed robbers near Saifulllah Bangash area of Nazimabad robbed three employees of Daily Times on late Monday. The incident took place 4:00am when three Daily Times’ employees namely Mohammad Ali Sammo, Islahuddin Ansari and Kamaluddin, were returning to their homes from workplace. As they reached near Saifullah Bangash, at least three armed men […]


Pakistan Press Foundation condemns assault on former reporter in Bosnia & Herzegovina

Pakistan Press Foundation

Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF), an independent non-governmental institution committed to promoting and defending freedom of expression is concerned over a reported physical assault on former war-crimes reporter, Sinan Alic in Bosnia & Herzegovina. According to information received from International Press Institute (IPI), PPF Secretary General Owais Aslam Ali in a letter to the President of […]


TV narratives

Pakistan Press Foundation

Television is unlike most other technologies because it also performs ‘hidden’ functions. Therefore, the west marketed it to the south as a constitutive part of two larger narratives – modernisation and then later globalisation. The modernisation thesis, propounded by Daniel Lerner, held that the media, along with urbanisation, education and other social forces, would mutually […]


Pemra chairman served with show cause notice

Pakistan Press Foundation

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) Chairman Chaudhry Rashid Ahmad has been served with a show cause notice for initiating self-serving summary for the president to get himself appointed while violating the verdict of Supreme Court (SC) of 15th January, 2013 and rules of procedure. It also said that Rashid Ahmad’s promotion from BPS-21 […]


Politicking over pages of child activist’s memoir

Pakistan Press Foundation

By: Hidayat Khan PESHAWAR: At 10am on Tuesday morning, Imran Khan tweeted that he was at a loss to understand why Malala’s Peshawar book launch was stopped. He said his party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) believed in freedom of speech and debate, not censorship of ideas. It was supposed to be a big day for […]


Malala interrupted and the Khan surprised

Pakistan Press Foundation

Malala interrupted and the Khan surprised Mohammed Tahseen, whom I fondly call Paa Taseen, is known to me since childhood despite us never having lived in the same city. Fundamentally, that is because of a shared political heritage between our families. He is a seasoned community development practitioner, peace campaigner and human rights activist. He […]


Book launch thwarted

Pakistan Press Foundation

IT is never advisable for governments to get into the business of banning books. And if the literature in question is written to counter the extremist narrative that is beginning to dominate, as Malala Yousafzai’s I am Malala attempts to do, then official obstructions to prevent the launch of such material can only be termed […]


Malala’s book launch issue triggers heated debate

Pakistan Press Foundation

PESHAWAR: Though the decision of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to stop the launch of Malala Yousafzai’s book shocked Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, yet a minister defended the move. After scathing criticism against PTI-led provincial government in the press and social media, Imran Khan had to intervene to do damage control. “I am at […]