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Pakistan Press Foundation

Freedom of Expression

Journalist wary of being in line of fire

Karachi:Friday’s bomb blasts have made journalists across the city apprehensive about security that is promised to them to in their line of work. Many complained that the PPP’s security was not “up to the mark, as promised.” Journalists observed that the high level security expected at Sharah-e-Faisal was not enough to keep them safe, let […]


Pakistan 152nd in worldwide press freedom index: RSF

* Military coups hit press freedoms: RSF * Incidents of detention, murder of journalists hinders US joining lead group on index PESHAWAR: Reporters Sans Frontiers (RSF) said on Tuesday at the launch of the Worldwide Press Freedom Index 2007, “All authority (in Pakistan) is concentrated in the army, led by President Gen Pervez Musharraf. The […]


Tailoring shops, music centres blown up

GHALANAI, Oct 16: At least five shops – two videos and CDs centres, two tailoring shops and one hair cutting salon – were destroyed and about a dozen others damaged in an explosion that occurred in the wee hours of Monday in the Mian Mandi Bazaar. Local people said the bomb explosion in Khwajawas Market […]


CPJ expresses concern over abduction of journalist

PESHAWAR: The Committee to Protect Journalists, a New York-based organisation, has voiced concern over abduction of Pakistani journalist Riaz Mengal, a reporter for a regional newspaper in Khuzdar. Mengal did not return home on October 4 and has not been seen since, according to a CPJ source and published reports. He had been receiving threats […]


Barber’s shop blown up, another bomb defused in Swat

SWAT: Unknown miscreants on Thursday blew up a barber shop owned by two brothers in the area of Madan Dir in Swat district. Two bomb explosions occurred in the area of Swat that destroyed a barber shop owned by two brothers Karim Ullah and Hazrat Ullah, while windowpanes of 14 other shops were completely broken. […]


Khyber Agency admin arrests journalist’s ‘kidnapper’

BARA: Khyber Agency political administration on Wednesday arrested Khitaab Gul allegedly involved in the kidnapping of Peshawar-based journalist Sohail Qalandar, officials said. The accused was later handed over to the CID police for further interrogation. According to tribal authorities, Khitaab Gul, son of Pilaad Khan, belonging to the Shalober Qamber Khel tribe, was captured at […]


‘Only true democracy to ensure freedom of expression’

ISLAMABAD: Rejecting government claims on media freedom, prominent journalists and media professionals Wednesday said only true democracy with people’s voice heard could ensure independence of media in the country. Senior journalists, Fozia Shahid, C R Shamsi, Nawaz Raza and Wadood Qureshi shared their views during a seminar held here on the issue of current media […]


Four policemen injured, 11 CD shops damaged in Kohat

KOHAT, Oct 10: Four policemen were injured in an explosion in the Bilitang area and 11 CD shops were damaged in a bomb blast in a market in the Gumbat town here on Tuesday night. An explosive device planted on a roadside near the Government High School in Bilitang was set off by remote-control when […]


Journalists protest reporter’s kidnapping

Journalists protest reporter’s kidnapping * Involvement of govt official alleged * Reporter abducted after filing reports on stolen-vehicle mafia, received threats QUETTA: Journalists in Quetta and Khuzdar district staged rallies on Tuesday to protest the kidnapping of a Khuzdar-based journalist, allegedly on the directives of a senior government official. The journalist, Riaz Mengal, has been […]


25 injured, CD shops damaged in blasts

PESHAWAR, Oct 9: At least 25 people were injured, two of them critically, when a bomb went off at a CD shop in Nishtarabad area of Peshawar on Tuesday, while 30 shops were blown up in Malakand. The blast at Hussaini Plaza in the provincial capital took place at around 4pm, damaging about 30 shops […]


Journalist’s kidnapping condemned

QUETTA, Oct 8: Balochistan Assembly Deputy Speaker Mohammad Aslam Bhootani has condemned the kidnapping of Raiz Mengal, a senior journalist of Khuzdar, and termed it part of continuing violence against journalists. In a statement issued here on Monday, Mr Bhootani criticised the government’s handling of the case failure of the law-enforcement agencies in recovering Mr […]


Journalists, lawyers booked after a week

GUJAR KHAN, Oct 7: The Pind Dadan Khan police registered on Saturday a case against 15 journalists, four lawyers and two unknown persons for holding an anti-government protest rally a week ago, officials said on Sunday. The officials, who wished not to be identified, told this correspondent that the case was registered under section 188 […]


PFUJ condemns kidnapping of journalist

QUETTA, Oct 7: The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has expressed concern over the kidnapping of a senior journalist and criticised the government for having done nothing to trace him. Raiz Mengal, acting president of the Khuzdar Press Club, was kidnapped three days ago. In a statement issued here on Sunday, PFUJ president Syed […]


Islamabad IGP, DC, SSP suspended on SC orders

ISLAMABAD: The government, on an order of the Supreme Court, on Monday suspended three top officials of the Islamabad administration in connection with weekend violence against lawyers, journalists and representatives of the civil society on Constitution Avenue in the capital. “As per the court direction, we have suspended Inspector-General of Islamabad Police (IGP) Syed Marwat […]