Foreign diplomats condemn media clampdown
The curbs on media and the closure of Pakistani news channels, particularly Geo television network and ARY, by the Musharraf-led government have not only antagonised millions of viewers in the world but also shocked top US and other western diplomats in Pakistan. Nobody expected such a decision by a regime which had been taking the credit for “providing unprecedented liberty to the media” in the history of Pakistan. Hence, the foreign envoys’ activities during the last two weeks remained focused on the political and human rights situation of the country.
However, the continuity of the ban on some news channels despite diplomatic pressures indicated that the “western-favourites” ruling in Pakistan have satisfied their masters with their actions, probably assuring them that these channels were as dangerous for the world as the clerics of Lal Masjid in Islamabad.
Diplomats based in Pakistan have confirmed that the US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte, in his meeting with President General Pervez Musharraf, during his visit to Pakistan this week not only expressed his concerns over the political situation in the country but also raised the issue of the shutting down of the popular news channels.
The US Ambassador to Pakistan, Anne W. Patterson, paid an unannounced visit to Geo TV’s headquarters in Karachi earlier this week and during the meeting with its management and staffers, expressed deep concern over the extensive curbs on the media as well.
Patterson’s visit and her concerns about the financial losses as well as depriving the masses of an unbiased source of information provided a ray of hope not only to the Geo staffers but also to the common people that their favourite news channel would be back on domestic TV screens soon. But the situation has remained unchanged till this day, giving rise to speculations that perhaps even the US authorities are also “quite satisfied” by the reasons cited by the government for the networks’ prolonged closure.
The US ambassador was hopeful that the channel would be back on the air soon, confirming that the issue of banning Geo TV’s channels was discussed by John Negroponte in his recent talks with the government. “Let me assure you of the US administration’s support for free media. We believe it was one of the major accomplishments of President Musharraf’s administration. As I’ve said before, you cannot put the genie back in the bottle. Once the media is free to report, they will continue to do so and so I wish you well,” she said.
The US Consul General in Karachi, Kay Anske, also visited the Karachi Press Club (KPC) and the office of the ARY news channel in Karachi to express her solidarity with the journalist fraternity and while expressing her shock over the restrictions imposed on the media, observed that freedom of expression was a fundamental right and bore immense significance for any country. During her meeting with the media personnel at the KPC on Wednesday morning, she said that the US was deeply concerned at the suspension of the two TV channels and hoped that these would soon be back on air.
The presence of German Consul General Hans-Joachim Kiderlen at a protest meeting of the journalists at the KPC the other day provided some hope to the protesting journalists that growing western pressure on the government would soon compel it to lift the curbs and allow the media to work freely and independently.
The British High Commission also adopted the same stance as that of the Americans and Aian Liddle, the head of Press and Public Affairs at the British Embassy in Islamabad, when contacted to issue a statement regarding his government’s reaction over the media curbs, said: “We feel that free press is vital for democracy in any country and call on President General Pervez Musharraf to immediately lift curbs on the media”.
A South Korean diplomat based in Karachi said he could not comment on the issue on behalf of the government but said that personally, he felt that the closing down of the TV channels was “shocking and surprising” for foreigners living in Pakistan. Dennis Kang, who was a consul at the Karachi office of the Embassy of the Republic of Korea, recalled that 30 years back there had been a similar situation in Korea when there was a military dictator ruling the country and did the same. “But our media personnel and civilians resisted the curbs on the media and their struggle led to a free and independent media in the Korean Republic,” he added.
However, the diplomats of the neighbouring countries of Pakistan kept mum over the political situation and the control on the freedom of expression in their host country and citing diplomatic obligations and responsibilities not only refused to condemn the curbs on the media but also remained unmoved by journalists’ protests all over the country. An official of the Iranian Consulate in Karachi when asked about the restrictions on the media by the government of Pakistan, said that the Iranian government and people considered Pakistan as their own country but they could not comment on the issue as it was an internal matter.
Similarly, officials in the Indian High Commission also remained silent despite the fact that since the beginning of a peaceful relationship with them, the authorities on the other side of Pakistan’s eastern border have remained strong advocates for freedom of the media in South Asia and the free movement of the journalists between the age old arch-rivals.
However, several Karachi-based diplomats on the condition of anonymity termed the restrictions on the media by the Pakistani authorities as a “wrong step” and said that their governments were conveying their concerns to the Pakistani government through diplomatic channels.
They said that free print and electronic media was immensely important in order to keep a check on the government’s performance as well as the strengthening of democracy all over the world. Moreover, restricting the media amounted to a serious violation and deprived the people of their rights.
Source: The News
Date:11/24/2007
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