Freedom of speech in FATA demanded
ISLAMABAD: In compliance with Article 19 and 19A of the constitution freedom of expression and access to information should be guaranteed for citizens in the troubled Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) as a basic part of the political reforms and the President of Pakistan being jurisdictional authority of the area needs to ensure this.
The participants of a roundtable discussion held in Islamabad on Thursday titled, “Can Political Reforms Work Without Media Reforms in FATA?” conducted by Intermedia Pakistan were informed that there are 39 different radio stations, which are listening in FATA but only three of them are local and the rest are stationed in Afghanistan. Intermedia Pakistan Executive Director Adnan Rehmat said that general access to information was denied in FATA and usually the news are generated through international sources. But despite restriction, the local media is playing tremendous job in getting information from FATA, which has become focal area regionally as well as internationally.
During the discussion, the participants fully endorse the consensus declaration of the Peshawar Roundtable held on Nov 22, 2011 seeking the same rights for residents of FATA as in the rest of the country, especially firm compliance of Articles 19 and 19A guaranteeing freedom of expression and right to information and including the right to have legal, independent local media, which is imperative for full realization of political reforms in the region.
The roundtable seeking practical mechanisms to allow independent and pluralist media in FATA at the earliest as a means of empowering FATA residents and to increase their participation in the political process, considered three options suggested by the Peshawar roundtable participants, which included FATA Secretariat, PEMRA, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ministry of Information, Tribal Union of Journalists, Peshawar Press Club and civil society groups, to translate Articles 19 and Articles 19A into reality.
Intermedia Executive Director Adnan Rehmat conducted the discussion and also presented a comparative analysis of the state of media in mainstream Pakistan and FATA.
Source: Daily Times
Date:11/25/2011
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