Gagging the media
THE imposition of the state of Emergency was a wrong card the government played at a critical juncture in the country’s political life. And gagging the media by introducing amendments to the Press and Publications Ordinance and PEMRA Ordinance as an offshoot of the Emergency was, undoubtedly, the worst one. By all counts, it is a self-defeating exercise. It is a pity that autocratic authorities never learn the lesson of their predecessors that stifling the freedom of expression would not serve even the narrow interests they have set before themselves, as it became evident when rumours of a coup began making the rounds the other day.
As expected, the various media bodies like the CPNE, APNS, PFUJ and others have reacted strongly and expressed disappointment at this unfortunate, sudden turnaround. The media’s long and arduous struggle to secure its due right of freedom to report and comment had found a favourable response from the government, earning it an image of tolerance of dissent and enabling it to take pride while citing it as a mark of its democratic credentials. However, with one stroke that good image stands sullied. At a joint meeting held at Karachi on Tuesday media bodies rejected these revisions for the severe restrictions they imposed on the exercise of basic duty and demanded their withdrawal and the security of journalists, whose professional obligations entail coverage of protests, meetings and other events. That course of action, indeed, serves the larger interests of the nation.
The restrictions have evoked critical comments from foreign governments as well as media. The International Federation of Journalists has fixed November 15 as ‘Global Action Day’ to protest the curtailment of media freedom. It is sincerely hoped that the powers that be would make amends by withdrawing the offending amendments without any delay.
Source: TheNation
Date:11/9/2007
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