• October 31, 2007
• Freedom of Expression, News Archives
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ISLAMABAD – Federal Minister for Information and Broadcast­ing Muhammad Ali Durrani Tuesday said that the writ of the state and the right to report are indispensable components of a progressive society and the government would make no compromise if any group of individuals challenges civil liberties.

“Freedom of expression is the hallmark of our government and we would not allow any group or individual to challenge this right. As extremists are threat­ening the right to report and the writ of state in most parts of NWFP and Federally Adminis­tered Tribal Areas (FATA), the media and the state institutes would have to forge unity to com­bat this menace”, said the Minister while addressing a media delegation from Khyber Agency.

“If we want to effectively root out terrorist and extremist tendencies from our soda] fabric, the media will have to come forward with a plan to form an alliance against this menace”, he said.

Durrani proposed that the best method to combat terrorism threat is to effectively raise voice against all sorts of curbs against freedom of expression. He said the journalist community is the torchbearer for society in hold­ing accountable all those who commit injustice and atrocities against humanity.

He said isolating the extrem­ism in its various manifestations is prime duty of the entire nation and the government would leave no stone unturned to protect the media freedom, which we together have achieved.
The delegation briefed the Min­ister about security challenges and threats being faced by the journalist community in most parts of FATA and NWFP at the hands of local Taliban. They told that the local Taliban groups communicate with the people through illegal FM radio channels and issuing directives against those journalists who try to expose their evil deeds, and even impose huge penalties in case of non-compliance.

Durrani said that free and responsible media is a greater threat to the terrorist’s agenda. It pro­motes the viewpoint that brings positive changes in the societies, he further said. He added that it works to strengthen the economy to the extent that youth from all communities can see the ways in which their engagement in society can bring about democratic change and reduce the alienation, which can make individuals prey to those who seek to destroy us. This is certainly what the local Taliban don’t want, he further said. The local Taliban, Durrani added, do this only to protect the interests of a certain group or to impose their personal views, which have nothing to do with any religion.

Vowing to redress all the -grievances being faced by the tribal journalists, Durrani said the government was working to provide life insurance cover for all jour­nalists working in the tribal areas. “The Ministry of Informa­tion would soon hold a confer­ence of all press clubs across the country and a strategy would be worked out to resolve the threat to the media posed by terrorist and extremist elements,” Durrani pledged.

When informed about the di­lemmas of Bara Press Club, he ensured the delegation that to take up the issue personally and will make sure that @thing trou­blesome happens. He added that the protection and enhancement of professionalism of the tribal journalists was his utmost con­cern, as he fully believes their job is the ‘toughest assignment’ a journalist can imagine.
Source: The Nation
Date:10/31/2007