HRCP chief slams ban on video business video in NWFP
ISLAMABAD- Chief of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) Afrasiab Khattak condemned the restrictions being imposed by the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) government on video business in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP).
In an interview with the BBC he said ‘grabbing votes on enthusiastic slogans is a routine manner in Pakistan.’ The main problem is that if “these parties have some socio-economic problems and as far video and music, these things depend on their use.”
He said such an experience was made in Afghanistan that had failed. Here too, this experience would fail. “It is an excess against the people to impose a ban on information resources, because in that case the people of this area would lag behind the people of other areas on the country in the field of information,” he added.
He further said: “The fact is that the rulers in Islamabad are also involved in this episode.” It would have not happened if the rulers in Islamabad were not in its favour.
“Under what law they are taking these steps”, he said, adding “no law in the country prohibits display of photos on shops and the video business.” These are illegal things, which they are doing despite claiming that they are going by the Constitution, he said.
The central government is not checking these steps, he said, adding “the report that the Centre is against these steps is just a fraud.”
Afrasiab Khattak said: It is the same central government which did not stop the youths of Malakand from going to Afghanistan for war.”
Source: Business Recorder
Date:1/11/2003
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