• November 8, 2007
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ISLAMABAD: Media owners and journalist organisations throughout the country Wednesday condemned amendments to the press laws, threats to Chief Executive Jang Group Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman and the unprecedented situation media houses are facing.

They particularly expressed solidarity with the Jang Group. All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS), Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE), Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA), South Asia Free Media Association (Safma) and Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) assailed the coercive measures aimed at gagging the media.

CPNE: Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman briefed a CPNE Standing Committee emergency meeting about the threats and pressures that the Jang Group of newspapers was being subjected to. The CPNE adopted a resolution unanimously rejecting the amendments to the media laws promulgated by the federal government and expressing full solidarity with the Jang Group of Publications and deplored the threats received by Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman.

The meeting was presided over by CPNE President Syed Fasieh Iqbal and attended by all the leading members of the Standing Committee, including Secretary General Wamiq Zuberi. Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman said that the latest threat to the Jang Group was an email by a Taliban outfit, threatening to blow up the Jang printing press and the staff of the Jang publications unless they stopped printing certain photographs of young women.

He said that he had been also subjected to great pressure and threats since early this year, including an attempt on his life, and he had filed an FIR to this effect with the Clifton police station in Karachi.

He said that he had faced the pressures and challenges to the best of his ability but found it necessary to inform the editors’ community of the threatening situation faced by him. The meeting expressed its total solidarity with Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman and called for immediate action by the authorities concerned to ensure his protection.

The meeting denounced the threats to the Jang newspaper and its press as also to the personnel of the Jang Group, including its Chief Executive Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman. The meeting called upon the government of Pakistan and the provincial government to ensure full safety to newsmen and the newspapers and their printing presses and also the TV channel offices and equipment.

Earlier, the meeting heard a full report on the discussions the CPNE Standing Committee members had with the prime minister on November 2, 2007, in Islamabad and the events that followed, including the promulgation of emergency in the country and the issuance of amendments to the media laws in the country.

CPNE President Syed Fasieh Iqbal said the government had failed to consult the media bodies on the subject of amendments to the media laws and had, therefore, committed a breach of commitment that all media laws in the country would be suitably amended in consultation with the media bodies, including the CPNE.

Wamiq Zuberi, CPNE Secretary General, also briefed the members on the various developments in the media field that had taken place since the promulgation of emergency. The members present at the meeting expressed their views in a very strong manner and totally rejected the amendments.

The resolution called for the withdrawal of all restrictions placed on media reporters and photographers and newspapers in connection with the coverage of events and developments in the country.

The meeting in its resolution said that the ban on the TV channels, except PTV, was most derogatory and anti-democracy and this restriction must be withdrawn. The meeting also called for cooperation of all segments of society, including lawyers and working journalists, to join hands in rejecting completely the amendments to the media laws and called for the withdrawal of ban on the airing of private sector TV channels in the country.

The meeting which opened with the recitation from the Quran was attended by Syed Faseih Iqbal, President of CPNE (The Balochistan Times); Dr Jabbar Khattak (Sr Vice President), Daily Awami Awaz; Javed Meher Shamsi, (Vice President Sindh) Daily Kaleem; Wamiq Zuberi (Secretary General), Daily Business Recorder; Mushtaq Ahmed Qureshi (Finance Secretary), Monthly Naye Uffaq; Anwer Farooqi (Daily Aghaz); Najmuddin Shaikh (Daily Deyanat), Tahir Najmi (Daily Express), Kazi Asad Abid (Fortnightly Ibrat Magazine), Khalil-ur-Rehman (Daily Islam), Mir Shakil-ur-Rehman (Daily Jang), Aamir Mehmood (Monthly Kiran Digest), Inqillab Matri (Daily Millat), Arif Nizami (Daily Nawa-e-Waqt), Waqar Yousuf Azeemi (Monthly Roohani Digest), Mujeeb-ur-Rehman Shami (Daily Pakistan), Naseer Hashmi (Daily Ummat), Mahmood-ul-Aziz (UPP), Altaf Hasan Qureshi (Monthly Urdu Digest), Owais Aslam Ali (PPI News Agency), Younus Riaz (Daily Beopar), Javed Mahmud (The Nation), Muzaffar Ejaz (SADA News Agency), Sarmad Ali (Daily Jang) and Salman Qureshi (Monthly Naya Rukh).

Meanwhile, the All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) has urged the government to immediately suspend the implementation of the recent amendments to the press laws and all actions taken under the emergency law, including notices issued to publications.

The suspension of implementation of the amendments would be a prerequisite for a meeting with the publishers to find a way out of the crisis created by the abrogation of press rights, stated a press release.

The APNS executive committee at its emergency meeting held in Karachi noted with concern the attempted intimidation and life threats directed at Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman from two leading intelligence agencies. The members strongly condemned the threat mailed to Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman allegedly by Taliban to blow up the offices of Jang and Geo. The committee noted that it is a misconceived attempt as “we are not prepared to tamper with the sacrosanct press rights and compromise on the principles of press freedom with any measures to intimidate the press”. The members urged the government to provide foolproof security and protection to the publishers, the staffers of publications and other media and their premises to save them from the shocking threats to life and property.

The executive committee deplored that in the last few days, the police detained and maltreated media persons and raided media offices in different parts of the country. The Jang press in Karachi was raided and copies of the eveninger of the publication group were seized. Notices have also been issued against newspapers including Daily Ausaf to prevent independent dissemination of news and information.

The executive committee has empowered its president to form an action committee to finalise the action plan to be implemented to brave the situation and educate the public and the civil society on the impact of these laws on press freedoms and chalk out actions and strategies for a swift return to constitutional rule and withdrawal of the black ordinances containing amendments to the press laws.

The APNS president was also authorised to set up a Press Rights Secretariat to monitor acts of violations, harassments and intimidations against the media and take immediate actions in this respect. The committee will liaise with the international press bodies over the state of press freedom in the country and will campaign to achieve the press rights in the country.

The president has also been empowered to announce a series of one-day strikes of newspapers, which will close down the entire press if any newspaper has been subjected to action under the new press laws.

The APNS executive committee considered the amendments made in the press laws after the imposition of state of emergency and strongly rejected the recent black amendments. The APNS declared that these efforts to silence the Pakistani media were unacceptable as they were virtual abolition of all press freedoms and suspension of fundamental rights.

In a resolution, the executive committee noted that the claims of expanding press freedom under General Pervez Musharraf had been wiped out with one stroke of promulgation of the black press laws. The government under the guise of emergency has enforced a complete news media blackout and censorship.

The ordinance to amend the Press Registration Ordinance, 2002 provides the DCOs with arbitrary powers to suspend the declaration of newspapers for 30 days without a show-cause notice in case of violation of the ordinance. The amendments are blacker than the PPO of General Ayub Khan against which the media had fought till 1989 for removal.

The members expressed concern over the news item that appeared in a section of the press that the government had decided to monitor national newspapers and assigned special officers to scan their contents containing material against the government. These actions have made almost impossible for newspapers to bring out their publications and perform their duties to provide news and information to their readers.

The Executive Committee reiterated its resolve that the print media would not allow abolition of the press freedom attained through the protracted struggle of the industry over decades.

The Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA) in an emergency meeting of its founding members in Karachi Tuesday expressed grave concern at the unprecedented situation that its members are facing.

The step of forcing the cable operators to black out all news channels except for the state broadcaster is not in consonance with the norms of natural justice and human rights. The members of the PBA are being punished for anticipated action rather than for anything that they have done. The PBA meeting condemned this arbitrary act.

The PBA members were gravely perturbed at the threats received by its Chairman Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman. They called upon the government to protect lives and property of all PBA members. The member body gave authority to its chairman to form a committee to make all-out efforts to get the broadcasters to resume transmission, and ensure that no action is taken under the amended Pemra Ordinance.

The PBA said the Pemra amended Ordinance NO LXV of 2007 promulgated along with issuance of the PCO is a serious attempt to stifle and strangulate the freedom of speech, expression and freedom of information of general public at large. Blanket powers have been given to the Pemra to seize broadcast or distribution service equipment or seal the premises of the licensee under the garb of public interest.

In addition thereto, further unbridled powers have been given to the Pemra and its chairman to direct without notice, the closure of any broadcast or distribution network for such period as it may determine. The violation of amendments by media channel owner is liable to be punished up to three years imprisonment or with a fine which may extend to Rs10 million or with both, and in case of violation by distribution service licensee or its representative, they are liable to be punished up to one year imprisonment or with fine up to Rs5 million or with both. This amended ordinance is also applicable to entertainment programming in addition to news and current affairs.

All news channels and other entertainment channels have been proscribed without any justification and cogent reason. All licensees of Pemra and members of the PBA were already complying with the Pemra laws, rules and regulations made there under including the terms and conditions of license. After promulgation of the amended ordinance, there was no further justification to pass any directions to cable operators of the country to proscribed the private TV channels throughout the country. On one hand, the government is promulgating the amended ordinance for Pemra licensees to strictly adhere to it but on the other hand, unjustified proscription orders were issued to off air the private TV and radio channels, the meeting observed.

The PBA emphatically condemned the amended ordinance and proscription of private TV channels throughout Pakistan, the raids and seizure of broadcast and distribution equipments of various licensees which has been simply done to pressurise and harass the private TV and radio channels and cable TV operators.

The PBA observed that role of private TV channels in this era is highly informative, educational with different genre of mix programming including sports and entertainment, so in this way, not only the public at large has been deprived from viewing their favourite TV channels but at the same time, the licensees of Pemra and members of the PBA are also suffering huge monetary losses due to unlawful proscription of their TV and radio channels. They are facing serious hardship and are unable to fulfil various obligations towards the advertisers, and in their other contractual obligations. In case, the proscription is not withdrawn immediately, both public as well as the Pemra licensees shall be seriously prejudiced.

The PBA appealed to the President of Pakistan to issue immediate instructions to the Pemra and other government machinery to immediately withdraw proscription orders of private TV and radio channels and also return all seized/confiscated equipment of broadcasters and TV operators forthwith. The PBA further appealed to the president to withdraw the ordinance which is totally unjustified and irrational.

The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) in an emergency meeting held in Islamabad decided to launch a worldwide protest campaign against the recent curbs on print and electronic media, saying emergency was not imposed to crush militancy but judiciary, media, lawyers and civil society.

A worldwide “Global Action Day” will be observed on November 15, on the call of PFUJ and International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), to express solidarity with the Pakistani journalists. An international media mission will visit Pakistan to enquire about the recent curbs and action against the media. Representatives of all the major media watchdogs are expected to join the mission during the visit.

The PFUJ in a resolution charged that since Nov 3 militants were freed, but hundreds of lawyers, members of civil society and mediapersons were arrested and put behind bars, all the private news channels, FM radio including foreign news channels were blocked.

The government action in the last four days clearly showed the emergency was imposed to crush the voice of dissent. It regretted that four cameramen including one, who had lost one of his fingers in a bomb blast, were produced handcuffed like terrorists.

The PFUJ demanded lifting of emergency, withdrawal of black laws against the print and electronic media, and restrictions imposed on news channels and FM-radios. It paid tribute to those judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts, who did not take oath under the PCO.

The PFUJ lauded the efforts of journalists who stood firm since the imposition of emergency and held protest meetings and demonstrations. It vowed to defend freedom of the press as it did in the last 50 years. It appealed to all the media organisations including owners and editor’s bodies APNS, CPNE, PBA to join the struggle for “people’s right to know”.

It condemned arrest of President of Supreme Court Bar Association Aitzaz Ahsan, former President of SCBA Munir Malik and prominent human rights activists. It also demanded release of all political leaders and workers.

The PFUJ set November 8 deadline for the withdrawal of the two ordinances lifting curbs on news channels and FM radios failing which a “Black Day” will be observed throughout Pakistan on Friday, November 9.

It said journalists, cameramen and photographers would boycott all the official functions on Friday and Saturday, hoist black flags on the Press Clubs. It appealed all news anchors to wear black armbands during their programmes.

The PFUJ said on November 12, all the PFUJ affiliates would organise meetings in different newspapers, TV channels. On Wednesday, Nov 14 “Protest Camps” will be set up and token hunger strike will be observed outside the Press Clubs. On Thursday, Nov 15, a “Global Action Day” will be observed during which protest demonstration will be held in different countries by the International Federation of Journalists, affiliates and memoranda will be submitted to Pakistani embassies.

On Tuesday, Nov 20, protest meetings and demonstrations will be held throughout Pakistan.

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) of the PFUJ and National Executive Committee (NEC) of All Pakistan Newspapers Employees Confederation (APNEC) will be held from November 30 to December 2 in Islamabad to draw further course of action for the acceptance of all their demands.

The president and general secretaries of the affiliated unions and executive council members of the PFUJ, secretary general of APNEC, attended the meeting. Earlier, all the UJs held their meetings in their respective centres and sent their proposals.

Secretary General of the South Asian Free Media Association (Safma) Imtiaz Alam, meanwhile, has announced that Safma national chapters in South Asia will express their solidarity with the Pakistani media community on November 15 and 20 by delivering letters of protest and staging demonstrations.

He was addressing a press conference Wednesday at the South Asia Media Centre after his release from police custody in Lahore. Alam was arrested on Monday without any charges and was released after 36 hours of illegal detention.

The Safma secretary general expressed his concern over the massive repression of media, lawyer’s community, civil society organisations and human rights activists after the imposition of emergency and proclamation of PCO.

Instead of targeting the terrorists and extremists, the regime has targeted its guns against those who want liberal values to flourish and restoration of rule of law and the constitutional democratic set-up in the country, he observed.

Criticising the clampdown on the electronic media, he said that this is unprecedented that all private news channels have been forcibly put off air for the last four days depriving people of their right to know and express.

Taking serious exception to the two ordinances, Pemra and Press and Publications Ordinance, Imtiaz Alam demanded the withdrawal of these bad laws immediately.

Explaining Safma’s position he said that like Nepal, Safma will be supporting the Federal Union of Journalists and other media organisations in their struggle for press freedom. He assured the Pakistani media community that all Safma national chapters in Afghanistan, Bhutan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka will express their full solidarity for the struggling media community of Pakistan. He also called upon the international media community to come to the rescue of their Pakistani counterparts.

In the face of strong national and international outrage the government has decided to pursue a policy of divide and rule by driving a wedge within the media. The policy of gradually restoring certain channels while keeping others off air is a sad reflection of this policy.

Source: The News International
Date:11/8/2007