Demo in Karachi against ban on channels
KARACHI: A protest demonstration against the imposition of emergency and restrictions on media was staged in Karachi under civil society on Friday.The demonstrators were carrying placards near Chie Minister House at PIDC Chawk. On this occasion, they raised slogans against emergency and restrictions on media.It was said at the demonstration that Gen Musharraf imposed martial law but named it emergency and usurped the people’s rights.They demanded that the emergency should be ended immediately, restrictions on all the channels should be lifted and the judiciary should be restored.
Journalists protest against media curbs
BHIRIA ROAD: Journalists community held a protest demonstration here on Thursday against the imposition of emergency rule and curbs on media in the country. Speaking on the occasion, Media leaders including President Naushehro Feroze Press Club Mohammad Shabbir Khanzada, General Secretary Qazi Zulifkar and others strongly condemned the state of emergency in country and blackout of electronic media as saying rulers had put the country's future at stake. They said that the emergency was imposed to achieve only personal interests. They said that due to this act, Pakistan had been defamed across the world. The leaders also flayed amendments in media laws and demanded immediate withdrawal of them. They vowed to continue their struggle till the end of emergency, restoration of deposed judges and lifting of restrictions on media.
Journalists observe hunger strike
NAUSHEHRO FEROZE: The members of Mehran Journalists Foundation observed a hunger strike here on Friday to protest against the imposition of emergency and curbs on media in the country. Local journalists including Maula Bux Mashori, Mubarak Shah, Manzoor Shah, Mehboob Kalhoro, Zahid Taj, Umeed Ali, Mehram Lund, Iqbal Rajpar and others participated in the hunger strike. Addressing the protesters, journalists leaders strongly condemned imposition of emergency in country, detention of journalists, judges, lawyers and political activists across the country. They demanded immediate release of arrested journalists besides lifting of restrictions on electronic media.
APNS, CPNE, PFUJ call for repeal of ‘draconian’ amendments
ISLAMABAD: The three leading associations representing the print media in Pakistan ñ the All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS), Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) and Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) — met with Minister for Information and Broadcasting Muhammad Ali Durrani on Thursday here and urged him to persuade the government to wholly withdraw the recent amendments to a critical law governing the print media. According to a press release of the APNS, they emphasised that the recent amendments imposed at the beginning of the emergency were “draconian in intent but meaningless in effect”. They further stated that all recent provisions added to the Press, Newspapers, News Agencies and Books Registration Ordinance provided excessive remedies to low intensity problems in certain areas of the print media, which were already available for prosecution under the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), the Maintenance of Public Order Act (MPO) and the Defamation Ordinance 2002. The recent black amendments to the law provided a contrary image of Pakistan’s free press and damaged international and domestic perceptions about the self-sustainability and viability of Pakistani democracy. The APNS was represented by its President Hameed Haroon and Secretary General Muhammad Aslam Kazi, while the CPNE was represented by its Secretary General Wamiq Zuberi. The PFUJ was represented by its President Huma Ali and Afzal Butt. Durrani was accompanied by Minister of State Tariq Azeem and Secretary Ministry of Information Anwar Mahmood. The meeting represents the highest-level joint contact after a lapse of several years between the APNS-CPNE on the one hand and the PFJU on the other, and was sought as a way out of the heightened protests against the recently imposed black amendments to laws governing the operation of the print and electronic media. The contention of the print media associations could be summed up thus: 1- The various problems of coverage in the print media, the amendments attempt to address are already covered under the PPC just as the power to suspend newspapers likely to provoke public disorder is covered under the Maintenance of Public Order. 2- If the government wish to convey the impression that the emergency has been imposed for a limited time and limited objectives, and that the country is being governed “as nearly as possible” in accordance with the Constitution, the efficacy of imposing the recent amendments to the Press, Newspapers, News Agencies and Books Registration Ordinance should be removed. 3- There will be a better response to the imposition of emergency in Pakistan as a limited and short-term exercise if the amendments to Press, Newspapers, News Agencies and Books Registration Ordinance are reviewed and withdrawn in full. In return, the print media associations have suggested that a three-stage package, reflecting exchanges between the print media and government officials be effected. The first stage calls for the withdrawal of the Press, Newspapers, News Agencies and Books Registration Ordinance amendments by the government. The second stage calls for the activation of the Press Council of Pakistan soon thereafter, so that the government complaints as well as private grievances against the print media can be arbitrated and disposed of judiciously. Finally, in the third stage the amendments to the Pemra Ordinance made at the start of the emergency be reviewed with the full restoration of all private channels on air. This stage of necessity would require the involvement and interaction of the print media associations, the Ministry of Information officials with members of Pakistan Broadcasters Association, representatives of channels taken off air and the Pemra officials.
ACR application to CJ
KARACHI: Association of Court Reporters (ACR) submitted an application to the Chief Justice, Sindh, demanding lifting of the ban imposed on the media people for coverage of court proceedings, which, they said, had happened for the first time in the history of Pakistan. In an application, they said that this unprecedented step prevented reporters from performing their professional duties. The ACR members believed that proceedings in such a manner would just become an in-camera affair and as such requested lifting of the ban on the media in the greater national interest.
Police lay siege to KPC
KARACHI: The law-enforcement agencies sealed both exit and entry roads leading to and from the Karachi Press Club on Thursday, blocking the thoroughfares with police mobile vans and mini-buses at both the ends. The security measures were elaborated as a protest meeting was held inside Karachi Press Club with world organising Globalisation Day against restriction imposed on media by the government after emergency imposed in the country. Heavy deployment of police force was witnessed with no vehicular traffic was allowed to move, blocking other arterial in the evening hours, with people facing traffic jams on parallel roads of KPC.
Journalists observe hunger strike, hold rally
PESHAWAR: Continuing their protest, journalists observed hunger strike and held interactive session and rally here Thursday against the imposition of emergency and curbs on media.A large number of journalists participated in the token hunger strike organised by the Khyber Union of Journalists (KhUJ) in front of Peshawar Press Club. The media persons were also visited by members of the civil society and politicians including Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Provincial Secretary General Najmuddin, Ijaz Durrani, Shabina Ayaz and Saima Munir of Alliance to Protect Human Rights (APHR), who expressed solidarity with them.An interactive session convened by the South Asia Free Media Association (Safma) at the PPC condemned November 3 proclamation of President Pervez Musharraf as Chief of the Army Staff and the restriction against country’s media that followed and demanded immediate end to both the diktats. Speaking on the occasion, Safma General Secretary Farzana Ali condemned government attitude towards the journalist community and alleged that prominent reporters and anchorpersons of print and electronic media were being targeted.Safma Senior Vice President Ismail Khan said that General Musharraf directly ruled the tribal areas and had therefore clamped emergency in the country on the pretext of worsening law and order situation in those areas. He said the curbs on media especially on electronic media are ridiculous after accusing the same for airing vulgar programmes. Ismail Khan held that none other than the president was responsible for the current turmoil in the country but in a face-saving move he accused media and the judiciary for the same. Safma Vice President Abdullah Jan was of the view that not only the journalist community but also the entire civil society had risen in protest against the unjustified curbs on media. He said that information was a public property and that no one had the right to prevent masses from reaching out to the same.Abdullah Jan said that in countries such as the United Kingdom, even state secretaries were made available to the general public after a stipulated time.The vice president said media was the tool to disseminate information and that by putting restrictions on media; the government had in fact dismantled the bridge between itself and the masses, which he said no civilized society could allow happening.He deplored the recent condition set for holding talk shows on TV channels that held the anchor person along with the TV channel responsible for the utterances of a host in absence of a government representative.Senior journalist Sohail Qalandar said that the government was trying to depict to the general public that country’s media worked against the national interest. “We are more aware and concerned about our national interests and a dictator need not tell us what was in the best interest of Pakistan,” he argued.He condemned the dual standards adopted by the West regarding form of governments in their countries and in the third world. “While they would accept nothing less than pure democracies in their countries, a dictator in countries like Pakistan is readily accepted to promote their own interests,” the journalist said. The session was later followed by a protest rally by the participants in front of PPC. They chanted slogans against the imposition of emergency and curbs on media.
November 15, 2007
SHC seeks comments on Geo petitions
KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Wednesday issued notices to the federation, Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra), the deputy-attorney general and the advocate general, Sindh, on petitions filed by Independent Media Corporation and Bird (Pvt) against the ban on the transmission of Geo News, Geo Entertainment, Geo Super and AAG TV channels.The petitioners, who hold landing right of satellite TV channels - GEO News, GEO Entertainment, GEO Super and AAG in Pakistan - submitted that, after the imposition of emergency rule on November 3, at about 5.30 to 6.00pm, all private satellite TV news channels were taken off the air by Pemra throughout the country.The matter was taken up on urgent applications moved by the petitioners in the SHC on the ground that they had incurred heavy financial losses and that the general public, at large, had been deprived of their right and access to information.Petitionersí counsel Mohammad Ali Mazhar argued that, under the Provisional Constitution Order (PCO), the right to business and profession has not been suspended, therefore, by unlawful proscription/suspension, the petitionersí rights to do business and trade have been seriously infringed. He said that the transmission of petitionersí TV channels have been suspended since 3rd November from 6.00 p.m without any show-cause notice or written order by Pemra. The counsel further argued that, on November 3, it came to the knowledge of the petitioners, late in the night, that Pemraís Third Amendment Ordinance-2007 has been promulgated by the president of Pakistan in which a few more clauses have been added under Section 20 of the Pemra Ordinance-2002. He pointed out the amended clauses to the court and contended that it is clear from the amendment incorporated in the third Pemra Ordinance-2007 that it pertains to only news channels, but, under the garb of these amendments,†the petitionersí entertainment and sports channels have also been suspended. He said that due to such unlawful suspension of TV channels, including GEO Super, the petitioners are facing hardship and heavy financial losses. ìGEO Super has the exclusive rights of exploitation of the Pak-India Cricket Series in Pakistan but, due to unlawful suspension/closure, the entire nation has been deprived of watching the cricket matches. The non-airing of GEO Super in Pakistan is causing heavy financial losses.î Mohammad Ali Mazhar also prayed the court for the immediate lifting of the ban†on petitionersí channels. The SHCís division bench, comprising Justice Munib Ahmed Khan and Justice Abdur Rehman Farooq Pirzada, after conducting preliminary hearing of the petitions, issued notices to the federation, Pemra, the DAG and the AG for November 16 and called for their comments.The petitioners have prayed the court to declare the ban on satellite TV channels as unlawful and without any lawful authority and even against the provisions of Pemraís Third Amendment Ordinance-2007 and direct the respondents to immediately lift the ban on the petitionersí TV channels GEO News, GEO Entertainment, GEO Super and AAG forthwith.The petitioners also prayed the court to direct Pemra to issue necessary instructions/directions to all cable TV operators throughout the country to immediately on-air/restore the transmission of GEO News, GEO Entertainment, GEO Super and AAG on their cable TV networks without any interruption or interference and, till the disposal of petitions, direct the respondents to restore the transmission of TV channels.
Curbs on media, judiciary
SUKKUR: Protests and arrests of political activists continued in interior Sindh on Wednesday as a PPP leader declared that there were no such conditions in the country which could force General Pervez Musharraf to impose the emergency rule.Central leader of the Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians, MNA, Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah, talking informally to newsmen at the press club here on Wednesday night said Musharraf’s promise regarding the general elections in January would only prove true after the announcement of the election schedule. He said the PPPP alone would not take any decision on political activities in the country. “All decisions will be taken after thorough discussions with other political leaders,” he said, adding that the party leadership was in constant touch with the leaders of other parties. Hinting at forming a grand political alliance, Khursheed said leaders of the PML-N, ANP and other parties had contacted PPP Chairperson Benazir Bhutto and advised her to form a joint strategy to pull the country out of the present crisis and pave the way for real democracy. Khursheed said during the last general elections when the PPP chairperson was out of the country, her party bagged 8.7 million votes, which was the largest number of the votes. He dispelled the impression that the PPPP was trying to become part of the caretaker government, adding that their leaders were in jail so how could they become part of any caretaker government. He stated that the general elections under the emergency rule could not be free and fair and the international community would not accept the results. Khursheed paid rich tributes to Sukkur-based journalists for their struggle for a free media and said his party would support them.MPAs Dr Nasrullah Baloch, Haji Ali Anwar Mahar, Iqbal Dawood Pakwala, and Secretary General PPPP City Dr Arshad Mughal accompanied him. Meanwhile, a meeting of the PLF, chaired by its president Imtiaz Soomro, was held at the District Bar Hall. It demanded of the government through a resolution to restore the 1973 Constitution and release the arrested lawyers, journalists and political workers.They also demanded immediate release of Pakistan Bar Council president Chaudhry Aitazaz Ahsan and vice-president Imdad Ali Awan. Meanwhile, scores of PPPP activists staged protests in Sukkur and others cities and towns of the district on Wednesday, against the emergency and the house-arrest of PPPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto.The PPPP activists, led by Secretary-General Sukkur PPP, Dr Arshad Mughal, staged a protest demonstration. The PPPP, SPSF and SPY activists, led by Muhammad Khan Khoso, Hazoor Bux Buriro and others took to the streets in Thull. Starting from Library Chowk, the anti-government rally marched through the city’s main roads shouting slogans against the government and staged a demonstration at the Clock Tower Chowk. In Jacobabad, the police baton charged the PPPP workers, who were trying to take out a protest rally from the Municipal Road to the Quaid-e-Azam Road. Later, the police arrested about 30 workers and locked them up at the City Police Station and registered cases against them. In Hyderabad, more than 50 activists, including an MNA and an MPA of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), were arrested while protesting against the emergency rule and the house arrest of Benazir Bhutto. Husseinabad police arrested MNA Ameer Shah Jamote along with three other leaders of the PPP in Latifabad Unit 4 when he along with dozens of workers and activists protested against the emergency rule and curbs on the media and the judiciary. The Cantonment police arrested PPP MPA Pir Amjad Shah Jilani along with over three dozen PPP activists of Tandojam who managed to arrive outside the Hyderabad Press Club and chanted pro-Benazir and anti-government slogans. The journalists also observed a two-hour token hunger strike inside the premises of the press club against the curbs on the media and demanded immediate restoration of TV channels. Meanwhile, the Awami Tehreek (AT) activists continued to court arrests against the emergency rule and five workers were arrested from the court premises here on Wednesday. About 14 activists of PPP were sent to the central prison, while the courts accepted bail applications of others who were arrested on Tuesday. In Khairpur, more than 70 PPPP activists, including Taluka and city presidents, were arrested as they took out a protest rally against the house arrest of Benazir Bhutto and the state of emergency. The rally was taken out from the Jillani House here and when the protesters reached the Press Club, Khairpur, the police arrested them along with 15 PPPP women activists. In Faiz Gunj, more than 30 PPPP activists were arrested when they took out a rally. Meanwhile, PPPP activists in Pir Jo Goth and Thari Mirwah also took out protest rallies but no arrests were reported. In Thatta, several local leaders and workers of PPP were arrested when they staged a demonstration and blocked traffic on the National Highway in Gharo on Wednesday. A spokesperson for the party said that the police arrested 35 workers and booked them under various sections of the law. The arrested activists included Sardar Muhammad Luqman Malkani, Usman Baloch, Ayub Sheikh and Muhammad Horai.Meanwhile, 20 leaders and workers, including PPP MPA Sassui Palijo, were released on bail by a local court here on Wednesday. In Larkana, PPP MNA Khalid Iqbal Memon and several party workers were arrested on Wednesday when they took out a procession, blocked the traffic and violated Section 144, police sources said. The procession, led by Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, started from his residence in Larkana and the protesters blocked the traffic near the SSP office to stage a demonstration, the sources said.
LPC bans coverage
LAHORE Press Club has banned the coverage and organisation of any event by Islami Jamiat Talaba in its premises for manhandling the journalists from print and electronic media during the visit of national hero Imran Khan to Punjab University on Wednesday. A press statement issued by the governing body of the club stated that Jamiat activists manhandled and threatened Daily Nawa-e-Waqt senior reporter Azam Chaudhry, Geo News reporter Ahmad Faraz, a TV reporter Imran Aslam and cameraman Mohammad Akhlaq along with other journalists present to cover the event. The LPC also condemned the act by declaring it fascism while putting a ban on holding their press conferences, demonstrations or any other activity in the premises of the journalists club.
Journalists protest curbs on media
PESHAWAR: Rejecting the imposition of emergency and curbs on media, the journalist community of the city Wednesday staged a big rally to protest against suspension of basic human rights.Before demonstrating on Sher Shah Suri Road chanting full throat slogans “go Musharraf go”, “we reject ban on media”, members of the Khyber Union of Journalists (KhUJ) staged hours-long sit-in in front of the Peshawar Press Club. A large number of media persons, associated with newspapers and television channels, participated in the protest camp. The participants of the camp were handcuffed, their hands fastened with a black ribbon, symbolising how the media men have been barred from performing their duty. The journalists of television channels had fastened their eyes with the black cloth to show how the public has been forced not to watch the independent coverage. A number of political leaders and members of the lawyer community visited the protest camp to express solidarity with the protesting journalists. The first was Jamaat-e-Islami Provincial Chief Sirajul Haq, who suddenly came out from a car and joined the protesting journalists. Siraj left within a minute in another car when a police officer along with his gunmen rushed to arrest him. An hour later, Awami National Party provincial chief Mian Iftikhar Hussain also arrived to express solidarity with journalists. He was also forced to leave within seconds when the same officer was going to hold the nationalist leader. Even people who were passing through the protest camp on main Sher Shah Suri Road expressed solidarity with the journalists in their movement against the government. Some students who were travelling in a minibus chanted slogans from the vehicle “Go Musharraf Go” while many flashed victory sign from their cars to express solidarity with the journalists in their struggle against dictatorship. A group of young lawyers also visited the camp and remained there for sometime. Apart from heavy contingent of police, unusual number of intelligence officials was also seen monitoring the activity. “This was the second phase of our protest under the plan chalked out by the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ). In this phase, we will hold protest camps till November 17 while protest demonstrations will be held across the country on November 20,” KhUJ General Secretary Nasir Hussain told The News. The KhUJ office-bearer said the journalists all over the world would observe November 15 as global action day to show solidarity with the Pakistani media in the struggle against the imposition of emergency. In the end, the protesting journalists chanted slogans against the government for suspending basic human rights of the countrymen and imposing emergency. They returned peacefully to the Press Club after remaining on road for almost three hours.Our correspondent adds from Mardan: Local journalists staged a protest camp in front of the Press Club here Wednesday as protest against government ban on private TV channels and pledged to continue their struggle till lifting of the ban. The protest was observed on the call of PFUJ. The protesting newsmen said that it was not the 17th century where the people would not be allowed to speak or inform about the illegal or unconstitutional steps of the rulers as the people want to know about the developments in their country. They demanded the ban should be lifted so that people should know about the political and legal activities in the country.Meanwhile, District Nazim Mardan and Provincial President Aman Jirga Himayatullah Mayar and Syed Kamal Shah respectively visited the camp and demanded lifting ban on media. They condemned the extra-constitutional order of the president and demanded the restoration of private news channels and judiciary. Kamal Shah also assured that Aman Jirga would play its role to solve the problems of the area following dialogue and Jirgas. He also demanded end to military operation in Swat and said the problem should be resolved through talks. The activists of Islami Jamiat Talaba and Pakhtun Students Federation also took out a protest procession from Mardan College and staged a demonstration in front of the press club. They condemned the imposition of emergency, dismissal of judges of the superior courts and ban on private channels and demanded the restoration of the constitution immediately. They vowed that students of the colleges of the district would continue protest against the illegal steps of the president. Later on police resorted to baton charge and used tear gas to disperse the procession, however students retaliated as they also hurled stones on the police. It was also learnt that the main rout of Mardan-Malakand has been completely closed at Shergarh check post for traffic and the commuters were not allowed to go to various districts in Malakand. Closure of the road made matters worst for the people of Dir Upper, Dir Lower, Chitral, Malakand, Swat, Shangla, Buner and Bajaur Agency.
November 14, 2007
Lawyers hold hunger strike camp
CHAKWAL: Hunger strike camp was setup at District Bar Chakwal on Wednesday as two lawyers observed two-hour hunger strike. Anti-government slogans were chanted on this occasion. Vice president District bar Qazi Abdul Qayyum and Safdar Hussain participated in the hunger strike camp. The lawyers of Chakwal district also observed two hours strike through out Chakwal and they boycotted the courts at Chakwal, Talagang and Choa Saiden Shah from10am to 12 noon. Member Punjab Bar Council Hassan Raza Pasha told that two hour strike of the lawyers community will be observed throughout the country at the subordinate courts while the boycott at the superior judiciary would be continued. He also demanded immediate release of president district bar Chakwal Haroon Irshad Janjua and Nadeemul Hassan advocate of Choa Saiden Shah.
Token hunger strike at KPC against media curbs
KARACHI: Journalist organizations staged Wednesday token hunger strike at Karachi Press Club against PEMRA Ordinance and the restrictions on media.A large number of journalists belonging to Karachi Union of Journalists and Association of Television Journalists, Karachi Press Club, Association of Press Photographer Pakistan attended the hunger strike.On this occasion, the journalists sported black armbands and carried placards with slogans written on them against PEMRA Ordinance and restriction on media.The journalists raised slogans for the freedom of media and demanded the government to put an end to this ban on media.Karachi Press Club President Sabihud Din Ghousi said a protest would be staged at KPC on Thursday November 15, where Justice (rtd) Wajihud Din would also be among other protesters.Later on, Senior journalist Minhaj Birna terminated the hunger strike by making the journalists drink juice.
Journalists continue protest against media curbs
ISLAMABAD: Journalist community on Wednesday continued their protests across the country including the Federal Capital Islamabad to hold protest against the curbs imposed by the government on electronic and print media after the emergency was proclaimed in the country. The journalist community is protesting the imposed curbs on media on the protest call given by Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) across the country. The journalists of the twin cities Rawalpindi and Islamabad held a protest camp organized by Rawalpindi-Islamabad Union of Journalists (RIUJ) here in front of the Dawn office' which was attended by scores of journalists of the twin cities including RIUJ President Afzal Butt, President Rawalpindi/Islamabad Press Club, Mushtaq Minhas, senior journalists Fouzia Shahid, Hamid Mir, and others. J. Salik, former federal minister and leader of minorities, former MPA Sardar Naseem Khan of PML-N, PPP Senator Enwar Baig and people belonging to civil society organization also joined the journalists to express solidarity with them. The protesting journalists were chanting slogans as "No to curbs on media", "No to PEMRA Ordinance", "We want freedom" and "Lift ban on private news channels". They were also chanting slogans demanding reinstatement of the deposed Chief Justice and other judges, restoration of Constitution and condemning the government for imposing curbs on media. Heavy contingents of police were also present on the occasion to avert any untoward incident. Speaking on the occasion, senior journalist Hamid Mir commended the support of all political parties. He said government was threatening the newspapers' owner that they were hatching conspiracies against the regime. He said if media is being blamed for hatching conspiracy against the country then which of the channel in 1971 broke the Pakistan, he posed a question. Fouzia Shahid strongly condemned the curbs on media saying that these will not be accepted at all cost. She said the journalist would also stage same protest camp today (Thursday) in front of the Islamabad Press Club camp office. Mushtaq Minhas, President RIPC while speaking lauded those judges who refused to take oath under PCO including the deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry. Furthermore, they announced that today (Thursday), Global Action Day will be observed during which protest demonstration will be held indifferent countries by the IFJ, affiliates and memorandum will be submitted to Pakistani embassies. While on Tuesday November 20, protest meetings and demonstrations will be held through out Pakistan. Federal Executive Council (FEC) of the PFUJ and National Executive Committee (NEC) of All Pakistan Newspapers Employees Confederation (APENEC) will be held from November 30 to December 02, in Islamabad to draw further course of action for the acceptance of all their demands.
Media to be briefed on foreign policy today
ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri would brief the media on Wednesday (today) on the last five-year achievements of the foreign policy of the country. Kasuri would reply to questions on Pakistan’s reaction over the reaction shown by the international community on the imposition of emergency. He would also speak about Pakistan-India relations and vital regional and international issues.
Newspapers asked not to carry slanderous material
PESHAWAR: The NWFP Directorate of Information has directed certain newspapers through a letter “not to publish slanderous material against the government departments.”“It has been observed that slanderous material is being published against government departments/officials without confirmation from the concerned authority, which not only defames the said department/official but the newspaper also loses its credibility,” stated a letter sent by the NWFP director information to some newspaper offices in Peshawar. At a time when independent newspapers and television news channels are being pressured to toe the government line, the letter upset the staff of the newspapers that received it. They felt it was aimed at restricting the work of the media by taking advantage of the emergency. “It is not a threat but just a request,” NWFP Director Information Faridullah clarified when asked by The News whether the letter was meant to threaten media organisations. The official explained that the matter had been discussed before the imposition of emergency in the country as unconfirmed stories carried by different newspapers created problems for the government departments and wasted time of the officers assigned to probe reports that eventually proved baseless.The director of information also dispelled the impression that the letter had anything to do with the imposition of emergency. “This has not been issued on the directives of federal government,” he stressed.
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