Case registered against ARY TV – Pakistan Freedom of Expression Monitor

Muzzling journalism: FIR against news network

Web Desk — Wed, 28 Aug 2013 16:39:22 +0000

THE chief minister of Balochistan has apologised, Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry has sought an explanation and scores have protested. Yet, the fact remains that the FIR was filed on the basis of reasoning that bodes ill for not just media freedoms but also citizens’ right to information. The burning down of the Ziarat Residency was shocking enough. But soon after, footage emerged that showed that the account offered by the government was inaccurate. The state had initially said that the heritage building had been targeted remotely. The video, however, showed masked men on the premises wreaking destruction even before the flames were lit. It was this last aspect that agitated the Supreme Court when it took suo motu notice on the airing of these clips on an ARY News network programme. The concern was that the footage could be in contravention of Pemra rules that nothing shall be aired that incites violence or tends to glorify crime. This, in turn, led Balochistan’s information department to allege that ARY News had run “objectionable video clips”, and an FIR was registered under provisions of the 1997 Anti-Terrorism Act that pertain to disseminating material to incite hatred or projecting the cause of terrorists.

As violent extremism grows in Pakistan, news networks in the country have learned to tread the thin line between projecting an anarchic cause and remaining true to their responsibility of putting things on record and informing the public. What we saw in the ARY case was no different from an attempt to muzzle the media. Worryingly, this is not the first time. Last September, cases were registered against some Balochistan publications and news agencies for reporting on militancy. Before that, the provincial high court had ruled that the publication or broadcast of a report on a proscribed organisation would be considered a violation of the law. The realisation needs to dawn that extremism cannot be countered through curbing the media’s ability to report on it; that would be to be distracted by a dangerous red herring.

DAWN

Case against ARY News withdrawn, CM tells assembly

Web Desk — Wed, 28 Aug 2013 16:37:48 +0000

QUETTA: The Balochistan chief minister announced on Tuesday withdrawal of the case registered against the ARY News because the “FIR was lodged due to some misunderstanding”.

Dr Abdul Malik Baloch said he had been told that the case was registered on directives of the Supreme Court, but the registrar of the apex court later clarified that the court had not issued any directive for filing a case against the private TV channel on charges of showing footage of the attack on the Quaid’s residency at Ziarat in June.

The chief minister assured the house that the government would investigate, among other matters, the identity of the official on whose orders the case was registered under the Anti-Terrorism Act against the channel’s chief executive. However, he criticised as unbecoming the language used by two anchors of the ARY News.

Our Hyderabad Bureau adds: Journalists in Hyderabad staged a rally on Tuesday against registration of the case against ARY News.

The rally started from the Hyderabad Press Club and terminated near Radio Pakistan. Hamid Shaikh, the club’s secretary, said lodging an FIR against journalists was shocking.

DAWN

Pakistan: Case registered against journalists

Web Desk — Tue, 27 Aug 2013 13:21:52 +0000

On the orders of Supreme Court of Pakistan, police registered a case on August 26, 2013 under the Anti-Terrorist Act of 1997 of the constitution against Salman Iqbal, the chief executive of leading television channel ARY News, Owais Tohid, Executive Director, Shahid Hameed Rind, Quetta bureau chief and Sabir Shakir, Islamabad bureau chief of the same organisation over the broadcast of a video showing the bombing of the national monument by a separatist group in the restive province of Balochistan.

The provincial information department of Balochistan alleged in the case that ARY News ran objectionable video clips in its current affairs programme on Aug 13, about the destruction of Quaid Azam Residency in Ziarat district following an attack in June by a separatist group.

Chief Justice of the Supreme Couryt of Pakistan Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry had taken notice of the video and asked Pemra to inform him about action taken against the channel.

The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) and The Balochistan Union of Journalists (BUJ) condemned the series of attacks on freedom of press. Pervaiz Shaukat, president PFUJ said all journalists communities condemned the curbs on media and warned country-wide protests from the PFUJ.

BUJ and other media networks called for withdrawal of the case. The BUJ has decided to stage a demonstration in front of the Balochistan Assembly on August 27. Karachi Union of Journalists (KUJ) also announced the protest in front of Karachi Press Club same day.

Pakistan Press Foundation