Experts urged upon all stakeholders to sit together and finalise a comprehensive code of conduct through consultation and legislation.

They were of the view that to end the negative impact and effect of media, government, media owners and working journalists must prepare Code of Conduct to enforce Media laws and ethics.

Regional Director PBC Hyderabad Mohammad Ali Banbhan in his presidential address said that media plays vital role for the development of the society by highlighting national issues in different sectors, but due to non-implementation of code of conduct, the negative ethical values deteriorate the positive role of media.

Divisional Director Sindh Information Department Khurshid Ali Shaikh in his remarks said that social media had emerged with both positive and negative approaches very fast. Professor of Media Studies Department, University of Sindh, Dr Bashir Memon in his keynote talk said that like other professions, media has to follow its laws and ethics in letter and spirit. Dr Memon while highlighting the importance of press and media laws differentiated media ethics from the laws.

Business Recorder

KARACHI: At a seminar held here on Wednesday, senior journalists, including office-bearers of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) headed by Rana Azeem said that the latest code of conduct for media was unsatisfactory and some of its points amounted to gagging of freedom of expression.

They urged the government to redraft the code of conduct and issue it after consultations with journalists’ organisations.

They also urged the government to hold a debate in parliament on the Nasir Aslam Zahid commission report. Media houses were urged to abide by the moral and social ethics and local traditions and avoid telecasting programmes which may create commotion.

Dawn

New York, August 21, 2015–The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned by the sweeping nature of guidelines from Pakistan’s Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) for on-air news coverage and commentary on the nation’s television and radio channels. The Electronic Media (Programs and Advertisements) Code of Conduct, 2015 was made public Thursday in Pakistan and is effective immediately, PEMRA said.

The 24-point guidelines set strict limits for live coverage of ongoing security operations such as hostage standoffs and terrorist attacks. Broadcasters “shall air only such information as may be warranted by the security agency in charge of the operation,” the code mandates. The rules also set controls for discourse during political discussion shows, which is often heated in Pakistan; broadcasters are restricted from airing what PEMRA calls those engaging in “hate speech” or denunciations of religious beliefs.

“Codes of conduct should be voluntarily developed and enforced by a country’s media industry, rather than being handed down by any government,” said Bob Dietz, CPJ’s Asia program coordinator. “Pakistan’s news organizations have shown willingness in the past to develop their own rules for responsible coverage, and this code smacks of government interference and a threat to press freedom in an already frail media environment.”

The guidelines, which update a 2009 version, were drawn up in consultation with the Pakistan Broadcasting Association over the past several months, according to media reports. Members of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) have complained they were not included in the discussions, according to Mazhar Abbas, a broadcaster and media activist and former president of PFUJ.

Committee to Protect Journalists

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) will stage a protest march from the Parliament House to the Prime Minister Office today (Saturday) against non-representation of the journalists associations in the committee constituted to prepare code of conduct for media.

The protest march would start from the Parliament House at 2 pm and it would culminate at the Prime Minister Office where representatives of the journalists associations would address the participants of the march.

The decision to this respect was taken at a meeting held under the chairmanship of PFUJ President Afzal Butt that was attended by the representatives of the journalists associations including National Press Club (NPC) President Shahrayar Khan, NPC General Secretary Tariq Chaudhry, Rawalpindi Islamabad Union of Journalists (RIUJ) President Ali Raza Alvi, RIUJ General Secretary Bilal Dar and former NPC president Farooq Faisal.

The participants of the meeting underlined the need to give representation to the journalists associations in the committee to prepare code of conduct for media in particular reference with terrorism in the country.

Speaking on the occasion PFUJ president said the proposed legislation regarding code of conduct for media carries some sections that are against the spirit of freedom of expression.“These kinds of laws or code of conduct have not been enforced in the civilised nations and if the government wants to carry out legislation that can violate the freedom of expression then the journalists would stage protest against it,” he said.

The participants unanimously demanded of the government to include representatives of the journalists associations in the committee that can better help prepare a code of conduct to build public opinion against terrorism.

The News

Justice Siddiqui was hearing the writ petition of Shuhada Foundation of Pakistan Trust (SFPT) that it had filed against the ARY television channel for airing defamatory programmes against the superior judiciary judges. It was on June 11 when the same court through an interim order directed Pemra to ensure that “Mubasher Lucman shall not be allowed to conduct any programme on any TV channel till final decision of the instant writ petition”. The said order was later vacated by the Supreme Court (SC).

While hearing the matter, IHC judge observed that “ridiculing judiciary is tantamount to violation of the Constitution and no compromise could be made on prestige of the judicial institutions”. IHC judge further remarked that the judiciary was being criticised without any reason; if anyone had an objection or complaint against a judge, he could file the matter before Supreme Judicial Council (SJC). If a television channel aired a ‘Qawwali,’ five other channels also did the same. Justice Siddiqui remarked that there was a censor board for the films but no censor board for the television dramas and advertisements. In advertisements, there was much being aired for the sale of different items.

During last hearing, IHC bench had noted in its order “Let secretary ministry of information, Islamabad and Pemra chairman be directed to appear in person to explain as to whether there is any code of conduct for electronic media and anchorpersons who found ridiculing the institutions of country like judiciary, Army and other sensitive institutions and how many complaints have been filed against such persons and TV channels and what action has been taken so far.”

In compliance with the court orders, Pemra chairman and secretary ministry of information was there in the court today.

SEPT petitioner while nominating federation through secretary ministry of information, secretary ministry of interior, Pemra chairman, Ammad Khalid of Geo TV Channel, and Anchor ARY TV Channel Mubasher Luqman as respondents has contended before the court that some anchors particularly Mubasher Luqman are conducting such programmes which are prejudicial to the integrity, honour, respect and independence of the superior judiciary.

The petitioner contended that the Pemra had taken no substantial steps to implement a previous court order and Mubasher Luqman on the ARY TV channel was continuing extending the campaign against former chief justice (R) Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and judges of Supreme Court particularly Justice Jawwad S Khawaja in a clandestine manner.IHC bench after issuing the above order put off hearing in this matter till July 9.

The News

The media wasn’t facing threats only from one side (the establishment) but it was multidimensional, including from the militant wings of political parties, said former editor of Dawn Saleem Asmi who chaired the moot.

Asmi sahib, despite not feeling well and finding it difficult to breathe, addressed the gathering briefly.

Social worker and human rights activist Mehnaz Rehman said journalists faced a perpetual death threat. She said they were killed, harassed and tortured by intelligence agencies, political parties and extremist forces like the Taliban. She said out of 34 journalists killed in the country, the murderer of only one could be brought to book. “The media is under siege,” she remarked and pointed out that the government hadn’t done enough to handle the situation. She said that according to a UN report Pakistan was the most dangerous country for journalists. Senior columnist and anchor Raza Rumi was attacked; luckily he was not wounded but his driver died. The Taliban had already put his name on their hit list that came out in February. Similarly, an Express News journalist Jamshed was attacked twice, as was the group’s coverage van.

‘Some channels are speaking the language of their owners … and journalism will be the only casualty’
Ms Rehman said the rating competition among TV channels was an impediment in the way of serious journalism.

She added that the menace of sectarianism was also creating differences between media persons as they find it hard to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with each other. She quoted an incident in which an Ahmedi journalist, when he started writing for Baloch missing persons, received a call to warn him that if he didn’t stop writing on the subject, his identity of being an Ahmedi would be disclosed. The journalist had to flee the country, she said.

She said all the institutions commanded respect and that the army should be supported in its war against the Taliban.

In the end, she put forward three demands: media bodies and institutions make a code of conduct, working journalists share profits earned by their organisations, and there be no ban on any newspaper or channel.

Prof Tauseef Ahmed Khan said the absurdity of the situation where the government was saying that it would not shut down any media outlet, the Supreme Court hadn’t given any decision against any media house and yet the demand for the closure of Geo TV was coming from within media groups and no one was talking about bringing Hamid Mir’s attackers to justice.

Vice Chairman of the Human Rights Commission Asad Iqbal Butt said threat to journalists wasn’t a new phenomenon; it began when the Quaid-i-Azam was alive.

He argued that certain people were angry at the Hamid Mir incident and wondered what wrong had he said which caused such a furore. The agencies didn’t enjoy a good record, he mentioned, and touched upon the Asghar Khan case in which it was admitted that political parties were given funds. He feared efforts were being made to put curbs on journalism because of which lives of workers of Geo TV and Jang newspaper were in danger. The government should take action against those playing with religious sentiments, he demanded.

Media person Mazhar Abbas said the situation had come to a point where it appeared as if Hamid Mir shot someone instead of he himself being a victim. There was a time when media persons resisted efforts to gag media but at present voices from within their rank were demanding to shut down the channel as journalists were squabbling and calling each other names. The community that even a military dictator like Ziaul Haq couldn’t destroy had now weakened and that too by a single incident, he said.

He commented that if irresponsible journalism was witnessed on April 19, what followed it, and still going on, was also irresponsible journalism. Some channels were speaking the language of their owners and in the hullabaloo, “journalism will be the only casualty”, he said.

Farhat Parveen, Saeed Sarbazi, Imtiaz Khan Faran, Habib Junaidi and Liquat Sahi also spoke.

The event was conducted by Akhtar Baloch.

DAWN