Apart from overall law and order situation in Karachi city, the delegation also discussed the raid at the house of Resident Editor of Nawa-i-Waqt Saeed Khawar.

The DG Rangers directed an immediate investigation into the incident, saying that it was done due to a misunderstanding. He clarified that Saeed Khawar was not involved in any illegal activity. Expressing his grief over the incident, he asked the citizens to report any such incident at the Rangers Helpline 1101.

The DG Rangers assured the CPNE delegation that strict action would be taken against the personnel involved in the incident. Rangers officials also briefed the delegation about the ongoing operation in the city. The delegation comprised Senior Vice President Ilyas Shakir, Secretary General Dr Jabbar Khattak, Secretary Finance Major (retd) Hamid Hussain Abidi, Saeed Khawar, Nazir Leghari and Director CPNE Robina Rashid.

The News

According to a statement issued by the CPNE on Monday, a meeting of the council expressed solidarity with Mr Khawar and called upon the director general of Pakistan Rangers, Sindh, to investigate the matter so that measures could be initiated to keep the Rangers’ actions transparent.

Saeed Khawar told Dawn that around 20 Rangers personnel surrounded his rented house in North Karachi on Sunday for about one hour. He said after receiving information about the raid, he rushed to his house.

Rangers’ personnel told him later that they had conducted the raid at a “wrong place” over some “misunderstanding”, he said.

The CPNE pointed out that the Rangers conducted the raid on suspicion that Mr Khawar had obtained an illegal water connection. At the time of the raid, Mr Khawar was out of his house but his two children and ailing wife were there. “The raid terrified the ailing wife and children of Mr Khawar,” said the CPNE.

The CPNE meeting, presided by its Senior Vice President Ilyas Shakir, passed a resolution, saying the media had always supported Pakistan Rangers, Sindh, on its targeted operation against criminals and terrorists but random and blind actions, raids and besieging residential colonies by the paramilitary force would make the media reconsider its position.

The meeting decided that a CPNE delegation would shortly meet the director general of Pakistan Rangers, Sindh, and ask him to conduct an inquiry into the incident.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Rangers said he had talked to Mr Khawar and informed him that “we are looking into the matter”.

Daily Dawn

“It is not the CCP investigating competitive practices that we take virulent objection to. What we object to are the arbitrary and unreasonable actions that accompanied their covert investigation against the apex broadcasters’ body, unfortunately on the very evening that the 21st constitutional amendment was being voted upon in parliament. Surely this is no mere coincidence.

“By all means the press is open to a CCP investigation of all unfair trade practices, if any. We uphold this facet of the CCP’s function. But the meaningless and self-serving press release by the CCP after its action mentions two frivolous charges – the first, that a centralised clearance system has been operating for the financial recovery of media dues against defaulting advertisers, including government – a system that exists in over one hundred countries of the world, and indeed has existed in Pakistan well before 1947. The second charge is equally absurd, where the PBA is accused of fixing rates of commissions to advertising agencies at 15 per cent (although obviously not the quantum of advertising commissions themselves) – a standard practice that is carried out in almost all the countries of the world, and is far older than the creation of Pakistan. Does the CCP really mean to imply, that all regulatory agencies in the world who have accepted these practices as not being inconsistent with competitiveness, are totally negligent in the performance of their duties?

“Clearly the CCP has got it deeply wrong, and particularly when they accompany this with the draconian actions of arriving virtually unannounced to impound the entire legal record of the PBA. The bona fide of this cat-and-mouse action are highly questionable. The CCP could have asked for the required information which the apex body of the broadcasters would have provided willingly. And never has the PBA ever refused to provide the information, which has never been asked for.”

The CCP press release states that section 4 of the Competition Act “prohibits decisions by an association of undertakings that may prevent, restrict, or reduce competition in the relevant market.” We ask: “Has the CCP ever considered the rate centralising and rate fixing taking place by the Press Information Department in the Federal Ministry of Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage in this context? Surely there appears to be a major legal asymmetry here.

“Clearly the need of the hour is for immediate steps to be taken by the CCP if they are not to completely lose credibility in the eyes of the nation. Firstly, all seized documents must be returned without any further delay so as to allow the PBA to perform its day-to-day functions with respect to the press.

Secondly, a future procedure to deal with cooperating media bodies that exist to further the provisions of Article 19 of the Constitution, should replace the existing cat-and-mouse game. Such an evolved procedure should not only be deemed reasonable by all democracy-loving people, but also significantly appear to be reasonable to the nation.

“Let the investigation of the CCP continue without prejudice. We welcome it. But let them learn to work within the parameters of what is reasonable in law and what is sustainable in natural justice. Otherwise, we in the media, when confronted by unreasonable decisions in being lumped together with errant poultry-feed manufacturers, auto dealers and cement manufacturers, might begin to believe that something other than the course of justice is being served by such unreasonable and arbitrary actions.”

Daily Dawn

The CPNE vowed to resist, defend and counter the campaign with full strength. It condemned the direct and indirect pressure on journalists and the media. The CPNE announced this in its annual general meeting held recently. It was presided over by Mujeebur Rahman Shami.

A resolution was passed unanimously in the meeting. It mentioned that the media organisations and journalists were facing extreme pressure from state and non-state institutions, groups, different political parties, religious and non-religious extremists.

It mentioned that the government was not taking any action against these elements and appears to have failed in providing protection to journalists and media organisations. It is stated in the resolution that the struggle for media freedom is exemplary. The journalists and media bodies faced extreme physical and mental torture and monetary losses, while a number of journalists have even sacrificed their lives.

In spite of all these circumstances, certain political parties have started extreme and baseless criticism without any discrimination against journalists and the media, particularly Imran Khan, chief of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, is making hurtful criticism. The media and journalists have taken serious notice of this campaign.

The resolution said the CPNE deplores this unfair attitude of the PTI chief with all the media groups and journalists of levelling allegations. This attitude was an open assault on the freedom of media and will also harm the democratic values in the country.

The meeting stressed on Imran Khan to come forward with proof if he had any against any media group or journalist. The CPNE, being the representative body of editors of newspapers, is ready to investigate and play an effective role in this regard.

It has been stated in the resolution that the CPNE believes in free journalistic practices and discourages an irresponsible and unprofessional attitude. In the same manner, the CPNE reserves the right to resist and give an effective response to the assaults on freedom of media from any political or non-political body or any religious group.

The News

He was addressing the launch of Dr Tauseef Ahmed Khan’s thesis-turned-book at the Karachi Press Club on Friday. Shaikh said that the book, titled ‘Azaadi-e-Sahafat ki jiddo jehad, akhbari tanzeemon ka kirdar’ (Struggle for the Freedom of Press and the Role of Newspaper Organisations), focuses on the struggles for press freedom in different eras.

“Khan’s book is an addition to Urdu literature and Urdu journalism in Pakistan,” he said.

According to Shaikh the book is a comparative study of the four different unions of journalists in Pakistan. He said that a close study of the book helps one understand the differences in the motives of the All Pakistan Newspaper Society (APNS), Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE), Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) and All Pakistan Newspapers Employees Confederation (APNEC).

“Actually, the book is the ideological debate on the civil and military rule that defines the roles of these unions in each era,” he said. “It shows how the APNS and CPNE have only worked for the freedom of press in civilian governments. In contrast, APNEC and PFUJ have been working for the sake of press freedom since their inception regardless of a military regime or a civilian government.”

Speaking about his book, Khan said that it is a reflection of late journalist Zamir Niazi’s work on the travails of press in Pakistan. “Niazi did the real work, I have just carried forward his research work,” he said.

The former president of PFUJ, Mazhar Abbas, shed light on the current role of the PFUJ. According to him, the union’s motives are not pure and have been affected by vested interests. He said that earlier the struggle of PFUJ was focused on journalists. “Now, PFUJ fights for media houses, not journalists,” he claimed. He said that the Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA) and the APNS could never be on the same page because of a clash of interest.

“Khan’s book has painted a perfect picture of the role of the journalists’ bodies for those who have not actually seen the era of real struggle,” said Abbas, hinting towards the era of military dictators Gen Ayub Khan and Gen Ziaul Haq. “However, the book does not provide a current picture of the unions’ role and research should be done in this regard, too.”

According to Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology (Fuuast) professor Dr Seemi Naghmana, Khan had summarised all the struggles for the freedom of press in precise fashion. “He has remained neutral while discussing their roles,” she said. Shaikh said that while the pen is mightier than the sword, the book narrates a different story. “Feudalists hijack the pen by hiring journalists, nourishing them and then controlling their entire discourse,” he said. “And this book gives a picture-perfect reflection of those who have fought against such feudalists.”

Express Tribune

They said that the conviction was incompatible with press freedoms enshrined in Article 19 of the Constitution and that the Gilgit-Baltistan (Empowerment & Self-Governance) Order, 2009 under which the judicature of that territory had been set up, was violative of the fundamental rights guaranteed to all Pakistani citizens in the Constitution. They said: “The unlawful conviction of media persons in Gilgit-Baltistan constitutes a major threat to the existence of a free press throughout the country.”

The joint statement issued on Friday further said that whereas some fundamental rights had been conferred under the controversial order, two major fundamental rights enjoyed by citizens of Pakistan under the 1973 Constitution were notably missing from it — the fundamental rights enshrined in Articles 10A and 13 of the Constitution.

CPNE, APNS urge PM to take notice of ‘unlawful conviction’

The statement pointed out that Article 10A provides that in any criminal charge, a person shall be entitled to a fair trial and due process and Article 13 guarantees that “no person shall be prosecuted for the same offence more than once”.

“Thus, if citizens of Pakistan not resident or not even physically present in the territory, were to be transported for trial from Pakistan to Gilgit-Baltistan for alleged offences, such persons would be denied two important fundamental rights.”

The presidents of CPNE and APNS have urged the prime minister to take immediate notice of the ‘unacceptable and anomalous’ situation by appropriately modifying the Order 2009. “Under Article 31 of this controversial order, the executive authority of the Government of Gilgit-Baltistan must be exercised to secure compliance with Pakistan laws, and this is a process that must be initiated immediately.”

Under Article 34 of the order, the prime minister has the power to remit, suspend or commute any sentence passed by any court or tribunal of Gilgit-Baltistan.

The statement said that the prime minister “must exercise his power to dispose of the sentence by the anti-terrorism court in Gilgit-Baltistan. Otherwise, Pakis­­tani journalists would always remain in fear of being dragged into criminal proceedings by a flawed dispensation in Gilgit-Baltistan on the flimsiest of pretexts — that their reportage has also been disseminated in Gilgit-Baltistan.

Dawn

The IHC judge said if any cable operator was found violating the directions of the court or Pemra, immediate action should be taken in accordance with the law.The court also asked the Pemra counsel for the compliance of the order by 12:00 (midnight) on Tuesday.

Hearing miscellaneous petitions, the IHC bench observed that if Pemra is helpless in restoring the Geo transmission, its officials should express their inability to do so. The court ruled that the licences of those cable operators who are not airing the Geo transmission should be cancelled.

“The Geo TV transmission has been stopped by cable operators, while circumstances have been creating doubts about the role of a security agency. The court will protect all the constitutional institutions,” Justice Siddiqui observed.

The IHC bench was hearing the writ petition of the Shohada Foundation of Pakistan Trust (SFPT) that it had filed against ARY television for airing defamatory programmes against the superior judges. The IHC bench also heard the contempt of court petition that was moved by the Islamabad District Bar Association (DBA) through its counsel Syed Nayab Hassan Gardezi against ARY television for airing malicious content against the superior judiciary despite the orders of the IHC.

In the SFPT petition on June 11, the same court, through an interim order, had directed Pemra to ensure that “Mubashir 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.

Today the IHC bench directed ARY TV anchor Mubashir Lucman “to watch and examine his programme “Khara Sach” and make the statement as to whether it comes within the definition of decency, morality and not as yellow journalism. He was also directed to file his statement as to whether substance aired by him comes within the parameters of code of conduct of Pemra.

Justice Siddiqui directed to issue notices to All Pakistan Newspaper Society (APNS), Council of Pakistan Newspapers Editors (CPNE) and Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA) to render assistance with regard to the issue agitated through the petition.

During the hearing, Mubashir Lucman undertook to provide contents of the advertisement/other programmes containing the substance violative of code of conduct of Pemra, aired by different TV channels.

In the contempt of court petition of DBA IHC, the order reads, “Mr Mubashir Lucman, anchorperson of ARY news channel, has put appearance and submitted his non appearance from the court was not intentional but due to the fact that he was in UK in connection with routine medical check up. He is directed to file reply of contempt petition in writing before next date of hearing. Mr Sabir Shakir, Bureau Chief of ARY News, informed that Mr Salman Iqbal, Chief Executive of ARY News, has reached from USA to Karachi but his health was not permitting him to further travel to Islamabad, therefore, he could not appear before the court. However, he undertakes that Mr Salman Iqbal shall put appearance on the next date of hearing.”

Hearing the SFPT application, Justice Siddiqui observed that there is an impression that Mubashir Lucman is being provided with substance of his programme by some security agency. Addressing Mubashir Lucman, Justice Siddiqui said, “Do you see your own programme by yourself? See your own programme and tell whether it does fall in the domain of yellow journalism. It is because of you and some other channels that doubts have been created among general public about judiciary and different other institutions. You people have made judiciary a ping-pong ball.” Justice Siddiqui said Geo TV is not wailing in vain that its transmission is blocked at cable. He said everyone is after the state institution. “Everyone is aiming at Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and Justice Jawwad S Khawaja,” he said. Justice Siddiqui further observed that the Judiciary will protect the sanctity of the state institutions. “We will see how someone would loose talk about the judiciary and the security agencies.”

Justice Siddiqui said the judiciary will inquire from all the journalistic bodies and television anchors whether there exits any code of conduct or not. “Upon misconduct we also take action against our own lawyers,” he further said.

The court after issuing notices to the above adjourned the hearing till September 22.Advocate Ahmad Hassan Rana represented Pemra, Kalsoom Akhtar Advocate represented SFPT and Syed Nayab Hassan Gardezi and Naseer Ahmed Kiani represented DBA IHC.

APP: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday ordered the cable operators to resume the transmission of a private television network that has been suspended from the last few months by midnight. A single judge bench of Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui ordered the authorities to suspend the license of those cable operators who were not broadcasting the transmission or changed their respective position. The judge remarked that the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) should ensure implementing the court’s orders in its true letter and spirit.

The News

Journalists set up camps and held meetings, wearing black ribbons and armbands. They also boycotted official functions.

Some buildings housing newspaper offices and television channels flew black flags.

According to the PFUJ, journalists in Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Peshawar, Quetta, Azad Kashmir, Gilgit, Bahawalpur, Multan, Gujranwala, Muzaffarabad and a number of other cities observed the day.

A delegation of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) would visit Pakistan on Nov 19 on the invitation of the PFUJ to review the media situation.

PFUJ president Syed Huma Ali in a speech in Islamabad announced that the protest would continue until the journalists’ demands were accepted. These included the withdrawal of PEMRA and PPO Ordinances, restoration of transmission of all TV channels and FM radio networks, withdrawal of notices and cases against newspapers and journalists.

The PFUJ’s secretary-general, Mazhar Abbas, urged broadcasters not to sign PEMRA’s ‘code of ethics’ as it was aimed at suppressing the freedom of expression and freedom of the press.

KARACHI: Journalists wore black armbands during working hours on Friday. Their boycott of official functions will continue on Saturday also.

Minhaj Barna, a veteran trade unionist, chaired a meeting at the Karachi Press Club.

A unanimous resolution called for an immediate lifting of emergency, restoration of the Constitution, removal of restrictions on political activities and release of politicians, lawyers and journalists.

CPNE: The Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors Action Committee, headed by CPNE president Syed Fasih Iqbal, handed over a memorandum to the Sindh Governor on Friday.

Earlier, a CPNE meeting condemned the restrictions on media following the promulgation of emergency.

LAHORE: The Punjab Union of Journalists (PUJ) announced that its members would observe a two-hour token hunger strike from Saturday till the repeal of the Press and Publication Ordinance and the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory ordinance.

DAWN

and unequivocally condemned Pemra’s 15-day suspension of Geo TV.Closing down private independent media by Pemra is not the answer to anything, she said. “Today it is Geo suspended, tomorrow it can be any other channel.

Do not celebrate the death of your enemy, as tomorrow your friend will die too. The only winners are the establishment and the evil forces against democracy, human rights, freedom and progressive thinking.

Tahira said all must work together, in unity and solidarity, to save our hard-won media freedoms, under Act. 19 & 19-A of our Constitution, as it was not handed to us on a silver platter, but was fought for, with blood, imprisonment, torture and severe censorship & hardships.

She said: “I do not condone the several hours of emotive, sensationalist, defamatory telecasting that unfortunately occurred immediately after my brother and dear friend Hamid Mir was attacked in Karachi (I continue to pray to God for his long life and good health), but once the senior management of the Media House (the JangGroup) acknowledged and apologized for this lapse in editorial judgement, there was absolutely no justification for Pemra to act thus. It seems to be part of a personal vendetta, like the one being carried out with such vigour by a rival media group and a few others too. I reiterate that the only victim will be the freedom of the media (both print & electronic) if we start going down this slippery slope.”

This sets a bad precedent, and is unforgivably shortsighted, given our sad history of 34 years of military misrule, out of our 67 years of independence.She asked: “Where are the media unions and the councils in all this?, PFUJ, UJs, APNS, CPNE, PBA, PCP, Press Clubs, etc. We see today the media houses and even media individuals hopelessly divided-and-ruled by cunning establishment tactics, partisan politics, undue politicization, the lure of filthy lucre and favours, and sadly, also by threats, intimidation, kidnapping, torture, killing, ad-revenue loss, and other assaults on the freedom of the media.”

The News

While talking to the senior journalist, the minister condemned the assault on him in Multan.He said that the government believed in freedom of expression and would take every possible step to ensure the security of the working journalists and media persons so that they could perform their duties in accordance with their professional ethos. The minister also prayed for early recovery of the injured journalist. — APP

News Desk adds: The Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) also strongly condemned the attack on Zafar Aheer. The CPNE has demanded of the federal and provincial governments to provide adequate protection and security to the editors and journalists.

In a statement, the president and secretary-general of the CPNE, Mujeeb-ur-Rehman Shami and Dr Jabbar Khattak, said that the attack on Zafar Aheer is a vile attempt to trample on journalism.

They said that despite the repeated demands for security to newspaper editors, journalists and newspaper workers, the number of complaints of terrorism is increasing. The statement demanded of the government to arrest the culprits involved in torturing Zafar Aheer and to bring them to book so that the fraternity of journalists could carry out their responsibilities freely, impartially and without any fear.

Our correspondent adds: Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has also condemned attacks on Daily Jang Resident Editor in Multan, Zafar Aaheer, and Jang bureau chief in Khairpur.

It also appealed to the clerics issuing fatwas to instruct their followers to refrain from harming journalists and media workers.In a joint statement, PFUJ President Afzal Butt, and Secretary General Khursheed Abbasi said law enforcement agencies should ensure protection of journalists and media workers.

They said condolence messages would not work if any journalist suffered from an irreparable loss. Butt appealed to Jang Group not to mention names of threatened journalists and media workers, as it would add to dangers to their life. He said Jang Group should register cases of threats to journalists at the concerned police stations.

The PFUJ president and secretary general said the government is playing silent spectator on the issue of media crisis, which is increasing their concern. They said the government should try to resolve the media conflict at the earliest and ensure security of journalists. They added that those involved in attacks on journalists should be arrested.

The News