Authorities responsible for curbing cyber crime appear helpless in shutting down such accounts, tracking down the location they are operated from or taking action as per the relevant laws. Owing to inaction and weak government policies, the lists continue to grow in number and size whereas the sense of security and confidence amongst journalists keeps diminishing at a steady rate. They think, perhaps they will not be as unlucky as Mr Raza Rumi to be fired at in a busy market in Lahore, but they also don’t believe they would be as lucky as him and escape unhurt if such an incident does occur. This is not an environment which can be deemed conducive to free discourse and debate, which is critical when confronting entities aggressively seeking hegemony.

Certain journalists are paying the price for saying and writing things which the people wish their leaders would find the courage to stand for. The significance of the voice of the journalistic community can be ascertained from the desperation of those who wish to silence it. It is easy to observe that while many journalists still remain unfazed, or pretend to be, and speak their mind, others are more vocal than ever before in support of those who wish to kill their co-workers. In order to really comprehend the drastic implications this campaign of fear and violence can have, all one needs to do is imagine a scenario where the media is quiet; mute on terrorism and terrorists, human rights and those who violate them, religion and those who claim its ownership and all else that is relevant. When the airwaves go silent, the streets will follow.

The Nation

This was stated in a statement issued here by PCP Chairman, Raja Shafqat Abbasi who took strong exception to the attacks/threats on working journalist and warned that nobody should be allowed to pressurize the media to toe their line.

He said repeated attacks/threats on media persons/houses is the biggest challenge for those who advocate for democracy, free press and revere difference in opinion . Chairman has asked the government to take effective measure to protect free functioning of the press.

He said on this grave issue PCP will take up the issue of security of media houses with the concerned government officials. He said under article 19 and 19(A) of the constitution government is bound to protect free functioning of the press and security of the working journalist.

“Now we need to react fast and nation must unite to take on those who pose a threat to free press”, He added.

He said these are tough times as forces of disorder and conflict are pitched against decency of order, rule of law and free flow of information and we must tackle it with a befitting response.

Pakistan Observer

Several journalists and civil society representatives gathered in front of the Lahore Press Club on Sunday. They held banners carrying slogans like Ban Media Coverage of Terrorists Collectively; Freedom of Expression Under Threat; and Attack on One Attack on All. Shouts of “Not scared of threats!” rang through the crowd of protesters. They chanted slogans and vowed to continue fighting for freedom of the press. “Stop threatening journalists, we want peace,” the participants said in unison.

Hussain Naqi said the government must realise that it is not only the journalists’ freedoms on the line, “it’s all of us…it’s the state on the line”. He said it was time the nation got together and rejected terrorists once and for all. Pakistan achieved independence through the struggle and sacrifices of reporters, photojournalists and editors…the government of the Punjab must provide them security.
“The struggle for the freedom of press in the subcontinent is more than 150 years old…it will continue,” he said.

“Militant groups can’t stop us from doing our duties as journalists. Journalism is our vocation and I strongly condemn the threats to Imtiaz Alam,” said Najam Sethi. “We must forget personal differences and professional rivalries and work together for the freedom of press.”

Lahore Press Club secretary Shahbaz Mian said, “Once again, cowardly terrorists and militants scared of the pen and the camera have threatened Imtiaz Alam. A few days ago, they attacked our fellow journalist Raza Rumi. They are ganging up against liberal and progressive journalists…now all of them are on their hit list. But we will remain united and won’t surrender.”

Journalist Ahmed Waleed said Pakistan was one of the most dangerous countries for journalists to be in. “We are here to express solidarity with journalists who are threatened but continue doing their job.”

This is so uncivilised, columnist Kamran Shafi said, “Terrorists should agree to a dialogue with media representatives. They can try to convince us, or write about their views instead of resorting to threats. But if they want to kill us, so be it, we are not scared.”

Fawad Chaudhry, media adviser to the Pakistan Peoples Party chairman, said, “If we want to make Pakistan a liberal and progressive country, we have to work for it together. On behalf of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and the PPP, I strongly condemn the terrorists’ threats to journalist and SAFMA Secretary General Imtiaz Alam.”

Chaudhry said Zardari and he had also received threats. “We are all threatened on a daily basis but we will continue to work for a progressive Pakistan and will not stop till we reach our destiny.”

Punjab Union of Journalists president Wasim Farooq, Lahore Press Club president Arshad Ansari and Riaz Durrani of Jamat-i-Ulema Islam also spoke at the occasion and urged the government to provide security to journalists.

Express Tribune

In a statement issued on Sunday, Bilawal said that death threats to a patriotic and nationalist journalist had exposed the level of insecurity among those circles who are opposed to the policy of appeasement adopted by the federal government.

He pointed out that death threats to Alam following murderous attack on another journalist and anchorperson Raza Rumi was warning to all those who want integrity of Pakistan as a democratic and welfare state free of injustice, exploitation and discrimination of any kind.

Bilawal expressed solidarity with Alam and appreciated his brave and bold narrative against terrorism and extremism. He also extended support to protests being held by journalists across the country against threats.

Daily Times

In the resolution passed on Friday, journalists and other media representatives said that intolerance for diverse points of views had a bearing on media freedom and quality journalism. They said that edicts and threats continue to be hurled at the media and media persons, among them Alam, who also anchors a talk show on a private news channel.

“The targeted attacks and death threats are meant to create fear among the democratic intelligentsia and the media persons. It is more disturbing that the state is failing in its responsibility to protect citizens and its writ.”

Despite UN Security Council Resolution 1738 on the safety of journalists and several international resolutions on the protection of journalists, lives continue to have been lost in Pakistan in the course of journalists doing their jobs, they said in a statement.

“Last year, 10 journalists have been killed in connection with their work in Pakistan. Courtesy these killings, Pakistan has made it to the shameful club of the world’s five deadliest countries for the media,” the statement read.

“We urge the media associations to take joint stand on acts of violation of and threats to media rights and freedom of expression. Attack on one should be taken as an attack on all. It’s time that the state and the government of Pakistan fulfilled their responsibility to their citizens protecting their fundamental rights of freedom of information and freedom of expression guaranteed in the constitution.”

From: Sarmad Ali, Dr Jabbar Khattak, Arif Nizami, Imtiaz Faran, Irfan Saeed, Irshad Mastoi, Raza Rehman, Afzal Butt, Shehryar Khan, Tariq Chaudhary, Ali Raza Alvi, Arshad Ansari, Shahbaz Mian, Anjum Rashid, Khalid Chaudhary, Shafqat Mahmood, Dr Akmal Hussain, I A Rehman, M. Ziauddin, Zahid Hussain, Nazir Leghari, Husain Naqi, Aamir Mahmood, Tahir Rathore, Khalid Farooqi, Ayaz Khan, Shahzada Zulfiqar, Nusrat Javeed, Agha Nasir, Iftikhar Ahmed, Babar Ayaz, Shamim Shahid, Saleem Shahid, Ghazi Salahuddin, Mujahid Barelvi, Irfana Mallah, Jehangeer Aslam, Ghulam Nabi Chandio, Syed Mumtaz Shah, Lala Asad, Khalid Khokhar, Fayyaz Naich, Amer Sindhu, Shoaib Adil, Saida Fazal, Munnoo Bhai, Ibrahim Shirwani, Asma Shirazi, Afzal Khan, Mustansar Javed, Rana Qaisar, Shamsul Islam Naz, Khushnood Ali Khan, Mehmal Sarfaraz, Khaled Ahmed, Allama Sidddiq Azhar, Dr Fauzia Naeem Khan, Waqar Mustafa, Ahmad Waleed, Tayyeba Bukhari, Sirmed Manzoor, Aaliya Shah, Kahkashan Farooq, Agha Iqrar Haroon, Qasim, Shahbaz Anwar Khan, Mushtaq Soofi, Afaq Syed, Abbas Rashid, Husain Naqi, Saida Fazal, Sami Abrahim, Farah Warraich, Arif Waqar, Khalid Qayyum, Latif Chaudhary, Shahzada Zulfiqar, Ahmad Shafiq, Imran Umar, Naeem Qaisar, Eijaz Bajwa, Farrukh Asef, Mahmood Iqbal, Qasim Saeed, Waseem Niaz, Imtiazul Haq.

(Daily Times endorses the above statement and fully stands in solidarity with all our media colleagues under threat – Rashed Rahman, Editor.)

Daily Times