ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif expressed regret over the assault of a private television channel cameraman and said the behaviour of his security guards had damaged his reputation. Journalists staged a protest on the arrival of Mr Sharif in the accountability court on Tuesday.

Mr Sharif, however, went straight to the courtroom to attend the trial proceeding in the Flagship Investment reference.

During the mid-break, he met the reporters in the office of the Islamabad Bar Council and responded to their questions about the incident in which his security guards assaulted and injured cameraman Wajid Ali of Samaa TV on Monday.

“I am equally grieved as you are, deeply saddened and regret this incident.”

Mr Sharif said his security supervisor Abdul Shakoor was clearing his way and escorting him towards his vehicle on the premises of Parliament House. All of a sudden the cameraman emerged as I was getting into the vehicle. When Mr Shakoor pushed him away, the cameraman hit him back causing a minor injury to his (Mr Shakoor’s) face, he said.

“I left the Parliament House and was later informed that my security guards had beaten up the cameraman and injured him.

“Such acts are uncalled for and cannot be tolerated by any means. I will take every possible step to take the culprits to task,” he added. However, he said the media should also adopt a mechanism of its own accountability.

Mr Sharif said he was well aware of the importance of free and fair media and was thankful to those who scribed truth despite all odds.

Dawn

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KARACHI: The Amnesty International and Reporters Sans Frontieres (RSF) have expressed concern over the issuance of arrest warrants for journalist Cyril Almeida.

In a press release issued on Thursday, the Amnesty called upon the authorities in Pakistan to ensure that the criminal justice system is not used to harass or intimidate journalists.

Mr Almeida, an assistant editor at Dawn, has been summoned by the Lahore High Court over an interview he conducted of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif. Mr Sharif is facing charges of treason for alleging in the interview that Pakistan-based militants had carried out the 2008 attacks in Mumbai.

“Cyril Almeida has simply been doing his job as a journalist. He conducted an interview with a former prime minister and reported what he was told. While the Lahore High Court is entitled to demand his appearance, the authorities must be careful not to use the criminal justice system to harass or intimidate journalists. “Journalism is not a crime and journalists doing their work should not be treated as criminals,” said Omar Waraich, an Amnesty office-bearer for South Asia.

According to the LHC, it issued the warrants as Mr Almeida did not appear before it during hearings in the treason case against Nawaz Sharif despite serving of three notices.

Staffers at Dawn’s Islamabad bureau, however, say that the first two notices were never delivered and the third arrived only last week.

Mr Almeida and Dawn have both said they are willing to cooperate with the courts.

“The new government of Prime Minister Imran Khan has made a number of very positive pledges when it comes to human rights. We expect his government will also commit to the protection of freedom of expression, and ensure a safe and enabling environment for journalists and other human rights defenders so that they can do their work freely and without fear of reprisals,” said Mr Waraich, the Amnesty office-bearer.

In its statement RSF called upon the Lahore High Court to rescind the warrants for Mr Almeida. “It is absolutely unacceptable that Cyril Almeida should be accused of treason simply for interviewing a politician,” said Daniel Bastard, the head of RSF’s Asia-Pacific desk. “We call on the court to immediately withdraw this arrest warrant, which bears all the hallmarks of an ignominious act of harassment.”

Mr Bastard added: “Crude procedural abuses are clearly being used to intimidate this journalist in order to deter him from doing his job. And behind him, it is Dawn’s editorial freedom that the establishment is targeting.”

Dawn

The PM’s request should be taken seriously for the sake of a healthy state of mind and promotion of democracy in Pakistan.

The media houses have been asked to rationalise their role and see whether some elements were using the media for their extremist and undemocratic objectives. Nawaz also praised the role of media for promotion of democracy, right to freedom of speech and expression and restoration of judiciary. He praised journalists for rendering sacrifices and said he was confident that the media would play its role as a true fourth pillar of the state in the larger national interest.

Edmund Burke’s concept of media as the fourth pillar of state became very practical in Pakistan from 2002 and during last 12 years the media houses witnessed unprecedented growth and freedom in Pakistan.

Nawaz used phrase “some elements” for Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PTI) chief Dr Tahirul Qadri, who remained successful in gaining momentum through live media coverage. Qadri’s campaigned spoke both Urdu and English languages to promote his agenda. While speaking English, Qadri, however, remained democratic, civilised and gave assurance that his struggle was peaceful because he wanted to show the civilised world his soft image.

However, while delivering his message in Urdu he talked about qasas (revenge), inciting his workers to kill Nawaz Sharif, Shahbaz Sharif and his cabinet members if he was killed. He threatened to kill those who would abandon the ‘revolution movement’. However, when the same report was published in newspapers, he retracted his statement and insisted that he was trying to say that if he or Imran Khan retreated they should be killed.

Qadri also successfully used his oratory skills and references from the holy Quran and sayings of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) to charge and motivate his workers, including women and children, during live media coverage. His party gained sympathy of the media after his 14 workers were killed during clashed with police in Model Town on June 17. No doubt freedom of speech has been misused by most of the media houses in Pakistan for their vested interests. Musical songs have become a routine in news bulletins, media code of conduct exists nowhere and the code of Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) is being violated by almost every TV channel.

In the past, Taliban terrorists also manipulated media for their vested interests and it has become a tool to promote hate speech.

The violation of media ethics and code of conduct reached its peak after a big media house pointed fingers squarely at the Inter-Services Intelligence director general in the wake of the brazen attack on TV journalist Hamid Mir.

To address the issue the president formed a committee headed by columnist-turned-politician Irfan Siddiqui. The committee engaged academics to formulate a code of conduct after reaching a consensus on the matter.

The ball is in media houses court as the PM has requested them to review their policy. This is the high time that the media shows a sense of responsibility and professionalism for the healthy growth of the society and the promotion of democracy in Pakistan.

Daily Times

Your Excellency:

We are writing to express our deep concern about the deteriorating climate for press freedom in Pakistan, which undermines recent commitments made by your government during CPJ’s mission to the country.

In our meeting with you on March 19, you told us you recognized the scope of the crisis that journalists face in Pakistan and the damage that the country’s record of impunity in journalist murders has done to its international reputation. We were encouraged by the exchange and follow-up we had with you and other Pakistani officials.

We urge you to follow your pledges to address media freedoms with meaningful action. A joint government-media commission to review anti-press attacks and improve security, such as the one you pledged to create, would be a great step toward improving the climate for press freedom in Pakistan.

Since our meetings, conditions for journalists working in Pakistan have drastically deteriorated. Only days after we met, unidentified gunmen fired on the car of Raza Rumi, a senior Pakistani journalist, as he was leaving the studio following his TV show. Rumi was not injured, but his driver was killed.

In April, gunmen shot Geo News senior anchor Hamid Mir as he and his driver left Karachi’s main airport. Mir survived the attack but sustained wounds to his abdomen and pelvis. His driver survived. The next month, two foreign journalists were expelled from the country after being told their visas would not be renewed. The Hindu correspondent Meena Menon and Snehesh Alex Philip, correspondent for the Press Trust of India, left Pakistan within seven days.

On May 20, some members of Pakistan’s Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) announced that licenses for Geo News, Geo Entertainment, and Geo Tez, channels under the Geo TV Network, had been suspended. Later that day, PEMRA issued a press release saying the order had “no legal standing” since the meeting had been attended by only five of its 12 members.

On June 3, Zafar Aheer, an editor of the Urdu-language Daily Jang, was beaten by six armed men as he was returning home from work. The assailants confiscated his phone and fired shots around his car before fleeing. Aheer told BBC Urdu that the assailants accused employees of the Jang group of being traitors, Jews, and Indian agents. He also said he had received death threats in connection with his affiliation with the media group.

Daily Jang, part of the Jang media group, is headed by Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman, who is also the top executive at Geo TV. Rahman’s outlets have come under increased pressure since Geo TV broadcast allegations that Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence was responsible for the April attack on Mir. Critics said the coverage was irresponsible.

Staffers at the The News–including Umar Cheema, who wrote critically about the attack on Mir–have received threats. Vans carrying Jang’s newspapers have been torched in Lahore, Lodhran, and Rawalpindi.

On June 6, Geo News was fined and given a 15-day suspension by PEMRA. The channel went from providing news to millions of people to a blank screen. PEMRA allowed the channel to begin rebroadcasting after 15 days, but news reports said cable operators were continuing to block the channel.

On June 20, PEMRA suspended Geo Entertainment’s license for 30 days and ARY News’ license for 15 days and imposed on each outlet fines of 10 million rupees. News reports said Geo was banned for “insulting the religious sentiments of viewers” in one of its morning shows, and ARY was banned for “bringing high courts into disrepute” in connection with a critical program.

This sets a very dangerous precedent and opens the door for future attempts to shut down news channels that are critical of the state and its agencies. More than 7,500 people are employed under Geo, and their livelihoods and safety are directly affected by the threats to Geo.

We call on your government to reinstate Geo’s ability to operate and broadcast in the country. Your government should ensure journalists at all news outlets are able to work safely and freely in Pakistan.

The commitments you made provide a clear path forward for media freedom in Pakistan. The recent challenges should not derail your efforts to ensure that journalists are able to do their job without fear.

We left Pakistan with a deep sense of optimism following our mission, and remain hopeful that your government is sincerely committed to ensuring greater press freedoms in the country.

Sincerely,
Joel Simon
Executive Director
Kati Marton
CPJ Board member
Ahmed Rashid
CPJ Board member

CC List:
Dr. Nazir Saeed, Secretary, Ministry of Information Broadcasting & National Heritage
Mohammad Azam, Additional Secretary Ministry of Information Broadcasting & National Heritage
S.M. Imran Gardezi, Director General External Publicity Wing
Humera Azam Khan, Director General Human Rights, Ministry of Law, Justice and Human Rights
Ambassador Jalil Abbas Jilani, Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Washington

Committee to Protect Journalists

Pakistan’s Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) suspended Geo TV, Pakistan’s largest television network, on June 6 for a period of 15 days and fined them 10 million rupees (approx. €75,000) after receiving a complaint from the Ministry of Defence. If the fine is not paid before the end of the suspension period, the suspension of the license will continue.

The complaint related to Geo News’ coverage of an April 19 Opens external link in new window attack on news anchor Hamid Mir. His brother, Amir, told the station on air that Pakistan’s intelligence agency, ISI, was responsible for the attack on his brother and that the agency had threatened the journalist in the past.

Following Amir’s statement, Geo TV repeatedly aired the allegations over the following eight hours without providing a clear basis for the accusation against the intelligence agency, Secretary General of Pakistan Press Foundation Owais Aslam Ali told IPI in an interview.

Geo TV and Jang Media Group, a Geo affiliate, subsequently Opens external link in new windowapologised to Pakistan’s armed forces and the ISI, admitting that its coverage of the attack on Mir had been “excessive, distressful and emotional”. Nevertheless, the broadcast not only led to tensions between Geo and the military, but also caused an outcry by other media outlets that believed Geo’s actions were anti-state and anti-army.

“The biggest threat we face right now is that this is the first time for many decades that there has been a split between the media organisations themselves,” Ali, who is also a member of the IPI Executive Board, said. “The internal division in the media is a bigger threat to press freedom than the external threats.”

That challenge joins a host of others that journalists in Pakistan face, Ali told IPI.

Before this instance, he noted, there had never been success in blocking a media outlet to such a heavy degree.

The current sentiment against Geo TV has also led to a rise in physical attacks and threats against journalists working for the station and its affiliates. Several attacks on newspaper delivery trucks have also been reported in recent weeks.

In one incident, journalist Zafar Aheer was returning home from work on June 1 when six armed men attacked and severely injured him. Aheer was quoted in Opens external link in new windowlocal news reports as saying that the attackers had called him a traitor because he works for Jang Media Group.

“The media has not been able to generate support for press freedom,” Ali said. “Now the public support for press freedom has dwindled to an extent not seen in my lifetime.”

To fix the current situation in Pakistan, Ali said, the country needs to return to normalcy and media organisations need to begin to work on healing the wounds.

In the long term, he continued, media outlets need their own code of conduct, as well as professional editors to decide what airs on TV to avoid a situation akin to the current Geo crisis. Ali also suggested the creation of a self-regulatory complaint system for media content, something Pakistan does not yet have in place.

IPI Press Freedom Manager Barbara Trionfi echoed Ali’s comments, adding: “The suspension of a broadcaster as a consequence of an editorial mistake, for which they have publicly apologised, is an entirely disproportionate remedy. Pakistan is failing to keep true not only to its constitutional and international press freedom obligations, but also to the recent promise expressed by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on March 19, when, in a meeting with a Committee to Protect Journalists delegation, he Opens external link in new windowpledged to expand press freedom and to speak out in support of the safety of journalists.”

For more information, contact: Barbara Trionfi, IPI Press Freedom Manager, at +43 (1) 512 90 11 or by e-mail Opens window for sending emailbtrionfi[@]freemedia.at

International Press Institute

He also asked Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to step in immediately to defuse the situation by using his influence over both the media group and the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

Talking to The News on Thursday, Ashrafi, who is also a member of the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII), said, “Things have got too complicated due to a delay in the pacification process, which is not good for the country. Hence, one would advise the government not to allow the issue to further flare up, putting the lives and jobs of employees of the largest media group in danger.”

He asked those protesting against the Geo group to keep their sentiments in control and refrain from harassing the employees of Geo/Jang Group as they belonged to the working class and had no part in decision making of the owners.

“Admittedly, it is a difficult situation for the government as on the one side is the ISI and the army while on the other side it was a vibrant media and it cannot offend anyone of them”.He blamed Pemra for failing to regulate the electronic media in accordance with law, which had brought the issue to the current level.

“This issue was also discussed in the two-day CII meeting as the members strongly condemned the regulatory authority in not taking timely action to defuse the situation,” said Allama Ashrafi.

He said it was unfortunate that the issue of screening a blasphemous/objectionable material was being given sectarian touch instead of resolving it on the basis of relevant rules, adding that if the concerned channel(s) had sought an apology, it should be pardoned. “What the Geo did by displaying the DG ISI’s image on television screen was not permissible but the matter should have been resolved by the authorities concerned there and then in accordance with the law and Pemra rules,” Allama Ashrafi said.

He admitted that the CII could not make any recommendations with regard to the blasphemous material screened by certain channels due to different points of view of different members as some even wanted to skip it.

He said so much so that the report on electronic media activities and Pemra’s legal view were also presented to the CII, which too were not deliberated on the instance of some members.Meanwhile, the CII in its two-day meeting on Tuesday and Wednesday avoided taking up the controversial Pakistan Protection Ordinance (PPO) although it was on its agenda, inside sources claimed adding that the issue was postponed deliberately.

A source privy to the meeting claimed that the CII Chairman Maulana Muhammad Khan Shirani, who is also a senior Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) leader, wanted to discuss it but as his party was in talks over contentious issues with the government, including the PPO, the issue was not brought on the agenda.

Similarly, on the issue of blasphemous material screened by certain private television channels on which countrywide protests were going on, the CII members were divided and as such no decision was taken.

The News

Previously, it was a civilian institution that wanted the closure of a TV channel (ARY), an informed source told The News, while this time a military organisation is hell bent upon getting another network (Geo News) off-air.

He said that earlier at the height of the pressure, Information Minister Senator Pervaiz Rashid remained physically present in his office till 02:20 hours to make it a point that no closure order was issued in any case.

The source said that while leaving his office, he told the concerned officials that if the channel was shut down by next day morning, he would deal with them sternly.“The obvious underlying reason for not taking the extreme action against the network is not to interfere with the freedom of the press and expression in any way,” he said.

The source said the same conclusion was driving the government to prevail upon the complainant that has filed the petition with the Pakistan Electronic Regulatory Authority (Pemra) not to compel it to go for the overkill.

He said that the Nawaz Sharif government was clear that in case of an extreme action against Geo, everybody would blame it now and in the days to come, not the complainant, that it had stifled the press freedom. “The government is not prepared to earn this bad name.”

The source said that unlike its track record during its previous two tenures, the government was showing utmost patience for the mere reason that it didn’t want to annoy the premier state institution in any way or resort to any confrontation with it.

Venomous propagandists, who are adding fuel to the fire, are relentlessly complaining and urging the government to “show itself” in the row and get the matter resolved rather than becoming a silent spectator. They are constantly complaining with the motive of trggering a clash between the government and the spy agency that the tiff has prolonged because of “inaction” of the government.

However, these instigators don’t know, or they know but are deliberately lying, that the government is engaged at the highest level day in and day out to resolve the conflict amicably.Senator Pervaiz Rashid has been specifically assigned the task and is fervently doing a lot to tide over the crisis. At the same time, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is keeping a complete track of the developments relating to this issue and issuing instructions where necessary. This means that all the relevant quarters are fully preoccupied with the job to extinguish the fire without compromising on the freedom of expression/press or letting down any state institution.

The source said that although Geo News was virtually off-air across Pakistan, a fact that the government fully knows, only because of the angels’ pressure on the cable operators, the government was not assertively, even softly or quietly, asking the Pemra to stop this illegality when there was no official order from the concerned organisation.

This government policy, he said, reflects its approach not to cause even minor disquiet to the complainant that might heighten the conflict. Unlike before, the government is demonstrating an unprecedented patience and tolerance, he said.

The complainant’s insistence is that the network should be shut down to send a message to the “officers” that due punishment has been given.The source said that the government side has made it clear again and again that any extreme action against the Geo News would most possibly be struck down the very next moment by a superior court, as the judiciary is bound to assure the freedom of expression and the press as ordained in the Constitution.

In that eventuality, the source said, not only the government but the complainant would face deep embarrassment apart from earning a bad name.

According to the source, the government side has stressed time and again that the international reaction to any extreme action against the network would be highly negative and that would be very damaging for Pakistan and its democratic dispensation.

However, the source said that the stalemate, which is likely to be broken in the coming days, still persisted.About his efforts to break the logjam, the information minister said that whatever he was doing was his duty, and it was not unusual to meet both the sides. Besides, he was also holding meetings with all the representative bodies and owners of TV channels.

The News

The commission is headed by Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali while the other members of the commission include Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan and Justice Iqbal Hameedur Rehman.

On Monday, the commission summoned advocate general Sindh, Home Secretary, DG Rangers, IG Sindh, joint director Intelligence Bureau and others for today.

The commission, which has to ascertain facts, identify culprits and fix responsibility for the incident, has directed advocate general Sindh, Home Secretary, IG Sindh, DG Rangers, Additional IG Karachi, Joint Director IB, DIG East, DIG Traffic and DSP Ayub Burgari, an investigation officer of the case, to appear before the commission, at SC’s Karachi Registry.

Hamid Mir was injured in an armed attack near Karachi airport on April 19. It is pertinent to mention that the commission had already recorded statements of Hamid Mir, his brother Amir Mir, Geo TV administration’s officials, head of investigation team DSP Ayub Bhurgari. Home Secretary, IG Sindh, Additional IG Karachi, DG Rangers Sindh, Joint Director Intelligence Bureau, DIG East, DIG Special Branch, SSP Traffic and other police officers had also appeared before the Commission on previous hearings along with relevant record of the incident and submitted their confidential reports.

The commission was briefed by IG Sindh Iqbal Mehmood about the firing incident on Hamid Mir, who was injured in armed attack on April 19 at Shahra-e-Faisal.

Following the attack on Hamid Mir, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had requested Chief Justice of Pakistan to constitute judicial inquiry commission to probe the incident.

The commission shall also make recommendations to avoid such incidents in future. The commission had also publish advertisement in newspaper that any person who is aware of the facts regarding Hamid Mir attack incident could give evidence before the commission and his identity would not be disclosed. However, no eyewitness of the incident appeared before the commission yet.

The News

US Deputy Secretary of State William J Burns, who met the country’s top leadership, expressed support for Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s economic policies as well as his efforts to “re-establish authority over all Pakistani territory in whatever way Pakistani deems appropriate.” During the visit, Burns said he also had the opportunity to emphasise America’s strong “commitment to, and support for, a free and responsible press here in Pakistan and around the world.”

“I stressed in all our discussions that President (Barack) Obama remains firmly committed to our shared goal of a stable, secure, and prosperous Pakistan,” Burns said in a statement, as he also referred to Secretary of State John Kerry’s personal commitment to make that goal a reality. “After some difficult years, our relationship is on a positive trajectory – a trajectory we hope to not only maintain, but accelerate.”

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Finance Minister Dar have undertaken courageous economic reforms and concrete steps to expand regional economic linkages, including with India, he said, adding “as Pakistan’s partner, we will do our part to be as supportive as we can.” Burns cited US strategic investments that have contributed to Pakistan’s economic growth, from funding the construction and rehabilitation of nearly 900 kilometres of roads to nearly $900 million in energy sector assistance, which will add 1400 megawatts to Pakistan’s power grid by the end of 2014.

“Next week, senior representatives of the two governments will meet in Washington to discuss our joint plan to increase trade and investment over the next five years.” Burns noted that militancy continues to threaten Pakistan’s revival. “Few countries have paid a heavier price than Pakistan in the fight against extremism. We support the Prime Minister’s efforts to re-establish authority over all Pakistani territory in whatever way Pakistan deems appropriate,” he said.

The United States, he said, appreciated Pakistan’s efforts to further Afghan-led reconciliation and “we remain hopeful that we will conclude a Bilateral Security Agreement later this year that will enable us to continue to train, advice and assist Afghan forces and go after the remnants of core al Qaida. This is deeply in our interest and in the interest of Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the rest of South and Central Asia.”

“This is a moment of opportunity for the US-Pakistan relationship. We share a deep stake in continuing to strengthen the foundations of our partnership. And we share a deep commitment to putting that partnership to work to realise our shared vision of a more peaceful and prosperous Pakistan and a more peaceful and prosperous South Asia.”

Business Recorder

Asked by The News about the attempts by some quarters to persecute Geo and the Jang Group, Nawaz Sharif said that the media was playing a positive role in Pakistan and there was every reason for an independent media such as Jang and Geo to continue functioning without any forcible shutdowns.

The prime minister said that since he came to power, his government had not imposed any kind of restrictions on the media and it believed in the freedom of expression.

Asked about the application seeking a ban on Geo and the Jang Group through Pemra, the premier said that a Judicial Commission had been formed to look into various aspects of the developments surrounding the attack on Hamid Mir. The premier stressed that the commission was the right forum to look into various aspects of the incident.

Nawaz Sharif said the UK and Pakistan had enjoyed great relations and during this visit, he will seek to cement further the relations between the two countries. He hoped that the UK and Pakistan will continue to cooperate in areas of mutual interest.

Nawaz Sharif said that his government had started a dialogue with the Taliban with good intentions and wanted to continue this process. “We want to establish peace through dialogue. Look at the example of Ireland where peace was established through peace talks. There is nothing wrong in seeking peace through negotiations,” said the prime minister.

Speaking about the situation in Karachi, Nawaz Sharif said that his government had started working to establish peacein Karachi. “I made Karachi priority after coming to power. Karachi is dear to us all. We love Karachi. It is Pakistan’s economic hub and we are doing everything to establish peace there on a priority basis.”

Nawaz Sharif said that his government was trying to create a suitable atmosphere for the overseas Pakistanis and was creating opportunities for them.

PR adds: British International Development Secretary Justine Greening called on Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif here on Tuesday.

During the meeting, issues related to development and welfare were discussed, said a press release.The prime minister said that Pakistan’s priorities include reviving the economy, overcoming energy shortage, eradicating extremism and promoting human rights. “Moreover, our government is committed to good governance, curbing corruption, fiscal discipline, widening tax base, and introducing other fiscal measures to revive the economy,” added the prime minister.

Nawaz said Pakistan greatly appreciates the generous development assistance by the British government, especially in education and health sectors and Pakistan welcomes the increase in size and scope of the DFID program, particularly in the field of education.Collaboration in professional development, faculty training, research, academia, student exchange programmes and cultural partnerships were also discussed.

The News