KARACHI: The Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) Media Safety and Defence Task Force meeting was held on Thursday under the supervision of the Chairman Ikram Majeed Sehgal.

The meeting expressed concern over the attacks on media houses, media professionals and situation of insecurity and recommended to finalise the measures taking regarding media safety.

It decided that the CPNE would hold Pakistan Media Safety Summit. Interior ministers of four provinces, representatives of various security agencies along with senior media professionals would be invited in the proposed summit so that joint strategy could be evolved for the protection of media houses and media professionals across the country.

It was also decided that in case of attack on any journalist, media houses or threats, all newspapers and TV channels would cover it simultaneously. In this regard a joint liason committee would be constituted with the close collaboration of Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA).

The meeting decided that managements of all the media houses would be requested to highlight the name of journalist or media person or media house in case of any attack and avoid to write a private media house so that mastermind of attack would be conveyed the message that attack on one media person would be considered the attack on entire community.

Chairman Ikram Majeed Sehgal told the editors that professional security Survey of three media houses have been conducted free of cost and the survey of remaining media houses would be conducted free of cost and professional training would be given to security staff of media houses.

He further said that training session for security staff of media houses would be conducted adding that our institution has arranged training workshop regarding safety and security in various cities of the country including Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar and Quetta so that maximum media related individual could utilise this initiative.

He further said that meeting that due to our outstanding attempts media houses were not utilising our this initiative regarding safety and security, however it was his keen desire that media houses should form their security plan so that the managements of the media houses could identify their mistakes regarding security of the individuals.

On this, Ejaz-ul-Haq, the Express Group told the meeting that how his organisation was targeted at different timings and in various cities. Amir Mehmood, Dr. Jabbar Khattak, Sadiq Baloch, Ejaz-ul-Haq, Hamid Hussain Abidi, Abdul Khaliq Marshall, Mubassir Mir and others attended the meeting.

The News

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) on Monday called upon All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS), Council for Pakistan Newspapers Editors (CPNE) and Pakistan Broadcasters’ Association (PBA) to extend their support to protest sit-in to be staged in front of the Parliament House on December 8 against non-provision of security to the media houses by the incumbent government.

In a letter sent to APNS, CPNE and PBA, PFUJ President Afzal Butt urged to thoroughly denounce blatant attacks on media establishments, crimes against journalists and threats to free media in the country.

“In 2015 alone, as many as eight media workers have been targeted and shot; six of them lost their lives. In past couple of months alone, two media houses have been raided; attacked with grenades. Others are operating under serious threats,” the letter said.It further stated that despite numerous commitments and promises the federal government has miserably failed to provide an enabling environment for an independent media in Pakistan.

The letter underlined the fact that in the past five years, Pakistan has been dubbed as ‘the most dangerous country for practicing journalism’ by at least three credible international media watchdogs.

Since year 2000, 111 journalists and media workers have lost their lives in the line of duty. Statistically speaking, a journalist has died every 48 days in Pakistan for the past 15 years.

It said: “To protest against this new wave of targeted attacks on media houses and the workers, PFUJ is staging a demonstration and a sit-in, in front of the Parliament House starting from 8th of December, 2015.”

The primary objectives of the protest sit-in include provision of safety for journalists and media houses; arrest of perpetrators involved in crimes against media and journalists; and establishment of special prosecutors at both federal and provincial level to pursue the cases of slain journalists.

PFUJ along with some civil society groups has been leading the struggle to secure safe environment for journalists. However, the recent attacks have proved that the battle for the freedom of media and expression is far from over.

The letter stated “Join us from 8th of December, in front of the Parliament House to demand the right of justice for our slain colleagues and security for the media workers.”

The News

Business Recorder

In a statement issued on Sunday, the PBA strongly condemned the brutality with which police targeted and attacked media workers.

The statement demanded that the attack on media should be stopped forthwith and strong action must be taken against those responsible. It also urged that media should be allowed to perform its lawful duty and responsibilities freely without any hindrance. The PBA would aggressively defend the constitutional rights of Freedom of Expression at all legal forums, the statement added.

DAWN

“In the past channels have been shut down using force and coercion because media had not followed ‘advice’ of political parties and pressure groups,” said a PBA statement issued after the meeting that agreed to adopt the policy ‘with immediate effect’.

“Now no channel can be shut without repercussion of collective exposure, collective boycott and collective legal action. The PBA is united for people’s right to know.”

It said that during the past decade, purely due to initiative of private sector, Pakistan’s electronic media industry had developed into an industry employing, directly and indirectly, hundreds of thousands of people all over the country. The strength, independence and courage of Pakistan’s electronic media had gained recognition across the world, it said.

“Since the 2007 electronic media has been facing either complete or partial closure/shutdowns either throughout the country or in particular areas. The channels closure/shutdown is used to curb the independence of media when certain ‘advice’ by pressure groups is not entertained due to independent editorial policy,” said the statement.

Without free media people’s right to be informed vanished, it said, adding that when faced with illegal shutdowns, the broadcasters were left with absolutely no avenue of addressing the problem ‘immediately’.

“The government as well as Pemra and federal and provincial law-enforcing agencies are seldom forthcoming in offering any help to the broadcasters,” said the PBA. “It is against the above background, as well as forthcoming elections, that Pakistan’s broadcasters have united to safeguard viewers’ right to know.”

Pakistan Press Foundation