Day: September 10, 2013

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Registration of anti-terrorist case against TV channel against freedom of expression: Senate committee

ISLAMABAD: Expressing its displeasure over registration of a case under anti-terrorist law against a private TV news channel, the Senate Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting Monday directed the Balochistan government to refrain from registration of cases against media. The committee meeting chaired by Senator Kamil Ali Agha said that FIR against a private TV channel over showing video footage of the unfortunate incident of Ziarat residency was against the spirit of the freedom of expression and the committee would not tolerate this.It also asked the Secretary Information Balochistan to submit the list of all those newspapers and TV channels against whom cases were registered for airing or printing similar material.

“ No compromise will be made on the freedom of expression and no such incident will be tolerated in future”,said Kamil Ali Agha.

Zafar Ali Shah said that it was good that the government has already withdrawn the FIR against a news channel,but at the same time he asked the media to keep the national interest supreme while covering various incidents.

Farhatullah Babar said that the statement of the provincial information secretary and the Balochistan CM are contradictory.

Earlier Information Secretary Balochistan said that the FIR against the TV channel was not registered on the directives of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.However he said that law and order situation there was not normal and courts have time and again asked the administration to take action against those newspapers and news channels that glorify the terrorist activities. In this regard he mentioned a Balochistan High Court order.

Chairman Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) Chaudhry Rasheed said that the authority has not taken any discriminatory action against on particular TV channel but issued notices to all violating rules.

Agenda item about foreign content on local channels was deferred with a directive to PEMRA to present a comprehensive report of rules violations and the action taken against the violators within ten days.

About the PTV presentation on the appointments in the corporation the Chairman of the committee Kamil Ali Agha said that it was very unsatisfactory and asked Secretary information Dr Nazir Saeed that the ministry itself should provide a report on PTV.

Expressing its concern over the reports that the PTV has not taken part in the bidding to purchase rights of showing Pakistan cricket matches,the committee decided to summon the past two managing directors of the PTV and ask them how during their tenure the PTV used to telecast the matches live.
The meeting was attended by Senators Fahatullah Babar, Shirala Malik, Daud Achakzai, Saeeda Iqbal, Farha Aqil and Zafar Ali Shah.

Senior officials of the Information Ministry,PEMRA and PTV were also present in the meeting.

Associated Press of Pakistan

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Mobile shop blown up in Charsadda explosion

CHARSADDA: Unidentified militants blew up a mobile shop with explosive material in Charsadda on Monday. The militants had planted a remote-controlled explosive device outside a mobile shop in Sardheri area. The shop, owned by Azizur Rehman, was damaged in the explosion. Bomb Disposal Squad said that one kilogramme of explosive material was used in the attack. Sources said that militants had warned mobile shop owners in the area to avoid copying songs and videos on memory cards, otherwise, they would have to face dire consequences.

Daily Times

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Journalist threatened to leave Karachi

ISLAMABAD: Faced with threats from the law enforcement agencies, Karachi-based journalist Ali Chishti has been forced to move to the federal capital after being threatened by the Karachi police to leave the city.

“Why am I so sure that they were police personnel? Because they had official weapons, official mobiles, and even the way they behaved all matched the typical style of the Karachi police,” Mr Chishti said.

He was addressing a hurriedly called press conference arranged by the Safety Centre for Journalists at the National Press Club (NPC) here on Monday.

Narrating his ordeal, Ali Chishti, who works at a weekly magazine, said his car was stopped by six policemen standing along with a mobile van at around 8pm on August 30.

“It was an isolated area and I stopped my car immediately. They pulled me out, manhandled me and eventually blindfolded me,” he said, adding,

“They took me in the police mobile and later handed me over to another group of men.”

“After inflicting severe physical and mental torture, they left me at an isolated spot from where some police personnel gave me a lift in their official vehicle,” he said.

However, he said his ‘rescuers’ then started demanding Rs50,000 from him, and did not specify any reason for the kidnapping and torture.

Instead, Mr Chishti was only directed to leave the city immediately. Responding to a question, Mr Chishti acknowledged that he had initially thought his kidnappers were political workers, but the style and body language of his kidnappers was clear proof that his kidnappers were actual policemen.

He said to ensure that he had left the city, some people had also gone to his office in Karachi two days later, inquiring about his where abouts.

DAWN