International Day to End Impunity
Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) released a report entitled “Justice delayed AND justice denied” on the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Media on November 2. The report highlighted 47 cases of media workers being targeted and murdered and other 25 killed since 2002 while full filling their professional duties. The report also covered the incidents of 185 media workers who were injured, 88 assaulted, 22 abducted and 42 were detained during the period.
From the 72 cases since there have been convictions in only five cases. The report called on the media organizations to play their part in ensuring safety of media workers by ensuring legal follow up of cases of crimes against media professionals. Different newspapers including Business Recorder, Regional Times, Balochistan Express, The News, daily Dunya published the report while Dawn news channel in its program ‘Zara Hat Kay’ also discussed the report on November 2.
Dawn also published two editorials on November 2 with the titles “Safety of journalists” and “Media under fire” which highlighted the facts of UNESCO, Reporters without Borders (RSF) and Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) about journalists killed and murdered in Pakistan while pursuing their duties. Pakistan ranks 147 out 180 states in the Reporters without Borders Index. According to UNESCO’s figures, based on information from member states, only eight per cent of the over 800 cases have been resolved.
Hamid Mir wins “Most Resilient Journalist Award”
International Free Press awarded “Most Resilient Journalist Award” to senior journalist Hamid Mir of Pakistan on November 2. In his speech, Mir said he had survived assassination attempts but did not want to leave the country as people of Pakistan stood by him. On November 2 Geo News and Jaag aired headline, ticker, detailed news while Dawn, The News, daily Jang reported the event on November 3.
Maryam Aurangzeb, federal minister for information and broadcast said “International award for Mir is the substantiation of media freedom in Pakistan”, Geo News on November 3 aired the statement.
Protest demonstration on International End Impunity Day
Marking the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), Hyderabad Union of Journalists, Karachi Union of Journalists, Punjab Union of Journalists, and Nawab Shah Union of Journalist staged protest demonstrations throughout the country.
They demanded safety and security of journalists and those who had committed crimes against journalists and media workers should be punished. On November 3, Dawn, daily Express, daily Dunya, Regional Times, daily Jang, daily Intekhab covered the story while ARY News also aired detailed news on November 3.
Out of 15 monitored newspapers nine published news items, editorials and five of them covered PPF End Impunity Report. While Dawn News discussed Impunity report and ARY aired news of protest. Different newspapers including Business Recorder, Regional Times, Balochistan Express, The News, Dawn, daily Dunya, daily Express, daily Jang, daily Intekhab while ARY News and Dawn News channel also covered the event International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists.
Harassment and attacks on media personnel
PTI workers misbehave with media personnel and damaged the van of News one channel in Karachi. NEO News and Abb Takk aired detailed news on October 31.
Aaj News, Express News and Geo News aired headlines and breaking news on November 1 while The News on November 2 reported that the workers of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf (PTI) attacked the Geo team and tried to set the channel DSNG on fire near Burhan (territorial limits of Punjab province). Meanwhile, PTI member of provincial assembly Arif Yousuf reached at the spot and stopped party workers.
On 31 October Geo aired detail news and also discussed in its program “Aaj Shahzaib Khanzada Key Saath” that the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pervez Khattak used abusive and derogatory language for an anchorperson while responding to questions regarding PTI “lock down” in Islamabad.
Jang and ARY group rift
Additional District Judge Islamabad Syed Faizan Haider ordered issuing of non-bailable arrest warrants of anchorperson Mubashir Lucman in case against ARY by Jang-Geo group on defaming the group, however court accepted the exemption plea of ARY CEO Salman Iqbal and others, reported daily Jang on November 4.
Pemra crack down on DTH, bans and notices
Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) suspended the license of ARY owned Hindi channel Nickelodeon for violating PEMRA directives and airing cartoons dubbed in Hindi language. On October 19 the authority announced its decision blanket ban on Indian content and had warned channels for action in case of violation. Geo News on October 31 aired a ticker; while daily Jang and The News covered the story on November 1.
However on November 2 ARY News aired breaking news that Sindh High Court (SHC) restored the license of Nickelodeon channel.
PEMRA team raided different areas of Nawab Shah under the supervision of Assistant manager Sarfaraz and seized illegal Indian Direct to Home (DTH) and dish antennas. PEMRA inspector Mir Hasan Magsi told that in seized accessories there were 70 DTH and 50 dish antennas. Daily Dunya reported on November 3; while Daily Intekhab reported the story on November 5.
Daily Jang on November 4 reported that PEMRA’s Hyderabad region team raided different cities of district Badin and seized various Indian DTH, C-Line receiver, U-band, dish antennas.
PEMRA is offering FM Radio licenses for 67 cities across the country through participating in the bidding process which will take place at the authority headquarters in second week of current month; the Nation reported the story on November 5.
In other story published by Regional Times on November 5, the protest demonstration of cable operators in Sehwan Sharif (Jamshoro district) against PEMRA for not full filing the promises made to them. They also demanded to ban digital receivers and other illegal receivers.
No investigation against deposed information minister
While speaking at press conference on November 5; Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali said that the investigation of the planted story will not be against the former minister Pervez Rasheed. Prime Minister just wanted to find out that who is responsible for leaking the story. Pakistan Today, daily Express, daily Nawa-i-Waqt, daily Dunya, daily Intekhab, daily Amn, daily Pakistan, daily Jang covered the press conference of Interior Minister on November 6.
CPNE delegation meets Corps Commander
A delegation of members of Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) led by its Secretary General Aijaz ul Haq met with Karachi Corps Commander Lieutenant General Naveed Mukhtar and discussed internal situation of city including the safety and security of journalists. Lieutenant General Mukhtar assured the delegation to address the problems and security threats faced by journalists, reported Business Recorder, The Express Tribune, The News, daily Intekhab, Regional Times on November 2.
During the week PPF monitored 55 news, tickers, headlines and programs related to Pakistani media that were covered in the following television channels – 92 News, Aaj News, Abb Takk, ARY News, Capital TV, Dawn News, Dunya News, Express News, Geo News, Jaag News, Neo News, News One, Samaa and TV One.
There were 84 news items, articles published in English and Urdu dailies including Dawn, The News, The Nation, The Express Tribune, Business Recorder, Pakistan Today, Regional Times, Balochistan Express, daily Jang, daily Dunya, daily Express, daily Nawa-i-Waqt, daily Intikhab, daily Amn, daily Pakistan.
PPF monitored 139 news items in both newspapers and TV channels during the week. The majority of the news makers were 113 males, nine females; while in 17 gender of spokespersons was not mentioned.