The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) on Thursday expressed concern over last week’s attack on the office of Geo and Jang media group in Karachi.

“The IFJ expresses its concern over the actions of protesters who attacked the Geo-Jang media group and the lack of police presence as this publicized protest turned violent,” it said.

IFJ said it welcomes the swift action by the anti-terrorism courts and calls for an urgent investigation into the handling of the matter by police on the ground at the time of the protest.

The central offices of the Geo and Jang media group vandalized by a group of protesters from the Sindhi community on February 21, in retaliation over a satirical segment aired on the network.

The mob reportedly angered by the airing of a satirical segment by Geo TV anchor Irshad Bhatti in a January 28 broadcast of the Khabarnak program. In the episode, the program presenter interviewed an impersonator of former Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari—a typical format of the show, where the show’s co-host Ali Mir adopts various characters. During the segment, Bhatti introduced the Mir’s character as the millionaire leader of bhukhe-nange (hungry and naked) people. He also accused him of exploiting people from Pakistan’s Sindh community.

Following a public backlash, Bhatti  issued an apology statement on February 21, claiming that his intention was not to disrespect the Sindh province or Sindhi language and clarifying that the program was satire and comedy. His apology statement was shared from his Twitter account also.

In response to the program, the Sindhi communities reportedly planned a peaceful protest in Karachi on February 21. But when the protestors reached the Geo office the protest turned violent, with protesters tearing down a gate and breaking through another main gated entry to the office on Chundrigar Road. During the attack, protesters threw chairs, broke furniture and glass, and allegedly roughed up receptionists, camerapersons, and other staff in the building.

Geo News officials accused police of failing to provide security to the office saying the protest was planned in advance.

Geo News Managing Director, Azhar Abbas, tweeted: “Strongly condemn attack on offices of Geo and Jang. They vandalised the reception area and beat our cameraman and staff. Where is the Govt??”

On February 21, Karachi police filed cases against over 200 people in connection with the attack and on February 22 the administrative judge of the anti-terrorism court remanded 13 suspects in judicial custody for their alleged involvement in the attack. The suspects were booked under Sections 147, 148, 149, 324, 342, 427 and 506-B of the Pakistan Penal Code and Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act.—IFJ media release

Website: Journalism Pakistan

The grenade attack on the offices of ARY TV in Islamabad represents yet another strike against freedom of expression in Pakistan, underscoring the growing peril faced by media workers in the course of their work, Amnesty International said today.
Two attackers riding a motorcycle threw a grenade and reportedly fired gunshots at the ARY TV offices late on Wednesday. A video editor at the station was injured by shrapnel from the blast.
“This is the latest, depressing addition to a series of brazen attacks in which media workers in Pakistan have been targeted for doing their jobs,” said Champa Patel, Director of Amnesty International’s South Asia Regional Office.
Pamphlets left at the scene said the attack had been carried out by Islamic State Wilayah Khurasan, an armed group that claims allegiance to the armed group calling itself Islamic State (IS), in retaliation for ARY TV’s reporting of Pakistani military offensives.
“Pakistani media workers can now add being bombed at their desks to a list of occupational hazards that already includes abduction, arbitrary arrest and detention, intimidation, killings, and harassment by state and non-state actors,” Champa Patel said.
“The purpose of these attacks is to intimidate and censor the press as a whole, cracking down on freedom of expression.”
Within the last two months, Islamic State Wilayah Khurasan has claimed responsibility for attacks on the offices of Dunya TV in Faisalabad in November 2015, and Din News in Lahore in December 2015. In total, at least two media workers were killed and six injured in connection to their work in 2015.
Media workers and journalists also face harassment and intimidation from state actors in Pakistan.
The attack on the ARY office comes a day after Pakistan’s paramilitary Rangers force entered and conducted a warrantless search of a New York Times journalist’s home in Islamabad. The government alleged the raid on Salman Masood’s home was part of a larger search operation in the area, but it has since emerged that only a couple of other houses in that neighbourhood were searched.
The Interior Minister ordered an inquiry into the search operation later the same day. Even so, the incident entailed not just an infringement to the journalist’s right to privacy but could also be perceived as a tactic to intimidate him for his work, a lot of which has included writing about current government and military policies.
Amnesty International urges the authorities to conduct a thorough, prompt and transparent investigation into this and other attacks against media workers and journalists, and to bring those responsible to account. The authorities must also ensure adequate protection to media workers, journalists and their families facing threats and attacks due to their legitimate work, while ensuring their independence.

Amnesty International

KARACHI: Had the bullet not spared Asif Hassan’s heart by a few millimetres, his photojournalism career spanning 16 years would have to come to an end and his young daughter would have been left without a father.

According to the International Federation of Journalists, Pakistan was the most dangerous country for journalists in 2014 with 14 deaths. The bullet that hit Hassan, 39, at the start of the year 2015 makes it seems this year will be no different.

On January 16, Hassan, who works for Agence France-Presse (AFP), was covering the demonstration of a religious party’s student wing, Islami Jamiat-e-Talba (IJT), against cartoons published in French magazine Charlie Hebdo when he narrowly escaped death.

“These days, photographers and reporters are the first ones to be beaten, shot, or tear-gassed during events and protests,” said Hassan, as he spoke to The Express Tribune at his house, recovering from his injuries. “The situation for journalists is getting bad.” He sat on a mattress in his apartment in PECHS, pausing every few sentences to catch his breath. His laptop and phone lay nearby.

Being an AFP photographer does not blend well with the religious protests that take place quite frequently in the city. Three years ago when protesters on Ishq-e-Rasool day indulged in riots, over 200 men rounded him up with another colleague outside the Edhi office at Tower. The men beat them with sticks and took away Hassan’s camera lens.

Day he was shot

Hassan remembered how he was not even scheduled to cover the IJT on January 16. “The demonstration was planned suddenly and I was at the press club when the other photographers told me about it.”

He was standing on top of the protesters’ truck at Teen Talwar and was taking pictures as they marched towards the French consulate in Bath Island. Out of nowhere, the area turned into a battlefield. The protesters started pelting stones at the police, who retaliated with tear gas and water cannon. Then, the firing started, he recalled, adding that he and his colleagues tried to get close to the police who were standing near the water cannon.

One of his colleagues shouted that he was struck with a rock. Seconds later, Hassan also felt being hit by a rock when a bullet hit him from behind. “I was conscious and walked over to the police van to take me to the hospital since there was no ambulance there,” he said. “The police officer refused and that is when I lost my strength. I fainted but I came back around quickly.”

His fellow photographers came out to help him. They carried him to the vehicle of a news channel and rushed to Jinnah hospital. The Associated Press photographer, Farooq, kept talking to him throughout the journey.

The doctors operated on him as soon as he arrived and managed to remove the bullet. He was prescribed a month’s bed rest.

The entire ordeal has, however, not broken Hassan’s resolve to work. “I used to be out all the time and now I feel I am in a jail,” he said, smiling. Hassan felt he will return to work with even more passion even though his family is insisting he give up journalism.

“I will be more cautious now,” he admitted. “I will wear a helmet and a bulletproof jacket whenever I go cover protests now.”

Career path

Born in 1976 into a family that owned a photography studio in Korangi, Hassan as a child had no passion for pictures. But over the years, he saw photographers covering strikes with burnt cars and violence, especially during the 1990s operation, and this excited him. He figured out soon that he wanted to be a photographer for a newspaper.

“In 1998, after I did my Intermediate, I joined an Urdu newspaper Aghaaz as a photographer covering crimes, politics, sports and lifestyle,” he said. Hassan worked for a couple of Urdu newspapers before he joined AFP in 2005.

Putting on a brave face

Asif Hassan’s colleagues and fellow photographers feel they are usually on their own if they are hurt in the line of duty.

“If God forbid Asif had died, neither the protesters nor the police or the government would have taken responsibility for it,” pointed out a senior photographer who works for an Urdu newspaper. “There would have been a few protests and that would have wrapped up the incident.”

The photographer said that he was brutally beaten up by a political party when he took pictures of their men torching cars during a strike. “The organisations screaming for journalists’ rights have done nothing to protect us,” he complained, adding that media houses also only care for their own interests. “We have no other option than to go into the field and take pictures.”

Express Tribune

A number of unidentified people threw small explosives described as crackers, targeting the DSNG of Dunya News, Dawn News and Abb Tak News channels after the conclusion of a political rally at Faizabad Interchange. The attack left five media workers injured.

The attack took place after the completion of coverage of the political rally organized by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party. The crackers were hauled at the parked DSNG vans from a motorcycle. According to reports, the crackers left an eight-inch wide and one inch deep crater at the site and damaged the TV vans.

DSNG engineer Ziaul Haq and cameraman Mohsin Ali of DawnNews, Nadir Hussain and Amir Ishfaq of Duniya News and Suleman Mubarik of Abb Takk News were injured in the incident who received treatment by Rescue 1122 medical staff on the spot.

The police have registered a case against unnamed attackers and are investigating what amounts of explosives were used.

The IFJ and the PFUJ demand immediate arrest of the culprits. The PFUJ is holding protest programs against the attack around the country.

The PFUJ said: “We condemn the incident and consider it an act of terrorism to threaten media to stop them showing truth. Such incidents cannot stop media men to perform their duties to show people the truth.”

Jane Worthington, the acting director of the IFJ Asia-Pacific said: “Attacks on television channels has become routine in political rallies in Pakistan; it is a cowardly act and becoming part of Pakistan’s culture of impunity. The IFJ condemns the attack and urge the government to ensure safety and security of journalists on the field.”

International Federation of Journalists

A delegation led by PFUJ former president Pervaiz Shaukat handed over an open letter from the IFJ and the South Asia Media Solidarity Network (SAMSN) to the Prime Minister’s Secretariat and the United Nations in Pakistan on Sunday, November 2 – the inaugural International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists. The IFJ and SAMSN as well as a list of international activists and organisations, wrote to Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, calling on him to recognise November 2 as a National Day Against Impunity in Pakistan and to make concerted efforts to bring to an end to the country’s entrenched culture of impunity for journalist killings.

The PFUJ and its affiliates across Pakistan also held rallies, awareness lectures, and candle vigils in Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad, Peshawar, Quetta, Hyderabad, DG Khan, Bahawalpur, Multan, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Hafizabad, Gujrat and Abbottabad.

The PFUJ also marked November 3 as a day to condemn the illegitimate act of imposing emergency rule under former military ruler General Pervez Musharraf and reiterated its pledge to defend the independence of media and democracy in future.

Over the past decade, Pakistan has consistently been ranked one of the most dangerous places on the planet to practice journalism. The targeting of journalists, including verbal and written threats, physical attacks, kidnappings and killings have been alarmingly high in Pakistan. The United Nations has listed Pakistan as a country needing special attention and supportive action to combat impunity against journalists, when it was included among the five pilot countries for implementation of its ‘UN Action Plan on Attacks on Journalists and Issues of Impunity.

See the IFJ’s infographic on Pakistan here.

The PFUJ said: “We will keep on raising voice against the crimes and unjust done with the journalists and put pressure on the government to end impunity against the journalists of the country and make efforts to provide a safe atmosphere to work and enjoy freedom of expression in the country.”

This year, 13 journalists and media workers have been killed in Pakistan and many more threatened, intimidated and attacked. Nearly 60 journalists have been killed in the last six years and more than 100 since 2000.

The IFJ Asia Pacific acting director Jane Worthington said: “Pakistan is the most dangerous country in the world right now for journalists and the situation has undoubtedly worsened due to high level of impunity for crimes against media workers. Pakistan must respond to global calls and make immediate efforts to bring an end to the culture of impunity that leaves so many media workers exposed and in doing so threatens the future integrity of a free and independent media.”

International Federation of Journalists

According to reports, Shehryar Mehsud, a columnist at the Urdu daily Akhbar-e-Khyber, was arrested on the orders of the political administration of South Waziristan allegedly for exposing the ‘corruption of political agents’ in development projects. Mehsud had received threatening calls from the administrators after he wrote a column on corruption.

The local journalists’ community believes that Mehsud’s arrest is an attempt to silence the journalists. Pakistan is quickly becoming one of the most dangerous countries for journalists, with 13 journalists killed this year so far. The culture of impunity in Pakistan, which includes threats like the ones Mehsud receive continue to weaken press freedom across the country. Mehsud was detained overnight and subsequently released.

The PFUJ said: “The PFUJ demands that Governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, federal minister for state and frontiers region and federal government should intervene in the issue and hold inquiry into the case both corruption charges and illegal detention.”

IFJ acting director, Jane Worthington, said: “Journalists in Pakistan, especially in the tribal areas, face hostile condition to carry out their profession. It’s a matter of serious concern that state agencies that should be supporting journalists by ensuring their safety and security are detaining and threatening journalists.”

The IFJ further added: “The IFJ urge the Pakistan government to immediately launch an investigation on the detention so as to ensure free flow of information and opinion.”

PFUJ

This week the Federal Ombudsman for Protection against Harassment of Women at Workplace found the Executive Director of AAP, Muhammad Naeem Choudhry, guilty on the account of sexually harassing a female co-worker under the Women Harassment Act in a case that dates back to incidents that began almost 20 years ago. The Ombudsman ordered the imposition of a ‘major penalty’ wherein the culprit would be demoted by a grade and removed from his present post so that ‘taking advantage of his senior position he may not create such an unhealthy environment for other employees in the future’.

Mr Choudhry has filed an appeal against the order from the Ombudsman, which has been admitted by Office of the President of Pakistan. The PFUJ said APP’s management are yet to implement the order, instead ‘hiding behind the period of appeal’ with reports they ‘laughed’ at the judgement.

The PFUJ said: “It is a matter of concern that the person who has been convicted for harassing his woman colleagues is still in the position. The state should take a serious note and investigate widely to implicate those protecting his acts.”

This is not the first time Chaudry has been reported for the same offence. During the hearing the complainant reported that despite her complaints to the managing director of APP and the Ministry of Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage, no action was taken during an eight-month period. Instead, she said that APP management protected Choudhry, encouraging continuous intimidation, threats and coercive messages. The proceedings outlined that the first instance of harassment took place in 1996, but following a complaint was ‘hushed up’. In 2012, all of the female journalists and media staff at APP complained to the then Federal Minister about the executive director’s behaviour and he was twice removed from his post on charges of sexual harassment against female employees. Both times he escaped punishment.

The IFJ Asia Pacific’s Acting Director, Jane Worthington, said: “The environment in which female journalists work in Pakistan is extremely challenging on many fronts and sexual harassment is a major hurdle too many women have to face on a regular basis.”

The IFJ said impunity against sexual harassment is a major issue that all media need to take serious – particularly when those violations come from the highest of levels.

“The fact that this case has dragged on for nearly 20 years without redress is disturbing but full credit must go to the complainant and the many women journalists and media staff at APP who challenged the company on its despicable handling of the matter,” Jane Worthington said. “We commend all of them on that strength and solidarity. They have given voice to many women who have been denied justice by silence and the social taboo of sexual harassment.”

Women journalists in Pakistan are confronted with gender inequality in many forms from social taboos at entering the profession through to sexual harassment, all which serve to hinder their participation and progression. The IFJ, with support of UNESCO is currently undertaking a Research Study on Gender and Media in the Asia Pacific. Pakistan is one of the seven focus countries, which aims to explore the issues facing women in the media and produce recommendations for change.

International Federation of Journalists

It is the second time that the Geo News TV building has been attacked in a fortnight by demonstrators of the Pakistan Tehrek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT). Demonstrators pelted stones at the building, breaking a number of windows and also vandalized vehicles of the media.

Following this week’s attack, the PFUJ held a rally outside the Geo News TV building in Islamabad against the continued harassment of Geo News journalists and staff. Demonstrators who have been protesting against the Pakistani Government since August 14 have repeatedly harassed Geo News staff and other journalists and media workers from other outlets.

On August 30, demonstrators attacked the office of Geo News TV in Islamabad, pelting it with stones. Some stick-wielding protestors reportedly also attacked the satellite van of Geo News as the staff in the building struggled to escape.

The PFUJ said: “The political parties like PTI and PAT are using derogatory language against Geo, which is a direct attack on journalists.”

The PFUJ demanded that the government should take notice of the continuous stone pelting incidents on Geo News TV building in the capital.

The IFJ and the PFUJ have expressed ongoing concerns over the escalation of incidents of violence against journalists in recent days. The IFJ issued letters to Prime Minister Nawaf Sharif, PTI leader Imran Khan and PAT leader Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri condemning the violence against journalists and media.

The IFJ said: “The repeated attacks on Geo News clearly show that the anti-government demonstrators are intolerant to the media’s role in reporting these events and are resorting to unjustifiable undemocratic acts. Importantly, the attacks on Geo represent an attack on Pakistan’s media as a whole.”

The IFJ calls for all journalists, regardless of where they are employed, to condemn these assaults in the strongest way and for the media to stand in solidarity against to defend their right to report.

The IFJ has condemned these attacks on Geo News and called on the government and the leaders of the PTI and PAT to provide sufficient security and respect for the media while the demonstrations continue.

International Federation of Journalists

According to reports out of Pakistan, police attacked media on Saturday, August 30, including journalists and staff from ARY News, News One, AbbTakk News, Dunya TV, Dawan News and JAAG TV at one of the demonstrations. Several were injured during the attacks. Police reportedly also pulled camera operators and other media workers from DSNG vans and beat them with batons. The IFJ has also heard that police allegedly smashed cameras and DSNG vans of several channels as well as journalists’ vehicles.

Also on August 30, anti-government demonstrators attacked the office of Pakistan’s leading TV channel Geo News in Islamabad. Protesters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) were on a march toward the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s House, when the crowd of angry demonstrators gathered outside the Geo News office, pelting it with stones.

Some stick-wielding protestors reportedly also attacked the satellite van of Geo News as the staff in the building struggled to escape. No-one was hurt in the incident but the building was damaged in the onslaught.

Today, September 1, over 800 PTI and PAT protesters stormed the PTV building in the early afternoon, holding a number of staff hostage and forcing management to shut down the transmission of PTV News and PTV World. They also stole weapons from security guards manning the building and damaged a number of PTV vehicles. There have also been reports of violence and manhandling against PTV staff.

The PFUJ said: “We demand the government to avoid attack on journalists; and advise journalists to take maximum care and keep their safety and security a priority.”

The IFJ said that incidences of police intentionally targeting media personal covering demonstrations was a deplorable situation and highlights the increasing security challenge facing journalists in Pakistan. The IFJ reminds journalists to remain vigilant during this time, and safety should remain their upmost priority. Please access the IFJ Safety Guidelines for Covering Demonstrations and Civil Unrest for more information.

“The police have the responsibility of protecting journalists; so their assault and violence cannot be justified by any logic,” the IFJ Asia-Pacific said. “We urge an immediate investigation into the matter and action against those policemen involved in the assault on journalists.”

International Federation of Journalists

Mustoi, 35-year-old Assignment Editor of ARY News in Quetta, Bureau Chief of Online News Agency and General Secretary Balochistan Union of Journalist (BUJ), was shot dead in his office along with trainee reporter Muhammad Abdul Rasool and media staff Muhammad Younas by indiscriminate firing of unknown assailants. The assailants fled the crime scene.

The bodies were taken to the hospital and initial examinations stated that all three died due to bullet injuries to their chest and heads.

The PFUJ, while expressing solidarity with the families of slain journalists, has announced protests across Pakistan to condemn the killings. The protests will take place today (Friday, August 29).

The PFUJ has termed the deaths as the targeted killing of media workers and asked the authorities to take notice to trace the culprits. The PFUJ said: “The killing of BUJ office bearer is strong and hidden message to intimidate the media across Pakistan.”

The PFUJ added: “The journalists’ community in Pakistan has always been sacrificing their lives while discharging their duty of unearthing truth and many have received threats for doing their duty. We have asked the government time and again to take measures for the safety of the working journalists but all in vain.”

The IFJ said: “The murder of journalists and media worker in their office is a brutal and outright attack on media that is aimed to send a wider message to journalists and their unions. This incident proves just how difficult it is for journalists in Pakistan to perform their duties when their lives are so clearly at risk by myriad of forces attempting to silence them.”

The IFJ has called on Pakistan’s media to remain vigilant to their safety both at work and in their travels and home environment. It has again reinforced its call to Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, to take much-needed action on journalist killings, particularly in troubled regions such as Balochistan.

The IFJ expresses its deepest condolence to the families of Irshad Mustoi, Muhammad Abdul Rasool and Muhammad Younas.

International Federation of Journalists