WASHINGTON, D.C: The Committee to Protect Journalists on Wednesday expressed grave concern over the Islamabad High Court (IHC)’s decision to indict Pakistani journalists Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman, Aamir Ghauri, and Ansar Abbasi, calling it a dangerous attack

on press freedom and freedom of expression.In a statement the CPJ said: “On December 28, 2021, the Islamabad High Court decided to indict Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman, owner and editor-in-chief of the Jang Media Group; Aamir Ghauri, editor of The News International; and Ansar Abbasi, investigations editor of The News International, for criminal contempt of court in relation to a November 15 investigative report by Abbasi, according to The News, news reports, a statement by the Pakistan Press Foundation, and Abbasi, who spoke to CPJ in a phone interview.

The report included the content of a notarized affidavit accusing the former chief justice of Pakistan [Saqib Nisar] of judicial interference in a corruption case involving former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter, Maryam Nawaz, according to those sources.”

The court appointed Attorney General Khalid Javed Khan as the prosecutor in the case to pursue charges and set an indictment date of January 7, when the court is scheduled to frame, or precisely inform, the nature of the contempt charges against the three journalists, according to those sources.

“The Islamabad High Court’s decision to indict journalists Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman, Aamir Ghauri, and Ansar Abbasi is a disturbing act of retaliation for reporting a matter of public interest,” said Steven Butler, CPJ’s Asia programme coordinator.

“The decision creates a dangerous judicial precedent that could lead to further retaliation against journalists who are simply doing their jobs.”

The CPJ called and emailed the Islamabad High Court and called and messaged Attorney General Khalid Javed Khan for comment but did not receive a reply.

Earlier on Dec 30, the CPJ’s Asia programme coordinator had tweeted “No journalist should face contempt charges for reporting a verified story. Pakistan boasts of press freedom. Freedom of the press means freedom to report the news.”

Source: The News

The Committee to Protect Journalists, New York-based non-profit, non-governmental organization that promotes press freedom and defends the rights of journalists, has called upon the Indian government to drop investigations into the work of journalists Mir Junaid, Sajad Gul and Yashraj Sharma and allow them to report without interference.

On January 30, Indian police in occupied Jammu and Kashmir opened criminal investigations into Sharma, a reporter at The Kashmirwalla news website, and Junaid, a reporter at The Kashmiriyat news website, on the fake charge of incitement.

Fahad Shah, editor-in-chief of The Kashmirwalla, and Qazi Shibli, news editor of The Kashmiriyat, both spoke to CPJ over phone and informed the global journalist protection body about the concocted charges leveled against Kashmiri journalists by Indian police in the territory.

On February 12, police opened an investigation into Gul, a freelance journalist who contributes to The Kashmirwalla, for allegedly taking part in a demonstration against home demolitions in Hajin, according to Gul, who spoke to CPJ via phone.

“Journalists Yashraj Sharma, Mir Junaid, and Sajad Gul should be allowed to do their jobs without harassment, intimidation, and criminal investigations from Kashmiri authorities,” said Aliya Iftikhar, CPJ’s senior Asia researcher.

“Jammu and Kashmir Police must drop their investigations into all three journalists and stop targeting journalists because of their reporting.”

The investigation into Sharma and Junaid concerns reports they published on January 27 in The Kashmirwalla and The Kashmiriyat, which each quoted the chairperson of a school in the southern Kashmiri city of Shopian, who said Indian Army authorities had pressured the school to celebrate Republic Day, according to Shah and Shibli. Shah told CPJ that The Kashmirwalla outlet stands by its story.—KMS

Website: Pakistan Observer

KARACHI: The central office of the Geo and Jang Media Group was attacked on Sunday by protesters in Karachi.

A mob broke a walkthrough gate installed at the entrance of the building as well as the main entrance door to the building. The staff inside the building were also attacked and violently pushed around.

According to Geo News Karachi Bureau Chief Faheem Siddiqui, protesters attacked the building “under an elaborate plot”. He said a protest had been announced in advance but “there were no law enforcement officers present” and no action was taken against the protesters when they attacked. The protesters were enraged over a video from a Geo News programme on social media, the edited version of which has gone viral, said Siddiqui. “What you see on social media is not how it was said on the show,” he said, adding that Geo News had also aired a clarification as well as an apology on the same show. “What remains to be known is who these protesters are,” he added. Anchor Irshad Bhatti from television show “Khabarnaak” clarified that his show is of comedy and satire and “Sindh and Sindhis are part of his identity as is any other province.”

“Ladies and gentleman, welcome. I wish to state here, that in the last one or two shows, our brothers from Sindh, where on the one hand showed us a lot of appreciation and gave us a lot of love, on the other hand, expressed reservations against a sentence or two.

“I wish to tell everyone this is a programme of satire and comedy, and the way Punjab, KP, Balochistan, GB, Azad Kashmir are dear to me, Sindh and Sindhis are a part of my identity. My life is dedicated to Sindh and Sindhis,” he said.

Managing Director Geo News Azhar Abbas, sharing footage of the damage left in the wake of the attack, wrote: “Everyone has right to peaceful protest. We will protect and support that right. But doing violence and taking the law into their own hands, regardless of the cause, can’t be tolerated. Dialogue is answer to all issues — not violence.”

Sindh Information Minister Nasir Hussain Shah arrived at the venue and proceeded to resolve the matter by speaking to the protesters. He had earlier also appeared on air to express solidarity with the media group. When asked why police did not act promptly, Shah said he strongly condemns such violence. “I spoke to the SSP and I was told the protest was to head from Shaheen Complex to Press Club but they came this way.” He said everyone has a right to protest but no one has the right to harm anyone. “Action will be taken against whoever took the law into their hands.” The information minister said that Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah has also ordered “strict action” to be taken against all those found involved.

Federal Minister for Information Shibli Faraz, speaking to Geo News, said that violence is not acceptable under any circumstances. “If someone has any grievance or reservations, they always have the choice to launch a formal protest […] I have found out that the matter pertains to a show where some light humour was aired. The immediate responsibility is that of the Sindh government […] why were no security forces available?” he asked.

Governor Sindh Imran Ismail said it was an unfortunate incident that had occurred and expressed his sympathies. “We must understand people’s sensitivities while airing things on our channels. Something occurred that hurt people’s sentiments. As far as I know, an apology and clarification were given by Geo, so this matter should have been let go of. “They could have still protested peacefully with banners, but violence can never be supported. So to all those protesting outside, I request: Please accept Geo’s apology and clarification. Forgive whatever transpired. This goes completely against the hospitality and love for people that are part and parcel of Sindh’s values and culture,” Imran said. The governor was surprised to know police had not sprung into action. He said he would ask the Inspector General of Police to look into the matter immediately and to send officers for the staff’s protection.

Minister for Interior Sheikh Rasheed condemned the attack on Geo News’ building and termed it a “cowardly act”. “The government fully believes in freedom of the press,” Rasheed said, adding: “I hope Sindh government will ensure the security of the Jang, Geo office.” He said his ministry will extend all possible support.

Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry also condemned the attack and demanded that police take action against those responsible. “A disagreement does not mean you round up 200-400 people and attack a place,” he said.

Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar strongly condemned the attack, terming it as an attack on freedom of expression. He also expressed solidarity with Geo and Jang, a handout said. Buzdar said the incumbent government believes in the freedom of media.

PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb, condemning the incident, said it must be probed in a transparent and unbiased manner. “We express our solidarity with Geo News,” she said. PPP MPA Awais Qadir Shah said that it was highly condemnable that an attack was carried out under the pretext of a protest. “This is a highly unfortunate incident which cannot be condemned enough,” he said. Shah said that the People’s Party supports freedom of expression and a fair investigation of the incident. Qaumi Watan Party spokesperson Ahmed Jadoon, condemning the attack, said that elements involved should be brought to justice. PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat and Speaker Punjab Assembly Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi also condemned the violence. MQM convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui it was wholly unacceptable that a media house be attacked in such a manner under the guise of a protest. He said that the absence of police officers at the time of the attack raises a lot of questions.

The Association of Electronic Media Editors and News Directors (AEMEND) issued a statement strongly condemning the violent attack on the Karachi offices of Geo News “by a mob armed with clubs and stones”.

“AEMEND believes in people’s inalienable right to peaceful protest but using violence under the pretext of protest is unacceptable and is a clear violation of law,” read the statement. The association urged the provincial government to “take immediate action” against who vandalised the media office and subjected its staff to violence.

The APNS strongly condemned the attack on the Jang Group premises by demonstrators, who ranscked the offices and manhandled the employees of the group. Hameed Haroon, President, and Sarmad Ali, Secretary General, of the All Pakistan Newspapers Society, in a press statement termed the incident attack on the press and expressed their serious concern on the vandalism perpetuated by the demonstrators, who in the garb of protest and sit-in besieged the Jang Group’s main office in Karachi and instead of stressing and raising their demands, attacked and ransacked the office and harassed the staff, including female workers and journalists. They stated that every section of the society has a right to agitate its disagreement against any content, but it should not be allowed to take law into its hand and attack the premises of media organisations and intimidate media workers. This attitude not only depicts the intolerance exacerbating in our society but also highlights growing lawlessness in the country. It is regrettable that the law enforcing agencies in the city remained silent spectators when the media house was being subjected to vandalism.

The APNS office bearers urged upon the chief minister Sindh and the IG police to take immediate action against the culprits and provide security to media houses to prevent such heinious act against the media in future. Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists has condemned the attack on Geo and Jang offices demanding of the government to arrest the perpetrators.

In a statement, PFUJ President Shahzada Zulfiqar and Secretary General Nasir Zaidi slammed the police and Sindh government for the lack of action against the attackers. “It is unfortunate that the police were present there but they did not prevent the attackers. The police turned a blind eye as the mob ransacked the office besides beating up the staff.” They asked the government to throughly probe the attack. This is not an attack of Geo and Jang but on the freedom of expression.

The PPP being the champion of democracy and freedom of expression should take prompt action against the attackers besides ensuring that such incidents do not happen in the future.”Zulfiqar and Zaidi said that the media has already been under siege for some years. “In these testing times, media need support from political parties and various circles of the society. If any party or community has complaint against any content, then there is a mechanism to lodge a complaint and get the matter sorted out but the attackers resorted to fascist tactics to vent their anger.” The PFUJ leaders said that they expressed complete solidarity with the Geo and Jang. “We cannot leave the workers of Jang Group alone in these testing times and would like to make it very clear that the entire journalist community is behind the workers of this media outlet.”

Meanwhile, Sindh Information and Local Government Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah has condemned the incident of hooliganism and vandalism at the offices of the Jang Group and Geo Television in Karachi on Sunday.Talking to media persons outside the Jang and Geo TV offices after the attack on Sunday, the Sindh information minister said that strict action would be taken against whosoever was found involved in the incident.

He clarified that a peaceful protest was the right of every person. He said that one was supposed to do peaceful protest against any offensive or insulting statement. He mentioned that the Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah had taken cognizance of the incident. He announced that the Sindh government would compensate for the losses caused due to vandalism.

He said lawful action would be taken against the miscreants involved in the incidents in view of the CCTV camera footage of the incident, adding that action would be taken against the attackers as per the demand of Geo TV.

He said the Sindhi nation did carry historical importance as they would not let anyone to insult the Sindhi nation or the land of Sindh. “If anyone carries any such impression, then he should get rid of it,” said the Sindh minister.

He said that an entire institution could not be held responsible for the act of an individual. He mentioned that the Geo TV had instantly apologized for the remarks after they went on-air.

He appealed to the protesters doing protest against the remarks to end their agitation. Meanwhile, Sindh Law and Environment Adviser Barrister Murtaza Wahab, who also acts as the spokesman for the Sindh government, said that the Sindh CM had ordered a probe into the incident of attack on the offices of Jang Group and Geo TV.

While condemning the incident, he said that due action would be taken against the attackers for bringing them to justice.

Barrister Wahab said that the security of the offices of Jang Group and Geo TV and that of other media houses would be improved by the Sindh government. Meanwhile, Sindh Minister Jam Ikramullah Dharejo, Mukesh Kumar Chawla, Shehla Raza, and Special Assistant to Sindh CM Syed Qasim Naveed Qamar also condemned the attack on Jang and Geo TV offices. The provincial cabinet members said that the Sindh government always stood for protecting the freedom of expression and media institutions would be given protection in this regard. Sindh Minister for Education Saeed Ghani also condemned the attack on the Geo and Jang office on Sunday and said the PPP believed in the freedom of expression and press. He added that the Sindh chief minister had assured action against the attackers.

Newspapers: Daily Dawn, The News, Business Recorder, Pakistan Today

CHARSADDA: A journalist here on Friday demanded a judicial probe into the alleged torture and humiliation he faced at the hands of some local leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

Speaking at a press conference, the journalist Saifullah Jan, who is a member of the governing body of the Charsadda Press Club, also accused the local police of siding with the accused.

He alleged that the PTI leaders, including Abdullah, his brother Fahim, Zakat Committee chairman Iftikhar and other armed men, forcibly took him to the PTI’s office in Charsadda bazaar, where he was allegedly stripped naked and tortured.

The journalist claimed that the accused made his video while being naked. Saifullah Jan said the accused let him go after public pressure. He said he went to the Sardari Police Station to register a complaint against the accused.

The journalist said though District Police Officer Mohammad Shoaib had directed the cops to register the case as per the law, the police used delaying tactics and did not include the relevant sections of the law in the first information report (FIR).

Saifullah said that five people had been nominated in the FIR, but the police removed the name of the main accused Iftikhar from it. He said his leg was fractured due to the torture, but the police mentioned in the FIR that he had suffered minor bruises.

The journalist said the police did not press charges against the accused and the local court granted bail to them. He asked the chief justice of the Peshawar High Court to look into the matter and help provide him justice by ordering a judicial probe into the incident.

Newspaper: The News

CHARSADDA: A group of armed men on Thursday allegedly kidnapped a journalist from a busy bazaar in a broad daylight subjected him to torture, dragged him to the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) office, humiliated him there and video filmed the criminal act.

The accused, identified as Abdullah, Iftikhar, Faheem, sons of Zaidullah, Saadat and Sher Ali and others kidnapped Saifullah Jan, a correspondent for the Associated Press of Pakistan, Daily Islam and a member of the Charsadda Press Club General Body from a bakery in the Sardheri Chowk.

The eyewitnesses said the armed accused dragged the journalist on the road and took him to the PTI office as the people in the bazaar stood helplessly.

The armed accused locked the journalist in the PTI office. They allegedly tortured and humiliated the journalist at gunpoint and made a video of the crime. They hurled serious threats at him as well.

When contacted, the aggrieved journalist, Saifullah Jan, told reporters that the accused had tortured him in the past for which he had lodged a complaint at the Sardheri Police Station.

He said the police completed the investigation and registered a first information report (FIR) against the influential accused a day before which infuriated them and they tortured him again.

The Sardheri Police registered a case and launched raids to arrest the accused.

Charsadda District Police Officer Muhammad Shuaib Khan assured that the accused would be arrested soon as the FIR had been registered.

It may be mentioned here that the main accused in the kidnapping and torture case, Abdullah, is a local leader of the PTI and his brother is a District Zakat Committee chairman.

Newspaper: The News

“Sneaky”, “sinister” and “Orwellian” are just some of the words Pakistani journalists and human rights defenders used to describe the censorship and growing clampdown on dissent, mainstream and social media in their country over the past year.

Although previous Pakistani governments also put pressure on civil society and the media, this year, many Pakistanis working in these fields I talked to felt that direct and indirect repression has increased significantly.

Attacks on the media 

As we were wrapping up 2018, there were a number of incidents that solidified the perception that the situation in the country has really gotten worse.

In early December, the Pakistani authorities blocked the website of Voice of America’s Pashto language radio service.

Then on December 8, a police case was filed against dozens of people in the aftermath of a rally organised by the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (Pashtun Protection Movement – PTM), which campaigns for Pashtun rights. Among them were two journalists Sailaab Mehsud, affiliated with Dawn newspaper and Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty’s Mashaal Radio, and Zafar Wazir of the local channel Khyber TV, who had been covering the rally.

On December 14, Pakistan’s electronic media regulatory authority (PEMRA) issued an advisory note calling on media outlets not to report excessively on topics such as violence, kidnapping, sexual abuse, terrorism and natural disasters. 

This document came after a similar one was issued in advance of the July parliamentary elections, which called on the media not to air “derogatory and malicious content” against the judiciary and the army. These regulatory letters purportedly aim to build a “positive image” of the country and address the “negative perception” of Pakistan globally, but many see them as a form of pressure on the media.

Then on December 15, Jang Group, the country’s leading media house, fired hundreds of staffers en masse, closing down a number of its outlets.

Over the past year, a number of media organisations have had to downsize or close down due to declining advertising revenue or other financial constraints. Journalists I have talked to believe that this is a tactic to control the media and impose more “friendly” reporting on the authorities. 

They also say that printing presses have been pressured to stop from publishing certain newspapers, cable operators have been asked to cease broadcasting certain channels and big businesses have been advised against putting up advertisements with certain media outlets.

The media have also been pressured to fire certain employees who have been too critical of the Pakistani establishment. This year, leading prime-time news show hosts Talat Hussain, Murtaza Solangi, Mateeullah Jan, and Nusrat Javed either quit or lost their jobs. What they have in common is that they all questioned the transparency of the July elections and openly criticised the jailing of the former PM Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Mariam Nawaz.  

Journalists I talked to also shared their frustration with the increasing pressure and censorship in Pakistani newsrooms.

“It was ridiculous how we had to keep beeping off Nawaz Sharif when he would appear in court and during the election coverage. Election day was one of the worst days in my career as a producer in the newsroom, and I have seen the Musharraf era. We were not allowed to counter the official narrative of the authorities,” a senior producer of a news bulletin of a prominent cable news network told me.  

An editor of an English-language daily complained that a “screening process” was set up in his newsroom under the explicit directions of the publisher which resulted in everyday interference and forced removal of editorials and op-eds.

Pressure on civil society

In addition to an intensifying clampdown on the media and the resulting self-censorship, the authorities are now pushing hard to further suppress the civic space and impose the official narrative on the human rights situation in the country after the July election.

In 2018, the authorities escalated pressure on human rights defenders and activists peacefully exercising their right to freedom of expression. They faced arrests, disappearances, accusations of treason, and violent threats from hardliner groups. The government has also stepped up filing complaints with social media companies against its online critics.

Recently, Minister of Information Fawad Chaudhry admitted that the authorities want to regulate social media. Over the past several months, a number of human rights defenders and activists have received emails from Twitter that their tweets violate the country’s law; some accounts have even been suspended.

There have also been a number of human rights defenders, journalists and members of the legal profession who have either had to go into hiding or move to another country. Journalist Taha Siddiqui, for example, had to leave with his immediate family after narrowly escaping an abduction attempt.

The current government also continued the campaign the previous one started against non-governmental organisations (NGOs). As a result, this year some 18 international NGOs were forced to discontinue operations in the country, including Action Aid and Plan International. 

Another prominent target of the Pakistani authorities’ assault on civil society this year was the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement.

Many of its members, including two MPs, Mohsin Dawar and Ali Wazir, are facing police cases for taking part in rallies and corner meetings of the PTM.

In July, Hayat Preghal, a Pashtun human rights defender, was detained for a few days. He later faced charges of “anti-state” online expression via social media for his posts in support of PTM.

Preghal, who worked as a pharmacist in the United Arab Emirates, was in Pakistan on leave. Following the court hearing, his name was put on a no-fly list and as a result, Preghal, who is the primary breadwinner of his family, lost his job. He is yet another victim of what appears to be a campaign of targeted economic pressure against political dissidents and human rights activists. 

Over the summer, Wrranga Lunri, a Pashtun women’s rights advocate and supporter of PTM, also faced an intimidation campaign and had to relocate from her hometown in Balochistan. She was targeted for being a woman and an organiser, speaking out in public about her cause.

These are just a few of many examples of people who have fallen victim to the increasing intolerance for freedom of speech and human rights activism in Pakistan.

It is clear that this year the Pakistani authorities not only failed to abide by their constitutional and international commitments to ensure respect for rights and freedoms, but they actually actively engaged in campaigns of intimidation and censorship. Unfortunately, there is little evidence that 2019 would be any different in this regard.

Aljazeera

THOSE involved like me in its launching in 1962 must feel sad over the closure of Daily News, Karachi’s last English language evening paper. The battery of journalists working for the paper at its launch ranged from seasoned newsmen to juniors and apprentice, but at least one of them would rise to become an icon in his lifetime — Zamir Niazi. His book, Press in Chain, is a primary read for scholars doing research on the history of journalism in Pakistan.

The man behind the venture, the Jang group’s Daily News, was Shamim Ahmad, an institution in himself, then a senior correspondent at Dawn. I was then a junior sub-editor and was surprised when Shamim asked me whether I wanted a job on a higher salary. Who wouldn’t?

“Is the party sound?” I asked. “Yes”, he said, “more sound than you could think.” He then asked me to be there at a given room in Bombay Hotel on McLeod (now I. I. Chundrigar) Road. When I reached rendezvous I was surprised to find quite a few Dawn men there, including Khawaja Ibtisam Ahmad and Salman Meenai. The latter would return to Dawn and retire in the first decade of this century. Another DN staff member was Habibullah Farooqi, who later became PTV General Manager.

Ibtisam was six-foot plus tall and had passed the superior services exam to join the police service as Assistant Superintendent of Police. In less than a year he found he didn’t fit in there, resigned, returned to Karachi and joined the now defunct weekly The Statesman, owned by the Pir of Pagara, as a proofreader on a salary of Rs60.

When launched Daily News became Karachi’s fourth English language ‘eveninger’. The first English language evening paper was, of course, the Dawn group’s Evening Star (renamed The Star in the ’70s). Prime Minister Mohamed Ali Bogra called it Dawn’s beta (son), priced at one anna. Working for Dawn meant labouring for Evening Star, too, for it was Dawn’s morning shift that edited it.

Another evening paper was the Matri group’s Leader, its main attraction being Sultan Ahmad’s column, ‘Rambler’s Diary’. Also in the field were H. M. Abbasi’s Current and The Sentinel, owned by the group which had begun Pakistan’s first non-official news agency — Pakistan Press Association — now Pakistan Press International, founded by Moazzam Ali. The Sentinel’s editor was Huzoor Ahmad Shah, who later joined Dawn and became City Editor.

Pakistan’s newspaper industry was about to expand, for Ayub Khan’s Pakistan was booming, and all journalists eagerly awaited Daily News. I remember the banner headline of the first issue, ‘Shafi Okarvi knifed’. The story was by an apprentice, S. M. Fazal, who rose to become its editor in 1990 and remained so till Saturday.

One striking feature of Daily News was the green colour of its lead headline. Because of the contrast with the other papers it attracted attention. Karachi was then a middle class city, with the highest literacy rate in the country. It was indeed a measure of the kind of society Karachi was that the evening papers were in great demand. As I journeyed home after Evening Star had been printed, I would find people in buses reading it and commenting — scenes hard to visualise today.

I quit Daily News within a few months and Shamim followed me over policy differences with the proprietors. He would return to Dawn in 1966, leave it again on the eve of the 1970 general election and found another paper, this time a morning daily, The Sun, owned by the Laris. He dragged me into this new venture, too.

Zamir Siddiqi, who replaced Shamim as editor, was forced to resign because of a news item Ayub’s information czar didn’t like. The editors that followed included Wajid Shamsul Hassan, who quit in 1989 to become chairman of the National Press Trust and later High Commissioner to Britain. Fazal became editor in 1990. Others who were editor after Wajid’s departure included Abdul Hameed Chhapra and Mohammad Jami.

I asked Fazal, a fellow KU political science colleague, how he felt about DN’s closure. He said: “I feel very sad. A paper that was so popular was wound up so unceremoniously.” His paper, he said, had some great columnists — H. M. Abbasi (‘Over a Cup of Tea’), Dr G. M. Mehkri, Major Ibnul Hassan, Mazhar Yusuf and Ghulam Jilanee.

“It was sudden and unceremonious”, said Fazal. On Monday morning “I and the staff, a mere 10, came as usual to begin work, but were officially informed of the decision”: Daily News was to be closed.

Dawn 

KARACHI: The Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) hosted a reception for the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), Karachi Press Club and Karachi Union of Journalists to express its gratitude and hail their enthusiastic participation in its recent protest rally in front of the Sindh Assembly building in Karachi against payment of outstanding dues to newspapers in Sindh through ill reputed and defaulter advertising agencies facing NAB cases instead of direct payment to newspapers.

Those participated among a large number of journalists were Ahmad Khan Malik, G M Jamali, Faheem Siddiqui, Imtiaz Faran, Sohail Afzal, Ajiz Jamali, Saeed Sarbazi, Tariq Abul Hassan, Hassan Abbas, Hamidur Rehman and Sohail Jan Baloch.

Also present from CPNE were Aijazul Haq, Ghulam Nabi Chandio, Tahir Najmi, Maqsood Yousufi, Abdul Khalique Ali, Abdul Rahman Mangrio, Sher Muhammad, Khawar Adnan Malik, Bashir Ahmad Memon, Hamid Hussain Abidi, Mian Tariq Javed, Usman Arab Sati, Saeed Khawar, Muhammad Tahir, Anwar Sajidi, Aamir Khattak, Hasina Jatoi and Hamida Ghanghro and several other editors.

Speaking on the occasion CPNE Secretary General Dr Jabbar Khattak expressed his gratitude to office bearers and members of joint action committee of the PFUJ, Karachi Press Club and Karachi Union of Journalists for their participation in the protest rally and said that the mutual solidarity of journalists organisations had stimulated the Sindh government to step up taking swift line of action towards immediate direct payment of outstanding dues to the newspapers.

He added that editors were playing the role of a bridge between the newspapers management and journalists. Dr Jabbar Khattak said that payment of salaries in time to media employees and other workers would be ensured after direct payments to the newspapers of Sindh adding that the protest rally was aimed at keeping in view the financial problem of the journalists and employees of the media organisations.

Ahmad Khan Malik, President of Karachi Press Club, said that despite attack on Karachi Press Club and non-payment of outstanding dues to the newspapers, the solidarity of all the media organisations and media workers demonstrated in the rally would strengthen their vigorous struggle to protect the fourth pillar of the state.

PFUJ President G M Jamali stressed the need for immediate payment of salaries to journalists and media employees after direct payment of outstanding dues was made by the Sindh government to the newspapers as he said the media employees were in the grip of mental torture, starvation and financial crisis due to non payment of their salaries.

PFUJ Secretary General Sohail Afzal was of the opinion that all the stakeholders of media could resolve their problems through mutual understanding and cooperation.

Karachi Union of Journalists General Secretary Faheem Siddiqui suggested that if the CPNE to play its role to settle disputes and resolve issues between the media management and employees, the media organisations would wholeheartedly support the CPNE as he said problems of media could be resolved through mutual solidarity and unity.

Maqsood Yousufi, the Karachi Press Club General Secretary and Member CPNE Standing Committee in his speech said that of late the rally proved as preface to the demonstration of unity of all media stakeholders. He was of the view of joint line of action of all the media stakeholders. Later, a sumptuous lunch was served for the participants.

The News

Related Story 

Dawn: PFUJ assails sacking of 500 workers

ISLAMABAD: For the third consecutive year at least 251 journalists are behind bars for their work, as authoritarian regimes increasingly use imprisonment to silence dissent, the Committee to Protect Journalists found.

As of December 1, 2018, CPJ found 251 journalists are in jail for their work. China, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia imprisoned more journalists than last year as they intensified their repression of local journalists, and Turkey remained the world’s worst jailer for the third year in a row, with at least 68 journalists behind bars. Amid global anti-press rhetoric, the CPJ’s census found 70 per cent of journalists jailed on anti-state charges and 28 charged with “false news” — the latter is an increase from nine in 2016.

Politics was the most dangerous beat for journalists, followed by human rights. The number of female journalists behind bars increased with 33 imprisoned globally including four in Saudi Arabia who wrote about women’s rights.

An increase in the overall number of journalists jailed in China this year is the result in part of Beijing’s persecution of the Uighur ethnic minority.

“The terrible global assault on journalists that has intensified in the past few years shows no sign of abating. It is unacceptable that 251 journalists are in jail around the world just for covering the news,” said CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon.

“The broader cost is being borne by all those who care about the flow of news and information. The tyrants who use imprisonment to impose censorship cannot be allowed to get away with it.”

The prison census accounts only for journalists in government custody and does not include those who have disappeared or are held captive by non-state actors.

Cases including journalists held by Houthi rebels in Yemen and a Ukrainian journalist held by pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine are classified as “missing” or “abducted.”

In the US, no journalists were in jail for their work on December 1, although in the past 18 months CPJ has documented or assisted with the cases of at least seven foreign journalists who were held in prolonged detention by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after fleeing threats in their home countries.

CPJ’s list is a snapshot of those incarcerated at 12:01am on December 1, 2018. It does not include the many journalists imprisoned and released throughout the year. Learn more under our methodology.

The Nation 

PESHAWAR: The hall echoed with applause of anxious parents while distinguished students were getting photographed on the stage with the chief guest giving away prizes.

Students with distinguished positions would wave their hands to the parents from the stage and get appreciation in thundering applause.

Then a girl’s name is announced, a woman at back row of seats stands and cries out in Pashto, “Bahadra bachai mae da (My brave girl).” She was the widow of slain Journalist Hayat Ullah Shaheed, who was kidnapped from Ex-Fata district of North Waziristan, tortured and later killed by unidentified people.

The widow is now left alone taking care of their seven children. Hayat Ullah was among those journalists of the soil, who paid the highest price for expressing their freedom of expression, their lives.

Journalism a dangerous profession in Pakistan

At least 71 journalists and media workers have lost their lives since 2001 while pursuing their duties in Pakistan. A recently published report on the state of media stated.

In total, some 163 cases of direct attacks on media took place in Pakistan only in 2009 including murders, assaults, kidnappings, explicit threats, censorship cases and attacks on media properties and establishments, Punjab bore the brunt of these attacks with 54 cases and NWFP a close behind with 52. Islamabad was the third biggest victim of attacks on media with 28 cases. In those cases against media workers, only two cases have the murderers been convicted by the courts.

The worst kind of targeting of the media workers were recorded in Ex-Fata districts. Tribal journalists were abducted by non-state actors, tortured and released only on the surety of the local elders.

Most of the cases were not reported in media. The security threat was such that the political administration had locked up the North Waziristan Press Club and opened on assurances and protest from the journalist community.

Even the watchman of the Ex-Khyber agency Press Club was seriously injured when the building of the press club was blown up with IEDs. In recent pass, the security agencies had warned the Bajaur Press Club president of security threats. The club had asked the Khyber tribal district administration for protection.

Who care for families of the fallen?

Whenever a media person is killed, the government issues formal condolence messages, there is a rush of dignitaries at the deceased’s homes where ministers make ritual announcements of compensation packages worth hundreds and thousands of rupees for the martyred journalists along with promises of free education facilities for the children of the victim.

These promises don’t go beyond the next day’s news. The families of the slain journalists end up pleading for the money announced by competent authorities at his burial ceremonies, leading tribal journalist, Zahid Wazir said.

Malik Mumtaz a journalist from North Waziristan was shot dead in Miranmshah in February 2013. The then president Asif Ali Zardari had promised a RS1 million compensation to the deceased’s family, but till date they have not received a single rupee from the announced package.

The case of Hayat Ullah is different, his family was initially supported by the Canadian journalist who he worked for, and then by the former president of Peshawar Press club, both men refused to disclose their names. Presently, another top journalist of Pakistan was supporting Hayat’s two children.

Not every martyred journalist gets such support. Haroon Khan of Swabi was shot dead in October 2017. The local Taliban had claimed killing Haroon. However, his widow had to take refuge with her two children at her parents’ home. They never got any compensation from the government.

Threats still exist

A non-governmental organization “Freedom Network” in its report stated that threat level has increased. In the last five years 26 journalists were killed in Pakistan, only 16 cases went to courts, trial of only six cases was completed and only one conviction was awarded but no one was punished, said Iqbal Khattak of Freedom Network.

“If the threat sources are not jailed and penalised, they will continue to create havoc in the days to come for Journalist community” Zahid Wazir.

But generally the environment is growing unsecured each day past, media practitioners going to press from state institution as well non-state actors in the country.

Displacement

Half of the journalists from tribal areas have moved out of the area. They are reporting from distance for the respective media outlets for which they work for. The media houses allow their reporters in tribal district to get news on telephone from local sources instead of being on the ground like professionals in any other area where there is no threat to life and limb, said Abuzar Afridi a journalist from the Khyber district.

Most of the reporters and media persons from tribal districts of Khyber, North and South Waziristan, Kurram and Orakzai have been displaced due to pressure from both sides.

“Abdul Azam was shot four times in front of my home, while Mehbob was blown in the blast at Karhano Market and Nasrullah has lost his breath in front of PA house Peshawar Saddar six years ago,” Afridi said recalling the colleagues he had lost to terrorism.

Beside militants, narcotics mafia also attacked them if they report on the issues, therefore most of the tribal journalists are either living in provincial capital Peshawar or Islamabad, he said. Government needs to formulate a policy for the protection of media workers from militants as well as the state institutions, and provide them a safe working environment.

The Express Tribune