Never in my 29 year life have I ever seen such immense power of Pakistani Media in shaping the public opinion and neither have I ever seen such massive public support behind these relatively news channels including GEO, AAJ and ARY.

Attack on GEO office saw a big response from the general public. Notice to AAJ by PEMRA has seen a tremendous public reaction.

Talk shows such as those being telecast live these days are bringing the truth in front of the public. Anchors such as Talat Hussain (AAJ), Shahid Masood (previously ARY now GEO), Kamran Khan, Hamid Mir, Fauzia, etc have a humongous following among the populous of Pakistan.

People have stopped watching the state sponsored PTV and now hardly tune to this state publicity channel.

The MEDIA has indeed grown big and freely thanks to Pervez Musharraf's media friendly policy.

But now it seems that this freedom has totally freed media out of control of the Government and I PERSONALLY BELIEVE THAT IN THE YEARS TO COME, OUR MEDIA IS GOING TO HAVE A BIG SAY IN WHAT TYPE OF GOVERNMENTS COME IN THE FUTURE AND WILL ALSO BE A BIG FACTOR IN BRINGING GOVERNMENT'S DOWN.

WHAT DO YOU GUYZ THINK?

Media watchdog condemns PEMRA threat to Aaj TV

LAHORE: Media Commission, Pakistan, a newly set up media watchdog organisation, has condemned the PEMRA notice to Aaj TV as a crude attempt to muzzle the media and prevent it from informing people about the ongoing judicial crisis in the country.

In a statement issued here on Tuesday, the commission said: “The PEMRA threat of action against Aaj TV, which may lead to the cancellation of its short-term up-linking licence, is a crude attempt to muzzle the media and must be condemned in the strongest possible words.

The state-sponsored regulatory authority foisted upon the country’s electronic media has accused Aaj TV of violating its code of conduct, but has not deemed it necessary to specify any particular instance of such violation.

All that the notice contains is a reference to proceedings pending before the Supreme Judicial Council. Much is going on in the country that is related to the ongoing crisis and its reporting or comment on it does not fall in the definition of proceedings before the SJC.

CPNE strongly condemns show cause notice against Aaj TV

KARACHI: Members of the Council of Pakistan Newspapers Editors (CPNE) Karachi strongly condemned on Tuesday the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) for the issuance of a show cause notice to Aaj TV. They declared that the CPNE would resist, with all the means at its disposal, “these attempts to intimidate the electronic media in respect of its news coverage of events in the country, with special reference to the current judicial crisis”.

The meeting declared in a resolution that CPNE members consider freedom of print and electronic media as one and any attempt by the government to suppress news coverage by either would be resisted with all the resources available. It also declared that while the government professed to uphold press freedom it was surreptitiously, through false show cause notices, seeking to curb it.

“Therefore, it becomes the duty of the CPNE to reject all actions by PEMRA seeking to restrict press freedom in respect of objective reporting of events, access to information and the right of the public to know,” says the resolution. The meeting also decided to associate with the “justly” filed case against the PEMRA Ordinance in the Lahore High Court and to be a party in all cases in the future that challenge any derogatory action taken under the PEMRA Ordinance. The resolution also called for the immediate withdrawal of the show cause notice issued to Aaj TV.

CPNE members were of the opinion that the notice served against Aaj TV was a “test case” and had been issued with a view to suppress freedom of reporting all news events deemed inappropriate for public consumption.

Members expressed indignation at the show cause notice and said that at this crucial stage of the struggle for independence of the judiciary any attempt by PEMRA or other organisations to obstruct objective reporting of news events would be resisted. In this connection a coordinated plan of action for judicial remedy against all forms of overt and direct attacks on the print and electronic media will be undertaken, they added.

The meeting urged CPNE office bearers to take measures to obtain coordination for the sake of united action against all forms of abuse of authority and coercive measures against the print and the electronic media. The meeting also “regretted the fact there were still people in the government who seek to control the dissemination of information”. online

Aoa


I dont' mind other stuff but these channels are going crazy with Indian stuff!!! I mean sometimes you feel it's a freakin indian channel, and there is no issue of Kashmir and what not between us....

I'm not in favour of absolute freedom, there has to be some censorship involved; not everything needs to be told to people, for the greater good.

w/salaam

noxious,

just in the interest of a discussion where do u draw the line? at what point should the greater good be taken into consideration?

regards.

Aoa





In my humble opinion, the following are some examples:

1. Where the information might be sensitive and might cause public unrest
2. When something is a danger to the social fabric of the society e.g. cases of incest etc, in these cases it is better to not spread such things and give people ideas
3. Information that might have the effect contrary to what the national interest demands e.g. India frendly stuff would lessen the hatred towards an enemy that is always there to pounce on us whenever we are weak. [and we still have outstanding issues with them]
4. Where highlighting something might help the enemies or aid them in thier objectives against you

I know it's good to have free information but sometimes the benefits of providing the information to the masses aren't as much as the detriment caused by them.

I'm sure you agree that there has to be some sort of censorship, like you dont' show blood and gore and violent footage on cable TV, or porn or something like that [well atleast shouldn't]. So it also depends on the person making the decision as to where the line should be drawn...

It is subjective to the situation...

w/salaam

I second you noxious.

Media is never completely free but the way government wants to manipulate the things is worst then anything. Media can their own censorship rules to follow and take care of social intrests, but government must no way interfare to cover the wrong doing and manipulate the media.

And Indian stuff was also allowed by government to put pressure on media as a result Pakistani media also started covering Indian stuff to compete the Indian channels.

Its a good thing and a step in the right direction. Here many ppl including me might have bad opinion of GEO and Aaj or their broadcasting but one thing that we must understand is this will imensely lead to reduction in currptions.

Now if Mushy does leave power and we have Proper democratic government in place where no Dictator can make decision when eva and where eva he likes; than we will see how each political leader to have proper image will try his best to solve ppls problem and any mention of Corruption by media could make him lose his seat and that is what they all worry abt. Now if we can have more channel Like Aaj and GEO who broadcast and critizse governments wrong policies than it will lead to more voter awarnes and we will have proper leaders. Its just like supply and demand. If media does change ppls mind by showing corruption in each leader than we will see honest ppl geting infront and having the chance to run the country. What we need is more such channels so there is no monoply. Also i do hate somtime how GEO has absolutly Negative immage of the government, they need to balance out their opinion

thanks for the clarification bro. i agree with you.

Each of these channels of two aspects:

1. Entertainment;

2. News Reporting.

I intended to cover the news reporting aspect of these channels.

All in all, I have a feeling that they have earned the respect and trust of the general public during the last few years.

And in the times of comes, these channels will have immense power over influencing public opinion.

Now this could be good and it could be bad as well.... in the sense that these channels are owned by a few of the richest / wealthiest people/groups of Pakistan. And with Dawn's News Channel permit just about to be approved, we will have four top news channels owned by four of the richest people of Pakistan who have an extensive control over news media (|| Geo / Jang / The News || DAWN / Herald / Upcoming News Channel || Business Recorder / AAJ || ARY One World ||

I actully watch all the Pakistani new channels and sometimes I watch the headlines of Geo Tv and ARY over CNN and Sky News.

Geo is good and they give good news and I think we should have 3 or 4 good channels to show truth of Pakistan it is so good to have these Pakistani news channels in UK because we can then follow every issue in Pakistan and keep record of what is going on.

I only watch news never drama's or films so I cant comment on entertainment sides.

Another good thread Pakistan first.

I personally think that the media issue in Pakistan is one of simple and very complex nature at the same time. Simple I say because our people were starving for more local channels and more entertainment which these channels have brought in a big way. But more complex because the power of these channels is so strong and decisive that they can change the fate of our nation.

But at the same time, something is worrisome which is that our channels are like teenagers with guns in their hands. They know they have the power and influence but they don't know how to use it. The people on the other hand are also naive in general and can't demand the good out of these channels.

In US all the ideologists sit behind the doors in their media board rooms. And they have a purpose and vision based on which they run their media. The question is do the people incharge of our media have a useful and nation loving agenda or are the following the trends in the rest of the world's media? These channels could educate the nation and make us an honest place in less time than the govt's millenium development goals will take.

So how do we make sure that the media and the govt think alike on the national security issues and work together on a nation building path.

You've highlighted some very good points.

Indeed, most of our new channels are in their infancy stage and are slowly realizing the power they have in their hands. However, I must point out here that the biggest of these channels, namely, GEO, is in no way a newcomer in the news media market. Its owners are known to have enjoyed a strong hold over the print media as well as influencing public opinion over the past few decades. Two local print media giants - Jang (Geo) and DAWN Group are two of the most influential and wealthiest families of Pakistan.

I found one incident very interesting. When GEO's office in Islamabad was attacked, it was nice to see all the leading news channels join forces and express unity over the issue. One particular program which I got to watch was a talk show on AAJ hosted by Talat Hussain in which top representatives from major TV Channels were there and they started a thought provoking discussion over whether the media (ie., they themselves) should be more responsible in reporting live events and were exploring ways of unitedly working towards fulfilling their responsibilities and roles in a mature and appropriate manner.

If the Media gets freedom to report freely, it might never think alike with the Government, whether on matters involving national security issue or political situation.

For instance, if you look at the past few months' situation, all that the Government officials are coming and saying on Media is that "Sub acha hay, sub theek hay, mulk behtari ki taraf ja raha hay, aam aadmi khush hay, etc, etc." WHEREAS, the media is openly ridiculing these government claims and proving the contrary.

Yes, the Jang group and Dawn and Business recorder are now behind GEO and AAJ. But in my opinion Jang has a poor record in newspaper industry. Regardless of how much the paper circulates, these people have been all over the place every time govts changed and some openly sided with the govt. So how can we be sure about their neutrality.

And I think there is a big difference in influence through a news paper and through a TV news channel. But still question remains, whre exactly these channels are heading to and where their allegiance lies. These channels can literally change people's opinion about many things and could create a mass revolution against corruption and all the ills of our society. But the same can also expand Indian point of view and their propaganda through out our society.

Which is why I ask, what idologies do these channels run by and what are their visions. On the other hand, is it the govt that's giving them a vague direction and with the change of govt, would these channels also change their tune?

Good points.

Well my friend, only time will answer all these questions.

I personally think the govt needs to build an institution that works closely with the private TV channels to project and show programs and documentaries that reflect our history, our culture and our values which make people to be proud of themselves and take pride and ownership in their own country.

Unfortunately, due to so much negative propaganda in the foreign media about Pakistan, its lowered the morale of our own people and their belief in their own values. this inturn makes people passive in society and its problems. An active and proud person takes more initiative to tackle problems of his surroundings and our media could make our nation a pride one again.

To sum up, I think our media has focused more on the glass is half empty part of our society and our problems which is making our nation depressed. An approach to glass is half full means taking pride in what we have achieved as a nation despite all odds and creation of motivation to do more.

Actually there is one such institution by the name of PEMRA. But it seems it is being used as a tool by the Government to force Private Channels to submit to their demands of "Sub Theek Hay" Image.

What i think is tht, on the whole, our media is good at providing info abt different issues all around the country. But there is one area where our media has, i think, consistently failed. And that is countering the Western and Indian propaganda. Take 1971, foreign media accused us of genocide in EP, we coould had countered it by releasing the vids and pics of our side of story, which we did possess, but our side of story never got out completely.
Then, in kargil conflict, while the indian media was right at the frontline, our media was sitting back and kept on saying tht we are no involved etc. Our media person should have been right at the border and should have given our side of story, even under indian artillery bombardments, just to show the world tht we were not the agressors.
What i think is tht our media does not want to be hawkish, while i think it should be......if some other person sitting outside the country says k Osama is in a particular area, tht person should be countered aggressively by our media...merely reporting such thing on Tv isnt the solution! yes, the media is free media, but they sould also keep in mind tht after-all, they are Pakistanis, army ppl defend the physical boundaries of our country.....media and politicians should protect our ideological boundaries!

Panzer-kiel, very well said. Our media has no vision or ideologies for them to protect our own ideological boundaries. Its a bunch of businessmen and all they see is money and that's why our media is not balanced but filled with topline selling stories no matter what they are. They don't think twice about what effects their reporting have on our society.

Government has taken GEO, ARY and AAJ off the air from most parts of Sindh.

Whole nation is recording its protest at the moment.

Three TV channels off air for hours

http://www.dawn.com/2007/05/06/top4.htm

Dawn Report


KARACHI, May 5: Three television news channels went off the air on Saturday afternoon, depriving viewers in Karachi and southern Sindh of the live coverage of the caravan of Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry proceeding to Lahore from Islamabad.

The transmission of the channels — Geo, ARY and Aaj — was suspended in Karachi, Hyderabad and Nawabshah at about 5:30pm. In a few areas of Karachi, the channels could be watched after about two hours.

People called newspaper offices to inquire about the disruption and most of them blamed the government.

Officials of the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) denied any instructions had been issued to stop the transmission of the channels.

They said that these channels were not seen only in southern parts of Sindh, and if Pemra had issued any instructions the transmission would have been blocked all over the country.

According to APP, Pemra Chairman Iftikhar Rashid denied any involvement of the regulatory authority or any department of the government in the reported termination of transmission in some parts of Sindh.

Some cable operators claimed that a technical problem in their system had affected the transmission of the three channels in Karachi, Hyderabad and Nawabshah. “Efforts are being made to remove the problem,” All Pakistan Cable Operators’ Association vice-chairman Khalid Arain said.

However, some people accused a political party in the ruling coalition of having forced cable operators to stop transmission of the channels.

In a related development, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement denied having played any role in the blocking of the transmission.

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, Karachi Union of Journalists and Association of TV Journalists have criticised actions taken by the government against private TV channels and harassment of cable operators.

=============================================



Massive show of support for CJ

http://www.dawn.com/2007/05/06/top1.htm

Dawn Report


LAHORE, May 5: Mass arrests, road blockades and baton-charges and teargas shelling by police failed to stop lawyers, political activists and the general public from welcoming Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry in various cities during his journey in a motorcade to Lahore from Islamabad on Saturday at the invitation of the Lahore High Court Bar Association.

Police had first stopped the CJ’s motorcade of over 2,000 vehicles at the Gujranwala bypass with lawyers seeking to pass through the city and police asking them to bypass the town. After arguments lasting half an hour, lawyers started pelting policemen with stone at the main entrance and forced their way into the city where a large number of people were waiting for the chief justice.

A similar situation had earlier been witnessed at Wazirabad where police had to retreat after lawyers and political activists resorted to stone-throwing to break the blockade.

The CJ’s motorcade, which covered 240km up to Gujranwala in 14 hours, was welcomed warmly by large numbers of people at Gujjar Khan, Jhelum, Sarai Alamgir, Gujrat and Wazirabad.

The response was unprecedented considering that a large police force had been deployed on the GT Road and link roads. They had erected barricades at various points. There were reports of police demolishing opposition camps and blocking convoys of lawyers and political workers in different cities who either wanted to come to the GT Road or the venue of the LHCBA reception in Lahore.

In Mandi Bahauddin, police opened fire on a car carrying PPP activists when it did not stop at a picket. Three of the car occupants suffered injuries. They were admitted to the Gujranwala DHQ Hospital.

In Jhelum, police resorted to firing in the air and teargas shelling to disperse political workers and lawyers just before the arrival of the CJ’s motorcade.

Earlier, the CJ’s motorcade had to halt at Swan bridge in Rawalpindi where a gas pipeline had caught fire. Two official vehicles with remote control jammers accompanied the CJ’s motorcade. The vehicles were provided by the government which had earlier asked the CJ not to travel by road because of risks of suicide attack.

In Gujrat, personnel of law-enforcement agencies removed banners and baton-charged and harassed lawyers, political activists, traders and even newspaper hawkers.

The arrest of political leaders and workers, which began two days ago, continued till Saturday morning in Gujrat, Gujranwala, Kasur, etc.

Police forcibly closed all shops and restaurants on GT Road from Jhelum bridge to Chenab bridge. They also harassed traders and beat them up at some places.

ADDRESS: Speaking to the Gujrat Bar briefly, Chief Justice Iftikhar asked the lawyers to remain united for the rule of law in the country.

“When you have taken it upon yourself to ensure the supremacy of the Constitution and rule of law in the country, then you should remain steadfast to fulfil this responsibility," he told the gathering.

Earlier, the CJ’s motorcade left Islamabad for Lahore at 8am.

=========================================

16 LHC judges wait for CJ

http://www.dawn.com/2007/05/06/top2.htm

LAHORE: Braving heat and police blockades, thousands of people, including lawyers, political workers and human rights activists, gathered at the Lahore High Court on Saturday evening to receive Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry.

Lahore High Court Bar Association’s president Ahsan Bhoon told reporters that at least 16 high court judges were among those who waited for the Chief Justice.

People continued to throng the LHC and its adjoining areas till the filing of this report after midnight. Workers of the Pakistan People’s Party, Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz), Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal and Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf came out in large numbes to take part in the rally. They danced to the beats of drums as did lawyers, and chanted slogans against President Gen Pervez Musharraf’s government.

The reception arranged for the Chief Justice proved to be a big show of strength by the opposition and lawyers in the face of many obstacles created by the provincial government. “People have given their verdict. It’s time for change, and for democracy. Musharraf has to go now,” PPP leader Naheed Khan told reporters. Other opposition leaders also expressed similar views.

The government had deployed some 8,000 policemen in various parts of the provincial capital to control the law and order situation.

====================================

PML’s ‘show of strength’

http://www.dawn.com/2007/05/06/top7.htm

By Ashraf Mumtaz


LAHORE, May 5: A few thousand people — a majority of them teachers and other low-ranking employees of the Lahore City District Government and the Punjab Horticulture Authority — took part in a rally organised by the ruling PML here on Saturday in support of the reference President Pervez Musharraf has filed against Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry.

Only a few ministers and parliamentary secretaries and office-bearers of the ruling party were present. Town and union council nazims and all wings of the party had been given specific targets but all of them appeared to have failed to meet them.

The rally started from Luxmi Chowk and ended on the Napier Road-McLeod Road crossing, some two furlongs away.

Ministers Raja Basharat, Arshad Khan Lodhi, Chaudhry Zaheeruddin, Makhdoom Ashfaq Ahmed, Ijaz Shafi, Dr Tahir Ali Javed, Akhtar Rizvi, Ms Nasim Lodhi, Husain Jehanian Gardezi and Saeedul Hasan Shah and parliamentary secretary Dr Farzana Nazeer were present.

Others seen at the rally included Mian Mohammad Munir, Mian Abdus Sattar, Haji Shahbaz Ahmed, Faqir Husain Bukhari, Sohail Mehmud Butt, Begum Shahana Farooqi, Fareeda Suleri, Perveen Gill, Suleri, Shaheena Asad, Kanwal Naseem, Price Committee Chairman Khwaja Tahir Zia, deputy nazim Idrees Hanif and his father Haji Hanif.

Someone brought buses and vans which plied on various city routes, but without many participants for the rally. They came from the railway station and went back from Luxmi Chowk, leaving a false impression that the rally would be as well-attended as the number of vans.

Although the participants carried pictures of Gen Musharraf and Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, their slogans were devoid of spirit, possibly because most of them had nothing to do with the party. They shouted slogans only in front of TV cameras.

Arshad Lodhi was perhaps the first to reach the venue of the rally. Later, Solid Waste Management’s yellow-trucks, with city government employees onboard, started coming. Some other employees were transported by other vehicles.

Chaudhry Zaheeruddin said in his address that Gen Musharraf had more supporters than his opponents. He said the PML would prove its claim on May 12.

The growing power of the media inside Pakistan is not power at all but wasting the time of the people with low quality and shallow programming. The Pakistani media in my opinion tries to be everything to everyone but actually influences no one.
The lack of quality is the first issue. Having seen Geo and Ary etc a few times I can only feel sorry for the people that need to have their viewing interrupted by unscheduled advert breaks and sensationalized reporting. The lack of quality is evident in the fact that not one Pakistani private TV channel has produced any memorable programme of any significance that can stand the test of the time or even compare to the older programmes of the unfree period. The same formula in entertainment is pushed across the networks in a sad attempt to emulate the Hindus across the border. The focus is more on glitz and glamor rather than substance and quality. The TV channels do not appreciate their audiences time and the audience in return do not show any loyalty because they cannot enhance their viewing experience by learning anything of any value.
The lack of real journalism is the second issue, not a single Pakistani private TV channel has produced any news worthy documentary or incisive analysis of any world affairs. Pakistan is riddled with second rate wannabe CNN or CBS or a budding Fox networks. We all know that the in that West Americans are probably the most uniformed and ill educated audience that learns all its history and politics from the TV, to transplant that model onto Pakistan is not only dangerous it is irresponsible. During the last few years any issue within Pakistan has been screamed across the world as a defining moment in Pakistan's history, and the worst case scenario is always the first port of call for the private channels in their bid to attract more viewers and thereby more advertising revenue from their sponsors. Jerry Springeresque political debates paint Pakistan's political system seem like a zoo, and relegate the issues to second place. the studios may look modern and up-to-date (expensive) but the method and the delivery is the same as always(cheap).
The insecurity of the private TV channels is manifest in their need to find a moment to define themselves, but they are trying so hard to look for that 'Watergate' moment that, they forget their responsibility to their audience and the state that has given them the licenses in the first place.
The ignorance is evident in the way the Pakistan's media having been given a free hand then turn and bite that hand in the notion that freedom of the press comes with no obligations or responsibilities to the state, or its people. Pakistan's private channels compete with each other to dredge up Pakistani societies worst aspects and display them across the world, as if that is some how constructive criticism when it lacks any depth or perspective on the subject itself.
The private TV channels are aiming for the shortest attention span to inflict the maximum impact. Pakistan Govt has made a mistake by allowing so many private channels so quickly into the country without proper quality checks and balances. A simple truth is that a private TV channels first loyalty is to its owners or shareholders and then to its advertisers and then to its audience that simple fact should have been understood by the Govt of Pakistan before allowing these companies to saturate Pakistan.
It has now become fashionable to be anti govt in the media world of Pakistan and to show that the Govt is somehow threatened by this new 'free' media.
The religious angle on the television is nothing more than filling in the time between advert breaks. Its okay for some English person who happens to want to marry a Pakistani girl that happens to work in Geo and can push a little extra income towards George, light fluffy entertainment.
The power of the media is in the medias own mind, I don't seriously believe that Pakistanis switch off their televisions and are actually influenced by what they saw to the point they might go out and buy books or research what they watched. Or even want to question what they saw on television. Once that box is off its off, out of sight and out of mind. Especially in the rural areas which happen to be the majority.

100% Agree. Left nothing to say after reading it all. Pakistani media is only a sensationalizing the matters to make it worse.

Media in Pakistan is immature and public is yet to understand modern media itself. However it is good that the process at least has begun.

Let it work,in free media slowly no.1 will come up and number two type people will slowly will be washed out
but it needs patience and this is a positive contribution of Musharaf

Can we have examples of this 'no.1 will come up' from around the world please as it helps the debate and helps put Pakistan's current media circus into context. I rather think its wishful thinking that the media is free in the first place, and second how do you judge type two people when the programmes themselves are rubbish. Pakistan does not have a reputation for journalistic excellence anywhere in the world, its press is more opinions and columnists than news. So where will the no.1 come up from and why,when media is now truly global with the best journalists and programme makers being bought and sold among those companies that can afford to pay their fees?

May 3, 2007: International Press Freedom Day




PAKISTAN MEDIA
COMES OF AGE
DESPITE RISING
VIOLENCE


5 journalists killed, 17 arrested, 61 injured, 27 harassed,
11 attacks on media property, 16 cases of gag orders




Annual State of Pakistan Media Report 2006-07

Analysis covering period May 3, 2006 to May 3, 2007

By ADNAN REHMAT
adnan@intermedia.org.pk

INTERMEDIA

6-B Street 31 F-7/1 Islamabad
phone: 051-2611634 fax: 051-2611635
e-mail: pakmedia@intermedia.org.pk
web: www.intermedia.org.pk
Chapter 1

PAKISTAN MEDIA ASSERTS ITSELF
DESPITE RISING INTIMIDATION

There has been a major escalation in the incidents of attacks on media in general, including government attempts to muzzle the media, in Pakistan during the period May 3, 2006 to May 3, 2007 but the broadcast media in particular wrote a chapter in defiance by asserting itself despite the rising intimidation it faced.

At least five journalists were killed, 17 were arrested or detained, 61 injured in physical attacks or tortured and 27 harassed or intimidated while 11 cases of attacks on media property and 16 cases of official restrictions imposed on media to censor coverage or gag orders were reported.

The five journalists killed included Munir Sangi, Hayatullah Khan, Maqbool Siyal, Muhammad Ismail Malik and Mehboob Khan. Of these, the first four were killed by unidentified people and whose killers have not been apprehended by the authorities. The fifth, Mehboob Khan, was killed in a suicide bombing aimed at Interior Minister Aftab Sherpao.

Of the 17 journalists arrested or detained, 12 belonged to the print media and 5 from the private TV sector. The highest incidence of this category of violation included was Sindh province (6), Punjab (5), Federally Administered Tribal Areas, or FATA (4) and Balochistan and Northern Areas one each.

The 61 journalists injured or tortured included 27 cases in Sindh, 16 in Punjab, 9 in North West Frontier Province (NWFP), 7 in Islamabad and 2 in FATA. Of these at least 11 belonged to the TV sector and 50 to the print media.

The 27 journalists harassed or intimidated included 7 from Sindh, 5 from NWFP, 3 from FATA, 2 each from Punjab and Balochistan and one each from Northern Areas and Azad Kashmir. Of these 4 worked for TV channels and 23 for print media.

The 11 instances of attacks on media property included 4 in Islamabad, 3 in Sindh, 2 in Balochistan and one each in NWFP and Azad Kashmir. Of these, four attacks were on press clubs, 2 against offices of TV channels, two against newspaper offices and one each against a media NGO and a unit housing a TV tower.

The nature of attacks and those of attackers continues to spread. It shows that there has been a dramatic increase in the level of violence and intimidation against journalists and media organizations this year and the government authorities and functionaries emerged as their greatest adversary being involved in arresting dozens of journalists and attacking and beating up many others.

There has also been a discernable rise in the numbers of attempts by the government to stop and interrupt TV transmissions and even official written directives to TV channels to stop airing certain current affairs programs and influencing content of others.

Others instances of influencing media content include banning publications, Internet websites, shutting down radio stations, raiding presses, instituting cases against journalists, restricting media from going about their duties including aggressively keeping journalists out of large swathes of territories, particularly the tribal areas in the northwest bordering Afghanistan.


Chapter 2

BROADCAST MEDIA COMES
OF AGE IN PAKISTAN

Not all was glum and grim in Pakistan under the period in review. In today’s “You Tube” world, where political events unfold in real time, a single video clip can provoke a revolution. In Tbilisi, Georgia, television coverage of the government’s attempt to shut down a popular TV station brought thousands of people into the streets, culminating in the “Rose Revolution.” Pakistan is the newest country to teeter on the edge of a television revolution.

The political crisis triggered in March 2007 by a controversial attempt by President General Pervez Musharraf to sack Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry in Pakistan is the most serious since the military coup of 1999 that swept Musharraf to power. The military takeover was facilitated – in 1999, as well as in 1958 and 1977 – by the absence of independent local broadcast media. The military seized the state-owned TV and radio – until 2002 the only terrestrial electronic media in the country and therefore the only mainstream source of information with universal geographic access – blanked the broadcasts and most Pakistanis only found out the next day that their fate had been sealed.

It was different in March 2007. Unlike the 1999 coup, the turmoil of the judicial crisis played out on live television. Independent satellite and cable TV channels broadcast political unrest in the face of a government campaign of intimidation and police violence. Within minutes of President Musharraf, who is also a serving general, ‘sacking’ the chief justice of Pakistan, the news was flashed around the country by private TV channels. The first major battle between key power wielders of Pakistan since the 1999 military coup was underway and it was being played out live! By the end of the day on March 9, 2007, there was nothing else but the battle royale on Pakistan’s dozen or so current affairs channels (of a total of about 50 private TV channels) – in Urdu, Pashto, Sindhi and Punjabi languages.

Real-time information

Over the course of the months after the judicial crisis broke out, as lawyers, political parties and NGOs continued protesting the controversial sacking of the chief justice, a riveted Pakistani population has been sitting out their days – at home and in offices – before TV screens and have seen the event analyzed inside out like nothing ever before. This is the first time ever in Pakistan’s history that the average citizen has been afforded sustained real-time access to information about an unfolding crisis of monumental proportions in which they have found they can influence the outcome of debates through protests through the power of informed responses orchestrated by the civil society.

Life in Pakistan is anything but dull. Crises and upheavals are a national staple – military coups, hanging and forced exiles of prime ministers, bombing to death or jailing provincial chief ministers and governors, jailing serving parliamentarians and so on. The Orwellian ‘Establishment’ – the euphemism for the nexus between the military and bureaucracy that has held sway over Pakistan’s checkered 60-year fate – has usually managed to control events because it has controlled information flows and deployed sustained propaganda, thereby keeping people in the dark and blunting popular responses through enforcing delays on newsbreaks and therefore on expressions of popular sentiment.

Expanded media space

This time round the Establishment has been caught unguarded by a world that has changed at a dizzying pace over the last few years to the greater access to information by the average citizen. Part of its undoing has ironically comes from the Pakistan government’s own policies of opening up the airwaves for private ownership. In 2002 the Musharraf regime set up the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority to issue the first licenses for private radio stations and TV channels. In the last 5 years, about 130 FM stations and around 50 TV channels have sprouted up as a result – breathing in a refreshing open information regime that has allowed the 160 million Pakistanis the first reliable alternative sources of information about issues affecting their lives in real time. This matters a great deal to a population only 35% functionally literate and where newspaper circulation is a mere 5 million. With five readers to a newspaper and a total of 25 million potential readers, this still leaves about 135 million to get their basic information from TV and radio media.

One of Musharraf regime’s consistent self-praises has been its policy of opening up the media space to private TV channels. However, many argue that it was not a favor to the citizens but a right that had been denied for too many decades. The truth is that the government did not have the capacity to resist the enlarging of the public information sphere any more. It was Musharraf’s alleged Kargil fiasco – mounting a military conflict in Indian-administered Kashmir in the late 1990s – that was the turning point. In the absence of private broadcast media and with state-owned TV and radio telling them virtually nothing of Pakistan’s military setbacks, Pakistanis were switching in their millions for information to Indian TV channels through satellite dishes beaming the military conflict live – in a language (Hindi) that is close to Pakistan’s national language (Urdu). The same happened when the 1999 military coup took place. The Musharraf regime had no choice but to open up the media space in Pakistan in a strategic decision to wean away Pakistanis from what it saw as “enemy propaganda” (India and Pakistan have fought three major wars in 60 years) but what Pakistanis lapped up as real-time information from India. It therefore allowed local private TV channels.

The language of violence

In the interim, leading to the judicial crisis in the spring of 2007, the Musharraf government has dealt with the private media, especially TV channels and radio stations, in the way the state always has – intimidation, coercion and violence. At least 25 journalists have been killed in Pakistan, including Daniel Pearl of the Wall Street Journal, since the 1999 military coup – many of them suspected to be by government functionaries including intelligence agencies. Several hundreds of others have been beaten up, intimidated, arrested and prevented from performing their duties. The attacks have included violence against TV channels, radio stations and newspaper offices.

Perturbed by the unprecedented live coverage of protests by lawyers, political parties and other civil society organizations and standard heavy-handed official violence by the authorities against them, the government responded by first disturbing broadcasts of TV channels, banning popular current affairs programs on them, registering court cases against channels, enforcing censorship through regular advice and finally an incredibly open show of hostility against Geo TV. Uniformed police attacked the Geo TV office on March 16 in Islamabad and its sister media publications, assaulting its journalists and smashing property. It even lobbed teargas shells into the office to force all journalists out in a bid to disrupt transmission. The attack was shown live and continued even in the presence of the government’s information minister after he rushed there and failed to stop the violence.

The unprovoked government attack on Geo TV escalated the protests against the attempted firing of the chief justice and detonated a debate over freedom of expression and association, and broader civil rights. General Musharraf apologized on national television for the attack on Geo – a first in his eight year rule – in an attempt to quell unrest. This too was replayed endlessly, dramatically acknowledging the emergence of independent media as a new and powerful force in Pakistan’s political life. With the political parties largely emasculated by forced exiles and intimidation of their political leaders, Pakistan’s young television broadcasters have taken over their role in mobilizing the masses. For months, a riveted audience has watched as 15 independent current events TV channels endlessly played footage of the crisis.

Media-led mass popular defiance

It was the relentless 24/7 comment on the crisis and footage of the chief justice being humiliated by official functionaries that triggered unprecedented riots led by the lawyers across the country and quickly backed by the political parties. The Musharraf-led dispensation has been getting negative soundbites from lawyers, political parties and civil society actors like never before live on TV. Hence the inevitable crackdown on the media concluding in brute force against Geo TV. However it was the reaction of the people in general and intelligentsia in particular to the attack on Geo TV and letters of warnings to several other TV channels such as Aaj TV and ARY TV that triggered something far more significant and took the national crisis to a new level: mass popular defiance, led by a unified media up in arms, the newsrooms matching the spirit of the lawyers in the streets.

The lessons from Pakistan’s media pluralisms are stark:

* In the global context of television media’s impact this is the most dramatic confrontation between a free and independent media and an autocratic state since the Georgian “Rose Revolution” and is already defining a turning point in Pakistan’s future.

* Citizens are finally getting information in real time on a mass scale with the result that every citizen is discussing and speaking in homes, offices and in streets about the judicial crisis. This is the end of the traditional military-enforced culture of “siyasi guftagoo mana hai [‘political discussion prohibited’ that military regimes have aggressively promoted]” – the first signs of an institutionalization of empowerment of the people.

* Broadcast media has assumed a critical conscience about its emergence as a major power wielder in Pakistan by its open on-air defiance of state coercion and by standing its ground and forcing an official retreat in the face of live finger-pointing. One particular show by a channel even brought together political talk show hosts of all current affairs channels (setting aside competition rivalries for a common cause) to discuss various government pressures and tactics aimed at blunting criticism. The show revealed in gory details the dirty trickery employed by the government to curb dissent and ended on a note of consensus to defy all such pressures in the future.

* Pakistan’s major power wielders seem to be formally acknowledging the emergence of broadcast media as a major organ that can conduct accountability and which needs to be respected. Musharraf’s apology and instant shows of support by lawyers, NGOs and political parties for the broadcast media reflect this. There seem to be a general acknowledgement that Pakistan’s courageous broadcast media has assumed the lead role in national discourse.

* Pakistan’s broadcast media has articulated well the concerns of the disempowered citizens, seizing this role from the political parties by mobilizing public opinion as well as the intelligentsia – the role that usually political parties do but which had been otherwise rendered impaired by the Establishment through forced exiles and intimidation of political leaders and rendering the parliament – the only other space where public concerns can be articulated – powerless.

* For once the independent broadcast media in Pakistan is no longer accepting state pressure to tone down dissent – even months into the crisis, which shows no signs of abating – and the citizens are demanding respect for the rule of law, access to information and freedom of expression. The news from Pakistan is loud and clear: the media have emerged as the voice of the people and Big Brother can’t seem to do dictate the news.



Chapter 3

CHRONICLES OF SHAME
A chronology of violations against media between May 3, 2006 and May 3, 2007


JOURNALISTS KILLED

Munir Sangi, photographer for daily Kawish (Larkana, Sindh)
May 29, 2006: Mr Sangi, 28, was killed in crossfire between two battling tribes as he filmed the gun battle. 15 others perished in the clash. The Sindh provincial government ordered a judicial inquiry into Sangi’s killing, which remains incomplete. On December 9, 2006, Sindh Chief Minister Dr Ghulam Arbab Rahim presented a cheque of Rs300,000 to Sangi’s widow. Sangi’s killers remain untraced and unpunished.

Hayatullah Khan, correspondent for AFP (South Waziristan, Tribal Areas)
June 16, 2006: Mr Khan, 29, was found dead near Mir Ali village of Waziristan, his hands chained and his death caused by being shot in the head at point-blank range. He had been missing since December 2005 from Mir Ali. The report of a judicial tribunal set up by the federal government to probe his abduction and murder, widely suspected by intelligence agencies, was not made public. Khan’s killers remain untraced and unpunished.

Maqbool Siyal, correspondent for Online news agency (Dera Ismail Khan, NWFP)
September 14, 2006: Mr Siyal was murdered by unknown people. Police investigations have led to no arrests. While the police suspect a sectarian motive to the killing (Siyal belonged to the Shia sect and D I Khan city has a history of Shia-Sunni sectarian violence), his colleagues claim it was a terrorist attack to browbeat media against coverage of military crackdown against terrorists in close-by tribal areas. Punjab Chief Minister Pervez Elahi have a cheque of Rs300,000 to Siyal’s family. Siyal’s killers remain untraced and unpunished.

Muhammad Ismail Malik, resident editor for PPI news agency (Islamabad)
October 31, 2006: Mr Malik was mysteriously found dead in the woods near a busy super market of Islamabad. Investigations led to the police claiming to have found an accused allegedly having confessed to killing Malik in revenge pertaining to an alleged moral misconduct against him by the deceased. Malik’s family members and colleagues dismiss the claims as concocted and beyond proof and charge the authorities with coming up with claims that forces Malik’s hapless family from pursuing the case and itself managing to cover up the reasons behind the shocking murder of a widely respected journalist.

Mehboob Khan, a freelance photographer, (Charsadda, NWFP)
April 28, 2007: Mr Khan was killed in a suicide bombing attack aimed at Interior Minister Aftab Sherpao, in Charsadda, which left 32 dead and dozens injured, including four other journalists. The identity of the suicide attacker, whose remains were found at the attack site, remains unknown.

JOURNALISTS ARRESTED / DETAINED

Mehruddin Marri, reporter for daily Kawish (Thatta, Sindh)
June 27, 2006: Mr Marri was arrested by the police and handed over to the security agencies. After his release on November 4, 2006, Marri said he was taken to an unidentified location and interrogated by military and intelligence personnel about his alleged ties with nationalist leaders in Balochistan province who are conducting an insurrection, beaten up and administered electric shocks.

Khalil Afridi and Sudher Khan Afridi, reporters of daily Frontier Post and Abu Zar, reporter for daily Express (Khyber Agency, tribal areas)
June 30, 2006: The political administration of Khyber Agency detained the three journalists for 24 hours who were traveling together after having interviewed militant leader Mangal Afridi of Lashkar-e-Islami, demanding that they reveal his whereabouts. The journalists were released after intervention by local clerics.

Ghulam Rasool, a freelance journalist (Dadu, Sindh)
July 3, 2006: Dadu police registered a case against Mr Rasool, reportedly at the behest of a ruling party leader and arrested him.

Nadeem Ahmed, reporter for daily Koshish (Ghotki, Sindh)
July 22, 2006: Mr Ahmed was arrested by the police for alleged kidnapping in a case dating back eight years. This was a day after he was shot and injured by unknown persons.

Kalsoom Khaliq, reporter for daily Ausaf (Layyah, Punjab)
August 15, 2006: Police detained Ms Khaliq for several hours for not carrying a security pass for a ceremony attended by Punjab Chief Minister Pervez Elahi.

Rafiq Aijaz, editor of daily Chamag (Turbat, Balochistan), Abdul Sattar Khan, a freelancer (Chiniot, Punjab) and Saeed Sarbazi, reporter for daily Business Recorder (Karachi, Sindh)
September 2006: Police and intelligence agencies arrested the three journalists separately from their cities and interrogated them over alleged links to militant groups. The same month all three were released; Mr Sarbazi quietly while Mr Aijaz and Mr Khan granted bail by local courts.

Dilawar Khan Wazir, correspondent for BBC and Dawn newspaper (South Waziristan, tribal areas)
November 19, 2006: Mr Wazir went missing from Islamabad under mysterious circumstances. He was released after 24 hours in the face of major protests by eth media community. He says his kidnappers took him to an unidentified location and interrogated him about his work in the restive tribal areas. The identity of his abductors remains unknown but Wazir suspects intelligence agencies.

Syed Saleem Shahzad, reporter for daily Star (Karachi, Sindh) and Qamar Yousafzai, reporter for daily Ummat (Karachi, Sindh)
November 20, 2006: Mr Shahzad and Mr Yousafzai were detained by Taliban forces in the tribal areas. Freed after a 24-hour captivity, Taliban spokesman Dr Mohammad Hanif (himself later arrested by Nato and Afghan authorities in Afghanistan) said the journalists were found in areas close to the Pak-Afghan border controlled by them as they had not sought prior notice.

Shaheen Buneri, cameraman for AVT Khyber TV (Swat, Northern Areas)
March 2, 2007: Supporters of firebrand, anti-government cleric Maulana Fazlullah, who operates several illegal FM radio stations, agitated by a government attempt to arrest their leader, detained Buneri, who was filing the event and broke his camera. The cameraman was released after several hours in hostile detention.

Irfan Khalid, reporter for Labaik TV (Nawan Kot, Punjab)
April 8, 2007: Lahore-based Mr Khalid and cameraman Muhammad Islam were confronted by four unidentified persons in Nawan Kot as they were returning from a meeting. Both were beaten up at gunpoint. They bundled up Khalid in a car and sped away, leaving Islam behind. Khalid was released later after being warned not to report again.

Sheharyar, reporter and Irfan, cameraman, both for Geo TV (Kasur, Punjab)
April 21, 2007: Mr Sheharyar and Mr Irfan were detained for several hours by the students of a madrassa in Kasur, as they were filming the seminary to report on reports that the madrassa was allegedly keeping two missing girl students. The journalists were later freed by the police.

JOURNALISTS TORTURED / INJURED

Imtiaz Waseem, cameraman for Apna TV (Lahore, Punjab)
May 25, 2006: The senior superintendent of city police beat up Mr Waseem as he was shooting footage of a dental hospital in Lahore.

Paryal Dayo, reporter for daily Kawish and KTN TV (Pano Aqil, Sindh)
June 12, 2006: Mr Dayo sustained serious injuries when unidentified men opened fire at him with a Kalashnikov at Shahi Bazar in Pano Aqil town as was interviewing some people.

Abdul Hafeez, Mukhtiar Qasmani, Mehmood and Elahi Bakhsh (Khairpur, Sindh)
June 14, 2006: These journalists were injured in a vicious attack on Thari Mirwah Press Club in Khairpur by a group of about 20 unidentified men. The journalists were kicked, punched and beaten up with batons.

Zahid Aslam, Jaffar Ali Baloch (Mirpur Khas, Sindh)
June 28, 2006: Mr Aslam and Mr Baloch were attacked by four unidentified armed men as they returned from a reporting assignment. Both sustained physical injuries. No motive was clear for the unprovoked attack.

Adeel Khan, reporter, and Qasim Khan, cameraman for ARY One TV (Karachi, Sindh)
July 14, 2006: Both journalists were thrashed in Karachi by outraged mourners protesting the assassination of Tehrik-e-Jafria religious leader Hasan Turabi, as they filmed the mourning procession.

Mustahsan Nadeem, reporter daily Khabrain (Lahore, Punjab)
July 20, 2007: Mr Nadeem was badly beaten up by his own editor and his gunmen for refusing to influence the judiciary in a criminal case, as reported by BBC Urdu Online.

Muhammad Hussain, correspondent for daily The News (Mansehra, NWFP)
July 24, 2007: Mr Hussain was beaten up badly by three armed men at night as returned home from office. No motive was clear for the unprovoked attack.

Omer Soomro, reporter for daily Sham (Umerkot, Sindh)
August 27, 2006: Mr Soomro was severely tortured by the henchmen of local nazim Ali Mangrio, brother of Qamar Mangrio, an advisor to the Sindh chief minister. Soomro was stripped naked, his head, mustaches and eyebrows shaved off. Police refused to register a case despite several witnesses.

Samar Gul, correspondent (Lakki Marwat, NWFP)
August 3, 2006: Mr Gul, a correspondent for some Peshawar-based newspapers, and former president of Lakki Press Club, sustained bullet injuries when attacked by unidentified men as he was on his way home along with his brother.

Shahraza Shah, correspondent (Charsadda, NWFP)
August 8, 2006: Mr Shah, a Charsadda-based correspondent for a Peshawar daily, was tortured by police personnel who later refused to register a case against their own colleagues.

Manzoorul Hassan, editor of weekly Ishraq (Lahore, Punjab)
August 24, 2006: Two unidentified men shot and injured Mr Hassan in Lahore. No motive was clear behind the unprovoked attack.

Mousa Khan, journalist (Mingora, NWFP)
September 7, 2006: Mr Khan was attacked by a group of unidentified men. No motive was clear behind the unprovoked attack.

C R Shamsi, deputy editor for daily Ausaf (Islamabad)
September 13, 2006: Mr Shamsi was savagely beaten up by the guards of Federal Minister for Labor and Manpower Ghulam Sarwar Khan on his instructions within the parliament premises.

Wadood Mushtaq, reporter, and Nazir Awan, cameraman for ARY TV and Zahid Malik, reporter for ATV channel (Lahore, Punjab)
September 17, 2006: Messrs Mushtaq, Awan and Malik were thrashed by police led by Deputy Superintendent Police Mukhtar Shah as they filmed and reported a religious congregation at Minar-e-Pakistan in Lahore. All three sustained multiple fractures. The police later apologized.

Ashfaq Khoso, journalist (Sukkur, Sindh)
September 23, 2006: Mr Khan was attacked by a group of unidentified men. No motive was clear behind the unprovoked attack.

Rehman Ullah, journalist (Charsadda, NWFP)
November 7, 2006: Mr Rehman Ullah, vice president of the Charsadda Press Club, sustained injuries in a reported murder attempt. The attacker was later arrested and jailed.

Muhammad Riaz, correspondent for daily Nawa-e-Waqt (Mundra, Punjab)
November 2006: Mr Riaz was injured in a knife attack by unidentified persons. No motive was clear about the attack.

Qazi Rauf, correspondent for Daily Times (Khyber Agency, tribal areas)
December 7, 2006: Mr Rauf was badly beaten up in Peshawar by the supporters of Muhammad Lal, the leader of a militant group based in Khyber Agency. Rauf was in a Peshawar hospital to collect information on the autopsy of Lal, who was killed by his rivals. Rauf was injured in a previous attack two year ago by the same group.

Abid Hussain and Muhammad Irfan, photographers for Lahore dailies (Lahore, Punjab)
December 17, 2006: Mr Hussain and Mr Irfan were set upon by the officials of Alhamra Cultural Complex as they photographed the aftermath of a stampede at the center, which had injured several people. The officials injured the photographers and smashed their cameras. The police came to the rescue of the journalists.

Muhammad Farooq, correspondent (Khyber Agency, tribal areas)
December 21, 2006: Some unidentified assailants injured Mr Farooq in an attempt to kidnap him as he was going to the press club in Bara from his house. No motive was clear behind the attack.

Rana Tanveer, reporter for Daily Times, Taqveem Shah, photographer, Rana Shahzad, cameraman for Royal TV, Mudassar Butt, reporter and Mohammed Ashfaq, cameraman for Geo TV (Lahore, Punjab)
March 17, 2007: Lahore Police thrashed these journalists as they covered a convention by the Lahore High Court Bar Association. Their equipment was also smashed by the berserk police.

Nadeem Jaffery, Muhammad Bilal, Mir Atiq and Naveed Miraj (Islamabad)
April 3, 2007: These journalists were roughed up by pro-government lawyers as they covered the events on the premises of the Supreme Court of Pakistan with proceedings of the Supreme Judicial Council against the chief justice under way.

16 journalists including reporters and cameramen for newspapers and TV channels injured (Karachi, Sindh)
April 13, 2007: Sixteen journalists working for TV channels and newspapers were injured, some of them seriously, in a clash with members of the Karachi Bar Association in Karachi. As the protest rally of lawyers proceeded, a private TV channel’s van slightly grazed a lawyer. The ensuing altercation between the lawyers and journalists was resolved without any violence. However, as the rally reached Tibet Centre, some lawyers suddenly set upon a group of lawyers, resulting in injuries to at least 16 journalists.

Shakir Solangi, reporter for KTN TV (Islamabad)
April 13, 2007: Mr Solangi was thrashed by a member of National Assembly belonging to Benazir Bhutto’s Pakistan Peoples Party, Ghulam Murtaza Satti. The legislator was incensed at a request by Solangi to stop talking as he recorded an interview party leader Amin Fahim.

Noman Khalid, producer of Business Plus TV (Islamabad)
April 24, 2007: Workers of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League beat up Mr Khalid outside the Supreme Court building as he covered the PML rally. Khalid had to be hospitalized.

Wasim Farooq, reporter, and Atif Yasin, cameraman for Apna TV (Lahore, Punjab)
April 25, 2007: Police badly beat up Mr Farooq and Mr Yasin and broke their equipment as they shot footage of a police shootout on district courts premises in which they captured police killing one person and injuring two.

Arif Yousafzai, cameraman for ATV, Siddiq Ullah, reporter for daily Subah, Ayaz Muhammad, reporter for APP and Arshad Ali, photographer for PID
April 28, 2007: These journalists sustained injuries at a suicide attempt against federal Interior Minister Aftab Sherpao in Charsadda. Their colleague, freelance photographer Mehboob Khan was not so lucky – he died of his injuries.

JOURNALIST KIDNAPPED

Sohail Qalandar, editor for daily Express (Peshawar, NWFP)
January 2, 2007: Sohail Qalandar was kidnapped by unidentified person from Peshawar along with one of his friends. He remained missing until recovered in a government raid near Peshawar on February 22, 2007.

JOURNALISTS HARASSED / INTIMIDATED

Amjad Abbasi, bureau chief daily Mussalman (Rawalpindi, Punjab)
May 27, 2006: Some unidentified armed men entered the home of Mr Abbasi at night and manhandled him, asking him to stop practicing journalism.

Sarmad Kanrani, reporter for daily Ibrat and Sindh TV and Mubarak Bhatti, reporter for daily Koshish and KTN TV (Thul, Sindh)
June 15, 2006: Mr Kanrani and Mr Bhatti received threats of “unforeseen consequences” from local feudal landlords for reports they filed about the decision of a jirga they presided.

Asif Wadood, reporter for daily Aaj (Peshawar, NWFP)
June 16, 2006: Mr Wadood, an investigative journalist, was summoned by officials of the office of Chief Minister Akram Durrani (of the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal government) after he reported details of the provincial budget ahead of its announcement. The journalist was pressurized to disclose his sources which he refused.

Qazi Nasrullah, correspondent for daily Mashriq and Qazi Rauf, correspondent for daily Express (Khyber Agency, tribal areas)
June 25, 2006: Activists of militant group Lashkar-e-Islami threatened to demolish the houses of both Mr Nasrullah and Mr Rauf for allegedly reporting in favor of government policies.

Akhtar Gujar, journalist (Dera Ghazi Khan, Punjab)
July 14, 2006: Police registered a case against Mr Gujar for writing crime diaries that allegedly brought them into disrepute.

Mehboob Shah Afridi, journalist (Khyber Agency, tribal areas)
July 21, 2006: Mr Afridi received death threats on telephone from activists of a religious group led by firebrand anti-government cleric Maulana Shakir for reporting on their activities.

Azhar Ali Khan, reporter for daily Business Recorder (Karachi, Sindh)
August 16, 2006: Police manhandled and threatened Mr Khan of “dire consequences” after exchange of hot words on a vehicle parking issue.

Abdul Waheed Kiani, reporter for Reuters (Mirpur, Azad Kashmir)
September 2006: Mr Kiani was detained for several hours and threatened of “dire consequences” by the police in Mirpur where he was on an assignment to interview the family of Rashid Rauf, the main suspect of an alleged plot to blow up several transatlantic airlines unearthed by the United Kingdom.

Shakeel Anjum, reporter for daily The News (Islamabad)
September 16, 2006: Inspector Idrees Rathore of Islamabad Police booked Mr Anjum in a triple murder case and charged him under the anti-terrorism case. This was the result of the reporter highlighting incompetence and inefficiency of the police. Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry declared the reporter innocent after a top-level police inquiry found him not guilty on October 16, 2006.

Mukhtar Ghazanfar, reporter for daily Khabrain (Islamabad)
September 18, 2006: Commerce reporter Ghazanfar received death threats from a senior Islamabad-based businessman for reports filed about his business concerns.

Kamran Rehmat, editor of daily The News (Islamabad)
December 14, 2006: Mr Rehmat was mysteriously tailed by unidentified persons in a car on his way back home from his Rawalpindi office to his Islamabad residence in the early hours of the morning before subjecting him to harassment in front of his residence and threats to “sort” him out. Neither the identity of the harassers nor their motive behind the intimidation is known.

Carlotta Gall, reporter, and Akhtar Soomro, photographer for New York Times (Quetta, Balochistan)
December 19, 2006: Ms Gall, who covers Pakistan and Afghanistan for New York Times, and Mr Soomro were harassed and detained by some men who said they were from the Special Branch of the police. These men forcibly entered Soomro’s room in his hotel around 8pm, and seized his computer and camera. Four men later broke into Gall’s room in a separate hotel, hit her and took away some of her belongings. Gall sustained bruises on her arms, temple, and cheekbone, swelling on her left eye and a sprained knee.

Kamal Majidullah, editor, Saleem Shahzad, chief correspondent, and reporter Ralph D Cruz of daily Star (Karachi, Sindh)
December 22, 2006: These journalists were indicted in a defamation case filed by Anwar Alam, a leader of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, a member party of the ruling coalition government. The Star was the oldest English language evening daily of the Dawn Group of Newspapers. It ceased publication on December 2, 2006 citing government pressures.

Munawar Afridi of daily The News, Nisar Afridi of daily Khabrain and Wazir Afridi of daily Al-Akhbar (Kohat, NWFP)
March 2, 2007: Posters and flyers went up in Darra Adamkhel, the Frontier region of Kohat, signed by militant group Islami Mujahideen calling upon “the faithful” to put to death the three journalists for their alleged links to intelligence agencies. Nisar Afridi is the brother of Nasir Afridi of daily Khabrain, who was shot dead in December 2005 while driving in his car in the Darra Adamkhel area.

Hadi Sangi, cameraman for KTN TV (Larkana, Sindh)
March 5, 2007: Police registered a murder case against Mr Hadi, the brother of KTN TV cameraman Munir Sangi who was killed by unidentified gunmen on May 29, 2006. Both Hadi and his other brother Muqeem have been booked for alleged involvement in the murder of one Munir Unnar, who was killed on February 15, 2007.

Ansar Abbasi, reporter for daily The News (Islamabad)
March 12, 2007: Federal Law Minister Wasi Zafar used foul language and hurled threats against Mr Abbasi on a live Voice of America radio program. The minister was angry at the reporter for filing a story about him. The reporter’s story was headlined, “Law minister facing long arm of the law.” Accusing the reporter of filing fake stories, the minister said: “If a reporter will put a big arm in the law minister, I will put a big arm in that reporter, rather all his family.” The minister later apologized after a public outcry.

Javed Shaikh, journalist Upper Dir (NWFP)
April 11, 2007: Mr Shaikh is facing the wrath of local tribesmen over reporting of the murder decree by a local jirga in the remote valley of Osorai valley of a girl allegedly in the name of honor. Two family members of the girl ordered arrested by the police by a local judge as a result of the report claim the girl committed suicide. The journalist has received several phone calls threatening him of “dire consequences” if hew reports further on the issue or any other similar case.

Pervaiz Narejo, correspondent for Sindh TV (Dadu, Sindh)
November 2006: Mr Narejo has received death threats from local politicians after one of his reports was broadcast showing a pro-government member of National Assembly beating a policeman. According to reports the policeman was found dead a few minutes later. After the footage was screened, Narejo and his family received death threats and he was forced to flee to Karachi.

Habibur Rehman, editor-in-chief of weekly Chattan (Diamer, Northern Areas)
November 2006: Mr Rehman was served notice by the police for publishing material that risked “hurting the religious sentiments” of the people. The police later sealed the office of Chattan.

ATTACKS ON MEDIA PROPERTY

Thari Mirwah Press Club (Khairpur, Sindh)
June 14, 2006: Dozens of armed men attacked Thari Mirwah Press Club, beat up journalists there and wrecked the furniture and computers of the Press Club. No motive was clear behind the attack.

Peshawar Press Club (Peshawar, NWFP)
June 29, 2006: Activists of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Q stormed the Peshawar Press Club to foil a news conference being held there by some dissident leaders of the party. The attackers who were armed with pistols, Kalashnikovs and sticks, beat up the journalists and rebellious members of their own party.

Geo TV (Karachi, Sindh)
July 15, 2006: Supporters of assassinated religious leader Maulana Abdur Rasheed Turabi sprayed bullets on the van of Geo TV as the channels were filming a mourning procession.

Quetta Press Club (Quetta, Balochistan)
July 15, 2006: A big contingent of police cordoned off the Quetta Press Club building for over 10 hours. No reason was given.

The Nation (Mirpur Khas, Sindh)
August 10, 2006: A group of unidentified armed men attacked the bureau office of daily The Nation in Mirpur Khas and smashed up office furniture and equipment. No one was hurt.

Press For Peace (Muzaffarabad, Azad Kashmir)
October 19, 2006: The office of a media NGO based in Muzaffarabad was attacked by a group of unidentified persons. The office furniture was ransacked and staff injured. No motive was clear behind the unprovoked attack.

National Press Club (Islamabad)
November 21, 2006: An activist of Pakistan Peoples Party-Parliamentarians entered the premises of the National Press Club in G-8 Islamabad and forcibly tried to take control of the premises. On reaction from the journalist community the matter was later resolved with the intruder leaving the premises.

Geo TV, The News and Jang (Islamabad)
March 16, 2007: The office of Geo TV, The News and Jang in Islamabad were vandalized by the Punjab police without provocation in the presence of Islamabad’s Deputy Commissioner and Senior Superintendent Police. Around 25 armed policemen stormed inside the building, smashing down equipment, furniture as well as glass doors. The police also fired teargas shells inside the building to force the staff out. The attack was also shown live. President General Pervez Musharraf the same night apologized for the attack during live transmission and promised to punish those responsible. A low-level inquiry tribunal later declared that the policemen acted on their own. The findings have been pooh-poohed by the media community as unfeasible.

PTV Tower (Pasni, Balochistan)
April 4, 2007: Unidentified persons used a bomb to blow up a television transmitter tower belonging to state-run Pakistan television (PTV).

JOURNALISTS’ FAMILIES TARGETTED

Dilawar Khan Wazir, correspondent for BBC and daily Dawn (South Waziristan Agency, tribal areas)
August 30, 2006: Dilawar’s 15-year-old brother Taimur Khan was killed by unidentified assailants in South Waziristan Agency. The house and a school run by Dilawar’s family were also targeted by unidentified people with a bomb in December 2005. Dilawar was himself kidnapped on November 19, 2006.

Hayatullah Khan, correspondent for AFP (South Waziristan, Tribal Areas)
September 22, 2006: A cousin of Hayatullah Khan was found shot dead in South Waziristan Agency after being kidnapped by unidentified persons. Hayatullah was himself was found dead near Mir Ali village of Waziristan, his hands chained and his death caused by being shot in the head at point-blank range, on June 16, 2006. He had been missing since December 2005.

Din Mohammed, correspondent (Dera Ismail Khan, NWFP)
April 3, 2007: Mr Mohammed’s three uncles and a 15-year-old brother were killed one by one in the space of three days after he arranged a media delegation from Dera Ismail Khan, Peshawar and Tank cities to visit Wana in Waziristan and arranged their meeting with a Wana tribal militant commander Maulvi Nazeer. The unidentified killers of his relatives also attacked his house from where he escaped and went into hiding.

RESTRICTIONS ON MEDIA (16)

Mast FM 103 (Balakot, NWFP)
August 23, 2006: Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) rejected the request of renewal of the license by the management of Mast FM 103 Balakot in the earthquake affected areas and ordered an immediate closure of the transmission without giving any reason. This was despite the fact that PEMRA extended the temporary broadcasting licenses of all the other FM radio stations operating in the earthquake affected areas. The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) said that the FM 103 license was not renewed because of its program that criticized the alleged misuse of funds allocated for the rehabilitation program carried out by government agencies in the quake-affected areas, especially Earthquake Relief and Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA).

ARY TV (Lahore, Punjab)
September 17, 2006: The government of Punjab issued “verbal directives” to cable operators in the province to stop airing the transmission of ARY Digital television network that includes ARY Digital, ARY Pakistan, ARY India, ARY Asia, ARY One World, QTV, The Muzik and the City Channel. The authorities issued the instruction when ARY repeatedly screened the scene of beating of journalists by the police at Minar-e-Pakistan in Lahore. The transmissions were allowed to resume a week later.

ARY TV (Taxila, Hasanabdal and Wah, NWFP)
September 26, 2006: The cable operators of Taxila, Wah Cantonment and Hasanabdal said that the local police forced them to stop the transmission of ARY TV network. The broadcasts were allowed to resume on September 28.

Cinema houses of NWFP (NWFP)
September 24, 2006: The North West Frontier Province government issued an official notification to all cinemas in the province directing them to close down during the month of Ramadan or face punishment. All cinema houses complied.

The News, BBC and AVT Khyber TV (Bajaur Agency, tribal areas)
October 30, 2006: The political administration of Bajaur Agency stopped several journalists including Rahimullah Yousafzai of The News, Haroon Rashid of BBC and Mehmood Jan Babar of AVT Khyber TV, from heading to a village in the area where a major government military strike on a madrassa killed 83 people.

Sindh TV (Hyderabad, Sindh)
November 8, 2006: The transmission of private television channel Sindh TV was forced to go off air for several days. Brig (retd) Zahid Shakeel Ahmed, the head of Cable Television (CTV), Policy Wing, PEMRA, was reported as saying that the suspension of transmission was ordered by the federal interior ministry.

Aaj TV (Karachi, Sindh)
November 12, 2006: Government authorities pressurized private television channel Aaj to not broadcast a news report of a massive military attack on a madrassa in Bajaur Agency in the tribal areas, which killed 83. Aaj had carried on-the-spot interviews of locals of the village where the attack took place. To protest the government pressure, Aaj kept the screens blank at the scheduled time of the banned program.

Yahoo, YouTube and Hotmail (Islamabad)
March 2, 2007: The Pakistan Telecom Co Ltd, complying with a directive by the Supreme Court of Pakistan PTCL to block websites with blasphemous material against Islam and the Prophet, blocked access to thousands of websites and email servers, including Yahoo, YouTube and Hotmail. After a public outcry, the blockade was gradually lifted.

Aaj TV, Geo TV and ARY TV (Lahore, Punjab)
March 12, 2007: These three private TV channels remained off air for some time after getting a warning from PEMRA for showing pictures of police baton-charge on lawyers in Lahore protesting against the controversial suspension of Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry. PEMRA later denied they had forced the channels off air and said “technical fault” was to blame for the absent transmission.

All Pakistan Newspaper Society and Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (Islamabad)
March 12, 2007: A joint team of APNS and CPNE was refused permission to visit the “non-functional” Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry. The team of Pakistan’s media owners and editors was stopped near the Ministers Enclave in Islamabad where the police had barricaded the road leading to the Judges Colony.

All print and electronic media (Islamabad)
March 14, 2007: The Supreme Judicial Council, an inquiry tribunal hearing a controversial reference filed by President General Pervez Musharraf against Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, issued a press release noting “with grave concern” that the electronic and print media “is engaged in media trial on a sub-judice matter” whose proceedings are being held in-camera and are “not to be reported except as directed/authorized by the Council.” Issued by the office of the registrar Supreme Court of Pakistan, it added: “Therefore, the Supreme Judicial Council cautions the electronic and print media to refrain from indulging in media trial and in this behalf directs the Ministry of Information and the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority, Islamabad to advise the electronic and print media not to arrange or produce talk shows and other similar programs concerning issues pending before the Council.”

Geo TV (Karachi, Sindh)
March 15, 2007: PEMRA ordered Geo TV to stop airing its flagship daily news program Aaj Kamran Khan Key Saath with immediate effect. The ban was triggered because of its coverage of the issue of the controversial suspension of the chief justice of Pakistan by the president. The ban was lifted on March 19 when the program came back with President General Pervez Musharraf invited as the guest.

Geo TV (Karachi, Sindh)
March 16, 2007: The independent television channel’s headquarters in Karachi received a call warning that a bomb planted in the office was about to go off triggering an evacuation of the building, shown live. A bomb disposal squad was called in which declared the premises safe.

Aaj TV (Islamabad)
April 23, 2007: PEMRA issued a “show cause notice” to privately channel Aaj TV threatening it with closure because of its coverage of the judicial crisis. The notice warned the channel that its license could be withdrawn if it did not amend its program content and if its CEO did not present himself to the PEMRA within three days to defend the station from the charge that it has been breaking the rules. Aaj has gone to court to challenge the notice and to defend its editorial independence.

Royal TV (Islamabad)
April 24, 2007: The government authorities ordered cable TV distributors to take off the transmissions of private Royal TV from the Islamabad and Rawalpindi regions due to its coverage of the judicial crisis.

USE OF STATE ADVERTISING AS PRESSURE ON MEDIA

Dawn Group of Publications (Karachi, Sindh)
Since December 2006, the Dawn Group is facing massive advertising cuts equivalent to two thirds of total government advertising in response to the group of publication’s coverage of the government’s controversial policies in the western province of Balochistan and in the tribal areas on the border with Afghanistan and the media group’s refusal to temper the coverage.

Express Group of Publications (Karachi, Sindh)
In December 2006, the government banned its advertisements quota to daily Express in response to its refusal to be influenced to requests of tempered coverage of officially conducted military operations in the restive tribal areas.

The media needs to be controlled and they should obey the law of the land or should be shut down!! All these political thugs in media should be sued and put in jail!!!

Aoa


All the segments of a nation should work together towards common objectives, not independantly towards seperate ones. No need for stupid but free media, and media is usually manupilative as they need to sell and they'll do anything they can to achieve that, even fabricate stories or give a 'fox news' like twists and stuff...

Too free media devides the people, the media would propogate thier own views and soon you'd have channels like fox etc with power they shouldn't have [same goes for the liberal media]. Censorship is there the media shouldn't be the only one to decide what to censor, but the state should too have a say in it.

The objectives aren't free media and democracy or whatever, the objectives are properity etc, and these things are only means, and should be viewed as such.


w/salaam

well that can be achieved easily enough through PEMRA which issued these licenses in the first place. i'm not sure how the contract for the license is designed but here in the UK for instance if a news channel or a TV channel (or any other media channel) acts irresponsibly or falsifies information then it can be brought in front of the watchdog and fined. similar actions in Pakistan (but WITH PROOF) should do the trick.

regards.

Well its true , they are getting popular but they can only shape part of public opinion as the major population still lives in villages where there is no ary , geo or AJJ tv. still they are having impact and definitly on public.

On having ultimate power in govt dowing i dont think Mashallah pakistani people are very aware and there will always be the other side of picture as there will be more channels if they see market of new chaneels as if these channels get biased on one side.
So if public is not getting the true picture they will switch to soe other news channel that presents neutral.
Hence , yes they are playing importan role by brigning whats happening in pakistan but thats only for them beacsaue politicansa are only making it happen.

They are only shaping public opinion becasue they are actually represting whats hapening in the mind of an ordinary public.

i am from media but i agree with noxious as i had always felt that there should be some restriction on media. we had seen that some TV channels are talking advantages of being registred frfom abroad. most of the current so-called popular channels had applied for licence from Gulf so they had get the linency and as scuh some times escap the action. so the govt shud change the rules for binding them

Media has grown alot more in this decade than in the last one. Its a sign of progression and i would like to see Pakistani media progress towards alot more influence, not just in Pakistan, but also on a global level. The only thing i would like for our media channels to change about them, is that they can stop showing this pathetic gutter-rat indians on our channels and concentrate more towards projecting Pakistan amongst Pakistanis.

I couldnt say it any better. The only reason i hardly watch Pakistani channel is the pethatic bhangees infestation on our channels

Agree,. and all you see is Shadi drama's our media people really have no imagination or creativity.

The only way to control media and the associated laws is to bring in people who had their training in the West regarding communiations and media. In other words we need western trained media experts. Bring them in and you will immediately see results!!

Information Minister Durrani (Mushy Camp) has announced that henceforth no private channel will be allowed to telecast LIVE coverage without prior approval of PEMRA. Moreover, PEMRA has also now been taken under the Federation's umbrella.

so all the media freedom for bogus, they could target anyone except the govt!

I would like to see pakistani media as free and for it to improve. I find the constant references to foreign articles, papers and demands in the pakistani press v irritating.

Brother they can criticize the govt and the meida is doing that. There was no objection on that nor there is any objection over the negative portrayl of Musharaff in the media.

And Musharaff is an individual and the entire army so they can slat him but supporting the views of Country's enemies against Pak Army shouldnt be allowed

see, the problem is that you cannot claim to be a proponent of freedom of press while on the other hand slap the media for criticizing the govt. if Musharraf has announced that media in Pakistan will be free, he has to keep his words.

the current move by the Govt which requires the media channels approval of PEMRA for a live telecast is a step backwards. then there will be no difference between ARY and PTV. both will show what the Govt wants them to show.

well these private channels have sucessfully concluded talks with the government and had agreed not to air such content which is against the law :P


Now had u seen where is their love for the free media now.

And after this post bro let me tell you something about freedom of expression and media

Look at this this is something which will make those who are criticising the government, understand that govt is right .



[b]"The ideals of freedom of expression could be defined not by what we are free
to express but by what we are free not to express. It is the freedom to abstain,
refrain and avoid offending people of different creeds and hurting the feelings
of fellow human beings, which form the basis of conforming to the moral
standards of the modern world. The business of these standards and laws
is to free the freedom from confusion and chaos inherent in human life,
which is bound to arise if one is free to do whatever one likes without any
thought or consideration of its impact on others."[b/]_Shah N. Khan
http://www.netvert. biz/articles/ freeExpression. html

"Propaganda has a bad name but all politicians and rulers use it as s a
soft weapon in combination with the arsenal of lies, deceit, camouflage or
exaggeration. Professional propagandists or lobbying firms are hired not only
to improve one's image but also to destroy the image of opponents. Some
hypocrites are engaged full time in demonizing Islam.

Propaganda is not merely dissemination of ideas and information for the
purpose of inducing or intensifying specific attitudes and actions. It is an
art lying which consists in nearly deceiving your own people as well as
your enemies. Because propaganda is frequently accompanied by distortions
of fact and by appeals to passion and prejudice, it is often thought to be
invariably false or misleading. Although some propagandists may intentionally
distort fact, others may present it as faithfully as objective observers.
As we have seen in case of invasion of Iraq war propaganda of weapons of mass
destruction in Iraq based on lies and distortion lead to fear and fear lead to
approval of invasion by a slim majority"
http://www.netvert. biz/articles/ freeExpression2. html

Here is a hypocritical peace of writing forgetting the uproar that is caused
in India when things like cow and money worship, purification by polluted
water of rive Ganges are criticized. But before you read a quotation from an I
ndian Journalist, let me say that the voices of freedom fighters in Kasmir
and the Kashmiri politicians are ruthlessly suppressed by Indian media
because of their prejudicial attitude.

American Media with few exceptions also suppresses truth about the war on
terror and conditions of Iraq and Afghanistan and number of deaths.

"We have no right to make defamatory or slanderous statements about people.
All of us also accept that the right to free speech can be curtailed on grounds
of national security. But there are good reasons for these limitations. To reveal
defence secrets may compromise the security of the state. To defame somebody
harms their reputations and affects how they are perceived in the eyes of the public.
Do statements that cause religious offence fall in the same category? To argue
that they do, we would have to prove that they caused damage to the safety
of the religious faith (the national security parallel) or that they affected the way
the faith was perceived by society, or even lowered its standing.

But surely none of the people who complain about insults to religion accept that
the slights can have these consequences? Is the safety of Islam threatened
because a Danish newspaper carries a cartoon? Is Islam so weak a religion
that a couple of cartoons can cause the world or socie