Pakistan¿s media finds its wings clipped in the new millennium

Pakistan¿s media finds its wings clipped in the new millennium

Press Freedom in Pakistan (May 2001- May 2002)

By Mohammad Shehzad

Green Press Pakistan has released its latest report on press freedom in Pakistan. It has logged almost every assault wreaked on the freedom of expression at national, provincial and local level, either by the establishment or by the criminal mafia, qabza group or any other group of goons.

Green Press is a team of committed journalists that has been maintaining a chronology on the state of media and press in Pakistan for the past few years. Adnan Rehmat, Nadeem Iqbal (The News on Sunday), and Zafarullah Khan (a freelance writer) have compiled the current year’s report, State of Media & Press Freedom Report: May 2001-May 2002 with the financial assistance of Friedrich Naumann Stiftung, Pakistan.

"Our purpose of publishing this report is not to let down or cajole any particular person, group, or entity. We monitor 6-7 publications throughout the year and present the facts without giving them any color. We do not comment on the situation. Our work is that of an observer, not of a commentator. While writing on Shaheen Sehbai¿s resignation, we have mentioned that he resigned in controversial circumstances giving space to other party¿s viewpoint," said Zafarullah Khan to this scribe.

According to the report, the gruesome slaying of Daniel Pearl; Shaheen Sehbai¿s sudden resignation; and Governor Punjab Khalid Maqbool¿s deliberate attempt of provoking the public against a large group of journalists in a press conference on April 14, and then ordering police to baton-charge the hapless newsmen, had earned Pakistan a bad name.

The report highlights the reservations of All Pakistan Newspapers Employees Council (APNEC) and All Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) on the two new laws - Press Council Ordinance 2002 and Press, Newspaper, and News Agencies Registration Ordinance 2002. The two media association says: "We reject these laws. They fail to safeguard our rights."

On electronic media, the report says that the government had failed to establish private TV channels, which could play a great role in educating the masses at the grassroots level.

This scribe reproduces some important events from the report that would help the readers understand to what extent the press has been free in Pakistan from May 2001-May 2002:

- Unknown assailants made an attempt on the life of C R Shamsi, reporter of Ausaf. The police refused to register a case. May 9, 2001

-          Hadi Sanghi, photographer for Kawish was beaten by police officers in Larkana for taking photographs of the release from prison of nationalist politician Qadir Magsi and his 18 associates. May 14, 2001

-         "Some bureaucrats are creating hindrance in the working of editors. The Chief Executive says the press is free. Telephone calls are being received from the high-ups about the coverage of news. It is astonishing that advice is given for putting the headlines of ¿their¿ choice on official news. There is also government advice to some newspapers to take down editorials in accordance with its own desire," Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE). May 20, 2001

The additional district and session judge, Islamabad banned the media coverage of the proceedings of the blasphemy case being heard against Dr Younas Sheikh. The court