Media in December 2007

In December 07, protest demos against curbs on media were the main feature of the month. Journalists, members of civil society, lawyers, workers, leaders of political parties and students staged protest rallies and demonstrations through out country. Protest camps were set up in different cities attended by large number of people from all walks of life to show their solidarity for media and freedom of expression. In an interview, President Pervez Musharraf said that he has no desire to lift curbs placed on the media. The President said: “The code of conduct is there in most countries of the world. Why should we compare the United States to Pakistan?” “Don’t you think you should lift (the restrictions) when you end the state of emergency?” asked the reporter. “No,”.”

In the month, TV journalist Kamil Mashhadi was shot dead in Karachi. The 45-year-old journalist, who worked for a private TV channel, received two bullets wounds, one to the head and the other to the chin and died on way to the Lady Reading Hospital. His son Syed Hamaat told reporters a family dispute was behind the murder.

In incidents of intimidation, RIUJ and PFUJ were booked for ‘defaming’ army. The police registered a case against Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) and Rawalpindi Islamabad Union of Journalists (RIUJ) for distributing pamphlets and displaying posters containing “hate material” against the armed forces. Chairman Association of Independent Radio and Broadcasters said that FM 99 and FM 103 are on verge of disaster, as they had no resources to sustain their infrastructure and staff beyond a period of one month.

In an Assault against media, Police baton charged on Journalists Rally in Islamabad, police stopped the protesters by using force and baton charged the students and journalists. Journalists from different media organizations named Jahangeer Chaudhry, Mubashir Tamuri, Irfan Malik and Raja Zaffar were severely beaten by the police. In other incident, a massive crackdown was launched against hundreds of students, lawyers, political workers, journalists, human rights activists and civil society members during a protest rally as the protestors were trying to make their way to approach Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry in the Judges Colony. The police used batons and fired teargas in a clash with protesters who hurled rocks and bricks at them. Besides three journalists (Usman Khan, Mauzamm Raza and Abuzar Wassem), several protestors were injured while more than 30 were arrested. 

Restricting the media, The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) issued another warning to satellite television channels, directing them not to air live telephone talks from the public, which can contain baseless propaganda against Pakistan and incite people to violence. In a one-page notification, PEMRA said that despite several warnings, some satellite television channels were continuing to air live coverage and were taking live telephone calls from the public, which could incite people to violence. It said this was a gross violation of the PEMRA Ordinance and the Code of Conduct for Media Broadcasters. PEMRA Chairman Iftikhar Rasheed said that the media was free in the country and curbs on any program had not been imposed. However, live coverage of meetings, rallies, processions and corner meetings in connection with the election campaign were not allowed. 

Pakistan asked foreign diplomats stationed here not to publicly comment on the domestic political situation, officials said. The advice came after ambassadors of the United States and European Union member countries last week held a series of talks with Pakistani opposition leaders and gave on-spot television interviews after the meetings.

December 01 

RIUJ and PFUJ booked for ‘defaming’ army. The police have registered a case against Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) and Rawalpindi Islamabad Union of Journalists (RIUJ) for distributing pamphlets and displaying posters containing “hate material” against the armed forces. According to police, an FIR (354/07) was filed against the two unions under Section 188 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CCP) for “defaming” army. The FIR does not contain the name of any union leader or newsman. 

December 05 

Police baton charge on Journalists Rally in Islamabad. Police stopped the protesters by using force and baton charged the students and journalists. Journalists from different media organizations named Jahangeer Chaudhry, Mubashir Tamuri, Irfan Malik and Raja Zaffar were severely beaten by the police. The students, journalists, lawyers, human rights activists and politicians demanded the suspension of Additional SP Nasir Aftab, who ordered to baton charge peaceful protesters.

December 06

FM 99, FM 103 on verge of disaster, FM 93 and FM 103 closed since November 3 and are on the verge of disaster, as they had no resources to sustain their infrastructure and staff beyond a period of one month, said by Chairman Association of Independent Radio and Broadcasters.

December 07

The Nation Editor Arif Nizami said that all editors and working journalists were united on one point - freedom of press. “This freedom was there in the past but now it is being denied. The way curbs have been put on media is deplorable. Whether it is print or electronic media the measures against the freedom of expression would be resisted.” He was speaking in a CPNE protest held at Lahore Press Club.

December 10

Pakistan asked foreign diplomats stationed here not to publicly comment on the domestic political situation, officials said. The advice came after ambassadors of the United States and European Union member countries last week held a series of talks with Pakistani opposition leaders and gave on-spot television interviews after the meetings. “We have no objection to their meeting with anyone, but diplomats should not make public comments after such meetings,” foreign ministry spokesman Mohammad Sadiq told AFP. “We expect them to follow the standard behavior and diplomatic etiquettes,” Sadiq said. He added that it was general advice and whenever there is a violation diplomats are summoned and told not to interfere. President Pervez Musharraf sacked senior judges, suspended the Constitution and imposed the emergency rule on November 3 fearing an adverse court ruling on his presidential election candidacy. 

December 12 

Broadcasters airing live coverage to be jailed, says PEMRA. The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) issued another warning to satellite television channels, directing them not to air live telephone talks from the public, which can contain baseless propaganda against Pakistan and incite people to violence. In a one-page notification, PEMRA said that despite several warnings, some satellite television channels were continuing to air live coverage and were taking live telephone calls from the public, which could incite people to violence. It said this was a gross violation of the PEMRA Ordinance and the Code of Conduct for Media Broadcasters. According to the amended PEMRA Ordinance, the live coverage of incidents of violence and conflicts cannot be broadcast. A licence holder must ensure that nothing is broadcast that violates the Ordinance, and for this purpose, should install time-delay equipments within its system to prevent any such violation. The notification reminded the channels that any violator of a media licence, or anyone who abets violation of any provision of the ordinance, would be punishable with imprisonment that may extend up to three years, or be fined up to Rs 10 million, or be subject to both. Any distribution service licensee or its representative who violates or abets violation of any provision of the ordinance will be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend up to one year, or be fined up to Rs 5 million, or be subject to both.

December 13

The government stopped newspapers from being delivered to Peshawar High Court sacked chief justice Tariq Parvaiz Khan and three other judges — justices Shah Jehan Yusufzai, Ejaz Afzal Khan and Dost Muhammad Khan. All the judges had refused to take oath under the PCO.

December 14

Caretaker Federal Minister for Information Memon says govt won’t change PEMRA Ordinance. President Musharraf has the credit of freeing the media and introducing private television and radio channels. Now there are more than 50 television channels and around 100 radio channels operating freely,” he said and added that each freedom does carry responsibilities and so does the media freedom.

December 16

President Pervez Musharraf has said that he has no desire to lift curbs placed on the media. He said that while the state of emergency has been lifted, he will not reinstate the judges who were removed from office or repeal the “code of conduct” that he imposed on the news media. In an interview to Washington Post, the president said: “There are no restrictions on the press.” When informed that his government had imposed a code of conduct on the media, he said it was “as good as in your country.” As the interviewer informed him that there was no code of conduct for journalists in the US, the president said: “The code of conduct is there in most countries of the world. Why should we compare the United States to Pakistan?” “Don’t you think you should lift (the restrictions) when you end the state of emergency?” asked the reporter. “No,” said the president.

December 18 

A massive crackdown was launched against hundreds of students, lawyers, political workers, journalists, human rights activists and civil society members during a protest rally as the protestors were trying to make their way to approach Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry in the Judges Colony.  The Student Action Committee has called the rally which was also endorsed by various political and civil society organisations to reassert demands of the anti-dictatorship movement including restoration of the pre-November 3 judiciary, lifting of all curbs on the media, complete withdrawal of the army from politics, restoration of student unions and scrapping of the class-system in education.
The police used batons and fired teargas in a clash with protesters who hurled rocks and bricks at them. Besides three journalists (Usman Khan, Mauzamm Raza and Abuzar Wassem), several protestors were injured while more than 30 were arrested. 

December 25

Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) Chairman Iftikhar Rasheed said Thursday that the media was free in the country and curbs on any programme had not been imposed. However, live coverage of meetings, rallies, processions and corner meetings in connection with the election campaign were not allowed. Addressing a press conference after meeting with office-bearers of Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA) in Pemra house, he further said the government did not want to block the transmission of any channel and regulations were being settled in this regard saying that remaining channels would be allowed to launch their transmissions soon. It was the first government which gave freedom to the media in private sector and it should be criticised positively, he added.
He explained that live coverage of public meetings and rallies pertaining to election campaign will not be allowed due to possibility of vulgar language and it is necessary for channels to abide by time mechanism.

Protest against ban on Geo News transmission. Journalists, members of civil society, workers and leaders of political parties and students staged a protest rally against ban on Geo transmission at Rawalpindi Press Club. They carried placards inscribed with slogans in favour of media and against ban on Geo transmission. The protestors demanded of the government to open Geo News and Geo Super and stop action against media. The speakers said that society could not survive without free press. They said media should be free from restrictions to ensure free, fair and transparent elections; otherwise people would not rely on its results.

December 31 

TV journalist Kamil Mashhadi was shot dead in Karachi. He received two bullets wounds, one to the head and the other to the chin and died on way to the Lady Reading Hospital. According to eyewitnesses, two men came to his house in Mohalla Hajian on Circular Road and called him out to receive his salary. As he emerged from the door they shot at him with a pistol. The 45-year-old journalist, who worked for a private TV channel, leaves six children to mourn his death. His son Syed Hamaat told reporters a family dispute was behind the murder.

Media Resource Centre,    Intermedia Pakistan www.intermedia.org.pk
DISCLAIMER: The contents of this monthly report are the result of analyses of daily monitoring of media developments in Pakistan by Intermedia Pakistan’s Media Resource Centre. Since November 2007, the monthly media monitoring reports are produced with funding from Internews Network, Inc.