Media in January

In 1st month of 2007, 20 abuses against media were reported in national press. Two journalists were killed including a foreign journalist. Makhdoom Rafiq, proprietor and editor of Sukkur-based Sindhi daily Nijat, was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Khora Town (Gambat Taluka). Residents of the area said Rafiq was involved in a property dispute with people of the Channa clan. Anwar Saleh, a young Afghan journalist and poet hailing from the southern Khost province, was beheaded brutally in the town of Hangu in Pakistan's tribal areas. 

In three different incidents of Abduction/Arrest, 2 journalists were abducted while one was arrested. Peshawar -based journalist of Daily Express Sohail Qalandar and his friend Niaz Muhammad, were abducted from the suburbs of Peshawar. Journalist Bangash was abducted from Wana. In South Waziristan, he with five other people was kidnapped along with the truck. Deputy Editor of Daily Jammu and Kashmir, Javed Iqbal Hashmi was arrested by AJK police from paper’s office and handed over to Islamabad police on complaint of an Islamabad based Urdu daily’s editor in chief and owner against alleged misappropriation ten of thousands of rupees of advertisement. 

In three cases of Torture/Injured/Assault, 30 journalists were victimized. The capital police started beating dozens of local and foreign journalists who gathered at the site of the explosion for the coverage of suicidal blast. More than 25 media persons, including staff reporter of The Nation, Fazal Sher, photographers Sajjad Ali Qureshi and Syed Mehdi sustained injuries as a result of brutal and unwarranted police brutality in presence of Inspector General of Police (IGP) Islamabad and Senior Superintendent Police (SSP). Senior Sub Editor Waseem Shafqat Bokhari of Lahore based paper suffered severe injuries due to metallic wire being used to fly kite in Lahore. Wire cut the throat of journalist traveling on motorbike with his wife. Four Rawalpindi based journalists were injured in murder attempt by fraudsters. According to the police sources, it was a local money dispute; opponents rammed the car carrying journalists.  

Four cases of Intimidation were reported. Officials in plain clothes harassed journalists in Supreme Court Karachi registry branch. They threatened journalists and confined in a room. A photo journalist Mian Khursheed associated with Reuters News Agency was illegally detained and harassed by the Islamabad Airport police for over three hours and released after a large number of journalists reached the police station. A Mirpur-based AJK journalist Arif was harassed for writing a book titled ‘Kashmir Ki Pukar’. The book, which was widely circulated in Pakistan, is quite critical of the role of ISI and religious fundamentalist parties in carrying out the “holy war” against India in Jammu and Kashmir. The security guards of Poly clinic hospital Islamabad misbehaved with Nadeem of NNI and Khalid Butt of Daily Khabrain who were stopped and pushed by the security guards of the hospital. 

In one incident of damage to property, a reporter of Dawn News TV was deprived of his official video camera by bandits on the main Korangi road near Qayyumabad Karachi.  

 Media faced Restriction/Ban/Censorship in three different cases. DCO Lahore Mian Ijaz ordered complete suspension of cable transmissions till Muharram 13. Restrictions imposed due to publication and circulation of provocative literature. Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) banned the entry of sports journalists’ to the Ministers block. The journalists were trying to contact PSB DG to seek information about previous days briefing given to the Prime Minister and the Standing Committee on Sports about sports scenario in the country. Advisor to Sindh Chief Minister for Information has taken the decision to deprive journalists from accreditation cards. He advised that only four journalists of each paper would be given accreditation cards.

Monthly Statistics of Abuses against Media in Pakistan	
Jan-07	
Area of Incidents	Murder/
Killed 	Abducted/ 	Torture/	Intimidation 	Attack on media property 	Restriction/Banned	Total Incidents	
		Arrested	Injured/ Assault	 		/Censorship		
Islamabad	 	 	3	1	 	1	5	
Punjab	 	 	5	 	 	1	6	
Sindh	1	 	 	1	1	1	4	
NWFP	 	1	 	 	 	 	1	
Balochistan	 	 	 	 	 	 	0	
Tribal Areas	1	1	 	 	 	 	2	
North Areas	 	 	 	 	 	 	0	
AJ&K	 	1	 	1	 	 	2	
(Category wise total	2	3	8	3	1	3	20	

Murder/ Killed

13 Jan 2007
Makhdoom Rafiq, proprietor and editor of Sukkur-based Sindhi daily Nijat, was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Khora Town (Gambat Taluka). The police said a group of four or five armed men intercepted Makhdoom Rafiq in the Khora Town bazaar at about 10:30 am and opened fire at him. As a result, he died on the spot. However, the assailants fled after the shooting. Police from a nearby post rushed to the spot and shifted the body to the Gambat Taluka Hospital. The police registered a case and started investigation. Makhdoom Rafiq is survived by three widows, four sons and three daughters.  Residents of the area said Rafiq was involved in a property dispute with people of the Channa clan. The disputed plot is situated near Abul Wah in Khuhra. Police raided houses of several men from the Channa clan and arrested a number of suspects whose names they did not reveal.

09 Jan 2007
Anwar Saleh, a young Afghan journalist and poet hailing from the southern Khost province, was beheaded brutally in the town of Hangu in Pakistan's tribal areas. Gul Qasim, a senior official of Khost's Yaqqubi district, told the Voice of America by telephone that Saleh had gone to Pakistan for some personal work. The Afghan media community has strongly condemned Saleh's brutal killing and demanded of the Pakistani government to immediately arrest the culprits.

Arrested / Detained / Kidnapped

02 Jan 2007
Peshawar journalists’ community has expressed deep concern over the missing Resident Editor of daily Express Peshawar Sohail Qalandar. He has been missing with his driver Naiz. Community has set up an action committee headed by senior journalist Shamim Shahid. Community has urged govt to take steps to ensure safe recovery. They have also appealed to kidnappers for release on humanitarian grounds.

07 Jan 2007
Deputy Editor of Daily Jammu and Kashmir, Mr. Hashmi was arrested by AJK police from Jammu and Kashmir newspaper’s office and handed over to Islamabad police. He was arrested on the complaint of an Islamabad based Urdu daily’s editor in chief and owner against alleged misappropriation ten of thousands of rupees of advertisement.

24 Jan 2007
A journalist has been abducted from Wana. In South Waziristan, six people including a journalist were kidnapped along with the truck. They were traveling in a truck on main road in Tehsil Kond Sari of South Wazirstan Agency. They were abducted by unknown miscreants. The journalist Bangash is among the others include four laborers and a driver. These people were traveling to Wana after supplying burn wood to Scouts fort.

Journalists Tortured / Injured

11 Jan 2007
After Punjab government decision to hold Basant in Lahore, kite flying has begun. Senior Sub Editor Waseem Shafqat Bokhari of local newspaper had suffered severe injuries due to metallic wire being used to fly kite. Wire cut the throat of journalist traveling on road on motorbike with his wife. Doctors saved his life after 14 stitches on throat. His condition was out of danger but still under observation in a local private hospital. Mr. Waseem a resident of Sanda Lahore was on motorbike going to cantonment with his wife. He along with wife fell on the road. Killer wire cut the throat. Sanda Police has refused any such information about the incident.

17 Jan 2007 
Four Rawalpindi based journalists were injured in murder attempt by four fraudsters on Wednesday evening. According to the police sources, it was a local money dispute, newsmen were accompanied with a person to settle the money conflict. On return, opponents rammed the car carrying journalists. Police have registered the case.

26 Jan 2007 
The capital police created an ugly scene at the site of the suicide blast when it started beating dozens of local and foreign journalists who gathered at the site of the explosion for the coverage of the incident. More than 25 media persons, including staff reporter of TheNation, Fazal Sher, photographers Sajjad Ali Qureshi and Syed Mehdi sustained injuries as a result of brutal and unwarranted police brutality in presence of Inspector General of Police (IGP) Islamabad and Senior Superintendent Police (SSP).  Cameramen and photographers from various television channels and newspapers were busy covering the incident when Additional SP Dr Moeen Masood stopped them. Dr Moeen ordered his force to baton charge the journalists when they told him that they were only doing their professional duty.

Intimidation 

05 Jan 2007
Officials in plain clothes harassed journalists in Supreme Court Karachi registry branch. They threatened journalists and confined in a room. Later they were released on interference from fellow journalists. Senior journalists Ali Hamza Khan, Asghar Omer and Jamal Khursheed went for reporting, they were harassed by officials in plain clothes.

18 Jan 2007
A photo journalist associated with a UK based news agency was illegally detained and harassed by the Islamabad Airport police for over three hours and released after a large number of journalists reached the police station. Mian Khursheed associated with Reuters News Agency was picked up by traffic police as he was leaving airport for his office.

25 Jan 2007 
A Mirpur-based AJK journalist Arif was harassed for writing a book titled ‘Kashmir Ki Pukar’. The book, which was widely circulated in Pakistan, is quite critical of the role of ISI and religious fundamentalist parties in carrying out the “holy war” against India in Jammu and Kashmir. NWFP officially banned the book through a notification on October 21, and its author Arif Malik had been warned that he would be arrested if he entered the province. Malik had since been getting threatening telephone calls to make him apologise in public. It was that claimed most calls received by the journalist were from the ISI, and police had refused to register a complaint. Arif’s family was shifting from one place to another to escape the “colluded wrath of the government and fundamentalists”. Arif Malik has worked with various newspapers in Pakistan, and is currently the editor of a monthly magazine. He was forced to close down the magazine after his book was proscribed.

27 Jan 2007
The journalists injured as a result of the baton charge by the police outside Marriott Hotel Islamabad were stopped at the entrance of Poly Clinic hospital by the security guards.  The security guards misbehaved with Nadeem of NNI and Khalid Butt of Daily Khabrain who were stopped and pushed by the security guards of the hospital.

Damage to Property 

18 Jan 2007
In Karachi, a cyclist was killed when two robbers opened fire after depriving a reporter of Dawn News TV of his official video camera on the main Korangi road near Qayyumabad. 

Restriction/ Ban/Censored

Jan 27 2007
District Coordination Officer Mian Ijaz ordered on Saturday complete suspension of cable transmissions till Muharram 13.  He said cable operators had been directed to suspend their transmissions immediately. Restrictions imposed on publication and circulation of provocative literature would continue and stern action would be taken against those trying to disturb the law and order situation.

21 Jan 2007
Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) had banned the entry of sports journalists’ to the Ministers block. The journalists were trying to contact PSB DG to seek information about previous days briefing given to the Prime Minister and the Standing Committee on Sports about sports scenario in the country. The PSB Assistant Director Mr. Azam Dar while misusing his powers ordered the security not to allow journalists within the premises of the Ministers Block stating that it was banned by the Government. However, The Assistant Director and Spokesperson of the pakistan Sports Board Mr. Azam Dar said that the journalists were barred from entering Ministers Block due to official work load.

20 Jan 2007
Decision was taken to deprive journalists from accreditation cards. The decision was taken by Advisor to Sindh Chief Minister for Information. Advisor to Sindh Chief Minister for Information had advised that only four journalists of each paper would be given accreditation cards. It deprived the other members of the community from cards. A huge number of the journalists could not avail facilities allocated for the journalists' community.

Robbed:

10 Jan 2007
Robbers deprived a staffer of daily The Post from cash and a cell-phone in the Old Anarkali police precincts Tuesday night. Saleem Jadoon, a sub-Editor with The Post, an English daily of the Khabrain Group of Newspapers, was returning home from duty Tuesday night when two armed robbers riding a motorcycle held him at gunpoint near the Supreme Court Registry Branch. They snatched Rs. 8,700 and a cell-phone from him and fled. Jadoon informed the Old Anarkali police about the incident, but no case had been registered till late at night.

15 Jan 2007
Burglars broke into the house of the staff reporter of daily Dawn, Khawar Mehmood Ghumman in Margalla Town in broad daylight and made away with cash, jewellery and other valueables worth Rs 200,000

17 Jan 2007
A cyclist was killed when two robbers opened fire after depriving a reporter of Dawn News TV of his official video camera on the main Korangi road near Qayyumabad.

Media in Courts  

01 Jan 2007 
Managing Director of Blaoch Voice TV Muneer Mengal appeared to the scene. He was missing for last 9 months. A petition was also filed in Karachi High Court. But he himself appeared.Muneer Mengal was taken away by law enforcement agencies as soon as he reached Karachi Airport from Dubai on April 4th 2006.

11 Jan 2007
A legal notice for the payment of Rs200 million as damages served by Punjab Chief Minister Ch. Pervaiz Elahi to the Editor, Printer, Publisher and Correspondent of Daily Dawn for originating a libelous statement on Jan 9 where in it has been alleged that his daughter had been involved in violating of traffic rules and rash driving in federal capital.

18 Jan 2007
The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority is to grant ‘uplinking' permission to the television channel proposed to be launched by the Pakistan Herald Publications by the end of February, according to an order passed by the Sindh High Court on Thursday.

Media Miscellaneous

01 Jan 2007
The Pakistan Broadcasters Association has expressed concern over the reports that foreign channels will be granted permission to start their transmissions in the country.

21 Jan 2007
Roshni TV was taken off air because of its failure to pay a satellite company, Thaicom, rendering the channel workers unemployed. According to Waris Raza, director news, the channel owes Thaicom 65000 dollars. The channel has not paid its employees for the last six months. While the employees-of which only 40 are left out of a total of 150- have not been formally asked to leave channel they realize that staying on would be useless.

11 Jan 2007
19 Pakistani Journalists killed in 7 years (Report by Intermedia Pakistan)
Statistics compiled by Intermedia, a Pakistani media development NGO, from published reports show that of the 19 journalists killed during the seven years, five died in the restive tribal areas adjacent to Afghanistan.

11 Jan 2007
South Asia Free Media Association (SAFMA) has sought legislators’ support to get seven media related ordinances amended. In a letter addressed to all the parliamentary leaders, association said it had prepared drafts proposing clause-by-clause amendments to these ordinances which in the present form violated press freedom in the country.

15 Jan 2007
Pemra decided to issue 13 more licenses to establish FM station in fourth phase. Process will start from 18 January. These news licenses will be issued for big cities including Azad Jammu Kashmir.

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