Media in November 2007

November 3 will go down as another dark day in Pakistan's constitutional, political and media history. Emergency was imposed only to target two institutions: the judiciary and the media. Attack on Media Intimidation In what is a virtual martial law, President Pervez Musharraf, acting as army chief, on Saturday imposed a state of emergency, suspended the Constitution. He said that some programmes on some news channels also contributed to uncertainty through negativism, even though it was he and his government that had allowed the media to expand in Pakistan. It is saddening to see that after the kind of press freedom Musharraf gave to the media, he has now blocked all the major news channels. But then what else did we expect from a military chief? 

In month, 2 journalists Abdur Rehman, Daily Khabrain and Zubair Ahmed Mujahid, the Jang were murdered. Abdur Rehman Daily Khabrain correspondent from Farooqabad district Sheikhupura was killed by his opponents. Zubair Ahmed Mujahid, a senior journalist and correspondent for a leading Urdu daily the Jang, was shot dead by unknown assailants in Satellite Town MirpurKhas Sindh.

In 14 cases of Abduction/Arrests hundred of media men faced severe agony. In Lahore, 14 journalists were viciously detained when they were holding a meeting in Garden Town by the Model Town Division Police. Lahore city police picked up eminent journalist and South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA) Secretary General Imtiaz Alam, according to sources, Alam has been arrested and taken to an undisclosed place. Ten journalists and photographers were detained by paramilitary forces in Quetta for giving coverage to shutter down in Quetta against emergency. Senior photographer of the Nation Nazeeruddin Siddique was picked up, while he was performing his duties outside Karachi Press club. Despite hectic efforts, police officials did not acknowledged the detention of senior photographer. Police also arrested journalists Shariq, Asghar Shah, Fazal ur Rehman and Mohsin Hassan. In Lahore, “Chief Reporter the Post was taken into police custody when he rushed towards the canteen to get water for rinsing away the effect of the tear gas. Police laid a four-hour siege to the Karachi Press Club, and arrested nine people, including five journalists, who were protesting against the government attempt to prevent the publication of a supplement by the Awam newspaper. The journalists of Larkana, Ratodero, Kamber-Shahdadkot, Dadu, Mehar, Nasir Abad, Shikarpur, Jacobabd and other areas expressed concern over the arrests of their collegues. The police entered the press clubs of these cities to monitor the activities of political workers and journalists there. Several journalists were detained in Kamber Shahdadkot and Ratodero towns, said the sources. In Karachi, two journalists were arrested and shifted to an unidentified location while others staged noisy protests against the recent curbs on the media and the arrest of fellow journalists. ARY One World bureau chief Abdul Sattar Kakar, and Jamal Tharkai, journalist of ‘Awam’, a Quetta-based Urdu newspaper, were detained by the Frontier Corps (FC) in Quetta. Security agencies personnel allegedly kidnapped editor “Tulou” Lahore-Islamabad Shoib Bhutta from his Islamabad office. He was pushed to car bearing registration no RIL 4411 and took him to unidentified location. Five Geo TV journalists were arrested for protesting in Quetta. In Karachi, Police brutally baton-charged and arrested over 200 journalists protesting against curbs imposed on the media under the emergency rule. Police charged rally of journalists to prevent them from reaching the Governor House. The brute use of force by the police led to the arrest of 200 journalists, including women, many of whom courted arrest outside the Karachi Press Club (KPC). The journalists in Hyderabad took out a protest rally against media curbs and shutting down of Geo and ARY television networks while the police detained 22 journalists. Police baton-charged and tear-gassed journalists protesting against emergency rule and curbs on the media at the press club Faisalabad. Sixteen media personnel were arrested in Faisalabad. Police arrested up to 25 in Quetta: Journalists got together to register their protests. Those who were arrested include the office bearers of the Balochistan Union of Journalists (BUJ) Vice President, Naseer Naz, its General Secretary, Abdul Khaliq, President Quetta Press Club (QPC), Shahzada Zulfiqar, News Editor of daily Jang Quetta, Akhtar Mirza, Bureau Chief of GEO TV and The News, Muhammad Ejaz Khan, its Reporter, Salman Ashraf, GEO's Hub representative Mushtaq Kamboh, Muhammad Kazim, Bureau Chief Online, Irfan Saeed, Reporters of daily Jang Quetta, Aminullah Fitrat and Naseem Hameed, others. 

In 9 cases of Assault/ Injured, journalists faced brutal victimization. Senior photographer of the Nation Nazeeruddin Siddique was trashed by police prior to picking him. Police baton charged journalists outside Karachi press club. The police in Rawalpindi baton charged journalists who were performing their professional duties in district courts Rawalpindi. Muhammad Javed, a press photographer, had broken his two fingers during the baton-charge. The police first seized his camera and then returned it after taking out its memory card. In Laquat Bagh Rawalpindi, Police baton-charged and brutally tortured PPP workers and misbehaved with the media persons. The Punjab police did not spare even female reporters from the local and international media. Saddar Circle ASP Farhan Zahid and Margalla police station SHO Naeem Iqbal were seen abusing the protestors and media personnel. Media persons were holding megaphones and shouting to prove their identity but the police turned a deaf ear to them. During the scuffle, the female correspondents burst into tears. Police had a brief scuffle with journalists in attempt to arrest the NWFP Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leadership from outside the Peshawar Press Club (PPC). The journalists pushed the police outside the press club after the scuffle. Police baton charged against Journalists demo in Sukkur, 20 journalists were arrested. Police baton-charged and tear-gassed journalists protesting against emergency rule and curbs on the media at the press club Faisalabad. Police cordoned off the area when the protesting journalists started gathering at the press club. Police entered the club, used batons and fired teargas shells to stop journalists from taking out a procession. Around a dozen journalists, including a woman, were injured in the police action. A TV journalist, who recorded the police brutality on his video camera, was severely beaten and dragged on the road by police. In Karachi, a journalist Khurram belonging to a local TV channel was kidnapped by four armed law enforcers riding a car with tinted glasses. The personnel, after subjecting him to severe torture, dumped him near the National Stadium. Police baton-charged and pelted stones to disperse angry lawyers of the Lahore Bar Association (LBA), as a result a photographer was injured. 

           During the month, 24 cases of intimidation were reported in national print media. President Pervez Musharraf, acting as army chief, imposed a state of emergency throughout Pakistan, suspended the Constitution and replaced superior. He said that some programmes on some news channels also contributed to uncertainty through negativism, even though it was he and his government that had allowed the media to expand in Pakistan.  The government issued tough new changes in the media policy stopping the media from criticizing the head of the state, military or judiciary or showing bodies of the suicide bombers or their victims. Freedom of speech, press, movement, assembly and association have been withdrawn with the suspension of Articles 9, 10, 15, 16, 17, 19, and 25 of the Constitution following the imposition of emergency under the provisional constitutional order (PCO). Govt issued new ordinance to amend press ordinance. The government has ordered the law enforcing agencies to arrest, even, media persons under 'Emergency Rule' while performing their duties if found in groups of more than four, an on-duty officer of the district administration told during the crackdown against anti-government elements. MQM leader Altaf Hussain alleged that some Anchorpersons hate MQM. In another bid to curb media, the government decided to monitor 21 national Urdu and English language newspapers to ensure implementation of the newly promulgated Press, Newspapers, News Agencies, and Books Registration (Amendment) Ordinance, 2007. “Special officers have been asked to scan news, editorials, and readers’ letters containing material against President Musharraf and the armed forces,” an Information Ministry official told. He said provincial information departments were also directed to monitor the newspapers. Thirteen Urdu and eight English newspapers had been listed by the Press Information Department (PID) to monitor. Police arrived at the Jang printing press and tried to stop the printing and distribution of a special supplement of the group’s evening paper, ‘Awam’, on the current emergency situation. Jang Editor Mehmood Sham said some Sindh Information Department officers asked press workers to stop the printing of the supplement. Five media persons, arrested were brought from the Darakshan police station to the Judicial Magistrate (South) Zeeshan Akhter. However, the matter was not taken up owing to the non-appearance of lawyers as they were boycotting court proceedings. According to the details, five media persons - Fazal-ur-Rehman, Syed Shariq Husain, Syed Asghar Ali Shah, Mohsin and Nazeeruddin - were arrested by the law-enforcement agencies outside Karachi Press Club (KPC) while they were covering demonstration staged by civil society organizations. The FIRs lodged at the Frere Police Station on behalf of the state, which are two in number, nominated 70 unknown journalists whereas those known were ten in number - which were arrested and shown as ‘hardened dacoits.’ Interior Ministry spokesman Javed Iqbal Cheema said that the government will soon issue a special code of conduct for the media, “The Information Ministry is busy finalising a code of conduct for the media in consultation with the stakeholders, and it will be issued shortly.” Media owners and journalist organisations throughout the country condemned amendments to the press laws, threats to Chief Executive Jang Group Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman and the unprecedented situation media houses are facing. Federal Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed lost his cool and threatened and shouted at senior correspondent of 'The News', Rauf Klasra, when both of them met to record a programme at Geo TV studios in Islamabad. The minister made wild accusations against the correspondent in the presence of the entire Geo technical and editorial staff. City Nazim, Syed Mustafa Kamal, lashed out at the print and electronic media and said there was no need to watch foreign TV channels and that local channels were destabilizing the nation. The Adviser to Sindh Chief Minister on Information, Hamid Hussain Abidi accused media for sensationalism. The journalists’ community boycotted the function of PM Shukat Aziz due to humiliated behavior of his security staff with them. The NWFP Directorate of Information has directed certain newspapers through a letter “not to publish slanderous material against the government departments.” “It has been observed that slanderous material is being published against government departments/officials without confirmation from the concerned authority, which not only defames the said department/official but the newspaper, also loses its credibility.” The Association of Court Reporters condemned the harassment of a senior court reporter and threats of arrest to others issued by a senior police officer here. In its meeting, the union heard the ordeal of a reporter who was taken into custody after being identified by an intelligence sleuth roaming around the Sindh High Court. The government allowed Aaj TV and Dawn News to go on air, with certain conditions. However, sources said Aaj TV was allowed back on the condition that two of its talk shows - “Live With Talat” and “Bolta Pakistan” - would not be run.  Geo News, Pakistan’s premier Urdu news channel, was shut down at 1 a.m. Pakistan time (12 midnight Dubai time) after President Pervez Musharraf put tremendous pressure to silence a media outlet which had refused to bow down to his dictates. Sources said President  Musharraf himself intervened to stop all Geo News transmissions from Dubai, after a two-week standoff in Pakistan during which all major news channels were shut down by cable operators, who are directly controlled by the Pakistani authorities. The widow of tribal journalist Hayatullah Khan was killed in a bomb blast at her home in North Waziristan. City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal at a press conference said that the electronic channels should limit their programmes while they are on air and should telecast pogrammes that do not cause depression among the citizens. Journalists demanded transfer of the DPO of Tando Muhammad Khan and suspension of the SHO of Tando Ghulam Hyder police station accusing them of being involved in the kidnapping of journalists, Haji Khan Lashari and Amar Singh Rathore. Lahore police raided at the house of a prominent journalist and anchorperson, Syed Farhat Abbas Shah, without any justification. According to Farhat, local police clad in plainclothes raided his house and abused and threatened his family. 

 	In 2 incidents of attack on media property, staff of Pemra “silenced” FM Radio Power 99 by taking away its vital equipments. Tariq Siyal who works as reporter told that around 6:30 a Pemra team along with security officials visited FM radio station office in G-11 and took away some key equipment. A Pemra team supported by the area police raided office of FM 103 and seized the equipment forcing us to go off air,” Zulfiqar Ali Shah, Country Manager of FM-103 told media. 

In November, media faced ruthless restrictions. In 25 cases of Restrictions/Ban/Censor, The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) pulled all national and international private news channels off the air except the state-run Pakistan Television (PTV) in Pakistan at 6pm on Saturday November 3. The government blocked transmissions in major cities and telephone services in Islamabad were cut. An official from Peshawar PEMRA office, seeking anonymity, told that they had received a notification from the Islamabad office saying that President General Pervez Musharraf had ordered that all national and international private channels’ transmission be stopped till the next presidential notification. The websites of two major news channels were also partly inaccessible. Most private Pakistan news channels were taken off the air following the imposition of emergency rule by President Pervez Musharraf. Govt blocked the transmission in Balochistan after imposition of emergency.  “Peshawar is the last city where PEMRA stopped the transmission after Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi,” M Tanvir, a technician at the Five-Star Cable Network said. With the imposition of emergency in the country, newspapers were barred from printing material aimed at ridiculing and defaming the head of state, members of Armed Forces or executive, judicial or legislative organs of the state and the declaration of the newspaper or any other publication could be suspended up to 30 days for violating the ordinance.  Police sealed the district court premises and local press club Jaranwala. Law enforcement personnel banned the media from the Sindh High Court for the first time in history. Authorities did not allow media persons and lawyers community to enter the Supreme Court building on second day of emergency and journalists were barred from covering the proceedings of apex court. Despite the assurances from Attorney General that media would not be allowed to cover the proceedings of apex court, any media person nor from lawyers was community allowed to enter SC. In Islamabad, forces disallowed coverage of US envoy’s meeting with election commissioner. Law enforcement agencies have banned the sale and purchase of dish antennas in twin-cities after a sudden and unexpected blackout of the news channels and curbs on media following the imposition of emergency. Pemra spokesman has said that the govt has ordered cable operator to block transmission and Pemra has no concern with it.  Although the state of emergency in Pakistan does not cover Azad Kashmir, cable operators in the region were directed to suspend transmission of all national and international news channels, except the PTV and Indian channels. An official source told that the cable operators had been asked to stick to Pemra guidelines. Police forcefully stopped journalists from entering the campus of the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), manhandling and torturing those who attempted to cross the varsity’s entrance gate to perform their duty. Police launched a crackdown on satellite dish vendors on Hall Road Lahore, according to several owners and managers of electronics stores. In Karachi, Electronics dealers selling satellite dishes and decoders appeared to be the latest targets of administrative action as police forced traders in Saddar to shut down their businesses after sales of satellite dishes shot up following the government’s ban on private news channels. CNN and BBC transmissions were obstructed countrywide once again. Islamabad CNN sources said that the US TV CNN and the British TV BBC transmissions in Pakistan had been blocked in Pakistan few hours before the rally of the Pakistan People’s Party Chairperson, Benazir Bhutto. Police had been conducting raids on electronic markets in Rawalpindi and Karachi and asking dish antenna shop owners not to open their outlets, according to traders and eyewitnesses. The Sindh government imposed a ban on the entry of journalists into the secretariat after office hours and asked all the departments located in the new and old secretariat buildings not to entertain any journalists after the office timings. Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) has lifted the ban on TV channels that have signed its newly formulated Code of Conduct (CoC). However, the government decided to continue the ban on those channels that has not signed the CoC so far. The government tightened restriction on import of satellite television equipment. Now satellite dishes, decoders, recording and reception equipment could be imported only with the permission of the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority. A notification issued by the commerce ministry said the import policy order, 2007, had been amended to the effect that the import of satellite television equipment would require a ‘no-objection certificate’ from Pemra. The Geo television network said that it had been ordered to shut down its news channel. The channel beams its signals from Dubai. Later on night, a spokesman for the ARY network called Dawn’s Karachi and Lahore offices, saying that the group had been told to shut down its news channel. The management of Geo TV has installed a big screen at its Islamabad Office to show Geo News, which was available only on web. But the ‘enlightened’ rulers could not tolerate even news bulletins being shown on the screen and forced it to shut down. Taking belligerent notice, the government imposed a ban on all the colleges and universities regarding open debate on the media curbs, suspension of judges and imposition of emergency in the country. 

Monthly Statistics of Abuses against Media in Pakistan	
 Nov 2007	
Area of Incidents	Killing 	Abducted/	Assault/ Injured 	Intimidation 	Attack on media property 	Restrictions/	Total 	
		Arrests 				Ban /Censor 		
Islamabad	0	1	0	12	2	14	29	
Punjab	1	4	5	1	0	4	15	
Sindh	1	5	3	9	0	4	22	
NWFP	0	0	1	2	0	1	4	
Balochistan	0	4	0	0	0	1	5	
Tribal Areas	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	
North Areas	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	
AJ&K	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	
 (Category wise total	2	14	9	24	2	25	76	

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

November 01 

•	Police raid journalist’s house:

The Lahore police raided at the house of a prominent journalist and anchorperson, Syed Farhat Abbas Shah, without any justification. According to Farhat, local police clad in plainclothes raided his house and abused and threatened his family. 

November 04

•	Curbs on Media: 

No material:
•	That may aid terrorist activities
•	That jeopardises integrity of Pakistan 
•	That defames the administration 
•	That is deemed vulgar or obscene 
•	That promotes ethnicism 
•	That defames army
•	No broadcast of video footage of militants
•	No programmes that incite violence 
•	No live coverage of incidents of violence

•	Media ‘promoting negativism’: 

Attack on Media Intimidation In what is a virtual martial law, President Pervez Musharraf, acting as army chief, on Saturday imposed a state of emergency throughout Pakistan, suspended the Constitution and replaced superior courts in a move that could put the country’s political future into disarray. He said that some programmes on some news channels also contributed to uncertainty through negativism, even though it was he and his government that had allowed the media to expand in Pakistan. 
             
•	Private TV news channels blacked out: 

President General Pervez Musharraf on Saturday promulgated two separate ordinances to impose curbs on print and electronic media. Under the ordinances which amend the Press, Newspapers, News Agencies and Books Registration Ordinance, 2002, and the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority, 2002, the print and electronic media have been barred from printing and broadcasting “anything which defames or brings into ridicule the head of state, or members of the armed forces, or executive, legislative or judicial organ of the state”. Non-compliance of the new curbs is subject to discontinuation of newspaper publication for up to 30 days, and in case of television channels up to three years of jail and Rs10 million fine or both will be imposed on the broadcast media licensee or its representative and their equipment and premises will be forfeited. The restrictions were announced hours after several leading national and foreign news channels had been taken off air by cable operators. A new section 5A has been inserted in the Press, Newspapers, News Agencies and Books Registration Ordinance to restrict publication of certain material. “No printer, publisher or editor shall print or publish” any material that consist of photographs of suicide bombers, terrorists (except required by the law-enforcement agencies for the purpose of investigation), bodies of victims of terrorist activities, statements and pronouncements of militants and extremist elements and any other thing, which may, in any way, promote aid or abet terrorist activities or terrorism, or their graphic and printed representation based on sectarianism and ethnicity or racialism. 

•	Media, judiciary come under assault:

Media organizations and members of the legal fraternity spearheading the pro-judiciary movement bore the first assault of the establishment empowered by the proclamation of emergency issued by the chief of the army staff on Saturday evening. As anti-government lawyers, anticipating a police crackdown, betook themselves to safety, officials of the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) ensured that television news channels remained off air and confiscated the equipment of a local FM radio station known for broadcasting independent news bulletins. “A Pemra team supported by the area police raided our office and seized the equipment forcing us to go off air,” Zulfiqar Ali Shah, Country Manager of FM-103, told Dawn. “Our stations in other parts of the country have been operating as usual but we are not able to understand the action against the Karachi station.” The channel has already approached the Sindh High Court for the past actions of the regulatory body, which asked for the suspension of independent news bulletins. The matter is still in the SHC, which allowed the broadcast of the bulletins till the final decision. 

•	FM 99 equipment confiscated:
 
Staff of Pemra on Saturday “silenced” FM Radio Power 99 by taking away its vital equipments. Tariq Siyal who works as reporter told that around 6:30 a Pemra team along with security officials visited FM radio station office in G-11 and took away some key equipment. They without showing in writing and told they had verbal orders from authorities to take action. 
             
•	Action against FM 103:
 
As anti-government lawyers, anticipating a police crackdown, betook themselves to safety, officials of the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) ensured that television news channels remained off air and confiscated the equipment of a local FM radio station known for broadcasting independent news bulletins. “A Pemra team supported by the area police raided our office and seized the equipment forcing us to go off air,” Zulfiqar Ali Shah, Country Manager of FM-103, told Dawn. “Our stations in other parts of the country have been operating as usual but we are not able to understand the action against the Karachi station.” The channel has already approached the Sindh High Court for the past actions of the regulatory body, which asked for the suspension of independent news bulletins. The matter is still in the SHC, which allowed the broadcast of the bulletins till the final decision. 

•	PEMRA blocks private TV transmissions, Police raid Aaj TV offices in Islamabad:
 
The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) pulled all national and international private news channels off the air except the state-run Pakistan Television (PTV) in the NWFP at 6pm on Saturday. The government also blocked transmissions in major cities and telephone services in Islamabad were cut, AP reported. An official from Peshawar PEMRA office, seeking anonymity, told Daily Times that they had received a notification from the Islamabad office saying that President General Pervez Musharraf had ordered that all national and international private channels’ transmission be stopped till the next presidential notification. “Peshawar is the last city where PEMRA stopped the transmission after Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi,” M Tanvir, a technician at the Five-Star Cable Network said. In Karachi, the transmission of private TV channels was blocked at around 5pm on Saturday. The websites of two major news channels were also partly inaccessible. Aaj TV offices raided: Police raided the offices of the private Aaj television channel in Islamabad early on Sunday morning and attempted to confiscate broadcasting equipment, AFP quoted a senior producer as saying. “Police have entered our office and a judicial officer is trying to confiscate our equipement,” Aaj TV News Director Tatal Hussain said. “They have no legal paperwork with them,” he said. Hussain said police wanted to impound a van that is used to broadcast live coverage. A six-member PEMRA team led by Hussain Ahmad Channa also broke into the office of a local radio station located on Shahrah-e-Faisal and forcibly confiscated the transmitter at around 5.30pm. 
             
•	News channels taken off air:

All private TV channels service blocked
Most private Pakistan news channels were taken off the air on Saturday following the imposition of emergency rule by President Pervez Musharraf. The plug was pulled as leading opposition figure Imran Khan appealed to Pakistanis to come out on the streets to protest General Musharraf's action.

•	Freedoms of speech, press and movement suspended:
 
Freedom of speech, press, movement, assembly and association have been withdrawn with the suspension of Articles 9, 10, 15, 16, 17, 19, and 25 of the Constitution following the imposition of emergency under the provisional constitutional order (PCO). The state of emergency also allows the state to deprive a citizen of his property and compulsorily take possession of, for a public purpose, any property by compensation or fixing the amount of compensation. With the suspension of Article 9, a person can be deprived of life or liberty and the suspension of Article 10 withdraws the right of any detained person to be informed of any crimes he is accused of and the right to consult and be defended by a legal practitioner of his choice. The freedom of movement, as provided under Article 15, has also been withdrawn. No person has the right to remain in, and, subject to any reasonable restriction imposed by law in the public interest, enter and move freely through Pakistan and to reside and settle in any part of the country. The suspension of Article 16 deprives citizens of their right to assemble peacefully and with the suspension of Article 17 no citizen will have the right to form associations or unions or political parties. Freedom of speech has also been withdrawn with the suspension of Article 19, which provides every citizen with freedom of speech and expression and freedom of the press. With the suspension of Article 25, the right of all Pakistanis to be equal citizens under the law with equal protection of law has been withdrawn. 

•	Tough new media policy introduced:
 
The government issued tough new changes in the media policy on Saturday stopping the media from criticizing the head of the state, military or judiciary or showing bodies of the suicide bombers or their victims. In separate ordinances issued aftrer the imposition of the emergency, government issued guidelines for anchor persons and hosts of television channels. Anyone who is issued a broadcast media license or a landing rights permission under this Ordinance shall not enter into an agreement with any foreign broadcaster to sell its air time or otherwise provide its air time to another foreign broadcaster without prior written permission of the Authority. The ordinance says, that private channels would not be able to broadcast video footage of suicide bombers, terrorists, bodies of victims of terrorism, statements and pronouncements of militants and extremist elements and any other act which may, in any way, promote, aid or abet terrorists activities or terrorism. Likewise, no anchor person, moderator or host propagates any opinion or acts in any manner prejudicial to the ideology of Pakistan or sovereignty, integrity or security of Pakistan. Under the new powers to PEMRA, channels would not broadcast any programme inciting violence or hatred or any action prejudicial to maintenance of law and order. Likewise, channels would not be allowed to broadcast anything which defames or brings into ridicule the Head of State, or members of the armed forces, or executive, legislative or judicial organs of the state. Channels would not be allowed to broadcast any program or discussion on a matter which is sub-judice in a court of law. 

•	Text of press ordinance:
 
Following is the ordinance to amend the press, newspapers, news agencies and books registration ordinance, 2002: “Where it is expedient to amend the Press, Newspapers, News Agencies and Books Registration Ordinance, 2002 (XCIII of 2002), for the purposes hereinafter appearing; And whereas the National Assembly is not in session and the circumstances exist which render it necessary to take immediate action; Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by clause (I) of article 89 of the constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the President is pleased to make and promulgate the following ordinance; Short title and commencement: (1) this ordinance may be called the Press, Newspapers, News Agencies and Books Registration (Amendment) Ordinance, 2007. It shall come in to force at once. General amendment, Ordinance XCVIII of 2002, in the press, Newspaper, News Agencies and Books Registration Ordinance, 2002 (XCVIII of 2002), hereinafter referred to as the said ordinance, after the word “District Coordination officer” wherever occurring, the words and commas “or, where the District government has not come into being, the Deputy Commissioner” shall be inserted. Insertion of new section 5A, ordinance XCVIII of 2002, in the said ordinance, after section 5, the following new section shall be inserted, namely: 

•	Restrictions on media:
 
With the imposition of emergency in the country, newspapers were barred from printing material aimed at ridiculing and defaming the head of state, members of Armed Forces or executive, judicial or legislative organs of the state and the declaration of the newspaper or any other publication could be suspended up to 30 days for violating the ordinance. According to the amendments instituted in the Press, Newspapers, News Agencies and Books Registration Ordinance, the newspapers and other printing houses could not print photographs of suicide bombers, terrorists (except required by law enforcement agencies for investigation purpose), bodies of victims of terrorist activities, statements and pronouncements of militants and extremist elements and any other thing which could promote, aid or abet terrorist activities in the state. The material against the ideology of the state or harming the sovereignty, integrity or security of Pakistan could not be published as well. Similarly, the material and photographs that could likely incite violence or hatred or create inter-faith disorder could not be published.   

•	Khabrain reporter killed in Farooqabad:

Abdur Rehman Daily Khabrain correspondent from Farooqabad district Sheikhupura was killed by his opponents. Slain journalist was sitting in his pharmacy in Melad chock when his rivals opened fired at him. Journalist had family dispute with enemies. Police has registered case and set up investigation team to arrest culprits. 

November 05

•	70 rights activists, 14 journalists arrested:

NO less than 70 leaders, activists and members of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan and 14 journalists were viciously detained when they were holding a meeting at its office in Garden Town by the Model Town Division Police on the pretext of anti-government propaganda on Sunday. 

•	Govt may swoop on media persons too:

The government has ordered the law enforcing agencies to arrest, even, media persons under 'Emergency Rule' while performing their duties if found in groups of more than four, an on-duty officer of the district administration told this correspondent Sunday during the crackdown against anti-government elements. 

"We don't want to arrest the media persons despite the strict and clear cut orders from the government to execute Emergency Rules," the officer said. Crackdown against journalists is under consideration of concerned authorities and can be launched before the countrywide protest plan by the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists, reliable sources said, adding, however, dozens of media persons have been marked for detention.

•	MQM chief criticizes media, judiciary:

Some Anchorpersons hate MQM
Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain has said that the media, the Supreme Court and other courts demonstrated a feudal mentality as they never took notice of or raised their voice against illegal actions of a group of lawyers and politicians. 

•	Govt media reps meet today:

According to the official sources, the government has chalked out a strategy to tackle the media during the state of emergency and the new media restrictions would be furnished during a meeting with the All Pakistan Broadcasting Association, All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) and Council of Newspaper Editors (CPNE), starting from today. With the proclamation of the state of emergency in the country on Saturday and resultant suspension of the cable service of all private news TV channels, the blackout is going to continue for an indefinite period, until broadcasting house owners compromise with the enforced amended law. The sources were of the view that the private media blackout would continue till the owners agree with the new rules and regulations. The Pemra has been given clear direction to be vigilant on media, the sources added. 

November 06

•	SAFMA secy gen picked up:

Following the ongoing clampdown against civil society and political workers in the country for resisting the recently imposed emergency, city police also picked up eminent journalist and South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA) Secretary General Imtiaz Alam noon. Alam, who is also current affairs editor of The News, was going to his office when policemen picked him along with his driver, according to SAFMA sources. The driver was released later According to sources, Alam has been arrested and taken to an undisclosed place. No police official was ready to confirm the report or disclose Alam’s whereabouts. 

•	Paramilitary forces detain 10 journalists, photographers:

Over ten journalists and photographers were detained by paramilitary forces in Quetta for giving coverage to shutter down in Quetta against PCO. The forces detained them in trucks for hours after snatching their cameras, notebooks, and mobile phones. The attitude of paramilitary troops was derogatory with detained newsmen. 

•	The Nation photographer ‘snapped’ from scene:

Senior photographer of the Nation Nazeeruddin Siddique was trashed by police prior to picking him up, while he was performing his duties outside Karachi Press club. Till filing of this report, neither the government nor the police officials were ready to divulge any detail about the whereabouts of Nazeeruddin. Despite hectic efforts, police officials did not acknowledged the detention of senior photographer. Police also arrested journalists Shariq, Asghar Shah, Fazal ur Rehman and Mohsin Hassan.
            
•	Assault: