No fair polls if media stays gagged, says Negroponte
ISLAMABAD: US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte on Sunday lent support to worldwide protests against the ban on Geo and ARY television channels by stressing that free and fair elections could not be held with a gagged media.
“We do not think that these kinds of measures (banning TV channels) are conducive to fair and free elections. We urge Musharraf that these actions be stopped and such steps be taken that ensure the forthcoming elections to be fair and free,” he told a media briefing at the US Embassy before flying off to Washington.
He urged President Pervez Musharraf to lift the emergency, release political prisoners and restore media freedom as such steps were not compatible with holding of free and fair elections.
After his high-level talks in Islamabad, the top US diplomat was said to have delivered a tough message to the Pakistani government. Many US media outlets said the message was clear and blunt.
According to the Associated Press, “despite a blunt call from Washington’s number two diplomat that emergency rule must be lifted and political opponents freed ahead of elections, there was no immediate sign that President Gen Pervez Musharraf would heed the advice.”
The AP report said the envoy’s visit was seen as a last best chance to ease the latest political turmoil in Pakistan. An AFP report said the number two US diplomat pressed President Pervez Musharraf to scrap emergency rule and resume talks with the opposition, in a hardening of Washington’s rhetoric on the crisis.
According to the Western media, Pakistan dismissed a call to restore the Constitution and free thousands of political opponents, saying that Negroponte brought no new proposals and received no assurances in return.
“This is nothing new,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammed Sadiq told AP, referring to Negroponte’s blunt warning that Musharraf must end emergency rule as soon as possible. “The US has been saying this for many days. He has said that same thing. He has reiterated it.”
Reacting to the undemocratic steps taken by the Musharraf regime in the wake of the imposition of emergency, Negroponte commented: “Unfortunately, the recent police actions against protesters, suppression of the media and the arrests of political and human rights leaders run directly counter to the reforms that have been undertaken in recent years. Their continuation undermines the progress Pakistan has made.”
He said he had urged the government to stop such actions, lift the state of emergency and release all political detainees. “Emergency rule is not compatible with free, fair, and credible elections, which require the active participation of political parties, civil society and the media. The people of Pakistan deserve an opportunity to choose their leaders free from the restrictions that exist under a state of emergency,” he said.
In his opening remarks, Negroponte said he had held meetings with President Pervez Musharraf and other senior Pakistani government officials, including National Security Advisor Tariq Aziz, Vice Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani, former Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri, and Inter-Services Intelligence chief General Nadeem Taj.
He also spoke on phone with Pakistan People’s Party leader Benazir Bhutto. However, when quizzed he said that his had been a short stay in Pakistan and he could not categorize his meeting with Musharraf, who had refused to bow down and agree to immediately lift emergency, as ‘success’ or ‘failure’.
“The talks yesterday were an opportunity to convey to Musharraf our concern. In diplomacy we don’t get instant replies. I am sure that the president is seriously considering the exchange we have had,” he said.
Overall, Negroponte did not drift away from the stated US position as far as support to Musharraf was concerned and more supportive than the different voices of ‘dump Musharraf’ which one heard loud and clear this week from Washington.
“Under his leadership, Pakistan has made great progress toward that vision. Over the past few years, the Pakistani people have witnessed expanded and freer media, unprecedented economic growth and development, and the moderation of gender-based laws and school curricula. President Musharraf has been and continues to be a strong voice against extremism. We value our partnership with the Government of Pakistan under the leadership of President Musharraf,” said the US envoy.
The envoy skirted around a direct question asking what he thought about Musharraf’s action of removing the chief justice and other judges by simply saying: “We have asked the government to stop suspension of media, stop the arrest of political and human rights leaders because this undermines the progress made.”
He also refused to give a straight reply when asked if he had told Musharraf of a cutback in the US economic and military aid if emergency was not lifted. “Our discussions were in the context of two friendly governments that share a common interest and face common challenges.
As a friend and as a country that helps Pakistan, I spoke to the president about the kind of steps that need to be taken. Musharraf said that he intends to take these steps of holding elections and removing his uniform. Some other issues also need to be undertaken.
We urge Musharraf to consider as rapidly and as quickly as possible,” he added. “If these steps are not taken it will undermine the government’s ability to conduct satisfactory elections.”
He said Musharraf had reiterated his commitment to hang up his Army uniform before taking the oath of the presidential office for a second term as a civilian, but the envoy did not speak of any dates.
The US strategy for Benazir Bhutto and Musharraf to work together in the future is still relevant despite tensions between the two rivals with the envoy calling for a compromise. He said: “Political moderation is the best way forward for Pakistan and reconciliation by moderate political forces is very desirable for successful elections. Polarization will affect the political process and put it off track. It would help improve the political environment and pull the political actors back from the atmosphere of brinkmanship and confrontation. If steps were taken by both sides to move back towards the kind of reconciliation discussions they had been having previously, we think that could be very positive.”
About Musharraf’s role in the fight against terrorism, Negroponte said that the US shared Pakistan’s concern against violence and extremism in the border areas and in Afghanistan. “This is a matter of high priority for both countries and we expect the cooperation to continue. I have no doubt about the commitment of the government and the military. I talked in more detail with Gen Kayani. We have a number of programmes to assist the government,” he said.
He said that he did not want to go into details over the operation in Swat but added: “The situation in Swat is a reminder of the fact that there are issues to deal with regarding violent extremists in this country.”
Deposed CJ says shutting down Geo is violation of Constitution
ISLAMABAD: The deposed Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has said that the closing down of Geo News and ARY TV channels is a violation of Article 19 of the Constitution which, he insists, is still in place but is being violated.
Talking to The News here late on Saturday night, Justice Iftikhar said that the Constitution not only protected the freedom of the press but also guarded the right of the people to know. He lamented that both the Dubai-based Pakistani international television channels had been shut down, thus depriving the people both within Pakistan and outside to know all that was happening in the country and outside.
“In the presence of a strong judiciary, no such curbs on the media are possible,” Justice Iftikhar said and hoped that the things would improve and both the television channels would soon be back in action.
“The private television channels, particularly Geo, was doing such a wonderful job but I don’t know why they have been forced to go off air,” Justice Iftikhar said. Justice Iftikhar sounded confident like always and did not give even a slight hint of desperation. When asked if he has any regrets or worries, the deposed Chief Justice asked this correspondent why should he be worried or have regrets when he did not do anything wrong and had always struggled for the rule of law and for the rights of the people.
He was confident that the country would again see the rule of law and vowed that his fight for the constitutional rule would continue till his last breath. Referring to the latest media curbs and the threats to media persons, Justice Iftikhar asked this correspondent with a lot of concern, “Are you fine?”, and added that media had an important role to play to uphold the rule of law and the Constitution in the country.
He reiterated that the post-Nov 3 set-up did not have any validity in the eyes of law and the Constitution. He pointed out that the caretaker Prime Minister Muhammadmian Soomro had taken the oath of his new office under the Constitution and not under the Provisional Constitution Order, a fact that proved that the 1973 Constitution was still valid and so was the position of the superior judiciary as it was before Nov 3.
Barring few exceptions, Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry and others who had refused to take oath under the PCO, are still under house arrest but still determined and full of resolve. Justice Iftikhar said that the conditions of their house arrest remained unchanged and still neither the judges nor their families were allowed to go out or have visitors. Justice Iftikhar said that even his school going children were not attending their institutions and had also been house-arrested.
Geo closure: journalists up in arms
ISLAMABAD: Journalists throughout the country continued their protest Sunday against shutting down of Geo TV and ARY Digital as well as curbs on the media.
Hundreds of journalists, members of civil society, students, political workers and human rights activists gathered in Islamabad and chanted slogans against the ban on the TV channels. Addressing the protest rally the speakers condemned the government for asking the managements of the two channels to sack prominent and respected journalists.
Pakistani networks Geo TV and ARY Digital were ordered by the authorities to halt transmission from the United Arab Emirates after they refused to sign a Pakistani government-mandated "code of conduct."
Geo TV was ordered by the UAE Information Ministry in Dubai to cease satellite and Internet broadcasts by midnight local time on Friday, according to Geo TV officials. The other channel also received a similar order with no reason given for the shutdown.
The demonstrators wore black bands and held banners and placards inscribed with slogans for free media and against the ban on TV channels. They also condemned the kidnapping of Shoaib Bhutta, a local journnalist and accused the agencies of kidnapping him. The demonstrators also raised slogans against General Musharraf.
A large number of riot police were deployed near the demonstrators but they did not intervene. Geo TV and ARY Digital were the only networks that had not returned to cable distribution in Pakistan since the shutdown of all private broadcasters on November 3 after President Pervez Musharraf suspended the constitution and imposed emergency. The news channels, however, had remained accessible in Pakistan via Internet or satellite before Friday's blackout.
The networks had been told to sign the 14-page code of conduct by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority if they wanted to resume transmission. Geo TV and ARY Digital refused to sign. The agreement bypasses due process if stations violate government regulations.
Journalists condemned the murder of the widow of a slain tribal journalist who was killed in a bomb attack in the tribal region of North Waziristan on Saturday. Mehr-un-Nisa, the widow of Hayatullah Khan, was killed when a bomb planted at her house wall exploded.
The journalists set up protest camps outside press clubs in major cities and towns and also staged demonstrations. Lahore, meanwhile, witnessed people belonging to different walks of life coming to a protest camp set up in front of the Geo office to express their solidarity with the protesting journalists. They lit candles there, demanding immediate removal of ban on Geo transmission.
BAHAWALPUR: Journalists on Sunday staged a demonstration outside the Bahawalpur Press Club to protest closure of Geo and ARY channels' transmissions. They chanted slogans against the curbs on media, imposition of emergency and arrest of lawyers and journalists. The Bahawalpur Union of Journalists (BUJ) and Media Action Committee held a protest meeting at the press club. Speaking on the occasion, BUJ President Ameen Abbasi announced that journalists would also stage a protest demonstration today (Monday).
KASUR: Newsmen held a demonstration on Circular Road to protest the shutdown of Geo and ARY transmissions.
The demonstration was led by senior journalist M Saleemur Rahman. Addressing the demonstrators, Nawaz Karimi, Dr Zakir Hussain, Jamil Hussain, Fazal Hussain Bhutta, Malik Arif, Ishfaq Ahmad Bhatti and Dr Usman Ghani demanded of the government to restore the channels.
TOBA TEK SINGH: On the call of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists media persons demonstrated outside the press club on Sunday. They chanted slogans against the closure of Geo and ARY channels by President Gen Pervez Musharraf. Later, they held a protest meeting at the press club.
Speaking on the occasion, press club President Mian Manzoor Naz, General Secretary Tariq Saeed, Muttahidda Majlis-e-Amal district general secretary Mian Abdul Basit advocate, Pakistan People's Party leader Chaudhry Masood Ahmad Kahloon, former DBA president Mian Shahid Iqbal, Dr Saleem Ghazi, Haji Abdul Majeed Anwar, Mian Ehsanul Haq Burki and Kamalia press club president Rana Amjad asked the government to lift curbs on the print and electronic media. They also demanded lifting of emergency.
CHAKWAL: The Divisional Union of Journalists and Chakwal Press Club, in a joint meeting here on Sunday, condemned the shutdown of Geo and ARY transmissions.
The meeting was presided over by Chakwal Press club chairman Fahim Akhtar Butt. The meeting passed a resolution, demanding immediate restoration of the news channels.
Speaking on the occasion, Fakhir Mehmood Mirza, Tahir Farooqi, Nasir Qamar, Muhammad Khan Aqal and Zulfiqar Mir announced setting up of a hunger strike camp at the press club. They said the draconian law imposed during the emergency against the media was a clear negation of the constitution of the country. They said the blackout of TV channels had exposed the hollowness of the claims of 'unprecedented freedom' given to media.
SHEIKHUPURA: The press club in its meeting here on Sunday condemned the government restrictions on private TV channels.
The meeting was presided over by press club president Abdul Hammed Bhatti. It passed a resolution asking the international media to come forward to condemn curbs on media. The journalists agreed to set up a hunger strike camp in front of the local press club till the restoration of news channels.
Press club general secretary Safdar Shaheen, Sultan Hameed Rahi, Arshad Sheikh, Ghulam Ahmad, Imran Maqbool, Rana Ashraf, Rana Sarwar, Sheikh Jamil, Zhahid Mehmood, Malik Tariq Aziz, Sohail Ahad, Maqbool Ahmad, Azeem Yazdani, Amjad Nazir Butt and others attended the meeting.
OKARA: Journalists of the city will set up a hunger strike camp outside the press club today (Monday).
Local politicians and representatives of civil organisations will join the camp to express solidarity with journalists.
GOJRA: Journalists, lawyers and politicians have condemned the shutdown of Geo and ARY transmissions.
In their separate statements here on Sunday, Abid Chaudhry, Arshad Nasir, Muhammad Tayyab, Mian Iftikhar Umair, Malik Nazir, Syed Mohsin Raza, Rana Imtiaz, Iqbal Khan, Khursheed Athar, Dr Ijaz, Shaheen Chaudhry advocate, Ghulam Muhammad Lala, former MNA M Hamza and Muhammad Ishaq demanded immediate restoration of TV channels.
PHOOLNAGAR: Journalists on Sunday staged a rally against the closure of Geo and ARY transmissions.
Press club president Ch Zafar Iqbal led the rally. The protesting journalists wore black armbands and chanted slogans against President Gen Pervez Musharraf.
MIRPUR (AJK): Journalists affiliated with national print and electric media here on Sunday staged protest demonstration against the imposition of restrictions on the electronic media in Pakistan including shutting down of Geo and ARY TV channels by the government.
Senior journalists including the press club President Amin Butt, Sayed Abid Hussain Shah, Asjad Shah, Sohrab Ahmed Khan and other office bearers of the press club led the rally arranged by the Kashmir Press Club, Mirpur.
The journalists passed through the city streets raising slogans against sanctions imposed on the electronic media, imposition of emergency and provisional constitutional ordinance (PCO), confinement of the chief justice and other judges of the Supreme Court of Pakistan and arrest of hundreds of journalists and political and human rights activists.
Lahore: People belonging to different walks of life coming to a protest camp set up in front of the Geo office to express their solidarity with the protesting journalists. They lit candles there, demanding immediate removal of ban on Geo transmission.
Journalists plan big protest tomorrow
KARACHI: The community of journalists plans to stage a big protest demonstration on Tuesday as part of their ongoing protest against curbs placed on the print and electronic media and the closure of two TV channels - Geo and Ary.
Protest processions will be taken out across the country on the call of Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ). The Karachi Union of Journalists (KUJ), in accordance with PFUJ guidelines, will also hold demos, processions, rallies and protest camps.
The route of the rally will be decided at the eleventh hour to keep the entire programme secret from law-enforcement agencies and the provincial administration due to security reasons and possible arrests, said KUJ President Shamim-ur-Rahman at a protest meeting held at the lawn of the Karachi Press Club (KPC) on Sunday.
Journalists were asked to be prepared for any eventuality and fully participate in the rally as a “forceful demonstration” by journalists would convey the message to the authorities concerned.
The final programme will be announced on Monday, as day to day developments had forced the media associations to chalk out programmes accordingly. “We were not ready for certain unforeseen developments, like the closure of two TV channels that shook the entire nation and the people across the world,” he added.
Speaking on the occasion, President, ATJ, Javed Saba said that journalists should stage protests in an organised manner and avoid any aggressive steps.
The meeting also condemned the murder of the wife of slain journalist Hayatullah in a bomb blast and the continuous arrests and crackdown on the media. It also condemned the ban on the entry of journalists into Sindh High Court premises and demanded of the authorities concerned to avoid a confrontational policy.
Later, the journalists staged a protest demonstration outside KPC and chanted slogans against the ban on media and closure of Geo. Carrying banners and placards, they were shouting slogans: “We want freedom”, “ban on media not acceptable”.
A police mobile was positioned outside KPC. However, no untoward incident took place as the demonstrators dispersed peacefully after registering their protest.
Transporters support for Geo
KARACHI: The Anjuman-e-Ittehad Bus Malikan and the Karachi Transport Action Committee condemned the government for banning Geo TV network and demanded for the removal of the restrictions so that thousands of its employees are not left jobless.
According to a press release issued on Sunday, the representatives of the two organisations said they would support Geo’s protest till its restoration. They alleged that the government took this step as a result of the truth that was being imparted to the masses by Geo TV.
Meanwhile, they demanded of the government to take serious measures against the robberies committed in public transport buses. The representatives of the aforesaid organisations condemned the robberies in Hub, Pak Colony, Chakiwara and Gulistan-e-Jauhar areas and asked the government to take notice of the incidents. They further said that security steps should be taken to protect the lives and properties of the passengers.
Shutting down of Geo TV condemned
KARACHI: Leaders of the religio-political parties on Saturday seriously condemned the forceful shutting down of the transmission and working of the Geo Television Network around the world and called for immediate resumption of its broadcast. They said that an independent media voice in the country had been systematically stifled as the current military-led regime, while clamping the virtual martial-law in Pakistan, had no commitment with the cause of peoples’ constitutional rights including the freedom of expression and press.
Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) Sindh president, Maulana Asadullah Bhutto, said that the media’s voice had been crushed at a time when the general elections are fast approaching and added that independent news channels are an important source for publicising the voice of the opposition parties.
He pointed out that the government-controlled electronic media was not at all considered independent, objective, and reliable enough for conveying the message of the opposition parties to the masses. He said the ban placed on Geo TV is tantamount to serious violation of human rights.
The MMA Sindh president said the ban and restrictions on channels had been placed in an attempt to make the people unaware of the events taking place in their surroundings.
Bhutto was of the view that the government had adopted a visibly selective approach in curbing the media, as some specific TV channels had been banned while others were allowed to operate within the country. This clearly shows the mala fide intentions on the part of the government authorities, he said.
Former MMA Parliamentary leader in Sindh Assembly, Maulana Omar Sadiq, said that not only the ban placed on the Geo TV should be lifted, but the enormous financial losses the media outlet incurred during the past several days of banning should also be repaid duly by the government.
He added that people had been left with no other option but to tune into foreign radio news channels for getting accurate knowledge of the events taking place in their country.
Former Jamaat-e-Islami Amir, Dr Mirajul Huda Siddiqui termed the shutting down of the Geo TV as another unpleasant manifestation of the emergency rule in the country, which he said had been clamped primarily to stifle the voice of public and media.
He praised the courage and steadfastness of the Geo TV for not bowing to the diktats of the ruler of the country and instead insisted on objective and truthful reporting of the events.
For this he congratulated the owners, management, entire news and production team of the Geo TV for their show of bravery in the face of a dictatorial regime.
Former deputy Parliamentary leader of MMA in Sindh Assembly, Nasrullah Shajee, said that the whole nation at this time of test and trial stood steadily with the judiciary, judges who did not accept the PCO.
He said the ban on the Geo TV had exposed the hollowness and untruthfulness of the present regime’s claims and slogans for the freedom of press and media that had been consistently raised during the last eight years of Gen Musharraf-led rule in the country.
He demanded that Geo television should immediately be allowed to resume its transmissions as there is no justification to outlawing its functioning by the Gen Musharraf-led government.
Closure of Geo: the nightmare returns
ISLAMABAD: Following the closure of Geo, the bitter memories of early 1980s came flooding back.
Those were the times the media in Pakistan was experiencing the worst form of suppression under the then military regime of late General Mohammad Ziaul Haq.
I still remember those bitter nights when we were required to take each and every page of the newspaper to the offices of the Press Information Department (PID) for censor, which in those days was located in Sitara Market, Sector G-7, Islamabad.
The Information Officer (IO), who used to scan the pages, occupied a small room.
He would gruffly take the page from us, always grumbling as to what took us so long to get the pages ready and why could we not finish our work a little early (before midnight).
He would never invite us to come inside the room where he had a gas heater on. The winters in those years used to be really frosty in Islamabad. And we were always required to wait outside in the open while he would go through each and every headline and news item pasted on the page.
After sometime, he would ask one of us to come in and explain certain headlines as well as news items put on the page.
He would even ask us to explain as to what exactly we meant by a certain headline!
He would even object over the placement of news items and would order to shift those news items either to the upper fold or to the lower fold of the page.
He would strike down the headlines and direct us to change those ‘appropriately’ or take off the whole news item from the page (and the newspaper) because it was not ‘acceptable’ to the government!
He used to use black or blue ballpoint pen to mark the headlines and the news items that needed to be changed or discarded.
He would sign in one corner of the page after censoring the page.
Once he used a red ballpoint pen and when we returned to the office, the cameraman in the press, who used to make the film of the page before it was sent to the plate making section, said that it would not appear on the film as the camera would not take the print of red colour (the printing was completely black and white in those days).
We decided to give it a try and succeeded! However, the next day was a tough one for the newspaper. The editor was engaged in hectic dialogue with the PIO (Principal Information
Officer), the Information Secretary and even the Information Minister as to what had happened!
In the night when we took the pages for censor to the IO, he certainly was not pleased to see our faces! He quietly took the page (we used to take one page out of eight at a time for censoring), slammed the door in our face and when he ordered us to step in and take the page back he had simply snatched off the headlines, the paragraphs or even the whole news items off the page instead of marking those with blue or black ballpoint pen!
As a reaction to his action, the editor in the office decided to leave the spaces completely blank. This triggered a stricter action by the government as all advertisements to the newspaper (the ads were completely under the control of the government in those days) were immediately stopped.
The editor resisted the government move and continued to leave the blank patches on the pages in the newspaper wherever the IO created a blank patch on the page.
The PID continued to warn us against the practice and threatened to cancel the quota of newsprint (the newsprint paper), which was also under the control of the government! So, the editor decided to print ‘STOP PRESS’ in bold capital letters in the empty blocks created by the IO on the pages.
However, this was not acceptable to the government and eventually the newspaper was compelled to fill those places on the pages from where the IO snatched off the undesirable news items with pictures or odd items.
But again this was not acceptable to the government. The IO started ordering carrying certain news items in the blank spaces that he had created on the page and he used to have the government press releases or the APP stories with him that he would hand us over and tell us to accommodate.
The government also ordered to stop printing columns like the ‘Fifth Column’, ‘The Last Column’ and even the ‘City Diary’, written by certain journalists.
And it was in those days that we were taught by our seniors as to how to write ‘between the lines’ instead of presenting bare facts or openly criticising the government personalities or policies so that the message could be conveyed without causing any ‘damage’ to the newspaper.
And the last few weeks brought those bitter memories flooding back.
When we learnt that certain programmes on different news channels were being taken off air in accordance with the wishes of the government, it reminded us of how we were directed by the PIO to stop publishing the ‘Last Column’ or the ‘Fifth Column’ in the early 1980s.
We have started feeling the same suffocation once again which was lifted after such a long struggle by journalists like Nisar Usmani, I H Rashid, Aziz Siddiqui, Mazhar Ali Khan, I A Rehman, Minhaj Barna, Abdul Hameed Chapra, Abdul Qadoos, Nasir Zaidi, Iqbal Jaffery, Bashirul Islam Usmani, Mujahid Brailvi and Ghazi Salahuddin.
These leaders, along with hundreds of journalists (editors, news editors, sub-editors, reporters, correspondents, and photo journalists) went to jails but never bowed to the military regime. Not only they were sent to the jails but they were administered the most inhuman and humiliating punishment of lashes (public flogging) by the military regime!
The journalists were joined by the students of the Department of Journalism (now Mass Communication) in the Punjab University, who went to jails as well.
Once again, we have started feeling the dark shadows following us around, our phones being tapped, and receiving anonymous threatening calls. Can’t all this be sorted out in a civilized manner!
Protest against Geo TV shutdown today
ISLAMABAD: Civil society members, journalists, lawyers, students, doctors, teachers, government employees and people from every walk of life will hold a big protest at 2 pm today (Monday) against the closure of Geo TV and another private TV channel by the top general. The protest will be held in front of Geo TV office at Fazal-e-Haq Road, Blue area, Islamabad.
A large number of civil society members are expected to participate in the demonstration to condemn the government moves to curb the freedom of media, closure of Geo News and a private TV channel, Black Saturday’s coup against judiciary and imposition of martial law in the garb of emergency.
Senior journalists and civil society members will address the participants on freedom of media, independence of judiciary and human rights.
Jamaat, ANP criticise ban on Geo TV channel
PESHAWAR: The Jamaat-e-Islami and the Awami National Party (ANP) have criticized the closure of Geo TV and another Pakistani television channel by an Arab country, terming it as an interference in the internal politics of Pakistan.
Jamaat-e-Islami NWFP Amir Sirajul Haq said in a statement that the step taken by that country greatly reduced the respect and brotherly feelings it enjoyed among the Pakistani masses.
Siraj said that Pakistan needed a caretaker president instead of a caretaker prime minister to ensure free and fair general elections.
Siraj, a former NWFP senior minister, alleged that the president did not let elected prime ministers to work freely and said how one could expect an appointee of General Pervez Musharraf to hold free elections.
He claimed that caretaker Prime Minister Mohammedmian Soomro, too, was not impartial as his first official engagement
was to call on Pakistan Muslim League President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain at his residence immediately after he took oath of the office.
Siraj said that the Jamaat did not expect a “contractual and ad hoc” prime minister to go against the wishes of General Musharraf who put on hold two of the most important pillars of the state: the judiciary and the media.
He urged all political forces in the country to unite before it was too late, as according to him the general might take any step to stay in power.
In a separate statement, Mohammad Adeel of the ANP condemned the termination of transmission of two Pakistani channels.
He said that Arab governments always toed the line being dictated by General Musharraf, which was highly disgusting and unethical. Such acts are earning a bad name for the Arab countries among the Pakistani people, he said, adding that the two channels neither criticised the Arab governments nor commented on their internal policies.
The ANP leader said that the closure of television transmission was highly deplorable but such actions showed weaknesses of the Pakistani regime.
Ban on TV channels flayed across NWFP
PESHAWAR: Journalists and political parties in various cities and towns of NWFP as well as adjoining tribal areas have strongly condemned the ban on two private television channels.
Police fired teargas shells and baton charged workers of the Pakistan People’s Party when they staged a demonstration on main University Road to protest against the imposition of emergency and ban on transmission of private television channels.
Police also arrested over a dozen workers of the PPP who were shifted to the Special Investigation Unit. The PPP workers while chanting slogans against the Pervez Musharraf-led government for imposition of emergency demanded early withdrawal of the “Marital Law”. They rejected polls under the emergency rule, saying it could never be free and fair under the prevailing circumstances.
The protestors later blocked the main University Road. Police tried to open the road and after failing to disperse the protesters resorted to shelling. The Jamaat-e-Islami and Awami National Party (ANP) have criticised closure of Geo TV and another Pakistani television channel by an Arab country, terming it as interference in the internal politics of Pakistan
Jamaat-e-Islami Provincial Amir Sirajul Haq said in a statement that the step taken by that country greatly reduced the respect and brotherly feelings it enjoyed among Pakistani masses. He said that Pakistan needed a caretaker president instead of a caretaker prime minister to ensure free and fair general elections.
Siraj, a former NWFP senior minister, alleged that the president did not let elected prime ministers to work freely and said how one could expect an appointee of General Pervez Musharraf to hold free elections. He claimed that caretaker Prime Minister Mohammedmian Soomro too was not impartial as his first official engagement was to call on Pakistan Muslim League President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain at his residence immediately after he took oath of the office.
Siraj said that the Jamaat did not expect a “contractual and ad hoc” prime minister to go against the wishes of General Musharraf, who he said put on hold two of the most important pillars of the state: the judiciary and media. He urged all political forces in the country to unite before it is too late, as according to him the general might not shy away from any step to stay in power.
In a separate statement, Mohammad Adeel of ANP condemned termination of transmission of two Pakistan channels. He said that Arab governments always toed the line being dictated by General Musharraf, which was highly disgusting and unethical. Such acts are earning a bad name for Arab countries among Pakistani people, he said, adding that the two channels neither criticised Arab governments nor commented on their internal policies.
The ANP leader said that closure of television transmission is highly deplorable but such actions depict weaknesses of the Pakistani regime. PPP Divisional President Syed Zahir Ali Shah flayed government ban on electronic media and arrest of political workers and said the struggle for restoration of democratic institutions could not be suppressed through such tactics.
In a statement issued here the other day, Zahir Shah, who is under house arrest for the last ten days, said the struggle against emergency state would continue. He said the caretaker set up was a continuation of the PML government and his party would not accept it at any cost. “Holding of free and fair elections could not be expected from such a set up,” Zahir Shah maintained.
Lauding the role of PPP leaders and workers, he said they have always rendered sacrifices for the just cause of democracy and rights of the people. The PPP leader said the party chairperson Benazir Bhutto never compromised on her principles and was fighting against dictatorship.
Our correspondent adds from Bara: The journalist community of Bara Sunday staged a demonstration to protest against curbs on media and shutting down of two private television channels.
A number of politicians, agency councillors, elders and people from different walks of life visited the protest camp and expressed solidarity with the media persons. They lashed out at the government for imposing curbs on media and said every Pakistani is standing behind the media at this crucial time of history.
Our correspondent adds from Landikotal: Journalists, political workers and civil society activists staged a protest demonstration at Jamrud in Khyber Agency Sunday against curbs on electronic media.
On the call of the Tribal Union of Journalists (TUJ), members of Jamrud and Landikotal Press Clubs and people belonging to different walks of life held a rally and condemned the government action of shutting down the transmission of private TV channels.
Speakers termed the closure of the Geo and ARY channels as the professional murder of the hundreds of working journalists. Addressing the protesters, TUJ Khyber Agency President Hemmat Shah said that the protest would continue till lifting of ban on media. He said the government should withdraw its decision of curbs on media otherwise a protest movement would be launched throughout the country.
The Zwan Pakhtun Gund president and prominent political leader Ikramullah Jan Kokikhel said the military rulers always tried to conquer the nation but they always failed to do so. He assured the media persons of every support in their struggle for independence of media.
After the protest demonstration, the journalists and political activists set up a solidarity camp at Jamrud Bazaar. Jamaat-e-Islami Khyber Agency Amir Hassan Shinwari, Awami National Party Khyber Agency President Abdur Rahim Afridi and Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf President Iqbal Afridi also participated in the protest.
Our correspondent adds from Karak: Provincial Vice President Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and former MNA Shamsur Rehman Khattak has strongly condemned the ban on leading television channels in the country and said the government has deprived the people of access to information.
In a press statement issued here, he said the present rulers were in extremely weak position that’s why they were trying to control the situation through such tactics. He said for the first time General Musharraf has admitted that his November 3 act was an ultra constitutional step, which clearly manifest that he was on an extremely weak wicket. The arrest of political workers and curbs on media was not the solution to the present worsening situation of the country, the PML-N leader said, adding the only solution to the crisis was in Musharraf quitting the government.
Shamsur Rehman said that his party would stick to its principle stand regarding the present rulers and would not negotiate with the general to come to power through back door. He regretted the police baton charge on political workers in different parts of the country and said that the rulers could not prolong their government through this way as their days were numbered.
Shamsur Rehman demanded of the government to lift the illegal ban on media and restore the transmission of electronic media channels. He also condemned the ongoing operations in Swat and Waziristan and asked the government to stop the killing of innocent countrymen. |
