Tag: Journalist community

  • Journalist removed from PTV panel after questioning PM Shehbaz

    Journalist removed from PTV panel after questioning PM Shehbaz

    President of Lahore Press Club, Azam Chaudhry, was dismissed by state-run PTV after questioning Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the “diminishing space for freedom of speech” and the increased restrictions over media in Pakistan during a press conference in the provincial capital. 

    Chaudhry posed a two-part question to the prime minister, addressing both widespread media restrictions in the country as well as the interim government’s plan to continue executing the current economic policy. He inquired about the end of media restrictions, specifically, when would journalists be granted the freedom to speak and write without constraint. 

    In response, Prime Minister Shehbaz expressed his disapproval of curbs on media freedom but deflected responsibility to Federal Minister for Information & Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb. Aurangzeb, while acknowledging the need to distinguish between politics and the authority of the state, emphasized that the two should be treated separately.

    In a conversation with The Current, Chaudhry revealed that he was reportedly told by PTV right after the conference that he would not be invited back to his regularly scheduled program Ba-khaber, of which he is one of the pioneer journalists since 2022. 

    He also shared that he was informed earlier in the day that PTV would be doing a panel program after the press conference with two other journalists, Sajjad Mir and Salman Ghani. However, after his questions to PM Shehbaz, he was taken off-air and told that he was no longer with PTV.

    Many news platforms have reported that Azam Chaudhry lost his contract with the state channel; he asserts that he never claimed to be an employee of PTV. He was working as a freelance journalist, with an ‘approval letter’ stating he would be paid PKR 18,000 per program appearance (for Ba-khaber), for three programs per week. 

    According to Chaudhry, the moment the press conference concluded, PTV verbally conveyed to him that he would not be invited back to present on Ba-khaber, so he could take his leave. 

    Speaking to The Current, Chaudhry chuckled at how well-punctuated his point at the press conference became after his dismissal. “I talked about freedom of expression at the press conference, and I was off-aired right after – it proves my initial point [of ongoing media restrictions]”. 

    Ironically enough, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar was reportedly discussing his government’s media-friendly policy at the very same press conference, chiding the previous Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government for only inviting “chosen journalists” to media interactions. According to the Tribune, however, leading journalists from prominent English dailies were excluded from this particular press conference.

    Marriyum Aurangzeb tweeted earlier that the story is “completely false and baseless”. She reiterated Dar’s point of the previous PTI government being declared a ‘Press Freedom Predator’ by Reporters Without Borders, and only allowing selected reporters and journalists to its press conferences. 

    In conversation with the Express Tribune, Chaudhry said journalists in Pakistan were operating in a “very suffocating environment”, where they were not allowed to express themselves freely. 

    “I was not fired on establishment’s orders, I was fired by this government, but in the larger scheme of things, people would blame them.” he said, adding that this tenure also “exposes Pakistan People’s Party and their claims of being upholders of democratic principles”.

  • ‘India should stop harassing journalists’: Human Rights Watch

    ‘India should stop harassing journalists’: Human Rights Watch

    Human Rights Watch (HRW) has released its report to address the unlawful arrest of journalists in Indian-Occupied Kashmir (IoK). According to the report, so far at least 35 journalists in IoK have faced police interrogation, raids, threats, physical assault, or fabricated criminal cases for their reporting.

    The recent arrest of Fahad Shah, an editor-in-chief of a leading Kashmir-based news site The Kashmir Walla, has led to condemnation from several journalism organisations including United States (US)-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).

    South Asia director at Human Rights Watch (HRW) said, “Instead of ensuring justice for security force violations in Kashmir, the [Indian] government is more interested in silencing those who bring these abuses to light.”

    Ganguly also demanded Indian authorities in Kashmir to release Shah and all journalists, activists, and critics jailed on “politically motivated charges” and stop harassing them with draconian laws.

    Furthermore, HRW has stated a number of journalist names who are behind bars on baseless grounds. Last month, the police arrested another journalist at the Kashmir Walla.

    In September, the police raided the homes of four Kashmiri journalists and confiscated their phones and laptops. Not only this, the Indian authorities give threats to journalists with jail if their work criticises them and pressured them to self-censor, says the HRW report.

    It states that India has placed over 40 people, including 22 journalists, on lists to stop them from travelling abroad.

  • ‘You are lucky you weren’t beheaded’, Journalists open up about Taliban beatings

    Adding to a list of Taliban atrocities, two Afghan Journalists were left with immense bruises in Kabul. Their crime: covering protests in the Afghan capital.

    According to Taqi Daryabi and his colleague Nematullah Naqdi, of the daily newspaper Etilaat Roz (Information Daily), the Taliban separated them into two rooms, insulted, and flogged them with cables after accusing them of organising the protest as per Agence France-Presse (AFP).

    https://twitter.com/lnajafizada/status/1435818054332653576?s=21

    The two were reporting on a protest by women demanding the right to work and education in front of a police station.

    Naqdi said he was stopped by a Taliban fighter as soon as he started taking pictures.

    “They told me that you cannot film’,” he told AFP. Moreover he said that Taliban fighters insulted him and kicked him in the head and that a Taliban fighter placed his foot on his head and crushed his face against the concrete. When he was asked why he was being beaten, he was told, “you are lucky you weren’t beheaded.”

    Zaki Daryabi, the daily newspaper publisher told Committee to Protect Journalist (CPJ) via phone that the Taliban subjected the reporters to severe physical abuse that he described as “torture” for four hours that each lost consciousness at least four times in custody. However, CPJ could not independently confirm allegations of torture.

    According to the BBC, their journalists were also prevented from filming. Not only this, Al-Jazeera reported that three of their reporters said that Taliban fighters pushed, slapped them and took their belongings.

    Over the last days, the Taliban detained and later released at least 14 journalists covering protests against the group, At least nine of these journalists were subject to violence during their detention.

  • ‘Utterly Disgusting’, Twitter reacts to Anchor Imran Khan’s video justifying Noor Mukadam’s murder

    A video clip of television Anchor Imran Khan is making rounds on social media, in which Imran can be heard drawing parallels between Noor Mukadam’s murder and her lack of telephonic conversation with her father.

    Twitter reacted to the video of Imran Khan victim blaming calling it ‘utterly disgusting’. Have a look at the reactions:

    https://twitter.com/Hebah6291/status/1424959168671272986

    https://twitter.com/spillthechai4/status/1424794056492830723
    https://twitter.com/abdullahsultan/status/1424984419564204042

    Imran reacted to the criticism against him by unapologetically posting a screenshot of Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari’s conversation in a private group, which is a breach of her privacy.

  • Hamid Mir will not be hosting ‘Captial Talk’ tonight

    Hamid Mir will not be hosting ‘Captial Talk’ tonight

    Senior Journalist and anchorperson Hamid Mir, who hosts prime time show ‘Capital Talk’ on Geo News, has been taken off air. Many believe Mir has been asked to go on leave because of this speech.

    Mir confirmed the news on Twitter. “Nothing new for me. I was banned twice in the past. Lost jobs twice. Survived assassination attempts but cannot stop raising voice for the rights given in the constitution. This time I’m ready for any consequences and ready to go to any extent because they are threatening my family.”

     Human rights bodies condemned the indefinite ban on Hamid Mir.

    Journalists tweeted in solidarity with Hamid Mir.

    Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry tweeted that it is up to the broadcasters to decide which programme to air. “We have nothing to do with the internal decisions of media organisations. All broadcasters are responsible for making their own policy under Article 19 of the Constitution.”

    Several politicians took to Twitter to condemn this ban.

  • Protection of Journalists Bill

    Protection of Journalists Bill

    The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI ) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) have both prepared two bills for the protection of journalists in Pakistan.

    The federal cabinet in April approved two bills – the Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals Bill, and the Forced or Involuntary Disappearance (Criminal Law Amendment) Bill.

    Meanwhile, the bill for the protection of media persons was presented in the Sindh Assembly by the PPP government. The bill enables the provincial government to take effective steps to ensure that every journalist and media practitioner’s right to life, safety and security as provided under Article 9 of the Constitution are safeguarded.

    The Freedom Network’s annual state of press freedom report released in April 2021 highlighted a dramatic escalation in the climate of intimidation and harassment of journalists and the media in Pakistan.

  • Vaccination registration for ages 30 and above to start from Sunday

    Vaccination registration for ages 30 and above to start from Sunday

    The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Wednesday allowed citizens aged 30 and above to sign up for Covid-19 vaccination from Sunday (May 16).

    Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar tweeted, “As vaccine supply continues to improve and vaccination capacity gets enhanced in all Federating units, we continue to expand the categories of those who are eligible to get vaccinated.”

    Asad Umar announced that from Sunday, registration will be open to all 30 years and older citizens for Covid-19 vaccine.

    On May 3, Pakistan opened registration for the coronavirus vaccination for people aged between 40 to 49 years across the country.

    Special Assistant to CM Punjab for Information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan tweeted that the corona vaccine will be given to the journalist community on a priority basis.

    “The process of vaccinating Punjab journalists will begin after the Eid holidays,” Firdous tweeted.

    A digital portal has been launched by the federal government for the registration through which a code is assigned to the person and then they can go to a designated vaccination centre and get a jab.

  • PM Imran’s Ehsaas Telethon collects Rs550 million

    PM Imran’s Ehsaas Telethon collects Rs550 million

    Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday raised Rs550 million through his Ehsaas Telethon bid for coronavirus affectees, a private media outlet reported.

    The telethon was held at Prime Minister House with journalists Mohammad Malick, Mansoor Ali Khan, Hamid Mir, Nadeem Malik, and Kashif Abbasi in attendance. Shiffa Yousafzai and Muniba Mazari were the hosts of the transmission.

    PM Imran urged people to adopt safety precautions against the coronavirus. “The virus spreads at a very fast rate,” he said. “There have been viruses and people have been infected with the flu before. But this is unprecedented,” he added. 

    Former cricketing greats, including Javed Miandad, Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis also called in the telethon to express their views and wished best of luck to the country and prime minister.

    Speaking about COVID-19, PM Imran said that “No single government can battle the pandemic. The entire nation needs to join hands to fight this virus, keeping in mind the times that are ahead.”

    Speaking on the occasion, PM Imran said, “I always tell this to my children and to others as well; whenever you spend in the way of Allah, it brings you a lot of other rewards, such as the feeling of contentment. He further added “one’s bank balance should not be the measure of his wealth. True wealth is what you feel inside.”

    Speaking about the lockdown, PM Imran said that the country will have to move towards a “smart lockdown.” The prime minister made it clear that an indefinite lockdown was not an option and any decision on a smart lockdown should be for all Pakistanis and not just the elite.

    On the conference of doctors from yesterday, he said that their concern for complete lockdown is valid but it is not sustainable in the long-term.

    The transmission was concluded with the special prayer by Maulana Taiq Jameel, who also advised the people to recite supplications like Ayat Kareema to seek Allah Almighty’s forgiveness and blessings in the distressing situation.