Tag: journalists

  • Shahid Masood apologises to Najam Sethi for ’35 puncture’ allegations

    Anchorperson Dr Shahid Masood apologised to senior journalist Najam Sethi on his political talk show ‘Live with Dr Shahid Masood’ on Gourmet News Network (GNN) for making baseless allegations a few years ago.

    Masood on his show stated that he would like to apologise to Sethi for making baseless allegations against him. Masood had used the phrase ’35 puncture’ and had alleged that Sethi rigged the 2013 general elections and helped Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) when he was caretaker chief minister Punjab.

    “I got the information through a man whom I didn’t expect would say such a thing. Later, I tried searching for that man but he disappeared and could not be found,” said Shahid Masood.

    Accepting that his accusations were wrong, Masood apologised for his false claims.

    Later during the programme, Masood expressed his desire to have tea at Sethi’s residence when he visits Lahore next.

    He claimed that just like Najam Sethi’s chiriya (sparrow), he too has a kabootar (pigeon).

  • PTI requests followers to reveal journalists blocking them on Twitter after extreme campaign against Asma Shirazi

    PTI requests followers to reveal journalists blocking them on Twitter after extreme campaign against Asma Shirazi

    The official twitter account of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has asked social media users to mention the names of the journalists who have blocked them for ‘questioning’ the journalists.

    “We have received a lot of feedback from folks who have been blocked unfairly by journalists for asking questions (no abuse or harsh language at all). If you suffered an unfair block, mention in this thread. We will request journalists to unblock you,” the tweet from the official twitter handle of the ruling party read.

    Earlier, PTI’s official Twitter account posted a video of an old telephonic conversation between PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif and journalist Asma Shirazi during a telephonic press conference. The tweet came after journalists condemned the ruling party for targeted harassment.

    PTI Official in the tweet questioned Shirazi’s credibility and accused her of being biased. Many journalists condemned the tweet against Shirazi and in response were bombarded by tweets and replies by PTI supporters. It is unclear which journalists, if any, blocked any PTI supporters who were responding to their tweets.

    The journalists that tweeted in support of Shirazi include:

  • Ministry of Information to form joint committee for media authority bill

    Ministry of Information to form joint committee for media authority bill

    The Ministry of Information has decided to form a joint committee after consultations with representatives of all media institutions and organisations.

    The committee will review the proposed media regulation and make recommendations. The Pakistan Media Development Authority (PMDA) has apparently been postponed for the time being.

    Journalists staged a protest in front of the Parliament House against the proposed PMDA, which aims to muzzle media freedom. The protest started on Sunday, September 12. Journalists marched from the National Press Club to the Parliament House and stayed overnight.

    As journalists continued with sit-in outside of the Parliament House against the government’s proposed PMDA, prominent leaders from political parties, student unions, and members of the civil society also joined in to show solidarity.

    In a first in Pakistan’s history, reporters were not allowed to enter a joint session of Parliament on Monday, September 13.

    Parliamentary reporters were to be present in the press gallery for President Alvi’s address but entered the hallway to find that the door was locked. The press gallery was closed for the journalists.

    The Parliamentary Reporters Association (PRA) strongly condemned the closure of the press gallery and said, “Closing the gallery is the worst dictatorship.”

    However, National Assembly (NA) Speaker Asad Qaiser said that he closed the doors of the press gallery during the president’s speech to a joint session of parliament after getting ‘reports’ that there was a possibility of a ruckus between two journalists’ groups.

    The Speaker claimed that he made this decision after consulting the PRA.

    “I couldn’t afford a fight between two groups in Parliament which could have resulted in the disrespect of media and the House,” Qaiser said adding, “however, there was some misunderstanding.”

  • Asad Qaiser states press gallery closed in consultation with journalists, journalists deny

    Asad Qaiser states press gallery closed in consultation with journalists, journalists deny

    National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser said that he closed the doors of the press gallery during President Arif Alvi’s speech to a joint session of parliament after getting ‘reports’ that there was a possibility of a ruckus between two journalists’ groups.

    The speaker while speaking to journalists, claimed that he made this decision after consulting the Parliamentary Reporters Association (PRA).

    “I couldn’t afford a fight between two groups in Parliament which could have resulted in the disrespect of media and the House,” Qaiser said adding, “however, there was some misunderstanding.”

    After Qaiser’s claims, the PRA categorically denied the speaker’s statement and challenged him to name the journalists who met him as PRA representatives, reported Dawn.

    “PRA delegation has not met the Speaker National Assembly nor has the PRA been taken into confidence over the closure of the Press Gallery,” says the statement issued by PRA’s information secretary Malik Saeed Awan.

    “PRA delegation has not met the Speaker National Assembly nor has the PRA been taken into confidence over the closure of the Press Gallery,” says the statement issued by PRA’s information secretary Malik Saeed Awan.

    “PRA strongly condemns this black lie of the Speaker”. Awan demanded an inquiry to determine which delegation met with and misrepresented the journalist organisation.

    In a first in Pakistan’s history, reporters were not allowed to enter a joint session of Parliament on Monday, September 13.

    Parliamentary reporters were to be present in the press gallery for the president’s address but entered the hallway to find that the door was locked. The press gallery was closed for the journalists.

    PRA strongly condemned the closure of the press gallery and said, “Closing the gallery is the worst dictatorship.”

    Pakistani journalists protested in front of the Parliament House against the proposed Pakistan Media Development Authority (PMDA), which aims to muzzle media freedom. The protest started on Sunday, September 12, Journalists marched from the National Press Club to the Parliament House and stayed overnight.

  • ‘Don’t call us terrorists and extremists,’ TTP issues warning to Pak media

    ‘Don’t call us terrorists and extremists,’ TTP issues warning to Pak media

    “You call us terrorists and extremists, which shows your bias…stop it or you will be responsible for making enemies,” Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) said in a statement addressed to the Pakistani media and journalists.

    “It discredits your profession, so from now on, call us by our name, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan,” read the statement.

    “If you fail to do so, you will not only be doing injustice to your profession but will be responsible for making enemies,” the statement further added.

    Twitter reacted to the TTP statement.

    Journalist Azaz Syed wrote, “#TTP issues a latest threat to media in #Pakistan.”

    Journalist Ziyad Faisal wrote, “Notification rejected. My desk will refer to TTP as ‘the banned/outlawed TTP’ & to their activities as ‘terrorist attacks’ – & nothing will ever change that.”

    Four personnel of the paramilitary Frontier Corps (FC) were martyred and 21 others injured in a suicide bombing at a convoy on Quetta-Mastung road on Sunday in Balochistan.

    TTP claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement released to CNN.

  • Fawad Chaudhry condemned for saying Dawn is part of international conspiracy against Pak

    Fawad Chaudhry condemned for saying Dawn is part of international conspiracy against Pak

    Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry accused Dawn media group of being part of an international conspiracy against Pakistan.

    When anchorperson Absa Komal asked Fawad about media freedom in Pakistan and for an update on the investigation related to recent attacks on journalists in Islamabad, Fawad dodged the question and said, “Your institution [Dawn] is an active participant of an international conspiracy theory which works against Pakistan.” Fawad appeared on ‘News Eye with Absa Komal’ on Dawn News.

    “Your institution propagates an environment that works against the country, trying to take things out of context.”

    “Human Rights Watch (HRW) has written an entire article on PMDA and it says that there is five-year prosecution. When we inquired about it from HRW, they said it was entirely based on [Dawn’s] editorial,” said Fawad.

    Twitter reacted to the minister’s statement against Dawn.

    Journalist Benazir Shah tweeted, “The Info. Minister accuses Dawn of being part of an ‘international conspiracy’ to defame Pakistan, without presenting a shred of evidence to support his claim. On the other hand, there is enough evidence of increasing censorship against media.”

    Lawyer Aftab Alam questioned, “If govt is serious about media regulatory reforms, why is it keeping the process secret? Why not putting ‘Bill’ on the official page of @GovtofPakistan and sharing with stakeholders?”

    Another Twitter user wrote, “A journalist has a genuine concern? – Instead of addressing it just accuse them of being anti-state and dodge the question. This way you save yourself the embarrassment of giving a proper clarification which you clearly don’t have.”

  • Govt seeking new powers to control media by setting up PMDA: Human Rights Watch

    Govt seeking new powers to control media by setting up PMDA: Human Rights Watch

    As part of its crackdown on freedom of expression, the government is seeking broad new powers in the garb of the proposed Pakistan Media Development Authority (PMDA), says Human Rights Watch (HRW).

    “The government claims an ordinance setting up the Pakistan Media Development Authority (PMDA) would replace the ‘fractured’ regulatory environment and fragmented media regulations currently in place. The proposed PMDA would bring all media in Pakistan – print, television, radio, films, and digital media – under one regulator,” HRW said in its statement.

    The PMDA law would grant new unchecked powers to the government-controlled regulator by setting up special “media tribunals” that will have the power to impose steep fines for media organisations and journalists who violate its code of conduct or publish content it deems to be “fake news”.

    The proposed law would also increase government control by allowing government officials to be appointed to key positions.

    With journalists under relentless attack for doing their jobs, the Pakistan government needs to stop trying to control reporters and instead start protecting media freedom, added HRW.

    Earlier this month, the representatives of media organisations rejected the proposed PMDA and termed the concept as an unconstitutional and draconian law against freedom of press and expression and a step toward imposing state control to regulate all segments of media under over-centralised body.

    The major stakeholders believe that the proposed PMDA is an attempt to tighten the government’s control over the media from one platform and ignores the fact that print, electronic and social media are separate entities, each with their own defined features.

  • IHC suspends plot allotments to judges in Islamabad

    IHC suspends plot allotments to judges in Islamabad

    Chief Justice Islamabad High Court (IHC) Justice Athar Minallah suspended allotment of plots to the capital’s judiciary in sectors F-14 and F-15, observing that this award of land was a conflict of interest, reported Dawn.

    The court also issued a notice to the attorney general and sought an explanation from the Ministry of Housing and Works on the policy of distribution of plots among a few segments of society.

    Justice Athar Minallah was hearing a petition filed by property owners in villages Thalla Syedan and Jhangi Syedan in Islamabad district against the acquisition of their land.

    During the hearing of the matter, Justice Minallah remarked: “It has been reported that the Federal Government Employees Housing Authority had recently held a ballot for allotment of plots in F-14 and F-15. The list indicates that virtually every judicial officer of the district courts of Islamabad, who are expected to resolve and adjudicate upon the grievances and rights of the affected landowners, is a beneficiary.”

    “It, prima facie, raises serious questions regarding conflict of interest because the plots are given to the beneficiaries at substantially lower prices than the current market rates and thus each beneficiary has a financial interest,” said Justice Minallah.

    “Moreover, astonishingly the list also includes those judicial officers who have been dismissed on account of misconduct or corruption,” added Justice Minallah.

    Justice Minallah observed that the judicial officer who was convicted and sentenced by this court was also one of the beneficiaries.

    As per the record of the FGEHA, three sacked additional district and sessions judges — Pervaizul Qadir Memon, Raja Khurram Ali Khan, and Jahangir Awan — were allotted a Kanal plot each in F-14 and F-15 while two former civil judges, Adnan Jamali and Amir Khalil, were given plots measuring 14 marlas each in these sectors.

    Last week, two special assistants to the prime minister (SAPM), judges of the superior judiciary, and top bureaucrats were among those who had been allocated residential plots in Islamabad’s F-14 and F-15 sectors.

    Judges of the superior judiciary, as well as those of the subordinate judiciary, and a few journalists had been placed in Category I — plots measuring one Kanal.

    While the judges of all the provincial high courts have been allotted plots in F-14 and F-15, not a single judge from the Islamabad High Court was among the applicants.

  • PM’s aide, judges allotted plots in Islamabad

    PM’s aide, judges allotted plots in Islamabad

    Two special assistants to the prime minister (SAPM), judges of the superior judiciary, and top bureaucrats are among those who have been allocated residential plots in Islamabad’s F-14 and F-15 sectors, reported Dawn.

    Federal Housing Minister Tariq Bashir Cheema chaired the proceedings. Over 4,500 applicants were declared successful.

    A list was posted by the Federal Government Employees Housing Authority (FGEHA) on its website after the ballot on Tuesday.

    According to the list posted on the website, Chief Justice of Pakistan Gulzar Ahmed has been allotted a plot in Sector F-15/3.

    Dr Waqar Masood Khan, the Prime Minister’s Special Assistant on Finance (SAPM), was given a plot in F-15/4, while Dr Shahzad Arbab, the SAPM on Establishment, got a plot in Sector F-14/2.

    Judges of the superior judiciary, as well as those of the subordinate judiciary, and a few journalists have been placed in Category I — plots measuring one Kanal.

    Eight incumbent judges of the apex court are featured in the list. Seven retired judges of the Supreme Court were declared successful. Two former director-generals of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) — a former inspector general of Islamabad, the Secretary to Cabinet Division, and a number of other federal secretaries and bureaucrats working in BS-22 and 21 have been allotted plots.

    While the judges of all the provincial high courts have been allotted plots in F-14 and F-15, not a single judge from the Islamabad High Court was among the applicants.

  • Journalists Amir Mir and Imran Shafqat ‘arrested’ by FIA

    Journalists Amir Mir and Imran Shafqat ‘arrested’ by FIA

    Senior journalists Amir Mir and Imran Shafqat went missing on Saturday morning from Lahore.

    Hamid took to Twitter and confirmed the news. “Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Cyber Crimes Wing Lahore kidnapped journalist Amir Mir in Lahore this morning.”

    “We came to know about his location after 5 hours. FIA snatched his [Amir Mir’s] phone and laptop,” read the tweet. Amir Mir is Hamid Mir’s brother.

    Hamid Mir also wrote about the disappearance of Imran Shafqat, stating that FIA arrested him as well.

    Meanwhile, Imran Shafqat was arrested from his house by use of force. As per reports, around10 people, both men, and women barged into his residence, raided his place, and took him away.

    Talking to BBC, Imran Shafqat’s sister Anum Noor said, “The bell rang at our house in Mughalpura area of Lahore at 12:30pm today. My brother Imran Shafqat opened the door after which 10 people entered our house.”

    Anum Noor said eight of the 10 people were without uniforms and two were wearing “white uniforms”.

    “They said we came from the FIA. Didn’t say more than that. Neither did they show an arrest warrant,” added Noor.

    “They dragged my brother out of the house,” said Noor Anum.

    Journalist Shahid Aslam confirmed that both Amir Mir and Imran Shafqat are in the custody of FIA.

    Director FIA Cyber Crimes Wing Lahore, DIG Babar Bakht is supervising the investigation, as per Shahid Aslam.

    Reportedly Imran Shafqat is accused of doing a Vlog against the “First Lady” whereas the reasons to arrest Amir Mir are still unknown.

    Some say Amir Mir has been arrested for a news story that ran on his YouTube channel, Googly News.

    Twitter reacted to the alleged abduction of both Imran Shafqat and Amir Mir.

    Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) tweeted, “We demand safe return and an immediate inquiry into the circumstances of his disappearance.”

     Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto strongly condemned the arrest of journalists Amir Mir and Imran Shafqat and demanded their release.

    Journalist Raza Rumi tweeted, “I have spent about 18 summers of my life in England. I have seen the British media, they are very open and free. But the Pakistan media, in my opinion, is freer than the British media: PM Imran Khan.”

    Journalist Asma Shirazi questions, “When will the disappearance of journalists stop?”

    Journalist Zebunnia Burki tweeted, ” I’d say unbelievable, but it’s really not.”