Tag: media

  • ‘Research should be conducted on whether our divorces have increased and its impact,’ says PM Khan

    ‘Research should be conducted on whether our divorces have increased and its impact,’ says PM Khan

    Prime Minister Imran Khan, while addressing the Ashra-e-Rehmat-ul-Lil-Aalamin (PBUH) conference, announced the formation of the Rehmatul-lil-Aalameen Authority.

    According to Dawn, the scholars in the authority would be responsible for researching how best to disseminate lessons from the life of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) to the masses.

    PM said Islam was a religion of peace and humanity and the West did not understand it so the authority would also be tasked with explaining Islam to the world. “When they educate the world about the Prophet’s (PBUH) life, people will understand that Islam is a religion of humanity,” the premier said.

    During PM Khan’s address, he announced that the authority will monitor the media [print and electronic], and be in charge of monitoring the schools’ curriculum and how the course on the Holy Prophet’s (PBUH) biography was being taught.

    Furthermore, he said that the scholars would be responsible for carrying out and promoting research in universities.

    “Research should be conducted on topics such as whether our divorces have increased and what is the impact of this,” he added.

    However, the members of the authority haven’t been revealed yet. PM Khan said, “I will be the patron myself but we have started searching for a person who has written books of tafsir, has great command [over religion] and is a scholar for the chairman. There will be an international advisory board above him on which we will bring the Muslim world’s top scholars — we have looked at many names and are approaching them as well.”

  • Nobel Peace Prize for journalists

    Nobel Peace Prize for journalists

    The importance of free media and freedom of expression was highlighted once again when journalists Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov won the Nobel Peace Prize for their fights to defend freedom of expression in the Philippines and Russia. Both of them have done work that led to threats from the rulers of their respective countries.

    The Norwegian Nobel Committee said in a statement that Ressa and Muratov won the Nobel for “their efforts to safeguard freedom of expression, which is a precondition for democracy and lasting peace”. The statement added that “they are representatives of all journalists who stand up for this ideal in a world in which democracy and freedom of the press face increasingly adverse conditions”.

    It is an honour for journalists around the world that people of their fraternity were awarded the most prestigious award for standing up for free media. At a time when journalists are facing problems and many countries are clamping down on free media, it gives journalists more strength and courage when their struggle is recognised. 

    Read more- Journalists Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov win 2021 Nobel Peace Prize

    Unfortunately, like many other countries, the space for free media is fast shrinking in Pakistan. The government claims that the Pakistani media is more independent than even western countries but the fact of the matter is that censorship has increased over the years, journalists have faced physical attacks in the capital but no one has been arrested, and relentless attacks against journalists continue online as well.

    The government claims that they do not shy away from sharing facts with the media but in a recent report published in The News, it says that when Geo News sent approximately 400 different queries to 36 key institutions in the past nine months under the Right to Information (RTI) law but 90 per cent of them were either not responded to or simply declined by them. Only 43 (10 per cent) queries were partially responded to by them through either very little or patchy information in 2021.

    It is pertinent that the government realises that the media is not its enemy. Media will act as a watchdog and it is media’s job to report the truth. Journalists will continue to do their job and such tactics will not make them stop. A free and vibrant media is critical for democracy. One should believe in more freedom, not less. Long live media freedom.

  • 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.

  • New Indian channel promises to present ‘only good news’

    New Indian channel promises to present ‘only good news’

    India’s leading TV Channel, India Today has launched a Hindi-language TV channel that promises to present only “good news.”

    The latest channel named ‘Good News Today’ “will showcase stories of hope, human triumph, innovation and inspiration from different walks of life, from different parts of India and the world,” India Today Group vice-chairperson Kalli Purie told Arab News.

    “We need to spread positivity, good stories and personalities no matter what the reality is,” she added.

    According to Purie, the slogan of this channel is Achi Khabar, Sachi Khabar (good news, authentic news).

    The country’s position has been falling rapidly on the World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders. In 2016, it was 136th, but in 2020 it dropped to 142nd.

    Based in Uttar Pradesh (UP), India Today is a 24-hour English language television and has one of the largest viewerships in India. In addition, India has more than 160 national and regional news channels.

  • PMDA: Why all the secrecy?

    PMDA: Why all the secrecy?

    The mystery shrouding the elusive proposed draft of the Pakistan Media Development Authority (PMDA) is quite intriguing. Some consultations have been held with journalists, civil society members, and parliamentarians but without a copy of the proposed draft. Members of the National Assembly (NA) Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting on Thursday demanded that the draft be shared instead of verbal briefings by the Information Ministry. Chairman of the NA standing committee Mian Javed Latif then formed a sub-committee, which will be headed by Marriyum Aurangzeb with Nafisa Shah and Kanwal Shozab as its members. Let’s see if the proposed draft will now be shared with the sub-committee. 

    Last month, representatives of media organisations issued a joint statement that rejected the proposed media authority. They said that it was unconstitutional and deemed it as a draconian law. It seems that this is yet another tactic by the government to curb media freedom. Human Rights Watch (HRW) recently also issued a statement on the PMDA saying that the Pakistani government is “seeking broad new powers to control the media as part of its crackdown on freedom of expression. Journalists, human rights activists, and political leaders across that country have raised the alarm about proposed legislation that would bolster powers of the government to censor and restrict the media.” The government reacted to HRW’s statement by issuing a rejoinder through the Pakistan Embassy in the US challenging the human rights organisation’s assertions on PMDA. Patricia Gossman, HRW’s associate director for the Asia division, asked for a draft, which has so far not been shared with anyone. 

    It is quite worrying that in a country where media freedom is already quite curtailed, where interviews have been stopped from going on air or stopped mid-way, where anchors have been taken off-air, where there are now so many red lines that media organisations have to tread very carefully, where attacks on journalists have become frequent and culprits are still at large, where online trolling of journalists has become a norm, where the government issues reports of social media trends and hashtags it deems anti-state, where government officials keep on targeting journalists and media organisations without any shred of evidence, a new media authority with immense powers is being proposed without sharing the details of the proposed law and/or taking the main stakeholders on board.

    We hope that the government will share the proposed draft with all stakeholders so that the mystery shrouding this media authority ends once and for all. There is already a lot of mistrust between the government and the media. We hope the government will listen to the legitimate concerns of media organisations and not dismiss them. A free and independent media is essential for any democracy. Pakistan is a democracy and we hope the government will not undermine it in any way. 

  • “Human Rights Watch’s statement based on gossip”, Pakistan challenges report on media bill

    “Human Rights Watch’s statement based on gossip”, Pakistan challenges report on media bill

    Pakistan responded to a dispatch by the Human Rights Watch (HRW) Associate Asia Director, Patricia Gossman, on the proposed media bill. Pakistan condemned the claims of the organisation and termed the statement “factually incorrect”.

    “The statement of Human Rights Watch is factually incorrect as there is no plan to introduce the regulatory body through an ordinance,” read the letter from Pakistan’s Embassy in Washington DC.

    The letter further added, “HRW is misled and its statement is based on hearsay and gossip.”

    “In the public interest, like other developed countries, we need to introduce holistic policy responses to the challenges of fake news, disinformation, hate speech, abusive content, privacy issues, copyright violations on the emerging information communication technologies.”

    The letter further states, “Hence, as per global best practices and independent regulatory body – Pakistan Media Development Authority is under consideration for addressing challenges and requirements for convergent media of the 21st century to make Pakistan a major global center for multimedia information and content services.”

    Patricia Gossman took to Twitter and wrote, “Wow. You have identified no inaccuracies in our article and you have failed to provide a draft of the law. What are you hiding?”

    https://twitter.com/pagossman/status/1430426802049196036

    Meanwhile, in its statement, HRW said, “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.”

    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.

  • Sheheryar Munawar hits out at western media for biased reporting on Palestine

    Sheheryar Munawar hits out at western media for biased reporting on Palestine

    Sheheryar Munawar has hit out at international media outlets for their “biased” coverage of Israeli atrocities against the people of Palestine. At least 36 Palestinians including 10 children have been killed in recent airstrikes while close to 250 have been injured.

    “Shame on CNN, shame on western media in general for their biased reporting,” said Sheheryar, calling out international news outlets for their biased approach against Palestine.

    “Shame on all the west in general, especially the US for staying quiet during these terrible times and supporting terrorists,” added the actor.

    Sheheryar further questioned: “Is it the same US, who unlawfully invaded Korea, Vietnam, Libya [and] Syria, claiming to liberate the oppressed?”

    “My heart bleeds for my brothers and sisters in Palestine,” continued Munawar. “Down with the injustice and tyranny. Down with state terrorism. Down with Israel.”

    Last week, tensions escalated in Jerusalem, the occupied West Bank and Gaza, amid growing anger about potential forced expulsions of Palestinian families in Sheikh Jarrah, on land claimed by illegal Jewish settler, Al Jazeera reported.

    Earlier, several Pakistani celebrities including Mahira Khan, Ahsan Khan, Maya Ali, Feroze Khan and Asim Azhar condemned Israeli brutality in Palestine and called for the world to take action. International celebrities including Gigi Hadid and Mo Salah have also raised their voice and called for the world to take action.

  • Pakistan’s first media university to be set up in Islamabad, says Fawad Chaudhry

    Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry has announced that the government plans to open the country’s first-ever media university in Islamabad, ARY News has reported.

    The minister said that the university will be opened in a vacant building in Islamabad, which has been empty for the past eight years.

    Fawad added that international professors will be called to teach at the university, adding that modern technology will also be taught there.

    The minister further said that this is for the first time in the country that animation, sound and lighting education will be given locally. He is hopeful that the media university will become the best varsity in the South Asia region.

    Fawad was recently reappointed Minister for Information and Broadcasting in a recent cabinet shuffle.

    Earlier, he also shared his plans on what he plans to do under his ministry.

    “The process that started in 2018 to initiate reforms in the Information Ministry is being resumed,” Chaudhry had said, adding that the project to make Pakistan Television HD will be completed by June 1. In addition to this, work on making PTV Sports HD is also in progress.

  • VIDEO: Indians fall in love with Pakistani ‘journalists with spine’ over press conference boycott video

    VIDEO: Indians fall in love with Pakistani ‘journalists with spine’ over press conference boycott video

    Indians have fallen in love with Pakistani media persons, lauding them and calling them “journalists with spines” after a video of a group of the same boycotting a press conference went viral on social media.

    In the viral video, one of the journalists, namely Riaz Gondal, can be seen calling out government officials for making media persons wait for hours for the press conference. “We have been waiting for two hours. Corruption in Jhelum is rampant. All government officials are looting the people in the name of welfare,” he tells the officials upon their arrival.

    “But since you have wasted our time, we are boycotting your press conference,” Gondal adds as all journalists then remove their mics from the podium.

    Though the exact details are not yet available, a social media user claimed that journalists boycotted the deputy commissioner’s press conference.

    The video has been watched and shared over a million times, especially across the border — where media is time and again accused of being a lapdog of the government.

    Here’s how Indians showered praises on the professionals on this side of the border:

    “Backbone of Pakistani media,” wrote a user in Hindi.

    https://twitter.com/sd1733/status/1381792107988316163
  • PCB defends Naseebo Lal, ‘Groove Mera’

    PCB defends Naseebo Lal, ‘Groove Mera’

    The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Friday defended its decision to hire Naseebo Lal, Aima Baig and Young Stunners to perform the anthem of the sixth edition of Pakistan Super League (PSL).

    According to a report, a PCB spokesperson said that the three artists were chosen to do the song as the board wanted to feature voices that were new and had not sung any PSL anthem before.

    “Naseebo Lal is an extremely talented, underutilised vocalist whose voice has the strength to carry this cricket anthem,” the official is reported to have said. He further added that Aima gave young energy to the anthem. 

    The spokesperson said that Young Stunners were a “natural choice” to be a part of the anthem as they are leaders in the country’s hip-hop scene.

    “Cricket and music have always formed a natural union in Pakistan. The thought process was to pave the way for a new sound of cricket in Pakistan that appeals to the multi-dimensional audience that comes with Pakistan’s biggest cricketing event,” added the spokesperson.

    Meanwhile, PSL also shared a behind the scenes (BTS) video of the song’s shoot in which the singers spoke about the song and their role in it.

    “It feels so good because this is the first time I’ve done a project which is making me happy,” said Naseebo in the video.

    “My groove is my beloved Pakistan and the camera is also my groove,” added the singer.

    On the other hand, the song’s producer Zulfiqar Jabbar (Xulfi) while talking about cricket and music, said: “There is one thing common in cricket and music, which is rhythm. You might have heard commentators talking about a bowler’s rhythm and rhythm is excitingly called as ‘groove’.”

    Elaborating further, Xulfi said: “We usually say that if Shaheen Afridi has taken 4 wickets in a match, then on that day, he’s in groove.”

    “Groove Mera is everyone’s groove in PSL. This can be anyone’s groove – a commentator’s groove or a cricketer, batsman, baller or we all musicians and artists’ groove, who are singing or it may be yours [public] as well,” he continued.

    Xulfi further said that he “could feel Naseebo’s voice echoing in the stadium.”

    “We knew how to get the balance among Naseebo, Aima and the Young Stunners. We exactly knew what their vibe is separately and we then made a connecting melody, which is basically the hook of the song,” he added.

    “It is the hybrid of all the personalities of the singers, who are in this song,” he concluded.

    Meanwhile, Aima speaking about the song said: “The anthem’s vibe is pretty street and I really like it because our public really like street songs and music and it is very festive EDM. Overall I love the vibe.”

    Groove Mera has created a stir with social media divided on the song. While many including Shoaib Akhtar slammed the song, other celebrities including Mehwish Hayat, Adnan Siddiqui, Faysal Quraishi, Haroon Shahid and Farhan Saeed praised the anthem and its composition.

    Special Assistant to the Chief Minister on Information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan also criticised the song. Talking to media, Dr Awan said that she did not like it at all, adding that it “could have been improved further”.

    Referring to Naseebo as Pakistan’s ‘laal,’ or beloved, Dr Awan said: “Here we were representing the league in front of international players. This is not district-level league. The Lal should have been presented as a jewel and voice of the nation.”

    “If there is any chance of improvement, then we should go for it,” she concluded.