Daily Times, November 05, 2007
LAHORE: The South Asia Media Commission (SAMC)
and the South Asian Free Media Association
(SAFMA) have condemned the massive crackdown on
media and rejected the two ’draconian’ ordinances
to ’muzzle’ both print and electronic media in
Pakistan.
In a joint statement, SAMC Secretary General
Najam Sethi, SAFMA Secretary General Imtiaz Alam,
and SAMC Regional Coordinator Hussain Naqi have
expressed grave concern over recent developments
that have alienated the institution of judiciary
and targeted media freedom while closing down all
private television news networks.
The Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO) and
proclamation of a state of emergency have eroded
the legitimacy of authority, system of justice,
rule of law, supremacy of the constitution and
fundamental rights, said the SAMC office holders.
They said both the print and electronic media
cannot function because of the amendments brought
into the PEMRA and PNNABRO ordinances, which lay
down three years imprisonment and Rs 10 million
fines for alleged violations. They said this is a
terrible moment for the media and called upon all
media bodies not to succumb to the pressures of
an ’increasingly repressive regime’.
The statement further said that by demolishing
the moral authority of the state and its justice
system, the powers that be have compromised the
capacity of the state to fight terrorism and
extremism. They condemned the police attack on
the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP)
and arrest of the representatives of civil
society in Lahore. The SAMC and SAFMA leaders
called upon the international and regional media
community to express solidarity with the
struggling media in Pakistan and demanded the
revival of all private television networks and
withdrawal of the two ’black laws’. Imtiaz Alam
said he would soon convene a media conference and
an all parties conference to evolve a joint
platform to fight for the restoration of press
freedom and fundamental rights. staff repor