Author: Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: The country is now devoid of democracy and Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Saqib Nisar is perpetrating the worst kind of dictatorship, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif asserted on Monday.

The country, he said, was facing the worst form of dictatorship.

According to him, he was personally facing the same situation confronted by a protest movement and media organisations.
Nawaz Sharif said that efforts were being made to ensure that the accountability court convicted him in NAB references, adding that the reason was simple enough: Five judges of the Supreme Court want to save themselves from embarrassment.

Alluding to a virtual ban on a television channel and contempt notices against several of his colleagues, Nawaz said: “This is nothing less than a judicial martial law.”

“In my entire political career, I never witnessed such (blatant) restrictions on media (outlets) and freedom of expression,” he maintained.

Nawaz then cited former president of Uganda Idi Amin who once said: “I can guarantee freedom of speech but I cannot guarantee freedom after speech.”

“The Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement’s (PTM) rally should have faced no hurdles … It was wrong to stop them from staging a rally … It is their (democratic) right,” he said.

He said that all proponents of such anti-democratic actions should be held accountable as the country did not belong to any single individual. “Pakistan belongs to 22 million people.”

Nawaz and daughter Maryam arrived on Monday from London to attend the proceedings of the accountability court.

Addressing media persons inside the premises of the accountability court, Nawaz said that the top judge was free to do as he pleased, but barred everyone else from voicing their opinions.

Criticising recent judgments, Nawaz stated that they were illogical and had no mass appeal. “He (the CJP) can enquire about the rates of potatoes and tomatoes, fares of public buses, the state of hospitals and prices of medicines, but he must really focus on scores of pending cases.” he said.

“Verdicts in pending cases are more important … The CJP must count pending cases in subordinate courts,” the former PM said. “He must visit orphans whose cases have been pending in courts for years. It does not suit him to summon the chief minister and make him stand in line only to pass derogatory comments,” he said.

“This isn’t your job,” the PML-N leader said. Nawaz said the parliament had no power and lacked will. “The next parliament will have the guts to do something and take a stand,” he said.

He believed that nobody had accepted judgments against him, even petitioners, including Imran Khan, and prominent lawyers termed the decision weak.

Referring to his disqualification, the former prime minister wondered how “they (the judges) will answer to history … Current judgments are weaker than those penned by Justice Munir.”

Commenting on the remarks of the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) chief on Senate elections, he said: “We share similar views. We also believe that Imran … must be reprimanded for casting his (party’s) votes indirectly for the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) (candidates),” he said.

“How can they usher in change when they are making compromises on principles?” Nawaz asked.

Criticising the nature of proceedings against him, he said that apart from current NAB references “a former prime minister is now facing charges of ordering extending a road”.

“Is this how they reward a three-time PM?” Nawaz questioned, pointing at the Jati Umra road extension case.

Express Tribune

KARACHI: Top representatives of non-government organisations (NGOs) have said the basic human rights have continuously been at stake in the country due to various deplorable incidents, taking place recently as well as during the past many years.

Addressing a joint press conference at Karachi Press Club on Friday, they said that such incidents had worsened human rights situation in the country, as curbs had been imposed on people’s freedom of expression during this period.

They regretted that the cable operators kept suspended the transmission of famous news channel, Geo News, for many weeks in major parts of the country for unknown reasons. “We believe it is a direct attack on the press freedom in the country,” they said and demanded the government authorities ensure protection of people’s right to gathering, unionisation, delivery of speech, acting on religious beliefs and basic human rights.

Those speaking at the conference included: Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (PILER) Executive Director Karamat Ali, Sindh Labour Solidarity Committee Convener Habibuddin Junaidi, Dr Riaz Sheikh, the head of social sciences at the Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology (SZABIST), Aurat Foundation Director Mehnaz Rehman, Democratic Students Federation’s Naghma Iqtidar, Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum’s Jamil Junejo, and Trade Union’s head Jannat Gul.

Karamat Ali and other speakers told the press conference that restrictions were in still place on the right to assembly and freedom of speech at educational institutions. They said it was a matter of concern that a planned seminar was stopped at the Habib University at the last moment and misbehaviour with the guests invited to the programme.

He said seminars and declamation contests were not being allowed on campus in universities in various parts of the country. The faculty members supporting right to expression were either sacked or some disciplinary actions were taken against them. He regretted that despite various announcements made since 2008, student unions have not been restored at educational institutions of the country.

He said a professor was sacked at the Punjab University on the charges of “promoting critical thinking among students.” Almost all speakers said they were concerned over imposition of curbs on the right to expression in the country. The cable operator in major parts of the country recently kept suspended famous news channel, Geo News, for weeks for unknown reasons. “This is a direct attack on the freedom of press in the country,” they said.

They said Pakistan has a long history of fight for freedom of expression and speech. Once again, the mass media is facing various restrictions with impunity. The speakers expressed serious concerns that some political leaders having a particular approach were being targeted, and restrictions were being imposed on their basic rights including their right to expression.

They said all institutions should respect each other. They expressed their concerns over the trend of targeting political and social movements. They condemned the arrest of Younas Iqbal – the founder of tenants’ movement in Punjab – and said registration of bogus cases and including terrorism charges against him were a deplorable act. They said it seems that no lessons had been learnt from the past and peaceful citizens were being declared as terrorists.

They said there had been an increase in the attacks on people and minorities in different parts of the country, as they cited the death of the Christian community members in Quetta and Punjab.

The NGO leaders said a negative image of Pakistan was already being portrayed around the world and the government must, therefore, ensure the right to life and arrest those involved in such incidents. They also called for paying compensation to the victim families.

They also said that many political and social activists had been missing and their families were suffering socially, psychologically and financially. The families had no information about their loved ones and they were not getting any relief through law. The speakers said it was human tragedy and a commission set up in this regard had been unable to show satisfactory performance. The demanded either commission’s abolition or its reformation so that it functions effectively under new leadership. They also demanded right to be heard and implementation of law should be ensured.

They said that the government was going to complete its term and the new elections were around the corner. They demanded a grand dialogue to ensure basic liberties. They said they would hold consultative meetings with all major political parties soon.

The News

LAHORE – An emergency meeting of the Council of Newspaper Editors (CPNE) was held in Lahore to review overall prevailing situation in different spheres of life especially in the media.

The participants of the meeting, representing major newspaper organisations, expressed serious concern over threats faced by press freedom and journalist community and inaction of authorities concerned.

The meeting was chaired by CPNE’s former president Mujibur Rehman Shami and attended by Rameeza Majid Nizami (Nawa-i-Waqt Group), Jameel Athar (Jurrat), Sohail Warraich (Jang Group), Altaf Hasan Qureshi (Urdu Digest), Mahmood Sadiq (Din), Umar Shami (Pakistan), Syed Mumtaz Shah (Mashriq), Naveed Chaudhry (City 42), Mumtaz Tahir (Aftab), Salim Bokhari (The Nation), Salman Ghani (Dunya) and Sajad Bokhari (Abtak).

The first item that came under discussion was the historic and appreciable initiative of the chief justice of Pakistan for taking suo motu on the decision of the Lahore High Court banning anti-judiciary speeches being aired by television channels and printed by newspapers.

The participants were of the view that by such daring actions the chief justice would be seen as a flag-bearer of the freedom of the press and his role would go down in history. The participants also urged upon the chief justice to take notice of the complaints by some media groups and play a decisive role in upholding freedom of expression in the country. There was a consensus that activities of some CPNE members and office-bearers were in contrast to the aims and objective of the council at a time when the media was facing serious challenges.

The participants of the meeting were of the candid view that the CPNE was a representative body of professional editors and the focus of its activities should remain to its jurisdiction. By no means should it indulge in any business activity.

The meeting also decided to hold similar meetings in Karachi and Islamabad to take members on board in an attempt to ensure that CPCE was allowed to work in the right direction.

Nation