Freedom of Expression – Page 214 – Pakistan Coalition on Media Safety

January 1, 2019

State of Pakistani Media in 2018

From special coercive law to blatant censorship, the Pakistani media has witness many forms of oppression in its 71 years of struggle-filled existence.

But in 2018 the media endured an unprecedented level of imposed “self-censorship” through tactics unbecoming of a responsible state. Those who refuse to fall in line suffer loss of readership and viewership. Unjustified cover-ups and the suppression of truth regarding crucial questions of public accountability have seriously affected the perception of the quality of democracy in Pakistan.

2018 was a year of elections, overt and covert pressures on the media in the run-up to the elections cast aspersions on the fairness of the electoral exercise and were widely criticized by national as well as international observers including the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, The European Commission and the US based Committee to Protect Journalists.

As one of the most dangerous countries in the world for media persons, Pakistan has witnessed the murder of 72 journalists since 2002. Except for five cases, most of these fatalities have continued to remain unsolved and perpetrators remain unpunished. Successive governments have seemed reluctant to probe the murders of journalists.

The report State of Pakistani Media in 2018 by Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) focuses on instances of crimes against the media, where journalists are killed, murdered, abducted, assaulted, detained, and threatened by law enforcement agencies, militants, feudal lords, and tribal leaders. TV channels, newspapers, websites and social media are blocked and banned. Media personnel and media organizations are threatened and pressured by state and non-state actors.

Instances of the arrest of journalists, issuing non-bailable arrest warrants, registration of legal cases, contempt of court notices, and imposition of fines under defamation laws were also recorded among the pressures used in 2018 that sent a chilling message to all Pakistani journalists.

During 2018, PPF investigated six cases of the murder of journalists. However, PPF determined that the primary causes of murders were personal or business animosities and rivalries rather than relating to their work as journalists.

Those murdered during the year included: Ehsan Sherpao, Secretary General of Charsadda Press Club; Anjum Muneer Raja, sub-editor, daily Pukaar; Zeeshan Ashraf Butt, reporter, daily Nawa-i-Waqt; Abid Hussain, correspondent of daily Naya Daur, Multan; Saeed Butt, reporter, daily Khabrain; and Muhammad Sohail Khan, reporter, daily K2 Times and AVT Khyber television channel.

Physical assault continued to be a chronic problem for Pakistani journalists. According to the PPF research, there were at least 22 cases of physical assault in which five journalists were injured while 25 others were beaten and manhandled to stop them from performing their professional duties.

Abducting journalists is another common tactic to stop media practitioners from expressing their views on sensitive issues. PPF documented three cases of abduction and attempted abduction in 2018. They included Gul Bukhari, writer and columnist of The Nation; Taha Siddiqui, reporter of the France 24, New York Times, The Guardian; and Zaibdar Marri, President of the Kohlu Press Club and correspondent of the Express News.

The year also witnessed the release of social media activist Samar Abbas after one year. He went missing under mysterious conditions on January 7, 2017.

The forcible intrusion by armed personnel into the premises of Karachi Press Club (KPC) was the first in the club’s 60-year existence. KPC termed it an outcome of an ongoing campaign to subdue the press on the part of state and non-state actors.

Attacking the residence of a journalists is also used as pressure tactic on journalists, as they become overly cautious for the stake of their families’ safety. One such example of this in 2018 was the attack on the house of Manzoor Bughio, reporter of Channel 24 in Shaheed Benazirabad district in the Sindh province.

Online harassment is increasing throughout the world, including Pakistan. One such instance noted this year was when Saleem Safi, a prominent Pakistani journalist, columnist and anchorperson was made the target of abuse and harassment on social media for a comment he made in a television show.

PPF also documented seven cases where journalists in Pakistan face legal actions. These include: Nasrullah Khan Chaudhry, senior sub-editor of daily Nai Baat; Cyril Almeida, assistant editor and columnist of Dawn; Sailaab Mehsud of Radio Free Europe/ Radio Liberty’s Mashaal Radio and Zafar Wazir of Khyber TV; Matiullah Jan, a journalist and host of Waqt TV; Dr. Amir Liaquat Hussain, anchorperson of BOL TV; Mir Shakil-ur-Rehman of Jang group; and Umar Cheema, investigative reporter of Jang group.

The media industry in Pakistan also witnessed extreme economic pressures which resulted in the closure of a television channel and a number of newspapers, which in turn led to the loss of employment for hundreds of journalists and other media professionals.

On the policy front, the newly elected government of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf announced plans to merge the existing separate regulations for print, electronic and online media into a single powerful regulation body. Under the proposed regulation one mega regulatory body to be called Pakistan Media Regulatory Authority (PMRA) would be created with the merger of existing regulatory authorities including Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) and Press Council of Pakistan (PCP). Most media bodies including The All Pakistan Newspaper Society (APNS), Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) and PCP have strongly opposed the proposed law.

In September 2018, government also constituted a Content Committee that would approve advertisements for the print and electronic media. The newly-formed body, headed by the Federal Minister of Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry, will work to see that no advertisement should be released to the print or electronic media by the provincial or federal government without prior approval of this committee.

The government also announced a drastic reduction in the rates of advertisements charged by television channels for government advertisements. The new rates will be valid for federal and provincial governments, autonomous bodies and public sector organizations.

Media outlets remain under pressure from the authorities to avoid reporting on several issues including criticism of government institutions and the judiciary. There were at least 31 instances of journalists, anchorpersons, and television channels being issued show-cause notices, suspensions of anchor persons, blocking of websites, and disruptions of distribution of newspapers.

The circulation of a number of newspapers including Dawn remained blocked in cantonments and parts of Balochistan, and transmission of Geo television channel was blocked in many parts of the country.

Pakistan was among the countries that had made the largest number of requests for content restrictions on leading social media platforms. According to Facebook Transparency Report released on November 16, Pakistan emerged as the number one country in the world with 2,203 requests to Facebook for content restriction. The Twitter Transparency Report ranked Pakistan on third highest with 3,004 profiles to the social networking site for inciting violence and spreading hate material.

December 31, 2018

PPF condemns investigation against Fox TV anchor Fatih Portakal

Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF), in a letter to Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, President of Turkey has expressed concern over the investigation launched against Fox TV anchor Fatih Portakal.

PPF Secretary General Owais Aslam Ali has condemned the threats and fine made against the anchor and channel and called on the authorities to stop targeting journalists and media persons for sharing their views.

According to IPS Communication Foundation-Bianet, The Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office in Bakırköy district of İstanbul has launched an investigation against Portakal for his views aired on December 10, 2018 in the prime time news bulletin.

A written request has been sent to the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) with the records of the bulletin and the 16 complaint petitions submitted against Portakal were combined.

In his bulletin Portakal said, “Here we go, let’s protest these price increases, the increases in prices of natural gas with a peaceful protest demonstration. Come on, let’s do it. Can we do it? How many people can take to the streets out of fear and concern? Can you please tell me, for God’s sake, how many people can take to the streets? They are trying to take the individual and social opposition under pressure, they are trying to intimidate them.”

The pro-government media outlets and President and Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan started targeting the anchor after these statements.

The RTÜK has also imposed a fine of broadcast suspension for three days and an administrative fine on FOX TV Prime News Bulletin presented by Fatih Portakal.

December 31, 2018

PPF expressed deep concern over murder of a radio announcer in Negros

Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF), in a letter to Rodrigo Duterte, President of Philippines has expressed deep concern over the murder of a radio announcer, Gabriel Alburo in the town of La Libertad, Negros Oriental on December 28.

PPF Secretary General Owais Aslam Ali has condemned the murder of Gabriel Alburo and called on the authorities to immediately and independently investigate the killing of radio announcer and hold those responsible for his murder.

According to Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA), at around 3:05 a.m. Alburo was heading home to Guihulngan, city in Negros on his motorbike when he was shot by two armed motorcyclists on the national highway in Barangay North Poblacion.

After Edmund Sestoso who was murdered in Dumaguete on April 30, Alburo became the second media practitioner killed in Negros Oriental this year.

Alburo had recently continued broadcasting over 94.5 DYJL FM, a community radio station in Guihulngan.

The motive behind the murder of Alburo is not clear yet.

December 30, 2018

2018: A year of media suppression and rights abuses in Pakistan

“Sneaky”, “sinister” and “Orwellian” are just some of the words Pakistani journalists and human rights defenders used to describe the censorship and growing clampdown on dissent, mainstream and social media in their country over the past year.

Although previous Pakistani governments also put pressure on civil society and the media, this year, many Pakistanis working in these fields I talked to felt that direct and indirect repression has increased significantly.

Attacks on the media

As we were wrapping up 2018, there were a number of incidents that solidified the perception that the situation in the country has really gotten worse.

In early December, the Pakistani authorities blocked the website of Voice of America’s Pashto language radio service.

Then on December 8, a police case was filed against dozens of people in the aftermath of a rally organised by the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (Pashtun Protection Movement – PTM), which campaigns for Pashtun rights. Among them were two journalists Sailaab Mehsud, affiliated with Dawn newspaper and Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty’s Mashaal Radio, and Zafar Wazir of the local channel Khyber TV, who had been covering the rally.

On December 14, Pakistan’s electronic media regulatory authority (PEMRA) issued an advisory note calling on media outlets not to report excessively on topics such as violence, kidnapping, sexual abuse, terrorism and natural disasters.

This document came after a similar one was issued in advance of the July parliamentary elections, which called on the media not to air “derogatory and malicious content” against the judiciary and the army. These regulatory letters purportedly aim to build a “positive image” of the country and address the “negative perception” of Pakistan globally, but many see them as a form of pressure on the media.

Then on December 15, Jang Group, the country’s leading media house, fired hundreds of staffers en masse, closing down a number of its outlets.

Over the past year, a number of media organisations have had to downsize or close down due to declining advertising revenue or other financial constraints. Journalists I have talked to believe that this is a tactic to control the media and impose more “friendly” reporting on the authorities.

They also say that printing presses have been pressured to stop from publishing certain newspapers, cable operators have been asked to cease broadcasting certain channels and big businesses have been advised against putting up advertisements with certain media outlets.

The media have also been pressured to fire certain employees who have been too critical of the Pakistani establishment. This year, leading prime-time news show hosts Talat Hussain, Murtaza Solangi, Mateeullah Jan, and Nusrat Javed either quit or lost their jobs. What they have in common is that they all questioned the transparency of the July elections and openly criticised the jailing of the former PM Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Mariam Nawaz.

Journalists I talked to also shared their frustration with the increasing pressure and censorship in Pakistani newsrooms.

“It was ridiculous how we had to keep beeping off Nawaz Sharif when he would appear in court and during the election coverage. Election day was one of the worst days in my career as a producer in the newsroom, and I have seen the Musharraf era. We were not allowed to counter the official narrative of the authorities,” a senior producer of a news bulletin of a prominent cable news network told me.

An editor of an English-language daily complained that a “screening process” was set up in his newsroom under the explicit directions of the publisher which resulted in everyday interference and forced removal of editorials and op-eds.

Pressure on civil society

In addition to an intensifying clampdown on the media and the resulting self-censorship, the authorities are now pushing hard to further suppress the civic space and impose the official narrative on the human rights situation in the country after the July election.

In 2018, the authorities escalated pressure on human rights defenders and activists peacefully exercising their right to freedom of expression. They faced arrests, disappearances, accusations of treason, and violent threats from hardliner groups. The government has also stepped up filing complaints with social media companies against its online critics.

Recently, Minister of Information Fawad Chaudhry admitted that the authorities want to regulate social media. Over the past several months, a number of human rights defenders and activists have received emails from Twitter that their tweets violate the country’s law; some accounts have even been suspended.

There have also been a number of human rights defenders, journalists and members of the legal profession who have either had to go into hiding or move to another country. Journalist Taha Siddiqui, for example, had to leave with his immediate family after narrowly escaping an abduction attempt.

The current government also continued the campaign the previous one started against non-governmental organisations (NGOs). As a result, this year some 18 international NGOs were forced to discontinue operations in the country, including Action Aid and Plan International.

Another prominent target of the Pakistani authorities’ assault on civil society this year was the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement.

Many of its members, including two MPs, Mohsin Dawar and Ali Wazir, are facing police cases for taking part in rallies and corner meetings of the PTM.

In July, Hayat Preghal, a Pashtun human rights defender, was detained for a few days. He later faced charges of “anti-state” online expression via social media for his posts in support of PTM.

Preghal, who worked as a pharmacist in the United Arab Emirates, was in Pakistan on leave. Following the court hearing, his name was put on a no-fly list and as a result, Preghal, who is the primary breadwinner of his family, lost his job. He is yet another victim of what appears to be a campaign of targeted economic pressure against political dissidents and human rights activists.

Over the summer, Wrranga Lunri, a Pashtun women’s rights advocate and supporter of PTM, also faced an intimidation campaign and had to relocate from her hometown in Balochistan. She was targeted for being a woman and an organiser, speaking out in public about her cause.

These are just a few of many examples of people who have fallen victim to the increasing intolerance for freedom of speech and human rights activism in Pakistan.

It is clear that this year the Pakistani authorities not only failed to abide by their constitutional and international commitments to ensure respect for rights and freedoms, but they actually actively engaged in campaigns of intimidation and censorship. Unfortunately, there is little evidence that 2019 would be any different in this regard.

Aljazeera

December 30, 2018

THE YEAR IN COMEDY

Pakistan’s politics repeats itself first as tragedy, then as farce. So, while you may initially be inclined to shed tears over it, a better reaction, I humbly suggest, might be to enjoy the absurdities for what they are. It is the greatest comic show, better than anything you could find on Netflix. And it certainly will take your mind off the weepfests that pass for drama on our entertainment channels.

Don’t believe me? Look up what any government ever in Pakistan has said about the state of the economy it has inherited from their predecessors. Put another way, nobody ever came into power extolling the virtues and financial brilliance of the people they replaced. Sometimes I feel we only have coups, summary dismissals of elected governments and engineered elections in order for an age-old tradition to be fulfilled, almost as if too long a period of stability would upset the space-time continuum in which Pakistan’s economic position can be periodically categoriSed as ‘fragile’. And we are nothing without our traditions.

This is, of course, not to say that we’ve had any geniuses running our economy in the past. I mean, if there’s one thing nobody has ever accused Ishaq Dar of, it’s genius.

This year, in order to fulfil the demands of tradition and to illustrate just how precarious a position we were in, we auctioned off some cars and buffaloes. This may not have made a dent in the economy but it did speed up the elevation of Minister of State Murad Saeed into a full minister. Mr Saeed has a reputation for speed anyway, first acquired in the examination hall where he managed to take three (or was it five?) exams at the same time, but he reinforced it this year by attempting to osmose through a glass door. Nobody begrudges him his nose for speedy shortcuts.

As if that were not enough, to reinforce that we are passing through uncertain economic times, we managed to destroy thousands of markets and livelihoods across Pakistan in the name of anti-encroachment drives. Because nothing helps revive the economy better than lots of people out of work and pocket. As long as it’s not well-heeled encroachers setting up housing societies for the well-heeled.

On the flip side, the government announced cheap helicopter rides and the premier told us about chickens and eggs, phantom gas which could power Pakistan for 50 years or not at all, and Chinese trains running at the speed of light. The latter, if the principles of physics are anything to go by, would result in time flowing backwards — which might not be the best of things for Naya Pakistan but would certainly help in putting us on the path to greatness, since the road to greatness is apparently paved with U-turns. Ask Hitler or Napoleon if you have any doubts.

But if the government’s material is ever lagging, we always have the opposition to take up the slack. Is there anything funnier than Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Jamaat-i-Islami’s Siraj ul Haq struggling to remain relevant? One keeps trying to organise ‘All-Party’ Conferences that nobody attends, the other rains fire and brimstone about a previous government he was part of, hoping nobody notices. Then we have Leader of the Opposition Shahbaz Sharif whose biggest concern seems to be how to adopt his famous one-finger-on-his-cheek pose while shuttling between prison and parliament. His apparent hope is that if he were to keep not saying anything remotely critical of the establishment, that he will be allowed to adopt his favourite pose in the future.

Meanwhile, brother Nawaz Sharif seems to be on a Monopoly board, where he owns Mayfair thanks to some rather generous Qataris but keeps drawing the ‘Go to Jail – Do Not Pass Go’ card. If nothing else, this year offered Pakistanis a geography lesson about the significance of little old Panama. Asif Zardari on the other hand, has maintained his reputation for saying things that only make it worse. This year the former president of the Islamic Republic wondered what the problem was in creating fake bank accounts. He called it “normal business practice.” And he also called an alleged killer of more than 400 people in fake police encounters “a brave kid.” While others tell each other to ‘get real’, Zardari opts for ‘get surreal.’

If you still want more, I can point you in the direction of Canadians and Egyptians who’ve had their Twitter accounts threatened for allegedly contravening Pakistani narratives while Pakistani sleuths rise to the challenge of mythical 5th Generation Warfare with hammer and tongs in hand.

But in terms of ratings, no show this year has beat The Dam Show. We may never reach the longed-for funding target through crowdfunding and random enforced contributions by land-grabbers hoping to have their cases quashed, but at least we got good memes out of it.

This year has been great for celebrities who got married. We are way more excited to see their wedding pictures releasing than their movies. And celebrities definitely know how to cash in on even their weddings. Who would know that better than DeepVeer who had their wedding in Italy — which seemed more like a top secret mission where guests were not allowed to take any pictures because the couple was going to make the official release themselves. And boy, how we waited for those pictures! Good thing that their family didn’t ruin it for them. If it was my khandan, they would be the first ones to leak the pictures kyun ke kisi ki khushi bardasht nahi hoti.

This year, three fellow comedians got married too, probably just so they have more material for their stand-up. I mean I’d do that too in case I think I’m running out of jokes.

Actor/comedian Faiza Saleem got married — you heard it right, Danger Dadi is off the market. She was seen making a grand entrance with her Dhinchak moves on her mehndi. But I guess people wanted to talk more about Jibran Nasir for his killer moves to a Govinda song. You really don’t get to see that every day. After watching that, we definitely need Jibran for president!

Then came the Wedding of Endless Events: #Aineeb’s wedding, which sounded like a third person named Aineeb was getting married. I think someone might want to check if there are any more events left, like ‘The First Time He Took Me To Dinner’ event.

Then, Amir Liaquat jumped on the bandwagon but he didn’t have too many events because the Second Time Round a person doesn’t make the mistake of spending too much on their wedding. But Liaquat definitely made the most of post-wedding public appearances on TV morning shows. And who better to cash in on that than morning shows. The highlight of his marriage has been his wife calling him (pyar se) ‘Panther’ … after which the jungle kingdom started a protest. Yeah, you might want to take consent from the animal before you start calling your significant other after it.

How can we not include the Bollywood–Hollywood milan courtesy Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas, where people made beautiful memes of Priyanka’s dress looking like pencil shavings. I haven’t watched Game of Thrones so I don’t know any Sophie Turner jokes. Sorry if I’m missing out on that.

Then came the Grand Ambani wedding where we saw what ‘Paisa phaink tamasha dekh’ literally means. Beyonce was flown down to India to perform at the wedding. I guess that was the best present for all the bride’s single friends; they could shake to ‘Single Ladies’ and not feel like they’re missing out on getting hitched this year. It was a celebrity-packed wedding, where we saw Salman Khan and Ranbir Kapoor not in the limelight but just down to background dancers, and where Aishwariya Rai and Aamir Khan served food. Seeing all this, I guess they booked Imran Hashmi for the wedding night just to fill up the background.

But the year is about to end and, with it, so is the wedding season. Can’t wait for the next wedding season — because who doesn’t love dressing up, dancing to Bollywood songs and eating free food! And, oh, stalking celebrities’ wedding photos.

FREE AT LAST

For the first time in our history, we are witnessing the blessed and festive days of December bring this year to a close. With the last vestiges of 2018 becoming vapour as a result of the warmth generated by the unprecedented levels of goodwill, bonhomie and camaraderie permeating our entire nation, we bow in gratitude to those whose sagacity and wisdom have brought us to this magnificent pass (once again).

This national euphoria is making its presence felt in a myriad ways, chief among them being the total, utter and complete freedom to express one’s opinion. Citizens, especially those belonging to the print, electronic and social media, can’t believe their luck. Journalists have never felt this free and liberated. In fact, many have felt so free that they have gone and involuntarily liberated themselves from their jobs, columns, television shows and Twitter accounts. Chants of “Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!” have been ringing ceaselessly from press clubs across our glorious republic.

I, for one, can’t breathe with excitement. Gone are the days when one would think twice — or even three or four times — before running a potential story idea by one’s editor to gauge their feedback and approval. Fortunately, we now live in a different world. The strength and confidence true freedom gives one is indescribable. There is no stopping me now when I consider story ideas that have a profound and lasting impact on the political and social fabric of our society… ideas which demand answers to deep, important, even searing questions, such as:

• What do state-owned buffaloes think of being auctioned?

• How does owning a green Samsung phone cover impact the social lives of women named Zubaida Bano?

• How many Anjums does it take to change a light bulb?

• Do some people from South Waziristan shun mainstream media because they are Amish? Or does the mainstream media shun them because it is Amish?

• Is the light of speed brighter than the sound of silence?

• When will braided beards become a trend among Generation Xers?

• Do the wealthy and powerful have a conscience? And if so, what planet do they keep it on?

• Why are red M&Ms better than all other M&Ms?

• Why must we look both ways before going to bed?

• Who do you think stole your lunch money in grade 4?

• Does the establishment know you are rebelling against it when you wear loud, multi-coloured socks?

• How much sohan halwa does your expatriate khala buy when the rupee is unexpectedly devalued?

• What would it take to get Supreme Court advocates to wear red pants in court?

• How many cups of water does it take to fill up a dam?

• Can auctioned, second-hand cars be turned into universities?

• Is it true that 75 percent of female penguins in Antartica are addicted to ice?

• How many calories does positive reporting burn in a day?

The significance of these (and other such) stories will become clear in the coming new year. One’s free, completely unencumbered, liberty-laden shall dance with glee and speak with abandon of everything one’s mortal heart desires. From braided beards and light of speed to Amish Waziristanis and cups of dam, 2019 appears a year that is destined to set our media free and rid it of the unnecessary accoutrements of credibility, import and veracity. Inshallah!

To quote from hazrat George Michael’s 1990 hit single Freedom:

“All we have to do now, us take these lies and make them true somehow.”

Farid Alvie was born. He currently lives.
He tweets @faridalvie

Journalists have never felt this free and liberated. In fact, many have felt so free that they have gone and involuntarily liberated themselves from their jobs, columns, television shows and Twitter accounts. Chants of “Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!” have been ringing ceaselessly from press clubs across our glorious republic.

Positive Reporting

Anti-establishment journalism isn’t what it used to be. You would have noticed the whining of the anti-establishment journalists/activists about censorship and jobs, etc. The whole revolutionary glamour associated with going against establishment is rapidly diminishing. Also, many have stopped drinking to slow ageing. Now even the anti-establishment types want to live longer, look younger, make more money and have a secure life. I have started to suspect that it’s so much easier to just become pro-establishment instead of treading this thin line. This, then, is my first attempt at positive reporting: a round-up of 2018 news.

We got to know this year that 75 percent of female students of schools in Islamabad are addicted to ice. This is such great news because ever since Breaking Bad, the Lyari-maarka adulterated crystal meth called sheesha was selling for 3000 rupees a gram. So, many students affording that or more means our per capita income isn’t as bad as some would make us believe. Also, the fact put paid to the gender discrimination nonsense because in comparison a paltry 45 percent of boys are using the drug.

This year also brought the anti-establishment and pro-establishment forces to the same page over anything. While, the two groups have traditionally struggled to agree on what kind of a state we want to be, with what sort of relations with which country, there’s finally agreement over the need to be united against the Higher Education Commission, since it took so long to attest young Mazari’s degrees, upsetting mother and daughter alike.

While ICC is well within its right to go after users of performance enhancing drugs, it always puzzled the more sensitive souls what its beef was with recreational drugs. At most it should concern a country’s board if a player is underperforming because of drugs. I too was of this view, but 2018 proved how wrong I was when Ahmed Shehzad got caught in a random dope test and remained banned throughout the year.

This year was a godsend for op-ed editors of the country. The censorship and positive reporting thing worked for them like a charm. All the boring op-ed pieces which they couldn’t refuse, because either they were by ‘senior’ journalists or sons thereof, now are respectfuly told their piece can’t be published because of its explosive content. Later, when it gets published on some website with a note that this couldn’t make it to the newspaper because of draconian censorship, it works beautifully for all parties: the writer, by massaging his ego, and the reader who gets to know in advance that the piece is a dud.

The WWE wrestlers not only visited Pakistan twice this year but also went to the Wagah border once and chanted ‘Pakistan zindabad’ along with the passionate crowd. Some of them allegedly also hurled abuses at the Indian soldiers. This was a resounding slap on the face of people who thought we were facing isolation in the world.

After the acrimonious general elections, and the bad taste in the mouth of many when the party head of the (now) opposition party was incarcerated, the ruling party and opposition displayed great sportsmanship by supporting each other when a minority member of parliament attempted to table a bill to ban liquor across-the-board since no religion (including his own) permitted consumption of alcohol. The ruling and the opposition parties, in a beautiful and bipartisan display of tolerance for minority religions, voted the bill down without debate.

Earlier this year, when the dollar price hiked in the previous government’s term, Miftah Ismil, the then finance minister, had said that it would help our export. It’s heartening to see that the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, after coming into power, is continuing with the better policies of the last government.

This was a particularly good year in many other respects too. Sadly, the word limit doesn’t allow me to go any further. Can’t wait for 2019.

The writer is a singer/songwriter, journalist and a documentary-maker.
He runs the vlog ‘Ali Uncensored‘ on YouTube

#Men Too

Hi, how are you? I’m doing well too. Should we start, or would you like some water? Okay then.

So I’m sure you heard that earlier this year a very famous musician was accused of sexual harassment. It was very damaging to his career, the poor guy is doing Mobilink ads now, I feel so bad for him.

Then a teacher was accused. Then an artist. Then another teacher. Then a women’s hockey team coach. Last year it was a cricket selector. You get the idea. Women are calling out every man they meet for harassment.

Now I’m not a misogynist but, if this goes on unchecked, there will be no men left to work with. All men cannot possibly be sexual harassers. Certainly not me. I’ve never harassed a woman. I don’t even know how to spell the word.

I have so many female friends. They’ve never said anything.

Who said that? On what group? Well that’s not right. I am very cordial with them. And I don’t know about everyone else, but my mother is a woman too. As is my sister. As are my colleagues.

So? I have a crush on a colleague, yes. No, I just follow her on Twitter. And Instagram. And Facebook. Wait, not Facebook. She never accepted my friend request. I wonder why. She probably doesn’t log in very often.

Er, the what the who now? It’s because I make her uncomfortable? What are you talking about. Did she tell you this? What else?

I sit too close to her in meetings? I’m always right behind her waiting for the coffee machine? But it’s because there’s a very small area at the office. Often you have to squeeze past someone.

This personal space idea is such a hipster obsession. When I was growing up, anyone could sit wherever they wanted. Well no, they couldn’t sit ON someone. How is that relevant? Look if you’re there to make money you should be professional about these things. It’s like they say, naukeri ki tou nakhra kya.

Haha, what! I’m always asking to share her lipstick-laden cigrattes? Well, sometimes, but I always forget my pack at home. Is that a crime now?

You should read some of the other opinions too not just feminists’. Many of our public intellectuals have noted how confusing sexual harassment can be. Like Hamza Ali Abbasi. He tweeted to ask isn’t this the same thing as flirting? After all where does one draw the line? What was that, on the woman in question? So very funny. Not.

Don’t you see how it’s confusing. You have a few drinks, are relaxing on the sofa and suddenly find yourself in the neighbour’s house grabbing someone’s something or the other. It happens.

It’s all harmless, isn’t it? A friendly caress, a few whispered words of appreciation. Other than subjecting someone to bad breath, where’s the harm in that?

If I see someone who’s dressed a certain way I know she’s out to have fun and flirt a little. It’s just casual. That’s why I always end up asking her if she sees us having kids together.

And who’s to say she doesn’t enjoy the attention? Certainly not the woman herself. What would she know, she’s not a man. I think. I hope.

Next thing you know, you’ll be telling me it’s not okay to comment on her dress at the work place. Or ask her to wear black nailpolish, because it suits her. To tell her to dress more feminine. Make her stay at work late to chit chat. Insist she sit next to me in the car, discussing how feminists are ruining society these days.

These women who want to be equal with men but can’t take the stress that comes with it. Sitting behind a desk all day ordering tea, then complaining about how bad it’s made then send a man to go get some biscuits. The worst days are when I have to sign things without reading them.

Also … oh, sorry, was that my hand on your knee. The chair is just so deceptively close to me. I’ll sit back down instead of hovering over it. By the way, you should come to my dinner next week. You won’t need to bring anyone along, you know most of the people there.

Flirting is healthy, isn’t it? Well, no, not that kind of healthy. You can’t lose weight by flirting.

You know what I mean, you meet a lady and she’s super attractive and she comes close to greet you and you let your hand linger on her back for a few minutes. Even when she walks into another room. Any room. Other than the restroom. I’m not a pervert.

Basically, women should have thicker skins. No, not like a labourer’s hands. Then you lose your feminity…femininty … am I saying this right? Anyway, smooth and supple skin but thick on the inside. I know there’s no skin on the inside. I’m trying to make a point here.

Would I be okay with my sister flirting with someone? Well, no, but that’s different. I would worry that she meets the wrong kind of guy. Like me? Oh, come on, I’m a perfect gentleman. Oh, sorry, there’s the hand again.

Do you think men should start a #MeToo as well? Like the ones who are unjustly accused?

You do??? Oh, you mean for the men who HAVE harassed a woman. Like: I did it. Me too.

I don’t think I’ve gotten through to you at all. Say why don’t you drop by the house later tonight and we can discuss it over some wine? Sound good? Hello, why are you walking away? Does this mean a no?

Okay, we’ll forget the wine and just watch some movies. I wonder what’s gotten into her. She’s the best therapist I’ve had. It’s her own office she’s walking out of.

Dawn

December 30, 2018

A report on reporters-I

Last year March 27 was undoubtedly a tragic day in Sialkot when Zeeshan Butt, a local journalist working for a Lahore-based newspaper (Nawa-e-Waqt), was on phone. He was talking to the Sialkot District Council Chairperson Hina Arshad Warraich and complaining about death threats hurled on him by a PML-N backed Union Council Chairman Imran Cheema.

Zeeshan complained he had visited Imran’s office in Sambrial tehsil and questioned the recently introduced taxes on shops in Bhegowala bazar. Instead of giving the answer the journalist had sought, the UC chairman abused him and gave death threats. He wanted the issue to be hushed up and not brought to the notice of high-ups.

While Zeeshan was in the middle of the phone call, Imran appeared on the spot with his accomplices and fired shots at Zeeshan. The deafening noise of the shots was followed by a pin drop silence. The victim fell to the ground and succumbed to the fatal injuries.

These details were not narrated by any eye witness or aide of Zeeshan. In fact, these were all recorded and recovered from his cell phone taken into custody by the police. Even the sound of the shots fired at him were recorded and heard by countless people who had access to this audio circulated widely on social media.

Soon afterward, it became an issue about threats to media and freedom of expression. Voices emerged from all over to bring the culprits to justice. Journalists from the entire country built up pressure on the concerned quarters to arrest and punish the culprits. However, at the same time, anti-narrative was flared up too, propagating that it was a result of personal enmity and not the other way around.

Reportedly, there were repeated attempts to spread this perception because the police was finding it hard to sustain the pressure from the journalist fraternity. Meanwhile, it was a pity that hardly any media organisation mentioned the name of Zeeshan’s organisation while carrying follow-up reports about his murder and investigations. The main accused, Imran, has escaped abroad. The Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP) took up the case and ordered the police to arrest the murderer as early as possible. Police arrested Usman alias Sheeshu, Shahid, son of Arif, and Saqlain alias Maula while the main killer Imran Aslam Cheema escaped from the country and is not yet arrested.

Mazhar Abbas, former secretary general Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), believes there are several reasons for the lack of progress and convictions in the cases of journalists’ murders. The foremost is the general inability of the heirs to follow up these cases and go through the long process starting from registration of FIR to investigation, trial in sessions courts and hearing of appeals in the high court and the Supreme Court. In many cases, they do not have enough financial resources to hire lawyers and spend at police stations. So, if the family decides not to pursue the case or drop it any stage it cannot proceed. Police is reluctant to provide copy of the FIR and President of PFUJ says PFUJ doesn’t have any record of the slain journalist Saleem Shahzad’s family. No one is ready to talk on the issue.

The second reason is the missing support that should have come from their organisations. A majority of the slain journalists in Punjab, he says, “were found to be affiliated with small organisations and based away from big urban centres”. The journalist unions, he says, “do raise voice but these are the media organisations which must own their workers and pursue the cases.”

This is just one case in point and reflects the general trend in the Punjab province. Here journalists are mostly threatened, harassed and killed by influentials who are annoyed by exposition of their wrongdoings. A quick glance at the incidents of journalists’ murders in Punjab shows most of them were district/tehsil correspondents of media organisations who had tried to expose the influential politicians, criminals, gangsters etc. There are others, too, who died due to excesses by invisible forces or terrorism in Punjab, but their numbers are very few.

However, regardless of the type, one finds that the fate of these cases is similar. From reporting to investigation and prosecution, award of financial compensation to the heirs, role of the employers, there is a strange resemblance with the extraordinary happening in a few cases.

To start with, one can discuss the cases of Saleem Shahzad, whose body was recovered from a canal in Mandi Bahauddin, and Ejaz ul Haq, an employee of City 42, shot dead by Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terrorists in Lahore.

Saleem Shahzad worked for Asia Times Online based in Hong Kong and Italian news agency Adnkronos (AKI) and was killed on May 10, 2011. Reportedly, he had been kidnapped from Islamabad while he was on his way to the office of a TV channel to take part in a talk show. The global rights body Human Rights Watch claimed Saleem had informed them about threats received from the country’s premier intelligence agency as he had been writing sensitive stories not acceptable to it. This could not be proved during investigations as well as by the judicial commission formed for this purpose. Though, the commission did not clearly identify the culprit, it came out with suggestions on how to avert similar incidents and proposed monetary compensation for Saleem’s family, employment for his wife, and state-funded education for his children.

I contacted Zubair Akhtar, the Station House Officer (SHO) of Sadar Mandi Bahauddin Police Station to get an update on the case. The SHO informed that the case had been closed because of lack of evidences. He was also not aware of the current status of the case and could not recall anybody from the family approaching him for this purpose. The SHO seemed to be in a hurry to end the call and denied having knowledge of the whereabouts of Saleem’s family. (You can get the contact details from FIR or PFUJ, please talk to them). Police is reluctant to provide copy of the FIR and President of PFUJ Rehman Bhutta says PFUJ doesn’t have any record of the slain journalist’s family. No one is ready to talk on the issue.

Saleem Shahzad’s wife, Anita Saleem, has given an interview to AKI which appeared on November 29, 2018. In the interview, she disclosed, the family has not received any support from the government or any other source. She said, “We will never know who killed Saleem, and why.”

On May 28, 2010, during a terrorist attack on Ahmadi community’s worship place in Garhi Shahu, a journalist Ijazul Haq was killed when he was giving live updates on his cellular phone to his TV Channel City 42. At least 98 people were killed on the spot and 120 got severely injured in this terrorist attack.

According to Amir, a technician in City 42, a colleague and friend of the slain journalist, Ijaz was very humble and a hardworking man. He said after his death, Mohsin Naqvi, the owner of City 42, extended financial help to the family. The family, residing in Lahore at that time, was given Rs 0.5 million by the PPP government which also announced free education for his children.

Another colleague of his who does not want to be named, revealed that the entire family left Pakistan and settled abroad. According to him, it was alleged that he was an Ahmadi and his family received support from the community and settled abroad.

Coming to the cases of journalists falling victims to enmities developed with individuals or groups, we take up a couple of cases for discussion and analyse them. For example, Amir Wakeel, correspondent of daily Awami Inqlab, was killed by unknown assailants in Rawalpindi on January 23, 2009. He left behind four kids who immediately moved to their ancestral area of Karak, KPK, after his death. His brother Kamal Asfar was an active journalist who had contested for National Assembly seat from Rawalpindi but disappeared from scene after pursuing his brother’s case for some time.

Abdul Waheed Anjum, Secretary Rawalpindi-Islamabad Press Club, says some journalists believe the brother of the slain journalist was also threatened by unknown men and warned not to pursue the case. Footprints of unknown killers were reportedly traced back in tribal areas of KP but not a single killer of Amir Wakeel has yet been arrested.

On January 23, 2009, afternoon, Amir Wakeel was killed at Committee Chowk in Rawalpindi by unknown killers. He was shot at and two bullets hit his head. He was shifted to District Head Quarter (DHQ) hospital Rawalpindi where he died.

Similarly, on April 22, 2014, Shahzad Iqbal, who was affiliated with Sama TV as a correspondent for six years in Mianwali district, was killed. Reportedly, the killers included Shafaullah Khan, Shabbir Khan and Irfan Khan. They shot fire at Shahzad and his brothers Sajjad Iqbal and Sikandar Iqbal when they were riding motorcycles. The assailants intercepted them in Nai Abadi Mianwali. All three of them received serious injuries and were shifted to District Hospital Mianwali where Shahzad was pronounced dead.

After one week, the killers were apprehended by police and presented before the court. The case continued for one and a half year. Later, the family settled the dispute with the accused and pardoned the murderers on May 26, 2016. Now, the accused are free. According to Sajjad Iqbal, the brother of the deceased, the organisation and Press Club Mianwali did not cooperate with the family. While defending the settlement, he explained that the family did not want to promote enmity. When inquired about the blood money in exchange of this pardon, he did not answer in affirmative. Sajjad was also injured seriously in the armed attack and this act of pardon appears quite unnatural. He was killed over an old enmity.

Muhammad Aftab Alam, a lawyer based in Islamabad, shares that the cases of journalists’ murders are taken like any other murder by the police and are not registered under any special law. Though a provision to invoke Article 7 of ATA has been taken and incorporated into substantial law, there is no supporting amendment in the procedural law that defines procedures to implement laws and award punishments.

Aftab believes that murder of a journalist is homicide as well as a curb on freedom of expression which is a constitutional right. Therefore, such cases must be treated under special laws. At the moment, the cases stay unresolved because the heirs are the complainants and they have to get things moving in a highly non-cooperative environment. He says cases of homicide cannot proceed if complainants are not aware of the complexities of our criminal justice system.

The News

December 29, 2018

PCP unanimously rejects proposed PMRA

ISLAMABAD: The Press Council of Pakistan has unanimously rejected the proposed creation of Pakistan Media Regulatory Authority (PMRA) and urged the government to ensure the Freedom of Press, if it intends to streamline the various institutions then it should table a Bill in the Parliament, says press release. The Press Council of Pakistan’s General Council, which met here on Friday, said the Press Council of Pakistan is the only forum which deals with the public complaints and redresses the grievances of people.

The meeting was presided over by PCP Chairman, Dr. M. Salahuddin Mengal. Members from All Pakistan Newspaper Society, Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors, Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists, Pakistan Bar Council and Pakistan Commission on Women Status participated in the meeting.

Speaking at the meeting veteran journalist, Zia Shahid said the media community has always struggled for the right to information, Freedom of Press and rights of its readers. He said the PCP is an independent, autonomous and self-regulatory body, which has redressed public’s concern and worked for the implementation of code of ethics in newspaper industry.

He said all the media stakeholders had unanimously rejected the concept of PMRA. He said the stakeholders are not opposed to improvement of institutions dealing with the media dynamics, but the only way of betterment goes through the Parliament.

Pakistan Bar Council representative Kamaran Murtaza said the Constitution of Pakistan provides solution to the difficulties being faced by the government. Anwar Sajidi, Shahzada Zulfiqar, Syed Haroon Shah, Khursheed Tanweer, Gohar Butt, Nasir Zaidi, Irshad Ahmed Arif, Maria Iqbal Tarana and others urged the government to enhance the capacity of PCP and other bodies instead of their dissolution.

The Council in unanimous resolution observed with great concern that the nominations sent to PCP by major stakeholders was though forwarded to Ministry of Information and Broadcasting for notifying same within stipulated period of 30 days, but the Ministry deliberately avoided doing so despite lapse of six months. The Council further observed that the Ministry is challenging the validity of Council due to non-issuance of notification. Thus the Council unanimously passed resolution that the stakeholders of PCP have exclusive authority to nominate members of their own choice, and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has no authority to raise objection upon constitution of Council and its decisions.

The Council further declared that the Council has been validity constituted, and the general meetings of PCP held at Islamabad on September 17 and December 28, 2018, and the decisions taken and resolutions passed in both the meetings are legal, valid and in accordance with relevant law. So the objection of Ministry of Information & Broadcasting is baseless and the Ministry failed to notify same under section 7(2) of the PCP Ordinance 2002, whereas the nominees are representatives of major stakeholders of PCP and this Council validates the same unanimously, and reiterates that the previous meeting held on 17-09-2018 is also valid and legal in which important issues mentioned in the agenda papers were unanimously approved and implemented, including the appointment of Registrar PCP.

The News