Govt urged to protect rights, ensure freedom of expression

Civil society groups on Friday expressed concern over the spate of attacks on journalists and ever-increasing restrictions on social media and urged the government to ensure freedom of expression – a fundamental right guaranteed by the Constitution of Pakistan.

The Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (PILER) held a meeting on Friday at the Karachi office of the National Commission of Human Rights (NCHR) in connection with the country’s upcoming human rights record international review, where activists called upon the government to improve human rights conditions in the country.

Incidentally, earlier in the day, Ahmad Noorani, a reporter for The News International, was severely tortured in broad daylight by six unidentified motorcyclists who intercepted his car near Zero Point, Islamabad, dragged him and his driver out and attacked them with knives and iron rods. Noorani was being treated at Polyclinic Hospital and his condition was said to be out of imminent danger.

Pakistan’s human rights record will be reviewed in the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), a periodical review of United Nations member states’ human rights record, which is being held after a gap of more than four years in November at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.

Participants at Friday’s event raised concern over the declining space for freedom of expression, persecution of religious minorities and discrimination on the basis of caste and religion, increasing incidents of enforced disappearances, declining labour rights and right of association and collective bargaining as well as growing incidents of attacks on media personnel.

In the 2012 UPR, Pakistan had made several commitments at the global body regarding human rights but no major steps have been taken on many of those commitments, they pointed out.

Despite the fact that that the Constitution guarantees all fundamental rights to citizens, there are still many laws in Pakistan which stand against those basic rights, said Anis Haroon, an NCHR member from Sindh.

She lamented that the government and civil society usually jump into action when some international reviews like the UPR is nearing and are not working actively during the interim period when they should be in order to ensure people’s rights are protected.

PILER Executive Director Karamat Ali said information about important decisions taken at the government level is not shared on a regular basis.

Citing the example of the restoration of student unions, Ali said that it was only recently being reported that the government has lifted the ban on the formation of students unions, however, the law had been passed a year ago. Even government institutions themselves did not know that the law was already in place.

Shifting the conversation onto the upcoming UPR, activists Iqbal Detho, Owais Aslam Ali of PPF and Jamil Junejo of PFF, Zulfiqar Shah of PILER, Habibuddin Junaidi, the Convener of Sindh Labour Solidarity Committee and Pirbhu Satyani of PILER explained the mechanism of the UN review. The UPR was set up in 2006 when the Human Rights Council was created in order to periodically assess the human rights situation in all UN member states.

Pakistan’s first review was held in 2008 and second was held in 2012, while the third is scheduled for November 13, said Detho.

The News International

October 27, 2017

Pakistan’s Publishers body condemns cancellation of publishing licenses of two newspapers the capital city

The administration of Islamabad, Pakistan’s capital city, cancelled the publication licenses or ‘declarations’ of Urdu the dailies “Sahafat” and “Dopahr” on October 20, 2017.

Khushnood Ali Khan, editor in chief of both newspapers, said the order was given when he submitted a request to upgrade his printing press and to change the printers. When he did not receive a response from the Islamabad administration, Khan said he wrote a letter to the deputy commissioner Islamabad.

According to the notification issued by the office of the District Magistrate of the Islamabad Capital Territory the newspapers were ordered cease publication following complaints that it was not being published.

The All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) has expressed grave concern over the cancellation and termed this action as an attack on freedom of expression.

In its statement issued on October 24, 2017 APNS President Sarmad Ali and Secretary General Umer Mujib Shami said that the Islamabad administration has cancelled the declarations of the Islamabad-based dailies without any prior notice as required under the law. The statement added that these publications were exposing the malpractices of the Islamabad Administration which annoyed the Magistrates office and to strangle the voices of dissent, the declarations of publications have been cancelled.

APNS office urged the Prime Minister, the Minister of State for Information and Secretary Information to take immediate action against the concerned authorities and make sure that the declarations are restored immediately and ensure that no such action would be taken against the freedom of expression in future.

In another resolution issued on October 26, 2017 the Executive Committee of strongly condemned the high-handed-ness of the Islamabad administration which has grossly violated the provisions of the Press, Newspapers, News Agencies and Books Registration Ordinance 2002 and cancelled the declarations without any prior notice. The Executive Committee said it considered the action as a signal to the print media that Federal Government has chosen a path to strangulate the media by negating all democratic norms.

The Executive Committee termed such acts as attack on freedom of expression and reiterated that the print media would brave the situation and safeguard its rights, it earned after a long and protracted struggle.

October 27, 2017

Pakistan: Investigative Journalist Injured in Attack

On October 27, 2017, Ahmad Noorani, an investigative journalist of the English-language daily “The News International” was assaulted by unidentified men in broad daylight at the busy intersection of Islamabad, the capital city of Pakistan.

Noorani’s car was intercepted by six assailants riding on three motorbikes. They severely beat up Noorani and his driver with iron rods after throwing out the keys from the ignition. The attackers attempted to snatch Noorani’s mobile phone but failed. The attackers later escaped in motorcycles that did not have license plates.

Both men sustained injuries to their heads and necks with sharp objects but were conscious while they were shifted to the local Polyclinic Hospital by a passerby. The condition of the victims is now stable.

In a conversation with the Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) a week earlier, Noorani had reported an attack at his house two months earlier which he felt was over his reporting of the trial for corruption of the ousted former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his family. He also deactivated his popular Twitter account on October 19 because of these threats. One of his stories on the report Joint Investigation Team investigating the corruption charges proved to be incorrect and he had to issue a retraction and an apology.

Journalists, media organizations, and politicians have condemned the attack on Noorani. Federal Interior Minister Muhammad Talal Chaudhry ordered the police to investigate the case including securing records of CCTV cameras of the area.

The Rawalpindi-Islamabad Union of Journalist and National Press Club (NPC) demonstrated against the attack on Noorani. NPC president Shakil Anjum said a committee will be formed to investigate the attack.

IFEX

October 25, 2017

Press freedom situation in Balochistan extremely bad: CPNE

QUETTA: The Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors has declared the situation regarding press freedom in Balochistan as extremely bad and contrary to democratic standards.

According to a press release issued by the CPNE here on Tuesday, the overall situation regarding press freedom in the province was reviewed at a meeting of CPNE’s standing committee in Quetta presided over by CPNE president Zia Shahid.

The meeting passed a resolution declaring the freedom of press situation in the province as extremely poor and unsatisfactory.

According to the resolution, the intolerant behaviour of certain forces and groups against the media in the province has become a norm.

It said newspapers were facing severe pressure and hardships, and hindrances were also being created in the distribution of newspapers, while media workers and newspaper sellers were facing life threats.

“Resultantly, journalists, media workers and newspaper vendors find themselves in an untenable situation due to the multidimensional sources of pressure around them,” it said.

Expressing solidarity with journalists and media workers of Balochistan, the CPNE assured them of its full backing and support and demanded that all state and government institutions and other bodies ensure that the freedom of press and expression and right to information are respected according to the Constitution of Pakistan.

The CPNE demanded steps that can truly strengthen press freedom in line with basic human rights.

According to the CPNE, a free and responsible media’s presence is necessary for the stability of democratic standards in a democratic society while press freedom itself is a vital part of a democratic society and reflection of social diversity.

Meanwhile, the CPNE delegations called on Balochistan Chief Minister Sanaullah Zehri, Governor Mohammad Khan Achakzai, Balochistan Assembly Speaker Raheela Hameed Durrani, senior politician Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo and former chief minister Dr Abdul Malik Baloch and apprised them of the difficulties and threats being faced by the media in Balochistan.

The meeting was attended by CPNE Senior Vice President Shaheen Qureshi, Secretary General Aijazul Haq, vice presidents Amir Mehmood, Rehmat Ali Razi, Anwar Sajidi and Tahir Farooq, senior members Ikram Sehgal, Ghulam Nabi Chandio, Dr Jabbar Khattak, Siddique Baloch, Hamid Hussain Abidi, Kazmi Khan, Amin Yousuf, Irfan Athar, Javed Mehar Shamsi, Munir Jilani, Abdul Khaliq Ali, Usman Shami, Kamran Mumtaz, Abdul Rehman Mungrio, Muzaffar Ejaz, Mohsin Goraya, Khalilur Rehman, Aslam Khan, Mumtaz Ahmed Sadiq, Younis Mehar, Bashir Ahmed Memon, Ali Ahmed Dhalon, Arif Baloch, Ahmed Iqbal Baloch, Naeem Sadiq, Syed Khalilur Rehman, Tazeen Akhtar, Javed Ahmed, Muneer Baloch, Ali Raza Lehri, Yahya Khan Sadozai, Anwar Nasir and Zahida Abbasi.

Quetta Press Club president Raza Rehman, local newspaper editors, senior journalists and other media workers were present on the occasion.

Dawn

The Nation: Press freedom in Balochistan under threat: CPNE

Business Recorder: Press freedom in Balochistan termed ‘extremely bad’

October 25, 2017

Govt to monitor social media, says interior minister

ISLAMABAD: Amid growing concerns over the alleged disappearanceof a number of social media activists linked to the ruling party, Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal on Tuesday announced plans to formulate a framework to monitor social media in order to prevent it from being used as a tool to malign national institutions and spread anarchy or extremism in the country.

“The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has been directed to formulate a framework for social media monitoring in consultation with all stakeholders,” the interior minister said at a press conference.

Responding to a question about recent reports of social media activists who had gone missing, the minister said that the framework would be finalised after consultations with “the people in the information technology [industry], bloggers and social media activists” to ensure “we have a responsible and democratic social media having space for the people to express their viewpoints, but not to spread anarchy.”

Mr Iqbal termed social media an important weapon of fifth-generation warfare, which was being used to destabilise societies and create anarchy in countries, saying that even in the US and Germany, there was an ongoing debate over the misuse of social media in the recently-held elections in both countries.

Last week, his party chief Nawaz Sharif had issued a rare statement in support of the missing activists and called on the interior ministry to ensure their immediate recovery. However, at Tuesday’s presser, Mr Iqbal did not give a direct answer when asked about the fate of the missing men.

Declares parliament just as sacrosanct as army and judiciary

“Since we are entering an election year, there is a need to formulate a framework that maintains democratic freedoms and ensures that no foreign hand or saboteur can use social media to create political chaos, spread extremism or carry out terrorism in Pakistan, or belittle national institutions,” he said, highlighting the main objectives of the proposed framework.

He said that social media was being used as a deadly weapon “to discredit and destroy leaderships and state institutions and promote conflicts through fake news”, and stressed that like the armed forces and the judiciary, parliament was also a national institution.

“Parliament is as sacrosanct as the armed forces and the judiciary,” he said, expressing his displeasure over the ongoing campaign to defame democracy and the legislature.

However, he said, the people’s right to express their political views would be respected. In a democracy, he said, everyone had the right to express his viewpoint on any political issue, but “unbridled freedom on social media can cause anarchy”.

Mr Iqbal also announced that his ministry had decided to allow anyone to import or buy bulletproof vehicles after paying the relevant taxes to the government.

“If anyone wants to have an expensive vehicle, he can get it, but only after paying tax,” he said, adding that they had fixed a tax of Rs500,000 for such vehicles.

Previously, he said, genuine applicants such as diplomats, businessmen and parliamentarians who faced security threats had to wait months for a licence.

“Now anyone can obtain the licence in 10 to 21 days, if there is no criminal case against him or his name is not in the negative category,” he added.

The interior minister also announced that “foreign spouses” of Pakistanis would again be issued Pakistan-origin cards. He said that he had received complaints from a number of Pakistanis about a “sudden ban” on the issuance of the cards for the spouses of Pakistanis, creating problems for them in the purchase of properties and other transactions.

The minister also criticised religious parties and groups that had announced to march on Islamabad in connection with the recent controversy over the change in the Khatm-i-Nabuwwat Declaration for electoral candidates.

Mr Iqbal said that since the issue had already been resolved, there was no need to hold this protest, expressing the hope that those groups would cancel their protest.

The interior minister also lashed out at Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan, calling him the head of a “Destruction Brigade” that could not bear to see the country progress.

He claimed that disgruntled politicians wanted to derail the democratic process before March next year, when Senate elections are scheduled to be held, vowing that the present assembly would complete its five-year term and the next elections would be held in the first week of August 2018.

Referring to the leak of an interior ministry letter regarding the provision of security to the Chinese ambassador, the minister said that an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the leak had been ordered, and advised the media to exercise editorial restraint when reporting on matters related to security and foreign relations.

Dawn

Express Tribune: No absolute freedom on social media, warns Ahsan Iqbal

October 24, 2017

CPNE delegation meets Zehri

QUETTA: The government would make no compromise with elements challenging the writ of the state and continue to hunt them down, the Balochistan chief minister said on Monday.

He was speaking to a delegation of the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE), headed by its president Zia Shahid.

Sanaullah Zehri said the government was fighting terrorism on two fronts — the “so-called Baloch freedom fighters” in predominantly Baloch areas and the “sectarian fanatics” from the province’s Pakhtun areas.

He said it was deplorable that when Baloch militants killed an innocent man, certain elements refused to call it an act of terror since it was carried out by “a disgruntled man”.

“People sitting outside the country are involved in disturbing peace in Balochistan,” Sanaullah Zehri alleged.

He recalled that there was a time when people refrained from playing the national anthem in educational institutions out of fear, but the “situation has changed now because of the government’s dogged pursuit of terrorists”.

The chief minister called upon the media to promote national unity, complaining at the same time that its “focus was more on those involved in terrorism than the victims”.

Referring to threats from militant organisations that disallowed circulation of newspapers and disrupted TV transmission all over Balochistan, Mr Zehri said “militants are taking out their frustration on the media”.

Federal Minister retired Lt General Abdul Qadir Baloch and provincial home minister Mir Sarfaraz Bugti also spoke about the situation in Balochistan.

DAWN

October 22, 2017

Internet censorship

DISTURBING though it may be, it is hardly surprising that internet access in Pakistan is being selectively filtered — ‘censored’ is perhaps the more accurate word here. A research report released last week regarding random tests that involved 22 internet service providers in the country bore witness to the fact that at least 210 URLs have been blocked by 22 ISPs. Data from 2014 to 2017 was examined in a study carried out by the Open Observatory of Network Interference and Bytes for All Pakistan. The research is part of an ongoing effort to examine internet censorship in over 200 countries through collection and analysis of network measurements. The report says: “Geopolitical power dynamics appear to be reinforced through the blocking of sites run by ethnic minority groups.” Considering the state’s penchant for restricting internet freedom, it is highly likely that this is only the tip of the iceberg. As an expert at the Digital Rights Foundation pointed out, the filtration technology being used to achieve this end has been there for a while. “I’m sure if you test all of those available in the country, there must be several hundred URLs blocked,” she said.

There can be little argument that the laws of the land must be complied with. Yet it is also a fact that there needs to be more debate and review about the quality and relevance of some of the legislation on the statute books. In terms of internet censorship, the state needs to understand the realities of the modern world and the direction in which technology is taking us. Censorship is ultimately a dead-end tactic; the freedom of expression, one way or the other, is a certainty. Outmoded methods of controlling it are bound to fail; it is a far better idea for the state to be tolerant of debate and dissenting opinions on the internet.

Dawn