Pakistan: Curbs on media condemned; Rights bodies demand immediate withdrawal of emergency proclamation

In a press release issued here on Monday, the 8-member alliance comprising Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, Aurat Foundation, Shirkat Gah, Strengthening Participatory Organization, Human Resource Management and Development Center, Noor Education, Khwendo Kor and Sungi Foundation termed the imposition of emergency and promulgation of Provisional Constitutional Order an insult to 160 million people of the country, democracy and the civil society at large.

Severely criticizing the move, the APHR said the grounds cited by the General Pervez Musharraf for taking the extreme action were totally hollow. "None else but the present rulers and their unwise policies are responsible for the state of affairs that is prevailing in the country. Musharaf has already amassed all the powers in the capacity of a president, chief of the army staff and supreme commander of the armed forces. What more power does he want?" questioned the rights organizations.

Terming the emergency a step taken solely to throttle the independent judiciary and free media, the APHR recalled that the judicial activism had revived the hopes of the down-trodden people of the country so much so that the rulers took it as a threat to their power base. "The imprudent policies of the regime pursued in the last 8 years and not the judiciary is responsible for the worsening law and order situation in the country," said the press release while demanding the re-instatement of all the judges of the superior judiciary, including Supreme Court and high courts.

Pointing to the mala fide nature of the emergency step, the APHR said: "A military ruler slapped emergency in the country on November 3, 2007 after fearing that a revitalized apex court is a challenge to his unlawful actions and is set to hand a verdict against his eligibility for the president slot." The press release called for re-instatement of the 11-member Supreme Court bench to continue hearing of Musharraf's eligibility case and give a judgment at the earliest.

The alliance condemned the restrictions placed on the free media after the imposition of emergency with the promulgation of two ordinances. "What message the rulers are sending to the outside world by banning the telecasts of a dozen independent TV channels and broadcasts of free FM radios. The Press is the fourth pillar of the estate and any curbs on it would ultimately hurt the interests of the state and no patriotic citizen can endure that," said the press release.

Criticizing the curbs on free media, the alliance said there was no need to amend the Press, Newspapers, News Agencies and Book Registration Ordinance 2002 and the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority, 2002. "These ordinances have been amended just to gag the free media which cannot be tolerated in a civilized society," said the Press release, adding sentences such as discontinuation of publication of a non-compliant newspaper for one month and Rs 10 million fine and jail up to three years for the non-submissive TV channels are the steps that must be condemned by all conscientious people,'' said the Press release.

The rights bodies alliance also flayed the arrest of lawyers, political workers and civil society activists in Peshawar, Islamabad, Lahore, Multan, Karachi and other parts of the country and advised the government to stop such draconian actions forthwith."

06 November 2007

The Alliance for Protection of Human Rights (APHR)