Islamabad: January 09, 2008

A spokesman of the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting has rejected the report of the “REPORTERS WITHOUT BORDERS” terming it as unrealistic, unreasonable, based on hearsay and contrary to ground realities in Pakistan. 

Commenting on the ‘five areas of concern’ expressed by the “REPORTERS WITHOUT BORDERS” in its bulletin posted on its website, on January 09, 2008, the spokesman said that the media in Pakistan is the freest ever in the history of the country. There is no restriction whatsoever on media in Pakistan. The newspapers are free to publish news and views according to their editorial policy.  

It is absolutely ridiculous to proclaim that Pakistan’s media is not free to provide proper converge of the legislative elections, the spokesman said. Any sane person who reads the daily newspapers with an objective insight would testify to the fact that the media in Pakistan is free to report news and views, sometimes even against the acknowledged norms of journalism. Many a time, rumours and whimsical desires are published as news contrary to the principles of journalism for reporting, like reporting the eyewitnesses’ account, resort to documents, official version or press conference – the known sources of news reports.

There is no censorship at all, the spokesman said, and wondered if any country would allow telecasting of rumours on the TV channels without any substance. But such instances of irresponsible reporting in Pakistan are many, the spokesman said. 

Elaborating the background and the media environment in Pakistan, the spokesman said, the four pillars of the state; the judiciary, the legislature, the executive and the media need to coexist with harmony, remain within their particular domains and recognize the complementarity of each other’s requirements. Each pillar of the state has to conduct its role without fear or favour otherwise a state of chaos and disharmony would dismantle each other’s domain. 

The spokesman said that when President Pervez Musharraf assumed power, he took a conscious decision to infuse the essence of democracy in the national polity by allowing unprecedented freedom to the media unparalleled in the history of Pakistan. After 2002 elections, President Pervez Musharraf opened up the electronic media to the private sector; allowing the people to enjoy the plurality of views on national and international affairs. As a result of this initiative, not taken in the past even by the elected political governments, the private media thrived in putting up a free environment of debate and dialogue on all issues. It went to the extent of taking its freedom over and above the interest of the State and the country. In violation of all universally accepted norms of freedom and terms and conditions signed at the time of obtaining licenses, some private electronic channels tried to disrupt the national harmony. 

No civilized society can tolerate damage to the national institutions in the garb of freedom of expression, the spokesman said and pointed out that Article 19 of the Constitution of Pakistan allows freedom of expression subject to certain restrictions which were blatantly flouted by some media organizations. The PEMRA Ordinance 2002 lays down certain parameters and Code of Conduct. The licensee is required to sign the terms and conditions under this Code and is bound to follow the same. This is a universally accepted practice all over the world where private electronic media is allowed to operate. 

The Government of Pakistan believes in freedom of expression as enshrined in the Constitution of the country, the spokesman said and added, when all verbal, informal and polite requests by the electronic regulatory authority (PEMRA) failed to yield adherence to the terms and conditions signed by the private channels, it had to perforce temporarily put a ban on their transmissions. But as soon as the owners of the private channels agreed to sign and follow the Code of Conduct, they were allowed to air their transmissions. 

GEO too is airing its transmissions on satellite and the government has not banned its transmissions coming to Pakistan through satellite, the spokesman said. However negotiations between GEO and PEMRA on the issue of Code of Conduct are in progress and an amicable solution of the issue is expected to emerge as the government is trying its level best to resolve all media issues through dialogue and negotiations.

As regards the demand of the “REPORTERS WITHOUT BORDERS” to repeal the media laws and the Code of Conduct, the spokesman said, in order to ensure development of media in a smooth manner, the government, in consultation with the media bodies promulgated Press, Newspapers, News Agencies and Books Registration Ordinance, 2002 and the Press Council Act, 2002. The Press Council Act provides for a self-regulatory body to look into complaints against the press and vice versa. It overwhelmingly consists of the media representatives. Out of its 19 members, except the Chairman appointed by the President, 12 members are to be nominated by the newspaper bodies (4 each by APNS, CPNE and PFUJ). One member is to be from the Pakistan Bar Council, one from the Higher Education Commission, one each to be nominated by the Leader of the House and the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, one member to be nominated by the National Commission on Women and again one member to be nominated by the Council itself from amongst the mass media educationists. There is not a single member to be nominated by the government.  The Chairman to be appointed by the President cannot be termed as appointed by the government since the President represents the State and the Federation of Pakistan. All the media bodies were involved in drafting of the Press Council Law. It was promulgated with their consent. Unfortunately even after a lapse of five years, they have not nominated their representatives to make the Press Council functional. The present caretaker government held extensive discussions at the Information Ministry with the representatives of APNS, CPNE and PFUJ. During discussions, it was agreed that objectionable provisions contained in the amended print media ordinance made on November 03, 2007 would be withdrawn and included suitably in the Press Council Law and in return, the media bodies would furnish their nominations to make the Press Council functional. While the Ministry of Information has fulfilled its commitment and sent its recommendation for the required amendments to the Ministry of Law and Justice, the media bodies have not yet conveyed their nominations, the spokesman said.

As regards the amendment in the PEMRA Ordinance made on November 03, 2007, the Ministry of Information has offered to consider recommendations of the media bodies for examination but they have not furnished any such proposals.

Freedom with responsibility is hallmark of the policy of the present government, the spokesman said and added that all political parties are free to express their manifestoes and hold public meetings within the parameters of law. There is no restriction whatsoever from the government on electioneering. There is complete freedom of expression to all the candidates and the political parties. Even the state electronic media like PTV, Radio Pakistan and APP are according appropriate coverage to all the political parties. The caretaker government is mandated to create a conducive atmosphere for ensuring free, fair, transparent and peaceful elections on January 08, 2008.

As regards violence and alleged threats, the spokesman said, in this part of the world, where Pakistan is situated, violence unfortunately and regrettably is part of the socio-political milieu. It is absolutely incorrect to put the blame of violence against journalists on the state organizations. Given the peculiar conditions prevailing in Pakistan as a result of its active participation in the war against terrorism, it is hardly possible for the law-enforcement agencies to allow unchecked entry to the journalists into the red zones.