(Posted at Dorf on Law)
So Gen. Musharraf appears to be engaged in a global war on journalism after all. Two weeks after commencing his crackdown on Pakistani civil society, which effectively turned news into contraband, Musharraf has now begun to allow some independent television networks back onto cable television — but only if they agree to a number of conditions, such as terminating television shows critical of the regime and signing an undertaking of “good behavior” permitting the government to interfere with their operations, seize their equipment, and terminate their licenses at any time. Some networks are now back on the air, albeit in “laundered” form — AAJ TV, for example, is back but without a number of leading talk shows that have been critical of Musharraf. (The BBC and CNN are also back, but since they, along with Dawn News, are broadcast in English, the authorities are not as concerned about what they might say in their broadcasts.) Continue reading ‘Musharraf’s Global War on Journalism - II’
Archive for the 'Press' Category
(Update: There is a certain amount of confusion as to what has been shut down, what is being shut down and what will be allowed to air. Check out Geo News and The News for updates.)
This is absolutely shameful! Completely ridiculous! I can’t say that I didn’t expect this government to stoop to this level, but it is shocking that it would do such a thing. Such an act would affect many lives in many ways. Even those people who could claim that they were not affected by the emergency would not be able to claim the same about Geo. It has become a part of our lives and is now an international brand name. I have myself been critical of Geo’s style of reporting, but there was no doubting its value as a source of information, an independent voice and today, in the face of adversity, it has proven to be a pillar of freedom by taking this principled stand. This reminds me of a post a few months ago where I had mentioned the movie ‘Downfall’. I had said then:
A couple of months ago I saw a German movie called ‘Downfall‘. The movie goes on to show Hitler’s last few days as his mood oscillates between unjustified optimism one moment to suicidal depression the next. Reality does finally start to break through and the Fuhrer and the others in the bunker start to make their final personal preparations for the inevitable.
The real question is when will reality finally start to break through to our leaders? At the moment they same to be riding the ‘optimism, arrogance, delusion’ wave. If they go this way for much longer, there will be only one outcome - a continuing downfall leading to destruction.
Today, that outcome seems more certain than ever.
Continue reading ‘Geo TV Network Being Shut Down; Geo News closed down’
Yesterday’s events highlighted many aspects concerning the current situation in Pakistan and of course without the national media coverage none of the aspects would have been so clear.
Too close for comfort
Well, its old news that the government tried to block the launch of Ayesha Siddiqa’s book ‘Military Inc.: Inside Pakistan’s Military Economy
First, here are some details about Dr. Ayesha Siddiqa-Agha.
Her expertise : South Asia, military expenditure, arms control, arms procurement.
Her Brief Bio:
She did her doctorate from King’s College, London in 1996 and has worked on issues varying from military expenditure, defence decision-making, nuclear deterrence, arms procurement, arms production to civil-military relations in South Asia. She is also a Ford Fellow and more recently Pakistan Scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Centre for Scholars.
Continue reading ‘A full General is worth Rs 500 million+’
We’ve been covering DAWN’s conflict with the government for some time now (here and here). The open letter that we had put up on the 28th March has now been summarised in the form of an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal. It is well argued and puts forward DAWN’s case clearly and cogently. I had commented then, ‘For the time being DAWN is trying to give the government a fight. However, I am not too sure how long they will be able to resist.‘
As time goes by it seems that the DAWN management is getting more and more desperate. They’re now looking for international help and for pressure to be put on the Musharraf government.
Continue reading ‘Sunset at DAWN? by Hameed Haroon’
We had first posted a story about DAWN being pressurised on March 8th 2007. This was exactly a day before the Chief Justice was made ‘non-functional’. Obviously, at that time I had no idea what was to follow, but I found this attack on the freedom of press to be so significant that I commented, ‘Shameful. Is the Musharraf government headed towards self-destruction?‘
From then on it has been a roller coaster ride and the government has made it evident to the media that it can and it will at any time infringe upon their freedom. I had termed it the ‘Government’s war on Media’. However, those inane tactics earnt the government nothing but embarrasment. These tactics that are hidden from the public eye and not as obvious or as visible might prove successful. For the time being DAWN is trying to give the government a fight. However, I am not too sure how long they will be able to resist.
Continue reading ‘Worrying email from Hameed Haroon, CEO of DAWN Newspaper’
Shameful. Is the Musharraf government headed towards self-destruction? Comment from a veteran Dawn correspondent followed by a news report on Dawn’s case against the Federal government.
Comment:
Finally after four months, we have started campaign to make people aware of the situation in general. If they continue at this pace PHP (Pakistan Herald Publication) will have to lay off people. (Besides the Government of Pakistan have asked the big corporations not to advertise in Dawn).
The ads were stopped by the government in order to coerce Dawn to (a) stop writing about the situation in Baluchistan specially not on the front t page. (b) Stop giving space to the opposition parties specially to PPP and PML (N) etc. and (c) to give the President and the Prime Minister get front page or prominent coverage.
We declined to accept any of these demands and told them we would not be intimidated to run the newspaper by Press information Dept. Of course this belies the position stated time and again by the President - that press is free in Pakistan.
Continue reading ‘Pakistani dictatorship finally bares its fangs?’
