In Pakistan, attempts to control media are triumphing over efforts to protect the free press
The country has proposed to regulate print, television, electronic and digital media by merging all different regulators into one. Representational image. | Rizwan Tabassum/ AFP Photo
Yet another attempt to bring all mediums of speech in Pakistan under state control has come to the fore, as the country’s Federal Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has issued a draft ordinance titled the Pakistan Media Development Authority. It is important to analyse the ordinance based on its content, as well as the intent of the state based on recent attempts to control speech and press in the country.
Pakistan: Escalating attacks on journalists
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Authorities Should Stop Stifling Dissent, Protect the Media
(New York) – A recent series of attacks and growing pressure on journalists who criticize the Pakistan government is a cause for serious concern, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and the International Commission of Jurists said today. Those suspected of criminal responsibility should be promptly and fairly prosecuted.
The Pakistan government should conduct prompt, impartial, and effective investigations into the recent number of attacks on journalists. The government should rescind official policies that protect the authorities from criticism and instead promote space for public debate and free expression, in the face of threats from extremist groups and government officials.
A recent series of attacks and growing pressure on journalists who criticize the Pakistan government is a cause for serious concern, Human Rights Watch,.