UK Lawyers Condemn attacks on journalists & media outlets in Pakistan
Association of Pakistani Lawyers a team of Pakistani origin lawyers, Solicitors, Barristers, Judges in UK jointly condemn attacks on media especially on Aaj TV Islamabad offices and staff including ‘Bolta Pakistan’ fame anchors Mushtaq Minhas and Nustrat Javed.
APL learnt through media reports that from 200 to 300 members of a religious outfit surrounded Aaj TV station on Friday and tried to disrupt normal business of the television station until police controlled the protestors who were angry on some remarks and moved the protestors to the side. Furthermore, APL learnt that stations branches at Lahore and Karachi are receiving threats as well as verbal abuse. We also learnt that there has been a stone throwing attack on the house of one of the anchors of Bolta Pakistan, APL condemns such attacks out rightly. APL in their special meeting also expressed grief over the killing of journalists in the line of their duty, as it noted that a journalist Mohammad Shuaib who was going to his work in Mangora (Sawat) was shot down at the hands of security forces, which calls for caution and restraint.
APL endorses and encourages freedom of expression, tolerance as enshrined in Pakistan’s 1973 Constitution and considers the right of people of free speech as inalienable. We had supported all journalists when they were under threat post 9th March and in particular after imposition of emergency on last year, and we reiterate our stand and upholds our tradition and values of supporting a free press and electronic media in Pakistan today. We strongly support the rights of free media and the protection of journalists in Pakistan, who are doing a great job in difficult circumstances keeping people informed when electricity is off most of the time.
APL strongly condemns this aggression toward media in particular Aaj TV and we hope that the relevant authorities will take appropriate action against those involved, and urges the administration of Pakistan, in particular Islamabad to provide additional security to employees of electronic media outlets, in particular AAJ TV in light of these threats. We encourage other members of civil society to step forward and lend their support in the time of need to support and protect journalists and staff.
APL further observed that Media anchors must also show restraint and responsibility whilst discussing matters of very sensitive nature and dearer to one particular segment, group of society, or community especially of religious nature.
APL further condemns the deteriorating law an order situation in Pakistan and attempts to suppress the media and lawyer’s struggle for their outright freedom and constitutionalism. The government of the day must show political will to promote some integrity and tolerance to bear the voice of opposition, media, and civil society which is their democratic right as they claim to stand for that liberty in their manifestos.
We all hope that Lawyers, media and Civil society’s contribution is fruitful to bring Pakistan out of the series of crisis and we hope that it reaches to those rulers who make decision(s) to listen to it and act.
Amjad Malik, MA, LLM
Solicitor-Advocate of the Supreme Court of England and Wales
Life Member SCBA (Pakistan)
Vice Chair Association of Pakistani Lawyers (UK)
9 November 2008
Office Address
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- Posted by valiantpk on 10/11/2008.
- valiantpk's site
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