| |
A daily review of media coverage of media and communications issues. |
| |
S Asia media defence body set up |
| |
A mechanism to highlight attacks on media professionals and organisations across South Asia has been proposed under the auspices of the South Asia Media Commission (SEMC) at its founding conference here on Monday. Members of the national chapters of the SEMC elected N Ram, editor of The Hindu, as chairman and Najam Sethi, editor of the Daily Times, as general secretary of the regional commission. Hussain Naqi, a veteran journalist from Pakistan and editor of the South Asia Media Monitor, will be the commission coordinator.
(Daily Times)
|
| |
|
| |
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007\04\03\story_3-4-2007_pg7_19 |
| |
|
| |
Concern over threats issued by religious group |
| |
The Alliance for Protection of Human Rights, a group of civil society organisations, has expressed concern over letters issued by a religious group to owners of internet cafes, video and audio-cassettes shops, asking them to wind up their businesses. “A society where poverty and unemployment is already on the rise, such acts of terror will add to problems and deprive people of their basic right to entertainment and access to information. It will limit their livelihood sources, ultimately resulting in an increase in rate of crimes and violations,” observed participants of a meeting of the alliance held here on Monday.
(Dawn)
|
| |
|
| |
http://www.dawn.com.pk/2007/04/03/nat2.htm |
| |
|
| |
Another music shop blown up in Kohat |
| |
Unidentified assailants blew up a music shop near the city police station here on Sunday night. The device planted in the shop, owned by Ali Marjan, exploded at 11pm. According to witnesses, the powerful blast sent the shutter and various articles flying out of the shop. Officials said the bomb was planted inside the shop. “It is the handiwork of extremist elements. Had terrorists carried out it they would have exploded the device during the day when the area is full with people as a vegetable market, a school, a women’s shelter and a post office are located around the shop.
(Dawn)
|
| |
|
| |
http://www.dawn.com.pk/2007/04/03/nat22.htm |
| |
|
| |
CD sellers asked to wind up their business |
| |
The Khadim-i-Islam Taliban have given an ultimatum to CD and cassette sellers of the Federal capital to close down their business within a month otherwise they would be left with no alternative but to do it by force. In a letter distributed to CD and cassette sellers in Aabpara Market, Super Market and Jinnah Super Market, they suggested to the shopkeepers to quit this un-Islamic business and switch over to another.
(Dawn)
|
| |
|
| |
http://www.dawn.com.pk/2007/04/03/nat1.htm |
| |
|
| |
Video shops in fear of attacks in Islamabad |
| |
Shopkeepers selling CDs and DVDs in the city fear religious extremists will force them to close. Groups of madrassa students have been going around markets, especially Aabpara Market, in recent days warning shops to shut down because they were “corrupting society”. Shaikh Adnan, who runs a shop in Aabpara Market, told Daily Times that some 10 to 15 male students from a local madrassa had asked him to shut down his business and take up something else.
(Daily Times)
|
| |
|
| |
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007\04\03\story_3-4-2007_pg7_2 |
| |
|
| |
Government goes soft on Indian TV channels |
| |
ISLAMABAD: In a bid to deviate people's attention from the prevailing law and order situation, and the issue of chief justice, the high ups in the federal government have allowed the cable operators to air the banned Indian TV channels. Sources in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on condition of anonymity told Online Monday, the government had directed the cable operators to air the Indian TV channels; Star Plus, Sony TV, B4U and Zee TV to divert the people's attention from the hot issue of suspension of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry. The sources said that Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) has neither devised any plan nor held a meeting in this connection. It is to be mentioned here that the government has banned the said Indian TV channels on the demand of the Pakistani private TV channels due to their increasing popularity among the Pakistan viewers.
(The Post)
|
| |
|
| |
http://www.thepost.com.pk/IsbNewsT.aspx?dtlid=90291&catid=17 |
| |
|
| |
Three-hour Internet blackout in Karachi |
| |
The Internet link and telecom system in the southern part of the country severed for more than three hours early Sunday due to a technical fault occurring in the system serving mainly Karachi - second such instance in less than three weeks. The Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) - the only Internet backbone provider ? said one of the routers, which maintained Karachi’s Internet services, stopped working due to some technical faults.
(The News)
|
| |
|
| |
http://thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=49382 |
| |
|
| |
Operation against illegal SIM sale soon: PTA chief |
| |
A stern action will be taken against those vendors who sell subscriber identity modules (SIMs) without getting the copy of computerised national identity card of the buyer. “Franchised vendors issued a good number of SIMs without any identity card. In case of misuse, the holder of such a SIM is hard to be traced,” said Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) chairman Shahzada Alam Malik on Monday.
(Dawn)
|
| |
|
| |
http://www.dawn.com.pk/2007/04/03/nat33.htm |
| |
|
| |
Journalists to get visa-free travel facility in S Asia |
| |
The SAARC Council of Ministers on Monday decided to allow select journalists facilities for visa-free travel in the region, as already allowed to diplomats, parliamentarians and senior judges. Fifty journalists from each of the eight SAARC countries will get the new visa-free travel facility. The journalists who get SAARC stickers on their passports will be selected by their respective governments, India’s Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon told reporters at the end of the council meeting that set the agenda for the SAARC summit beginning on Tuesday.
(Daily Times)
|
| |
|
| |
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007\04\03\story_3-4-2007_pg1_5 |
| |
|
| |
Policy to check cell phone tower hazards |
| |
Minister for Information Technology, Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari on Monday unveiled a policy to check health related effects of mobile phone towers or antennas installed by mobile phone operators in different parts of the country. “We have now issued a policy to the regulator - Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), establishing national guidelines for mitigating environmental and health hazards and to address public concerns about radiation effects of the infrastructure,” he said.
(The News- Business) (Daily Jang – Back Page)
|
| |
|
| |
http://thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=49389 |
| |
|
| |
Plan to check mobile tower hazards |
| |
The government on Monday decided to relocate and redesign more than 300 of the 10,000 telecommunication towers atop buildings in residential areas where they are considered to be a health hazard. This was announced at a press conference held here in which the Ministry of Information Technology issued a policy to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) for establishing guidelines for mitigating environmental and health-related effects of cellular-based station antennae and to address public concerns about radiation hazards of the infrastructure.
(Dawn)
|
| |
|
| |
http://www.dawn.com.pk/2007/04/03/top15.htm |
| |
|
| |
Environment Dept seals 21 factories, 3 cell-phone towers |
| |
The Environment Department of the city district government sealed 21 industrial units and three cell-phone towers in two months till March 31. According a press release, the sealed industrial units and towers were situated in densely populated areas. The sealed towers were a tower of the Warid Telcom in the PCSIR Housing Society, a tower of the UFone in the Old Muslim Town and another tower of the UFone on Wahdat Road.
(Daily Times)
|
| |
|
| |
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007\04\03\story_3-4-2007_pg7_51 |
| |
|
| |
Mobile phone towers can cause cancer and skin diseases. |
| |
The research study conducted by the Ministry of Information Technology reveals that the “rays” emitted by the cell phone towers can cause cancer and skin diseases to any individual within a horizontal radius 25 feet. According to the report the number of such towers is 300 in Pakistan. The ministry has issued directives to the cell phone companies to either change the designs of these towers or remove them.
(Daily Express – Back Page)
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Mobilink to support WFP |
| |
Mobilink will support World Food Program by launching an SMS service to raise funds and to provide food and nutritious supplements for chronically malnourished individuals. Mobilink has signed an agreement with the United Nation’s World Food Program. Every year, more than 90 million people in 80 countries count on WFP to provide life-saving food in emergencies and nutritious supplements for people, especially women and children. According to the agreement, Mobilink customers will be able to donate Rs10 (plus tax) through SMS messages sent to 6446.
(The News – Business)
|
| |
|
| |
http://thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=49403 |
| |
|
| |
City police website delayed |
| |
The Sindh police failed to launch its own website yet, while former IG Sindh Asad Jehangir Khan had announced in 2005 that soon the city police would launch its own website, according to which important details about the police would be available to common citizen on finger tips, and they would be come in close touch to the police. But since then no progress has been done to establish the police web site and still no hope to start the work on establishing the police web site, informed sources told the Nation on Monday.
(The Nation)
|
| |
|
| |
http://www.nation.com.pk/daily/apr-2007/3/nationalnews10.php |
| |
|
| |
Book reading unaffected by electronic media |
| |
Despite the popularity of electronic media, including the Internet and cable television, people still love to buy books. This trend is keeping book reading alive, which proves that people are keen to seek knowledge despite the price hike in books and lack of public libraries.
(Daily Times)
|
| |
|
| |
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007\04\03\story_3-4-2007_pg11_10 |
| |
|
| |
Ingenious Argument: Letter to the Editor by Khurshid Anwer |
| |
Regarding the attack on the GEO office, the president was most ingenious when he told Kamran Khan, even in the army higher officers are not apprehended until a full enquiry establishes their guilt, as doing that would undermine their initiative and ability to command.
|
| |
|
| |
http://www.thepost.com.pk/LetNews.aspx?dtlid=90199&catid=4 |
| |
|
| |
FM Listening: Fasi Zaka Show |
| |
There is no doubt that our country is blessed with many talented people. Especially when we take our media industry into consideration, as almost everyday we see new faces appearing on TV and new voices on FM channels. However it is also a fact that when new people appear anywhere, it takes them a while to develop a fan base. With the rapid growth of TV and FM channels there is tough competition between the already existing ones and the new comers. This is the most crucial of times, it's when the different channels and their teams must come up with unique appealing ideas to impress the general public, and thus capture audience's attentions making them committed fans. If we talk about FM channels then its apparent that most of the RJ's are doing a lot of different things to try and make fans and it's all great till these RJ's are attached to their FM channel but what happens when they leave?
|
| |
|
| |
http://www.thepost.com.pk/IsbNewsT.aspx?dtlid=90308&catid=17 |
| |
|
| |
Artist seeks Rs4m from Customs in damages |
| |
Shahid Rassam, the artist whose sculptures destined for Dubai had been detained by the Pakistani Customs last month, has accused Customs officials of extorting him, and demanded release of his art work and the extorted money, besides damages of Rs4 million.
(Dawn)
|
| |
|
| |
http://www.dawn.com.pk/2007/04/03/local9.htm |
| |
|
| |
Guidelines drafted for improving ATM service |
| |
The State Bank of Pakistan has directed the banks to ensure that no fake currency notes or unacceptable notes are dispensed through the auto-teller machines. Banking industry sources on Monday disclosed that the central bank’s Payment System Department had drafted operational guidelines for the ATMs and sought comments from the commercial banks for implementation.
(The News - Business)
|
| |
|
| |
http://thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=49383 |
| |
|
| |
Intel to set up four experience zones at SMEDA sites |
| |
Intel Pakistan Corporation would set up four experience zones at Small and Medium Enterprise Development Authority’s (SMEDA) selected sites to provide Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) with better facilities of e-business and their easy access to the latest technology tools to achieve rapid growth for optimal level of profitability.
(The News - Business) (Daily Times)
|
| |
|
| |
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007\04\03\story_3-4-2007_pg5_10 |
| |
|
| |
Market share of two mobile companies drops |
| |
The market shares of two major mobile companies has dropped bu a huge margin. According to PTA’s report the market share of Ufone dropped by 3% from 23.9 to 20.7 and that of mobilink dropped by 5% from 51.4 to 46.3. The report also states that the number of current subscribers has reached 52 million.
(Daily Jang – Back Page)
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Cell phone subscribers increasing by 1.5 million per month: |
| |
Chairman PTA Chairman
PTA Shahzada Alam has said that the number of cell phone subscribers is 9increasing by 1.5 million per month. He was addressing the 26th Asia Pacific GSMA conference held at Lahore to discuss the new and emerging trends in mobile communications.
(Daily Jang – Back Page)
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Telecom Degree by Islamic University soon to be accepted |
| |
Dr. Manzoor Ahmed, Rector of International Islamic University Islamabad has assured the students that the faculty is trying its best to get the Telecom Degree awarded by the university to be recognized by Pakistan Engineering Council, and that he is hopeful to get it done soon.
(Daily Express – Page 2)
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Meera To play Aishwarya |
| |
After doing films like Kasak and Nazar, Pakistani actress Meera is making a comeback with a film called Simran. The actress who was launched by the Mahesh Bhatt camp will be seen playing the role of a manglik girl in Simran. The film is directed by Neeraj Sahai and is produced by a pharmaceutical distribution company owner Ashfaq Rahman.
|
| |
|
| |
http://www.thepost.com.pk/ShowBizNewsT.aspx?dtlid=90262&catid=9 |
| |
|
| |
DISCLAIMER: The contents, including news and headlines, in this newsletter are reproduced from their respective publications ad verbatim as a public service to media observers. Internews does not author the contents and these, therefore, do not necessarily reflect organizational policy.
Updated at 11:00 PST (06:00 GMT) |
| |
|
