October October 02, 2006

A daily review of media coverage of media and communications issues

VIOLATION AGAINST MEDIA

15 incidents of violence against journalists reported in Sept

The incidents of violence against employees of the electronic and print media continue to increase as 15 such incidents were reported last month, including the murder of a reporter. According to a report issued by Inter Media, one journalist was killed and four were tortured, while three were illegally detained by police during September. The report said that the rising trend of violence against the country's media had turned the working conditions for journalists from bad to worse. The report said that journalists' organisations were seriously concerned over the incidents of violence involving journalists. In Dera Ismail Khan, Maqbool Hussain Siyal, the bureau chief of a news agency, was shot dead on September 14. He is the third journalist to be killed this year, the report said. Earlier, Hayatullah Khan in FATA and Mansoor Ahmed Mangi in Sindh were also murdered.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\10\03\story_3-10-2006_pg11_7

Beating of journalists:

SPO's interim bail extended

Lahore Additional District and Sessions Judge Imtiaz Hussain on Monday extended the interim bail of former Lohari Gate Supervisory Police Officer (SPO) Mukhtar Hussain Shah, who allegedly tortured three journalists from a private TV channel.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\10\03\story_3-10-2006_pg7_41

The News reporter records statement

Shakeel Anjum, the senior crimes correspondent of The News, who was implicated in a triple murder case by the Station House Officer (SHO) of Shehzad Town police station, Inspector Idrees Rathore, on Sunday appeared before the joint inquiry team to record his statement. The team led by Superintendent of Police (Investigation) Moin Masood and comprising Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Kamran Aadil, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Legal, Muhammad Nawaz Jawra, DSP Liaquat Niazi and one sub-inspector, was appointed by Federal Interior Secretary Syed Kamal Shah, after Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz took serious note of journalists' protest in parliament against Shakeel Anjum's implication in the triple murder case.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=26744

MEDIA BANNED

Closure of cinemas in NWFP during Ramazan:

Owners demand Rs 5 million to pay salaries

Cinema owners and film makers have demanded the NWFP government give them Rs 5 million for paying salaries to their employees after the MMA-led provincial government ordered the closure of cinemas during Ramazan.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\10\03\story_3-10-2006_pg7_19

Cinema owners demand Rs5 million to pay salaries

Criticising the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) government in NWFP for ordering the closure of cinema houses during Ramadan, the local cinema owners and moviemakers have demanded Rs5 million of the provincial government for paying salaries to their employees.

http://www.worldservicesint.com/newfp/News.aspx?ncat=cn&nid=11

MEDIA SEMINAR

Proactive policy for disaster management stressed

Earthquake Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Authority has acknowledged the need of proper communication system including electronic media in the earthquake-hit areas of the country. “We need to have proactive media policy in the light of disaster management”, said Deputy Chairman, Lt. General Nadeem Ahmed here on Monday. He said this while responding to the question-answer session of a seminar on ‘Humanitarian Reporting: One year after the South Asia Earthquake' and Strengthening Communication between Aid agencies and Journalists' organised by Reuters Foundation AlertNet in collaboration with Internews and Pakistan Press Foundation. 

http://www.nation.com.pk/daily/oct-2006/3/nationalnews3.php

Moot discusses media role during disasters

First anniversary of the October 8 earthquake is approaching. The massive North Asian earthquake of 7.6 magnitudes on the Richter scale killed more than 80,000 people, injured 150,000 and displaced 3.5 million. To discuss the role of media during such disasters or emergencies, AlterNet hosted a panel discussion in which representatives of the government and non-governmental organisation and journalists were invited here Monday.
http://www.thepost.com.pk/IsbNews.aspx?dtlid=61995&catid=17

TELEVISION SECTOR

Petition against PTV and cable operators for ‘obscenity'

A lawyer filed a writ petition in the Peshawar High Court (PHC) against the Pakistan Television (PTV), and cable operators for airing what he claimed “obscene” programmes. Nijauddin Khan, a resident of Mardan district, filed the writ petition under Article 199 of the constitution. The petitioner made the federal government, Muhammad Ali Durrani, the federal minister for information and broadcasting, the PTV general manager of Islamabad , the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) chairman, the federal minister for information and technology, the NWFP government, and Asif Iqbal Daudzai, the NWFP information minister, respondents in the petition.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\10\03\story_3-10-2006_pg7_24

FM LISTENING:

‘M', ‘Z' and Natasha…

You know how words can bring images into your head sometimes, which in literary jargon is called 'imagery'. Well last Sunday night I listened to a programme that did the very same for me. The only difference was that instead of words, the tone and the frank manner did the job. 'Take Five' on City FM 89 is a programme hosted by 'M' and 'Z'. I don't know what the 'M' stands for because the presenter never bothered mentioning, however, the 'Z' is for Zahir. Apparently it was a show where initials were preferred instead of names.
http://www.thepost.com.pk/IsbNews.aspx?dtlid=61991&catid=17

MEDIA RELEASE:

Book on Bugti ‘Death of Lion' launched

The book launching ceremony of "Sher kee Mout" (Death of Lion) authored by Nargis Baloch focusing on the failed attempts of parliamentary committee to clash with Nawab Akbar Bugti was held here Monday in a local hotel. All the eminent scholars and poets including noted poet Ahmad Faraz and journalist Hamid Mir attended the ceremony.
http://www.thepost.com.pk/IsbNews.aspx?dtlid=62008&catid=17

JOURNALISTS CONCERNS

Journalists Colony' residents can't be evicted

A division bench of the Lahore High Court consisting of justices Mian Saqib Nisar and Fazal-e-Miran Chauhan, on six inter-court appeals, has restrained the authorities from evicting more than 20 residents from the site of the proposed Journalist Housing Colony in Harbanspura.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\10\03\story_3-10-2006_pg7_40

Zaffar Abbas joins Dawn as Resident Editor

Mr Zaffar Abbas has joined Dawn as the Resident Editor in Islamabad . He replaces Mr M. Ziauddin, who has been posted to London as special correspondent. Mr Ziauddin was a senior correspondent specialising in economic affairs before being appointed as Resident Editor in 2001. Mr Abbas was the Bureau Chief for the monthly Herald in the capital and also remained the BBC's correspondent first in Karachi and then in Islamabad for 17 years. He brings with him a wealth of experience having spent 26 years in print, radio, television and online journalism.

http://www.dawn.com/2006/10/03/nat18.htm

COMPILED by: Sajid Gondal, Media Monitor, Internews Pakistan (www.internews.org.pk)

DISCLAIMER: The contents, including news and headlines, in this newsletter are reproduced from their respective publications ad verbatim as a public service. Internews does not author the contents and these, therefore, do not necessarily reflect organizational policy.