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RESOURCE CENTER - MEDIA MONITOR |
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Sunday June 17, 2007
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A daily review of media coverage of media and communications issues. |
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Attack on MediaIntimidation
Lal Masjid issues fatwa against magazine |
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Lal Masjid mullah Maulana Abdul Aziz has issued a death fatwa against staff at a magazine for publishing a fashion-shoot advertisement entitled Adam and Eve. The fatwa has been issued against the chief editor, publisher and other staffers of an English language magazine called Octane. “In the magazine’s June edition blasphemy was committed against Hazrat (Prophet) Adam and Eve... Those responsible for the magazine are liable to death,” Aziz said in a statement. The offending photographs were titled Adam and Eve – Apple the Bone of Contention, and showed two models in designer-wear holding an apple. Octane’s editor, Zubair Kasuri, said it was just a commercial advertisement and contained nothing blasphemous, and had been published before by other magazines. “But even then if it creates any misunderstanding or conveys any wrong perception, we are ready to apologise.” The Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration, meanwhile, has confiscated the controversial edition of the magazine and all shopkeepers have been prohibited from selling it. The pictures are likely to “disseminate obscenity in society,” said a press note on Saturday. The ICT administration is also urging the Punjab government to ban the issuance and publication of the magazine and cancel its declaration, the release added. “A clear message was conveyed to the publishers to refrain from indulging in any activity hurting the sentiments of any segment of society,” it said. The ICT administration has registered an FIR on the publication of obscene material. Blasphemy accused shot dead: A policeman on Friday shot dead a man and injured another, who were being held on accusations that they had insulted the Prophet Mohammad (Peace be upon him). The slain man and three others, all Muslims, were arrested early this week in Gujrat for distributing blasphemous material. They were shifted to a police lock-up in nearby Kharian town to protect them from religious zealots.
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http://www.dawn.com/2007/06/17/top12.htm |
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Censorship
Octane Magazine confiscated |
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The Islamabad Capital Territory administration has confiscated the June 2007 edition of the Octane magazine for publishing obscene pictures and all the shopkeepers have been prohibited from selling it. The pictures are likely to “disseminate obscenity in the society and other than that it published images with the under reading caption of ‘Apple: The Bone of Contention,” said a press note here Saturday. The ICT administration has also got an FIR registered for the publication of obscene material.
(Nation-12) (Nawa-i-Waqt-1)
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Cancellation of declaration of Nawa-i-Ameen condemned |
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Opposition leaders Ahsan Iqbal, Hafiz Hussain Ahmed and other political personalities have condemned the cancellation of declaration of weekly Nawa-i-Ameen. They have demanded to restore declaration of Nawa-i-Ameen.
(Nawa-i-Waqt-8)
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Media in Courts
PPP lawyers challenge PEMRA Ord |
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The Peoples Lawyer Forum, the lawyers wing of the PPP-Parliamentarians, has challenged the recent ordinance bringing in fifteen amendments to the 2002 PEMRA law before the High Court of Sindh, praying the court to declare the amendments illegal. Shahdat Awan advocate, president, PLF Karachi, filed the constitutional petition through his counsel, messers Senator Raza Rabbani, Senator Farooq H Naek and Adnan Memon advocates, stating that his party was the most popular political party with a large vote bank. It swept the polls thrice and was destined to repeat the feat for a fourth time, the petitioner stated. The party always adhered to the Constitution of Pakistan 1973 and was struggling to restore it in its original form, the petitioner maintained, adding that the present set-up since Oct 1999 was introducing “black laws” to prolong its dictatorial regime.
(Nawa-i-Waqt-1)
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007\06\17\story_17-6-2007_pg12_7
http://www.dawn.com/2007/06/17/local4.htm
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Critique on Media
Letter to Media “a biased media” |
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COL. (Retd) Riaz Jafri comments, “The way some of the media men are behaving leaves much to be desired. They seem to be gunning for the government on every little excuse. They not only try to put their own words into the mouths of the pro-government panelists but also then try to corner them for having ‘said’ or ‘meant’ that. On Capital Talk yesterday, when Dr. Salman Shah was enumerating the achievements of the government and what the budget stood to promise the poor man, Hamid Meer interjected saying “increase the poverty”, implying the budget will increase the poverty. A totally uncalled for and biased remark! I don’t understand why does the government wigs feel the necessity of appearing on such biased channels. It is the dire requirement of the media to have government spokesmen with them to create the desired interest in their shows and their papers. May I, therefore, suggest to the government and the pro-government elements to boycott the biased TV channels/the print media. No one should appear in any of their talk shows/discussions, nor should they invite any one from the biased media to their press conferences.” |
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http://www.nation.com.pk/daily/jun-2007/18/letters5.php |
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Media Protest
Journalists boycott session |
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Journalists covering NWFP assembly's budget session boycotted the proceedings due to non-availability of budget speech and other relevant documents. The concerned departments failed to provide copy of the budget speech to newsmen at the press gallery which infuriated them. Provincial Finance Minister Sharaz Khan started budget speech while newsmen were looking for the copy of the speech.
(Daily Times-A4)
http://www.thepost.com.pk/Arc_MainNews.aspx?fdtl_id=794&fb_id=2&catid=14&date=06/17/2007&fcatid=14
http://www.thenews.com.pk/arc_news.asp?id=5
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Daily Times Editorial “death sentence” |
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“Maulana Abdul Aziz, khateeb of Lal Masjid seminary in Islamabad, has decreed death to the editor and publisher of a local journal that carried the painting of Adam and Eve on one of its pages. The cleric railed against the government’s “Din-e-Akbari” and dished out the death sentence during his Friday sermon. Pakistan’s bookshops and libraries are full of art books that carry European devotional reprints depicting the representation of the Passion of Christ. A strong tradition of depicting scenes from the Old Testament stories persists today and is in evidence in Pakistan too. If the Lal Masjid fatwa is allowed to stand, most Christians in Pakistan will have to be put to death and most upscale bookshops and libraries will have to be burned. And there will be many among those who listened to the sermon in Islamabad who would do the killing under the doctrine of “amr” and “nahi”, the concept of vigilante action that has become the norm in Pakistan. Is General Musharraf listening? Is the political parliament concerned? Is this the first stone? Will human rights groups, the media and the international community lodge a strong protest?”
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http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007\06\17\story_17-6-2007_pg3_1 |
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Truth about unfriendly media by Muhammad Ahsan Yatu |
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“President Musharraf should be thankful to the media, which is still not discussing in detail and in the real context the state’s irrationality — its colossal misdeeds including the government rallies of May 12, 2007. On that sad day, the media did the needful and saved many hundred lives. If there had been no live media coverage, hundreds of other people with guns would have come out on the streets. The fear of being watched by the millions may have kept them away.”
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http://www.thepost.com.pk/Arc_OpinionNews.aspx?dtlid=102796&catid=11&date=06/17/2007&fcatid=14 |
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Perception and reality by Hussain H Zaidi |
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“Only a government controlled media can present, and is presenting, the above picture of the state, society and the economy. On the other hand, the media which have even a modicum of independence and social responsibility will present, and are presenting, a different picture, which is closer to reality. It is such media that are a thorn in the government's side and are facing its wrath. The message is clear: "Either you are with us or against us." Either the media reconstruct the reality as the government wants or face the music.”
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http://jang.com.pk/thenews/jun2007-weekly/nos-17-06-2007/pol1.htm#8 |
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Pressed gallery by Naveed Ahmad |
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“The journalist fraternity was all set, last week, to record its protest against draconian amendments in the existing oppressive PEMRA act -- in line with its tradition of token walkout from the press gallery. The Pemra Ordinance virtually gave an absolutely free hand to its chairman over the content and equipment of the private television network, something the information ministry through its Principal Information Officer has been trying to gain over print media for the last many decades.”
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http://jang.com.pk/thenews/jun2007-weekly/nos-17-06-2007/dia.htm#4 |
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Jang Column |
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Jang Columnist Babar Awan comments, “Present government has set unbreakable record for abuses and violances against media. Rulers should understand that they can’t chain words and thoughts. Now it is impossible to bar freedom of media.”
(Jang-Column)
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Daily Times Cartoon: |
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http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007\06\17\story_17-6-2007_pg3_8 |
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Media Miscellaneous
Govt, Pemra never blocked transmission |
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Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Muhammad Ali Durrani on Saturday said that neither the government nor Pemra has ever blocked the transmission of electronic channels anywhere in the country. He made this statement at a meeting of the Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting which met with MNA Begum Rehana Aleem Mashhadi in the chair in the Parliament House to discuss the reported blockade of electronic channels. The minister said that some incidents which were reported in the media might have occurred due to technical faults or dispute between the channels and the distribution service operators. The committee appreciated the withdrawal of the Pemra Ordinance by the government and recommended to chalk out a Code of Conduct in consultation with the Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA) which would be followed by the broadcasting industry, said a press release. The Pemra chairman assured the committee that the Code of Conduct would be formulated after taking into confidence all the stakeholders and under the guidelines of the Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting with the purpose of ensuring freedom of press and media. The committee observed that obscenity being projected in some channels, particularly from Lahore channels, should be discouraged, and recommended promotion of traditional culture of the four provinces. The committee recommended convening of a meeting of the Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA) to evolve a balanced Code of Conduct acceptable to both the broadcasters and the government. The meeting was attended by MNAs Begum Mehnaz Rafi, Ms Gul-e-Farkhanda, Dr Noor Jehan Panezai, Ms Bushra Rehman, Qazi Abdul Quddus Rajar, Maulana Abdul Akbar Chitrali, Mrs Shahida Akhtar Ali, Mrs Rukhsana Bangash, Ms Fauzia Habib, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Muhammad Ali Durrani and Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Tariq Azim.
(Daily Times-2) (Nawa-i-Waqt-1) (Jang-3) |
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http://www.thenews.com.pk/arc_default.asp |
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No live TV coverage this time again |
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Local private channels showed lukewarm response to the Faisalabad visit of the Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry - the present harbinger of the anti-government drive, as being visualised by the opposition parties - in a totally opposite display to the recently adorned activism by the channels struggling to take lead over the other. After his historic visit to Lahore, Peshawar, Sukkar, Abbotabad and Hyderabad, the CJP’s convoy was once again heading for Faisalabad, but with a difference - it had been blacked-out by all television channels. Tickers were shown and beepers were aired which could not meet the demand of the viewers. Local political and legal circles maintain that this is because of the government pressure, which culminated in the form of new PEMRA curbs-cum-regulations. Despite, the government’s claim that the recent PEMRA rules will be withdrawn, the television channels could not go live. The government still claimed to be the flag-bearer of media freedom and making much-trumpeted moves to withdraw the most-hated PEMRA manoeuvres aimed at curbing media reposition, while the opposition sees a defeatist mentality of the present dispensation by disallowing the channels to show live coverage of the CJP visit. |
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http://nation.com.pk/daily/jun-2007/17/index5.php |
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PBA, Pemra meeting puts off |
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The official meeting between Pakistan Broadcasting Association, government and the Pemra Saturday was postponed as requested by the PBA. The meeting was to deliberate upon the code of conduct for the private broadcasters submitted by the PBA to the government and Pemra. The meeting is now expected to be held next week to finalise the code. The first draft of recommendations from PBA was forwarded to the government and Pemra for the finalising the code of conduct. The meeting was, however, postponed as requested by the PBA members because they wanted to come-up with recommendations that are more precise to the subject. The meeting is now expected to be held next week to finalise the code.
(News-9) (Jang-3)
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http://www.thepost.com.pk/Arc_IsbNews.aspx?dtlid=102693&catid=17&date=06/17/2007&fcatid=14 |
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Govt focusing on journalist welfare: Durrani |
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Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Muhammad Ali Durrani Saturday said the government was focusing on the development of media sector and all measures would be taken to ensure welfare of the working journalists. “The fast growth in the media sector is a welcome sign, thanks to the prudent government policies being implemented under the visionary leadership of President Pervez Musharraf,” he said. “We will not only take the development in media sector ahead but the government would also take further measures for welfare of the working journalists,” he said while talking to a representative delegation of the working journalists headed by PFUJ President Huma Ali. Federal Secretary Information and Broadcasting Syed Anwer Mehmood and Principal Information Officer Rashid Cahudhry were also present.
(Khabrian-1)
http://www.thepost.com.pk/Arc_IsbNews.aspx?dtlid=102697&catid=17&date=06/17/2007&fcatid=14
http://nation.com.pk/daily/jun-2007/17/nationalnews2.php
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Akhtar stresses responsible journalism |
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Associated Press of Pakistan News Director Javed Akhtar has stressed the need for responsible journalism, saying that unconfirmed news often ended up in contradictions which could harm the reputation of journalists. This he said while speaking at a one-day workshop on 'Journalism and Public Relations' at the media centre of the Directorate of Information Saturday. Local journalists and officers of Information Department from the province attended the workshop.
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http://www.thepost.com.pk/Arc_NatNews.aspx?dtlid=102734&catid=2&date=06/17/2007&fcatid=14 |
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Media a must for effective LG system |
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Speakers of a workshop Saturday urged the media to play its greater role in educating the masses about local government in solving their problems, saying media could make the system more effective and stronger. A one-day workshop on 'Role of Media and Good Governance' was organized by National Reconstruction Bureau (NRB) in collaboration with the United Nation Development Programme (UNDP) at a local hotel. District Nazim Haji Ghalam Ali, officials of the NRB and finance department and a large number of journalists attended the workshop.
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http://www.thepost.com.pk/Arc_CityNews.aspx?dtlid=102771&catid=3&date=06/17/2007&fcatid=14 |
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Salma Agha MQM’s new media adviser |
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The Rabitta Committee of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has nominated the famous artiste, Salma Agha, as adviser Mass Communication and Media Management Wing of the MQM. It is pertinent to mention here that Agha after joining the MQM has been actively working for the party.
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http://www.thenews.com.pk/arc_news.asp?id=4 |
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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) |
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