Tuesday October 17, 2006

A daily review of media coverage of media and communications issues

ATTACKS ON MEDIA

Implication of journalist in triple murder case

CJP declares Shakeel Anjum innocent Journalist community hails landmark decision, demands stern action against SHO

Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, declared The News crime correspondent Shakeel Anjum innocent after a top-level police inquiry found him not guilty of triple murder. The News staffer Shakeel Anjum was maliciously implicated by the Station House Officer (SHO) of Shehzad Town Police Station, Inspector Idrees Rathore, by including his name in the First Information Report (FIR) No 326, dated September 16, 2006, of a triple murder case lodged in the case under sections 302, 324, 148, 149, 427, 109 PPC and 6/7 Anti Terrorist Act (ATA). Saqib Nawaz is the complainant who registered the FIR in connection with murder of his father, Haji Nawaz Khokhar, brother Kashif Nawaz and cousin Abid Hussain. The IGP of Islamabad Police, Iftikhar Ahmad Chaudhry on Monday submitted his inquiry report before the chief justice which was conducted after the chief justice took a suo moto action after the FIR was lodged.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=28508

Crime reporter cleared of triple murder charges

Police have cleared Shakeel Anjum, the crime reporter of an English daily, of a triple-murder case, according to a report submitted to the Supreme Court (SC). SC Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry disposed of the suo moto case after its hearing in his chambers on Monday.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\10\17\story_17-10-2006_pg11_7

MEDIA & GOVT

New billboard policy due soon

A new computerised uniform policy for registration of billboards and hoarding has been finalised and would be implemented at the end of this month, an official said on Monday. Talking to The Nation, Syed Hasan Naqvi, the district officer (local taxes), said the new policy had been approved and preparations to implement it had entered the final stage. He said the Local Taxes Department dismantled a majority of billboards and hoarding in CDGK limits during the last eight months. 

http://www.nation.com.pk/daily/oct-2006/17/nationalnews8.php

REGIONAL PRESS

United States to try KSM for Pearl murder

Washington --- US authorities plan to charge 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed with the murder of Wall Street Journal correspondent Daniel Pearl when he faces a military tribunal next year, following his admission during interrogation that he personally carried out the execution. Unnamed US officials are now confirming to the media that the man known by his initials KSM confessed under CIA interrogation that he committed the murder. In fact, he is said to have admitted without remorse that he personally severed Pearl's head and he had to switch knives during the act after the first one "got dull."

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/2170968.cms

Afghan media doubts jirga efficacy

The state-run media in Kabul has begun casting doubt on Pakistan's side of the tribal jirga even before its formation. A group discussion on state-run RTA TV on Sunday night reflected on what the Kabul regime was expecting to happen when “handpicked jirga members from Pakistani side would not be independent” in their decisions. President General Pervez Musharraf has backed Afghan President Hamid Karzai's idea of forming jirgas on both sides of the Pak-Afghan border to contain the Taliban insurgency.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\10\17\story_17-10-2006_pg7_10

ACTIVITIES

British Council launches workshop to train women in scriptwriting

The British Council, Lahore Monday launched a five-day workshop, 'X-Changes: Media Training workshop for Women in Pakistan' in collaboration with Scriptnet, a UK-based charity. Speaking on the occasion, the workshop trainer, Ms Judy Holland, said the workshop aimed at capitalising on the recent growth in the electronic media in Pakistan. "The workshop will also provide formal training to women aspiring to develop their skill in scriptwriting," she added.

http://www.thepost.com.pk/CityNews.aspx?dtlid=64209&catid=3

Journalists Housing Colony at Loibheer

Executive body of Rawalpindi/Islamabad Press Club met on Monday. President Press Club Club, Mushtaq Minhas chaired the meeting. The meeting express its satisfaction over transfer of land to Journalist Housing Foundation for the development of Journalist Housing Colony at Loibheer… Daily Express, Page-2

AIOU Workshop

The Mass Communication Department of Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) would start workshop of MSc Mass Communication of the 3 rd semester Spring 2006 on October 30. The workshop would conclude on November 6, officials' said on Monday… The News, Page-19

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.