Friday September 22, 2006

A daily review of media coverage of media and communications issues

VIOLATION AGAINST MEDIA

No trace of missing Karachi journal:

Journalist Saeed Sarbazi, who went missing on Wednesday noon, was untraced till late Thursday evening. Mr Sarbazi, senior sub-editor of Business Recorder and joint secretary of the Karachi Press Club, had left his house in his car around 11am on Wednesday and, according to his wife, nothing has been heard about him since then and his cellphone was switched off.

http://www.dawn.com/2006/09/22/top9.htm

Anti-vulgarity' drive in Peshawar :

No cinema, cable and CDs in Ramazan, JI MPA warns businessmen. Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) MPA Dr Zakir Shah has started an anti-obscenity and vulgarity campaign through his “Amar Bil Maroof Wanahi Anil-Munkar”, (vice and virtue department), organisation after the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal-led NWFP government failed to implement his bill unanimously passed by the NWFP Assembly in October 2002.

(Nation Page-5)

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\09\22\story_22-9-2006_pg1_9

Sue case filed against Chief reporter, reporter:

Nazim Pothar Town Hamid Nawaz raja, Nazim UC Raja Shahid Iqbal have filed a sue case against Chief reporter local paper in local court. They have argued that a so called news was published by editor to defame them.

(Khabrian Page-2)

MEDIA PROTEST

PFUJ seeks help of IFJ in journalist case:

The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) Thursday wrote a letter to the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) to ensure early dispensation of justice to a senior reporter of Islamabad who, according to it, has been wrongly implicated in a triple murder case.

http://www.thepost.com.pk/IsbNews.aspx?dtlid=60253&catid=17

Journalists boycott PA proceedings:

Journalists boycotted the Sindh Assembly proceedings on Thursday in protest against the missing journalist, Saeed Sarbazi and staged a protest demonstration in the assembly building. The angry media men chanted slogans against victimisation and recovery of the missing journalist, working for a local English newspaper and an office-bearer of the Karachi Press Club.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=25229

Concern shown over missing journalists:

The opposition PPP has expressed its serious concern over the missing of Joint Secretary of the Karachi Press Club, Saeed Sarbazi, and Maher Din Marri, correspondent of daily Kawish in Thatta and termed it a reign of harassment and violence unleashed against the journalists throughout the country.
Information Secretary, PPP, Sindh Dr Fehmida Mirza MNA, stated that on one hand the government was proclaiming itself champion of freedom of press, while on the other a reign of harassment and intimidation was let loose against the journalists community throughout the country.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=25231

Lawyer sends govt notice on QTV ban:

A lawyer named Malik Tariq Aziz has sent a legal notice to the Punjab chief secretary against the Punjab government's ban on Quran Television (QTV). Aziz said that the ban is against the constitution of Pakistan as well as the PEMRA (Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority) Act. He said that the power to ban any TV channel rests with the federal and not the provincial government.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\09\22\story_22-9-2006_pg13_5

Press club Texila meeting to condemn violence against media. (Express Page –2) 

Chakwal press club passes resolution tocondemn govt actionto curb media. (N-Waqt Page-6)

Murree hotel owners condemns pressure on cable operators. (N-Waqt Page-6)

Qazi Husssain condemns victimization of media freedom. (N-Waqt Page-2)

PTI leaders backs mediamen in struggle for freedom of expression. (N-Waqt Page-7)

Media & Government

Free treatment for injured journalists:

Punjab Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi has announced free treatment for representatives of electronic media who were injured by police. Official hand out says

(The News Page -8)

Cable ban on TV channel lifted:

Cable operators were allowed on Thursday to resume transmission of ARY channels in the Punjab after four days' reportedly on the intervention of PML president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain. Official sources told Dawn that the ban on the relay of the channels was lifted after ARY digital network chairman Haji Muhammad Iqbal met Chaudhry Shujaat in Islamabad .

http://www.dawn.com/2006/09/22/nat7.htm

Cable operators vow to check obscenity:

The Frontier Cable Association (FCA) has vowed to stop screening obscene content on the cable television network and urged the government to resolve their problems.
Speaking at a news conference here on Thursday, Farman Ali Afridi, the association's coordinator, pledged to cooperate with the provincial government and Pemra in curbing illegal screening of programmes through cables network, saying that they were against all sorts of immorality on electronic media.

http://www.dawn.com/2006/09/22/nat39.htm

E-Media is making progress, PEMRA:

Director General Enforcement PEMRA Rana Altafsays E media is making progress.There is no proper production house. Training centre is required.

(Jang Page-5)  

Journalist alleged for Triple case, SSP orders inquiry. (Express Page-8)

Media in Focus

Family planning seminar agrees clerics and media are vital to family planning:

Role of Clerics, Media and Civil Society in Welfare Programmes', a seminar organised by Rahnuma Family Planning Association of Pakistan (RFPAP), agreed that clerics and media were of paramount importance since they could bring about a revolutionary change and create awareness among the people about family planning and the disadvantages that a family and a country might face because of over-population. 

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\09\22\story_22-9-2006_pg7_16

Journalists urge govts to prioritise environment:

Urging the governments of the region to prioritise environment for development the South Asian Journalists in a meeting Thursday vowed to continue raising civic problems including water and sanitation through their respective media. A good number of environment journalists from SA countries are attending the 2nd South Asian Conference on Sanitation (SACOSAN) facilitated by Water and Sanitation Programme of the World Bank.

http://www.thepost.com.pk/IsbNews.aspx?dtlid=60245&catid=17

Website on Pakistani culture:

Hoping to bridge two nations through an understanding of arts and culture, Laura Bush and Pakistan 's first lady, Sehba Musharraf, launched a new website on Thursday geared toward educating youth. The new website, “The Gift of Indus: The Arts & Culture of Pakistan ,” was the result of a partnership between the John F Kennedy Centre for the Performing Arts and the Pakistan National Council on the Arts. “One of the best ways the people of Pakistan and the United States can deepen our friendship is for the people of our countries to deepen their knowledge of each others' cultures,” Bush told a crowd at the Kennedy Centre. On the Net: Kennedy Centre:

http://www.kennedy-center.org/pakistan

(Nation Page-12)

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\09\22\story_22-9-2006_pg7_30

Pakistani Film ‘water' gets award:

A Pakistani film ‘Water' gets first award for best film category for ecology at international film festival in Slatioara Valcea from August 28 to September 2.

(Daily Times Page –B2)

FM listening : Weekends with FM: a blast!:

Weekend nights are truly meant for ‘fun' and ‘masti'. After having a tough routine throughout the week people look for some relaxing and refreshing activities. However theses activities vary form person to person. However all entertainment and relaxation remains incomplete and seems colourless without music.

http://www.thepost.com.pk/IsbNews.aspx?dtlid=60240&catid=17

NWFP Cable operators form separate body:

Frontier cable Association has been announced by frontier cable operators. New coordinator extended his cooperation to MMA govt and PEMRA against screening of vulgarity.

(The News Page-11)(Aaj Page -8)

Warid telecom package for journalists:

Warid telecom will offer a seprate package for journalist community to promote freedom of press. Business development manager was talking media men in Press club Rawalpindi .

(Express Page -2)

Letter to Editor, Media not giving coverage to Thai coup:

Writer says it is surprising that most Pakistani newspapers, with the exception of Daily Times, have not paid much mention to the coup d'etant in Thailand in the Pakistani press. Pakistan should exploit this opportunity to underline the similarities between this latest adventure by the Army in Southeast Asia and the one within its own borders.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\09\22\story_22-9-2006_pg3_7

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA 

Iran announces ban on visa for US media:

After US ban on Iranian media, in response Iran has also announced ban on US media men for Iranian Visa. Iran will also reject visa applications of US media men.

(Ummat Page-8)

Compiled by:
Muhammad Farouk,

Media Research Associate, Internews Pakistan
( www.internews.org.pk )

Edited By:
Muhammad Ali Khan

Media Research Manager ( alykhan@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.