Tuesday October 24, 2006

A daily review of media coverage of media and communications issues

Press freedom buster: Pakistan offender No. 157

All official claims notwithstanding, Pakistan finds itself in a ring of notoriety where press freedom is concerned. The spot of bother lies at 157, according to a new index released this week by Reporters Without Borders. North Korea is the worst violator of press freedom while journalists in Finland , Ireland , Iceland and the Netherlands enjoy the most liberty. Russia lies at an unflattering 147 and the United States 53 - a spot it shared with Croatia , Botswana and Tonga . The Paris-based media advocacy group relied on its network of 130 correspondents, plus journalists, legal experts and human rights activists, to come up with the ranking. The worst offenders, in order, were North Korea , Turkmenistan , Eritrea , Cuba , Burma , China , Iran and Saudi Arabia , Reporters Without Borders said in a statement.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/arc_default.asp

Ground-breaking of journalist colony after Eid

Chief Minister Punjab Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi would formally lay the foundation stone of journalist colony for Rawalpindi Islamabad journalists immediately after Eid. Government of Punjab in this regard has transferred proposed land for Journalist Colony near Loi Bare to Punjab Journalist Housing Foundation. Secretary Rawalpindi Press Club Afzal Butt told that District Co-ordinator Officer (DCO) and others concerned departments after completing their homework has handed over land to Punjab Journalist Housing Foundation. Business Recorder

Musharraf's book in Urdu cut Qaeda bounty claim

President Pervez Musharraf has omitted from the Urdu version of his memoirs a claim that US intelligence paid Pakistan millions of dollars for Al Qaeda captives, an official said Monday. In the original English edition of his book ‘In the Line of Fire' launched in New York last month, Musharraf wrote that the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) made the payments after Pakistan handed over more than 350 prisoners.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\10\24\story_24-10-2006_pg1_7

Book on Qalandar to be launched on November 2

A book launching ceremony of Hayat-e-Qalandar Shahbaz, written by Prof Dr Ghulam Haider Sindhi, published by National Institute of Historical and Cultural Research will be held here at Quaid-i-Azam University on Nov 2. Salim Saifullah, Minister for Inter Provincial Coordination will be the chief guest, while Senator Mushahid Hussian Sayed, Secretary General Pakistan Muslim League will chair the ceremony. Prominent scholars will review the book. This is the first research book on the life and teachings of a great mystic Hazrat Makhdoom Usman al-Marwandi, known as Hazrat Lal Shahbaz Qalandar.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/arc_news.asp?id=2

Newspapers to close on two days for Eid

The All Pakistan Newspapers Society has announced two-day closed holidays on account of Eidul Fitr. According to a press release, newspapers will not come out on Thursday and Friday. It said that the APNS and the Akhbar Farosh Federation decided in a joint meeting on Wednesday that two closed holidays would be observed for Eidul Fitr and Eidul Azha

http://www.dawn.com/2006/10/25/nat12.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.