Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from media houses that Pakistan government has banned the broadcasting of one popular television channel, the Geo TV, since 3 June 2007, after the television station management refused the request of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting not to broadcast its two current affair program. Along with this, the government is also stopping transmissions of two other television channels, the ARY One and the AAJ, by pressurizing the cable operators not to air the transmissions of both channels. The actions against both channels have been taken after the management of the TV channels refused to follow the instruction of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to stop telecasting the activities of Chief Justice Mt. Iftekhar Choudhary and covering the country’s judicial crisis in their current affairs programs.
CASE DETAILS:
The AHRC was informed that one private television channel, Geo TV, was allegedly threatened by the officials of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting not to broadcast a current affair program “Meray Mutabiq” hosted by Dr. Shahid Masood, otherwise the government would ban the transmissions of Geo TV. On 3 June 2007, when this program started, the transmission went off throughout the country.
According to Geo TV, on June 4, the officials of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting again pressurized the management not to broadcast another program ‘Kamran Khan Kay Sath’. When the management refused to follow the instruction, the government has stopped the transmissions of Geo TV throughout the country. As a result, the transmissions of Geo TV channel have been stopped since June 3.
Two more TV channels, the ARY One and the AAJ, were also allegedly threatened by the ministry officials not to telecast the activities of Chief Justice Mt. Iftekhar Choudhary. The two TV channels were further pressured not to discuss the matter of judicial crisis in the country in their current affairs programs. According to the managements of ARY One and AAJ, the government is pressurizing cable operators not to air the transmissions of both channels. The transmissions of both channels have been stopped intermittently since 31 May 2007.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Since the suspension of Chief Justice of Pakistan, Mr. Iftekhar Choudhary on March 9, the Pakistan government has opened yet another front in the hopes of exercising damage control in an attack on television stations that have been airing open discussions on the latest developments with regard to the political situation and also the judicial crisis.
For instance, the police forces had reportedly attacked the office of the Geo TV at Islamabad and destroyed the broadcasting equipment on 16 March 2007. Moreover, the Geo TV program “Kamran Khan Kay Sath” had been banned for four days based on the instruction of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
Another TV channel, the AAJ, had received a Show Cause Notice issued by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Sindh Region) (PEMRA). For details of this matter, please see also the AHRC statement AS-086-2007 issued on 25 April 2007. The AAJ TV Station had been further attacked by armed groups of a ruling party for about 6 hours on 12 May 2007. This channel is in continuous pressure from the government to date. On several occasions the transmissions of the AAJ had been intercepted by the government. Another popular TV channel, the ARY One, has also been receiving tremendous pressure from the government.
Meanwhile, on 30 May 2007, President General Musharraf has warned the media not to broadcast programs against the government’s armed forces and about the judicial crisis. He announced that he would take stern actions against those channels which are taking ‘advantage’ out of the judicial crisis in the country. In his address in a press conference on May 31, the Federal Minister of Information and Broadcasting announced that his ministry has an intention to merge PEMRA, an autonomous central government body, into the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. This will result more strict censorship of the government over the media in the country. The Minister further said that the media should not be allowed to misuse the freedom given ‘by the government’. On June 5, President General Musharraf has further issued an ordinance which has handed unprecedented powers to the PEMRA, allowing it to seize the broadcast or distribution service equipment of television and radio channels and suspend their licenses (For details, see also AS-113-2007).
Please also see the AHRC statements on the judicial crisis in Pakistan at www.ahrchk.net/statements.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please immediately write to the relevant government authorities and express your deep concern about this matter. Please urge them to immediately lift the ban on transmissions of Geo TV, AAJ and ARY One television channels and restore the media freedom in accordance with the Constitution.
To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear _________,
PAKISTAN: Government illegally stopped the transmissions of several TV channels
I am gravely concerned by the recent series of attacks on television stations that have been airing open discussions on the latest developments with regard to the political situation and also the judicial crisis.
I am informed that the Pakistan government has stopped the transmissions of on popular channel, the Geo TV, throughout the country since 3 June 2007, after the television station management refused the request of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting not to broadcast its two current affair programs ‘Meray Mutabiq” and “Kamran Khan Kay Sath’.
I am also informed that the government is also stopping transmissions of two other television channels, the ARY One and the AAJ, by pressurizing the cable operators not to air the transmissions of both channels. The actions against both channels have been taken after the management of the TV channels refused to follow the instruction of the MIB to stop telecasting the activities of Chief Justice Mt. Iftekhar Choudhary and covering the country’s judicial crisis in their current affairs programs. The transmissions of both channels have been stopped intermittently since 31 May 2007.
I have note with grave concern that these incidents are in line with the government’s series of attacks on the television stations to enforce strong censorship over them. For instance, on 16 March 2007, the police forces had attacked the office of the Geo TV at Islamabad and its program ‘Kamran Khan Kay Sath’ had been banned for four days based on the instruction of the MIB. Another TV channel, the AAJ, had received a Show Cause Notice issued by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Sindh Region) (PEMRA). The AAJ TV Station was further reportedly attacked by armed groups of a ruling party for about 6 hours on 12 May 2007. This channel is in continuous pressure from the government to date. Several television channels including the ARY One, Geo TV, AAJ, are in tremendous pressure from the government.
Discussing the independence of the judiciary is a matter on which society has a paramount concern and an attack on the Chief Justice is of such gravity that society cannot expect to be able to safeguard its basic rights without getting involved in his defense. Having discussions or debates on the rule of law and constitutional matters is a right guaranteed by the Constitution of Pakistan and no party, be they pro or anti state has the right to refuse any other party permission to express their views. This is an unalienable right guaranteed not only by the Constitution but by international norms and standards.
Furthermore, the government’s action against television stations breaches the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which guarantees the right to expression. Article 19(2) of the Covenant specifically mentions, ‘Everyone shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of his choice.’ Although Pakistan has not ratified the Covenant, it has moral obligation to respect the right to expression and media freedom as a member of the UN Human Rights Council.
However, I am concerned that on contrary, President General Musharraf has issued an ordinance which has handed unprecedented powers to the PEMRA, allowing it to seize the broadcast or distribution service equipment of television and radio channels and suspend their licenses on June 5. Unfortunately, in his address in a press conference on May 31, the Federal Minister of Information and Broadcasting also announced that his ministry has an intention to merge PEMRA, an autonomous central government body, into the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, with intention to enforce more strict censorship over the media in the country.
I therefore strongly urge you to intervene into the matters mentioned above. The government’s ban on three television channels, the Geo TV, AAJ and ARY One, should be lifted immediately.
The Government of Pakistan should also stop a war against the media immediately and restore the media freedom in accordance with the Constitution and the international human rights laws. The President’s ordinance allowing unprecedented powers to the PEMRA should be withdrawn as soon as possible. Lastly, I urge the government of Pakistan to ratify the ICCPR without further delay and fully respect the media freedom and stop attacks on the free media.
I look for your immediate intervention into this matter.
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PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:
1. General Pervez Musharraf
President
President’s Secretariat
Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 51 922 1422, 4768/ 920 1893 or 1835
E-mail: (please see – http://www.presidentofpakistan.gov.pk/WTPresidentMessage.aspx)
2. Mr. Mohamag Ali Durrani
Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting
Government of Pakistan
Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Email: infominister@infopak.gov.pk
3. Mr. Tariq Azeem
Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting
Government of Pakistan
Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Email: mos@infopak.gov.pk
4. Chairperson
Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority
Green Trust Tower, 6th Floor, Jinnah Avenue,
Blue Area, Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Tel: +92 51 9222320/26/32/40/42/43/45/50/51/52/56
Fax: +92 51 9207419
E-mail: ctv@pemra.gov.pk, info@pemra.gov.pk
5. Mr. Muhammad Wasi Zafar
Minister of Law, Justice and Human Rights
S Block Pakistan Secretariat
Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 51 920 2628
E-Mail: minister@molaw.gov.pk
6. Chaudhry Amir Hussain
Speaker of National Assembly
National Assembly of Pakistan,
Parliament House,
Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Tel: +92 51 9221082/83
Fax: +92 51 9221106
7. Mohammedmian Soomro
Chairman
Senate of Pakistan
H.No.3, St.No.14-A,
Margalla Road, F-7/2
Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Tel: +92 51 9223475 or 9223476
Fax: +92 51 9223477
E-mail: chairman@senate.gov.pk
8. Mr. Ambeyi Ligabo
Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
c/o J Deriviero
OHCHR-UNOG
8-14 Avenue de la Paix
1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND
Tel: +41 22 917 9177
Fax: +41 22 917 9006 (ATTN: SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION)
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ahrchk@ahrchk.org)
