CPJ decries government pressure on Pakistani television station
New York, January 22, 2008—The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned that the government of President Pervez Musharraf unfairly pressured GEO TV, Pakistan’s largest and most popular independent broadcaster, to modify its editorial policies before the station was allowed to resume domestic cable distribution on Monday. The station has been off domestic cable since November…
In expulsion case, Pakistani assertions ring hollow
New York, January 16, 2008—The Committee to Protect Journalists rejects claims made by Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs that CPJ’s alert on the expulsion of U.S. journalist Nicholas Schmidle was “misleading and factually incorrect.” The ministry’s remarks were made in a prepared opening statement to a press briefing in Islamabad today and repeated in response…
Pakistani journalists face warrantless arrests
New York, December 3, 2007 — The Committee to Protect Journalists is greatly concerned by the Pakistani government’s authorization of police to arrest without warrant members of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), the country’s largest media organization. The legal move also mentions members of the Rawalpindi/Islamabad Union of Journalists, Pakistan’s largest local journalist…
CPJ urges Dubai to restore Pakistani TV transmissions
Dear Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, We are greatly disturbed by your government’s decision on Friday to stop satellite re-transmission of GEO TV and ARY One World Television through the Dubai Media City. The fact that the stations remain off the air five days after the decision undermines the stated aim of the United Arab Emirates “to transform Dubai into a knowledge-based society and economy” as described on the Media City Web site.
Two Pakistani news networks are shut down in Dubai
New York, November 16, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists is greatly alarmed that news channels on the Pakistani networks GEO TV and ARY Digital were ordered by authorities to halt transmission today from the United Arab Emirates after refusing to sign a Pakistani government-mandated “code of conduct.” GEO TV was ordered by the UAE Information…
Pakistan demands broadcasters sign conduct code
New York, November 12, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists is greatly concerned by pressure being exerted by the Pakistani government on broadcasters to sign a 14-page government-mandated “code of conduct.” Station owners say they have been told that if they do not sign the agreement, they will not be allowed to return to the air.…
Pakistan continues to silence news media
New York, November 8, 2007—The Pakistani government is continuing efforts to silence the press by harassing journalists, attempting to shut down printing presses, and censoring articles critical of the government, local journalists told CPJ today. News editors at the Urdu-language Daily Ausaf in Islamabad and at the English-language Express in Lahore said their papers were…
Pakistan targets media outlets
New York, November 5, 2007—Pakistan’s government has escalated its efforts since the weekend to silence the press by harassing journalists, attempting to shut down printing presses, and ordering that articles critical of the government be altered, Pakistani journalists told CPJ. According to news editors at the Urdu-language Daily Ausaf in Islamabad and at the Express…