(PPF/IFEX) – On 25 May 2004, the provincial government in Pakistan’s southern province of Sindh banned eight newspapers in the city of Karachi on charges of “publishing obscene photographs” and “blackmail”. Police also sealed their offices and arrested newspaper owners and staff. According to press reports, heavy contingents of police raided the offices of “Morning […]
(PPF/IFEX) – On 25 May 2004, the provincial government in Pakistan’s southern province of Sindh banned eight newspapers in the city of Karachi on charges of “publishing obscene photographs” and “blackmail”. Police also sealed their offices and arrested newspaper owners and staff.
According to press reports, heavy contingents of police raided the offices of “Morning Special”, “Evening Special”, “Zamana”, “Daily Special” and “Mid Special”, as well as the Mashriq Press, where the newspapers are printed.
The provincial Home Department claimed that it took action after receiving complaints that the newspapers were involved in blackmailing and publishing obscene material.
Salahuddin Hyder, provincial advisor to the chief minister, said the papers had been warned repeatedly not to publish obscene photographs, and notices were issued by the Home Department, but the newspapers ignored the notices. The Home Department was monitoring the newspapers for the last four months and finally decided to take action on 25 May.
Those arrested include Ashfaq Jafri, Hanif Dawami, Liaquat Ali, Aleem Azad, Nisar, Tariq Ali, Mehboob, Abrar, Danish, Aziz, Ashfaq Jaffery, Iqbal Saif, Ghulam Shah, Ali Angora Abrar and Ghulam Mohammed.
