(RSF/IFEX) – In a 17 September 1999 letter to the Pakistani prime minister, RSF protested the arrest of Anwarullah Khan, a correspondent with the Bajaur Agency (FATA) of the daily “Nation”. RSF said that it was “worried by the state of press freedom in Pakistan. Jailing of independent journalists, attacks against reporters and harassment of […]
(RSF/IFEX) – In a 17 September 1999 letter to the Pakistani prime minister,
RSF protested the arrest of Anwarullah Khan, a correspondent with the Bajaur
Agency (FATA) of the daily “Nation”. RSF said that it was “worried by the
state of press freedom in Pakistan. Jailing of independent journalists,
attacks against reporters and harassment of newsmen have increased
remarkably since the beginning of the year.” The organisation asked Prime
Minister Nawaz Sharif to use his influence “to ensure that Anwarullah Khan
is immediately released.” RSF also called for “a rapid reform of the
government policy regarding press freedom and for Pakistani journalists to
be allowed to perform their duty with respect for the professional ethics,
without being threatened by the authorities or the government.”
Khan, a correspondent with the Bajaur Agency (FATA) of the daily “Nation”,
was arrested on 16 September under Article 40 of the Frontier Crime
Regulations (40 FCR). It seems that his arrest followed the publication of
an article criticising the authorities’ inefficiency and incompetence in
solving people’s problems. On the morning of Thursday 16 September, he was
summoned by Khasadars (local law-enforcing personnel) to the administration
offices and put behind bars on the order of the administrative chief of the
area. The 40 FCR cannot be challenged in the court and the accused can be
jailed for years without being tried.
RSF is also worried about the numerous attacks on journalists – especially
photographers – by the police, that have occurred in Karachi and Sindh
province in recent days (see IFEX alerts of 13 September, 24 August 1999 and
others).
