Articles by Pakistan Press Foundation
Newspaper publishers deplore use of government advertisements as tool against publications
(PPF/IFEX) – The All Pakistan Newspaper Society (APNS), the country’s national publishers organisation, has strongly deplored the government’s coercive actions against the press as manifested in the continued ban on government advertisements in “Nawa-e-Waqt”, “The Nation” and other newspapers. The APNS urged the president, General Pervez Musharraf, to intervene in the matter. At a recent […]
Journalists denied entry into tribal area
(PPF/IFEX) – On 13 June 2004, the political administration of Khyber Agency, in Pakistan’s Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), denied entry into the area to a group of Peshawar reporters. The journalists wanted to cover a tribal Jirga (council of tribal elders) that was protesting the ongoing military operations in the areas bordering on Afghanistan. […]
Five newspapers banned, offices sealed, staff arrested
(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 […]
Journalist released on bail
(PPF/IFEX) – Journalist Zulfiqar Ali Khaskheli was granted bail on 21 April 2004. He was discharged from the People’s Medical College Hospital in Nawabshah, where he had been admitted for injuries he suffered while in police custody.
Journalist severely beaten by police
(PPF/IFEX) – Zulfiqar Ali Khaskheli, a correspondent in the town of Nawabshah for the Hyderabad-based, Sindhi-language daily “Ibrat”, was severely beaten by police. It is feared that he may lose his eyesight and hearing. The journalist was beaten so severely that he had to be admitted to the People’s Medical College Hospital in Nawabshah. Visitors […]
Journalist’s appeal hearing postponed
(PPF/IFEX) – On 31 March 2004, Munawar Mohsin, a subeditor of the Peshawar-based national daily “Frontier Post”, was scheduled to appear in court. His appeal was postponed, however, because his lawyer, Zhur-ul Haq, had a scheduling conflict. No new date was set for the examination of Mohsin’s appeal. The bench consisted of Justices Tariq Pervaiz […]
Journalist kidnapped
(PPF/IFEX) – Two people, including a journalist, were kidnapped by armed men on the night of 4 March 2004 in the city of Sukkur (Sindh province). Shahbaz Pathan, a correspondent for the Sindhi daily “Halchal”, was playing badminton with five friends when several armed men tried to kidnap them. Local residents chased the kidnappers, forcing […]
Gunmen raid newspaper distribution points in Karachi, threaten vendors, destroy papers
(PPF/IFEX) – In the early morning of 1 March 2004, unidentified gunmen conducted coordinated raids on newspaper distribution points in various parts of Karachi. They took bundles of newspapers, set them ablaze and fled. According to media reports, armed youths raided newspaper depots at New Challi, Old Numaish, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Saddar, Hussainabad and Water-Pump (in the […]