Pakistan Press Foundation

(PPF/IFEX) – According to PPF, Videsh Sanchar Nigam Ltd (VSNL), India’s sole gateway to the Internet, has blocked the web site of Pakistan’s leading English language daily newspaper, “Dawn”. According to “The Times of India”, Internet users in India have been unable to connect to the “Dawn” website for more than a week. A VSNL […]

(PPF/IFEX) – Najam Sethi, editor of “The Friday Times”, has accused the government of using the income tax department to intimidate him and his wife Jugno Mohsin for their outspoken views. Sethi was arrested on 8 May 1999 on charges of sedition, but was released unconditionally on 2 June. All the charges against him were […]

(PPF/IFEX) – In New Delhi on 2 June 1999, the Indian minister for information and broadcasting, Pramod Mahajan, banned the transmission of Pakistan Television (PTV) by cable operators. According to Agence France-Presse (AFP), Mahajan said cable operators throughout the country would be prohibited from telecasting PTV programmes because of the “vilification campaign against India, especially […]

(PPF/IFEX) – Najam Sethi, chief editor of “The Friday Times”, was released on 2 June 1999 by the government. **Updates IFEX alerts of 31 May, 26 May, 25 May, 18 May, 12 May, 10 May, 6 May, 5 May and 19 April 1999** The announcement was made at the Supreme Court on 2 June by […]

(PPF/IFEX) – On 19 May 1999 in Lahore, police assaulted a photographer and a reporter covering a funeral procession of four alleged robbers who were killed in a police encounter. Naseer Chaudhry, a photographer of the daily evening newspaper “Naya Akhbar”, suffered a fractured leg as he was thrown from a tractor-trolley. Chaudhry was taking […]

(PPF/IFEX) – The Punjab government has cancelled the declaration, or publication licence, of the quarterly newsletter of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP). The newsletter focuses on human rights violations as well other issues related to human rights, such as judgements in court cases, as well as the activities of the HRCP in areas […]

(PPF/IFEX) – On 17 May 1999, the Supreme Court ordered that the family of Najam Sethi, editor of “The Friday Times” in Lahore, be allowed to meet with him. **Updates IFEX alerts of 12 May, 10 May and 6 May 1999** A three-judge bench of the court ordered that the government attorney arrange Sethi’s meeting […]

(PPF/IFEX) – Armed assailants shot and injured Rana Sajid Iqbal, the editor of the daily “Nawai Sharrer”, in Sargodha (in the Punjab province) on 13 May 1999. Rana Sajid Iqbal was shot and injured by two bullets and received seven dagger wounds in an attack as he was returning home. His brother alleged that the […]