Articles by Pakistan Press Foundation
State of emergency declared in Pakistan, freedom of expression affected
(PPF/IFEX) – According to information released by PPF on 1 June 1998, restrictions have not yet been placed on political activities or on the press in Pakistan. Mushahid Hussain, Minister for Information and Media Development, offered assurances that the government does not intend to place any restrictions on political rights, including freedom of expression. This […]
State of emergency declared in Pakistan, freedom of expression affected
(PPF/IFEX) – The President of Pakistan, Mohammad Rafiq Tarar, declared a state of emergency in the country on 28 May 1998, effective immediately. According to the government, the state of emergency was proclaimed in view of a threat of external aggression. The proclamation of emergency was issued following Pakistanâs nuclear tests. The enforcement of emergency […]
Urdu daily of Karachi banned
(PPF/IFEX) – On 19 March 1998, “Public of Karachi”, a local Urdu language daily, was banned. The ban was imposed by an order issued by the local magistrate (SDM)of the area. The Station House Officer (the police chief of the area) along with a police party served the notice to the management. Following the order […]
Journalists freed from charges
(PPF/IFEX) – On 27 January 1998, charges of publishing objectionable materials laid against the editors, joint editor and reporters of the daily newspaper “Pakistan” were withdrawn. The Punjab government, following directions from Shehbaz Sharif, the Punjab Chief Minister, also apologized for having handcuffed the journalists who had been arrested on 19 January in Lahore for […]
Journalists arrested and released on bail
(PPF/IFEX) – On 19 January 1998, police raided the offices of the Urdu daily “Pakistan” and arrested the editor, chief news editor and four reporters of the newspaper on charges of publishing some objectionable material in the 13 January edition of the newspaper. Editor Jamil Chishti, chief news editor Khalid Farooqui, senior reporter Khalid Qayyum, […]
Journalist released in contempt of court case; other remains in jail
(PPF/IFEX) – On 12 January 1998, Iftikhar Adil, the publisher/printer of the daily Lahore-based newspaper “Lashkar” who is facing contempt of court charges, was released. The release orders were issued by the division bench of Balochistan High Court on the appeal of Iftikhar Adil against the verdict of a single bench of this court. The […]
Journalist harassed
(PPF/IFEX) – (PPF/IFEX) – On 29 December 1997, journalist Qaiser Mahmood Khokhar was arrested and beaten by police in Lahore. Khokhar had gone to the police station to collect the discharge papers of a case registered against him on 1 December 1997. He is said to have been arrested by police sub-inspector (SI) Farrukh Shah, […]
Two journalists sentenced for reporting on stolen court records
(PPF/IFEX) – On 26 December Irfanul Haq and Iftikhar Adil, two journalists of the Lahore based Urdu newspaper “Lashkar”, were sentenced to six months in prison and fined Rs. 5000 by the Balochistan High Court in Quetta for reporting on the alleged theft of court records. According to reports, the lawyer Mohammad Azam Zakroon of […]