(IFJ/IFEX) – The following is a letter received by the IFJ from the minister of information of Pakistan in response to a 9 June 1999 IFEX alert update: **Updates IFEX alerts of 9 and 4 June 1999** Mr. Aidan White, General Secretary, International Federation of Journalists, Brussels, Belgium. From: Mr. Mushahid Hussain Minister for Information, […]
(IFJ/IFEX) – The following is a letter received by the IFJ from the minister
of information of Pakistan in response to a 9 June 1999 IFEX alert update:
**Updates IFEX alerts of 9 and 4 June 1999**
Mr. Aidan White,
General Secretary,
International Federation of Journalists,
Brussels,
Belgium.
From:
Mr. Mushahid Hussain
Minister for Information,
Government of Pakistan.
Dear Mr. White,
I saw your alert update of June 9, regarding your meeting with my Indian
counterpart. The statement made by him is not true at all. Those listening
to Pakistani broadcasts have been told that they can be imprisoned for one
month and even fined, according to an order issued by the Indian Police on
June 8, 1999.
This is the first such ban imposed on a foreign broadcasting organisation by
a democratic country after World War II. The ban is absolutely unjustified
and has only one purpose, namely, covering up truth because India knows
truth is not on its side.
We have decided not to pay back India in the same coin because we believe in
free flow of information and freedom of expression.
Pakistani artillery has never attacked non-military targets. The Indian
allegation is totally false.
I take pleasure in referring you to material that we have published on our
web site in this regard.
Best Regards,
Mushahid Hussain
Minister for Information
