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Pakistan’s media faces censorship over coverage of opposition

Employees work at the news room of Geo News television channel in Karachi, Pakistan April 11, 2018. (REUTERS)
Updated 10 July 2019
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Pakistan’s media faces censorship over coverage of opposition

  • A single news channel’s day-long closure costs two months worth of ad revenue
  • Forced shutdown of television channels is condemnable, journalists' body says
Updated 10 July 2019
Aamir Saeed

Pakistan’s media organizations are faced with an ‘unprecedented censorship’ by the government for their coverage of opposition parties, journalists said on Tuesday — a day after three news channels were abruptly taken off air in various parts of the country.
The blackout came after Maryam Nawaz, daughter of former premier Nawaz Sharif, in a live press conference on July 6, accused an accountability court judge Arshad Malik of convicting her father “under immense pressure from hidden hands.” She had also released a purported video showing the judge telling a person that there was no solid evidence of corruption against Sharif in the case.
Sharif, who is the supreme leader of opposition party Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and has served as the country’s prime minister thrice, is currently serving a seven-year prison term in Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat jail in connection with Al-Azizia corruption case. 
Pakistan’s anti-corruption watchdog, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), had filed a reference against him after the Supreme Court disqualified him from holding a public office, in July 2017, as part of the verdict for the Panama Papers’ case.
Pakistan’s Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) later issued notices to 21 television channels for the “unedited live telecast” of Maryam’s press conference wherein she questioned the judicial process in graft cases against her father.
“Transmission of our news channel has not been restored so far, which we suspect was taken off air for covering Maryam Nawaz’s press conference and her public rally,” Mian Tahir, director news of 24 News told Arab News.
On Monday evening, PEMRA allegedly took three news channels – 24 News, Capital TV and Abb Takk News – off air for what these channels said was providing coverage to the opposition, especially Maryam’s recent press conference and address to a public rally in which she lambasted Prime Minister Imran Khan’s government.
Tahir said that PEMRA had not provided them with any substantial reason for the move. “This is an unprecedented censorship, and we believe it is being done on behest of the Prime Minister Secretariat,” he said, adding that “the channel’s one day closure takes us at least two months behind in terms of advertisements revenue.”
He added that journalists were already facing a “financial crunch due to stringent advertisement policy of this government” and the channels’ shutdown was akin to adding insult to injury.
An interview of former President Asif Ali Zardari was taken off air on Geo News on July 1 within a few minutes of broadcasting. The government later said that PEMRA’s rules do not allow for broadcasting of an interview of a person who is facing court trial.
Shahab Mehmood, director news at Abb Takk TV, said that transmission of his channel has started to resume after nearly 19 hours of being suspended. “Nobody, no government institution including the PEMRA has provided us any justification for the channel’s forced shutdown,” he told Arab News.
He, however, said that they suspect the move was in place for their coverage of opposition leaders including Maryam. “One this is for sure this all does not augur well for press freedom in Pakistan,” he added.
Pakistan’s constitution guarantees freedom of the press and access to information, and the country has a large and robust media industry, including an extensive privately-held broadcast news. And yet, as Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) found in one of its reports last year: “true press freedom is elusive.”
“The forced shutdown of the television channels is a condemnable act, and the government must refrain from such acts in the future,” Rana Azeem, secretary-general Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), told Arab News.
He, however, called on managers of the television channels to abide by PEMRA’s rules and code of conduct while broadcasting any news.
Muhammad Tahir, General Manager (Operations) PEMRA, did not respond to calls and text messages seeking the authority’s comments over blocking of the television channels’ transmission.
Earlier on Monday, Pakistan Broadcasters Association “condemned taking off air three of its member channels by Pemra” and demanded their immediate restoration. “By not giving them the right of hearing and unilaterally taking them off air was against all norms of justice and threatened freedom of expression,” the PBA said in a statement.
“The channels are restored now and the issue stands resolved,” the PBA chairman Shakeel Masud Hussain told Arab News.

 

Topics: Pakistan election Pakistan

Historic Islamic alliance pledges to improve access to education for girls

Updated 8 sec ago
Arab News
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Historic Islamic alliance pledges to improve access to education for girls

  • The Islamabad Declaration for Girls’ Education affirms girls’ education as both a religious obligation and societal necessity
  • The summit in Pakistan capital brought together diverse range of religious schools as well as activists like Malala Yousafzai
Updated 8 sec ago
Arab News

ISLAMABAD: Islamic religious, political and civil leaders have united in a historic campaign to improve access to education for girls and women.

The Islamabad Declaration for Girls’ Education affirms girls’ education as both a religious obligation and societal necessity.

It brings together a diverse range of religious schools of law including Deobandi, Hanafi and Haqqani schools, as well as gender activists like Nobel Laureate Malala Yousafzai and political and civil society leaders.

The declaration was signed during a conference in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, convened by Saudi Arabia’s Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa, secretary-general of the Muslim World League and chairman of the Organization of Muslim Scholars.

“I am imagining this conference as a beginning of a new journey, where we commit to a future for every girl to have access to complete quality education,” Yousafzai said in a statement.

“I want to thank the Muslim World League. Your Excellency Al-Issa; you have brought us together to address the barriers holding girls back from their right to go to school.”

Al-Issa added that the gathering “will not merely be a ‘call,’ a ‘declaration,’ or simply a ‘statement of stance.’

“Rather, it will represent a qualitative transformation in supporting girls’ education — a change that will bring joy to every deprived girl,” he said.

Religious leaders who affirmed the declaration include senior figures from the Deobandi school in Pakistan and India, leading Hanafi jurists, and the presidency of Darul Uloom Haqqania, Sheikh Anwarul Haq Haqqani.

Others included the Grand Mufti of Pakistan Sheikh Muhammad Taqi Usmani; the Mufti of Egypt Sheikh Dr. Nazir Mohammad Ayad; the Amir of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (Pakistan) Sheikh Fazl-ul-Rahman bin Mufti Mahmood; the President of Ulema Council of Pakistan Sheikh Tahir Mahmoud Ashrafi; and the President of Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind (India) Sheikh Syed Arshad Madani.

“This gathering brings together the intellectual capital of the Muslim world not just to appreciate the enormity of the challenge we face, but also as a declaration of our resolve to overcome all these impediments,” said Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

In addition, the Muslim World League and Organization of Islamic Cooperation agreed on a number of practical measures to improve access to education.

One of these measures is an awareness campaign by a number of educational centers and scholars.

Another is a new Islamic Educational Alliance drawing on a diverse and influential network of religious leaders, intellectuals, policy experts and academics from leading Islamic universities worldwide

The Muslim World League will also partner with a number of international organizations including the UN Refugee Agency and UN University for Peace to further the cause of providing access to education for women.

The summit brought together more than 150 dignitaries from 44 Muslim and other friendly states, according to Pakistan’s Foreign Office.

Peshawar Zalmi bolster bowling line-up for PSL 2025 with Corbin Bosch, Mohammad Ali

Updated 12 min 8 sec ago
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Peshawar Zalmi bolster bowling line-up for PSL 2025 with Corbin Bosch, Mohammad Ali

  • The Pakistan Super League 2025 is scheduled to take place between April 8 and May 19, with 116 players from 10 countries
  • Babar Azam says weather will have a lot to do with this year’s PSL and they have kept combination according to conditions
Updated 12 min 8 sec ago
NAIMAT KHAN

ISLAMABAD: Peshawar Zalmi have bolstered their bowling line-up for this year’s Pakistan Super League (PSL) with the inclusion of Corbin Bosch and Mohammad Ali, skipper Babar Azam said on Tuesday.
The statement came a day after all six PSL franchises assembled their squads at the glittering PSL 2025 Player Draft in Lahore. The Twenty20 tournament is scheduled to take place between April 8 and May 19, with 116 players from 10 countries.
Azam said they had included all-rounders and further improved their bowling line-up, expressing his satisfaction over the selection of players for this year’s PSL edition.
“The main thing that we have discussed is our combination. Our batting line-up is very good and we have further improved bowling,” he said.
Azam said they attached “great priority to bowlers” and picked South African Corbin Bosch and Muhammad Ali.
“So, these two picks of ours are very good, and the difficult numbers are 5 and 6. In that, you have to bring in a game-changer element and choose such a player, so we have seen that spark in him [Ali],” he said.
“We have seen that thing, that he can have a different impact. So, we have picked him in that sense, the way he played in the Champions Cup and the way he made an impact, he should make the same impact in this PSL.”
The Zalmi skipper said weather will have a lot to do with this year’s PSL and they have kept the combination according to the conditions.
“We have the spinner, Sufiyan Muqeem, with us,” he said. “So, we have made a very good combination and we are following the plan.”
Peshawar Zalmi squad: Babar Azam, Saim Ayub, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Corbin Bosch, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Haris, Abdul Samad, Hussain Talat, Nahid Rana, Arif Yaqoob, Najeebullah Zadran, Max Bryant, Mehran Mumtaz, Sufyan Moqim, Ali Raza and Maaz Sadaqat
Supplementary players – Ahmed Daniyal and Alzarri Joseph

Topics: Peshawar Zalmi Babar Azam Pakistan Super League

Pakistan says in ‘advanced’ talks with Saudi Arabia for investment in copper, gold mines

Updated 14 January 2025
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Pakistan says in ‘advanced’ talks with Saudi Arabia for investment in copper, gold mines

  • Saudi Arabia last year offered Pakistan a 15 percent investment stake in the Reko Diq copper and gold mine
  • Reko Diq, one of largest copper-gold mine, is jointly owned by Canadian firm Barrick Gold Corp. and Pakistan
Updated 14 January 2025
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are in “advanced” stages of talks relating to investment in Pakistan’s copper and gold mines, Pakistani Petroleum Minister Musadik Malik said on Tuesday.
Pakistan has taken steps in recent months to attract foreign investment in its mining sector. The South Asian country is home to the Reko Diq copper and gold mine that is located in its southwestern Balochistan province.
Reko Diq, one of the world’s largest underdeveloped copper-gold mine, is jointly owned by Canadian mining firm Barrick Gold Corp. and Pakistan. Last year, Saudi Arabia offered Pakistan a 15 percent investment stake in the project, Pakistani state media reported in September.
Speaking to Arab News on the sidelines of Future Minerals Forum (FMF) in Riyadh, Malik said Pakistan and Saudi Arabia were in advanced stages of conversations about a “very large asset,” and had done all the requisite homework in this regard.
“Both sides have come up with valuation frameworks, the valuation ranges are in place, and both of the teams are empowered now to negotiate, and right now, we are under non-disclosure. So, I can’t give you the details, but suffice to say that we are expecting very big announcements very soon,” he said.
“It depends, I mean in mining, it’s going to be the mining assets, particularly the copper mining assets, copper and gold mining assets. So, we are very hopeful about that.”
Reuters reported that Saudi Arabian mining company Manara Minerals could invest in Pakistan’s Reko Diq mine in the next two quarters, citing the Pakistani petroleum minister.
Manara, a joint venture between Saudi state-controlled miner Ma’aden and the $925-billion Public Investment Fund (PIF), was set up as part of the Kingdom’s efforts to diversify its economy away from oil, including by buying minority stakes in assets overseas.
“I’m very hopeful that in the next quarter or two we will have very big announcements,” Malik was quoted as saying by Reuters.
“So, we’re very hopeful that this year, we will make some big announcements, both in the way of Reko Diq, but hopefully also” in mines around it, he added.
Asked if Manara would be involved, Malik said, “why not, of course.” Reuters said Manara did not immediately respond to its emailed request for comment.
Manara executives visited Pakistan in May last year for talks about buying a stake in the Reko Diq mine. Manara’s then-acting chief executive Robert Wilt, now CEO of Ma’aden, told Reuters that a stake in Reko Diq was among several opportunities the company was evaluating.
Pakistan is also in talks with other Gulf countries about mining opportunities, Malik added.

Topics: Future Minerals Forum

Iraq, Pakistan sign MoU to boost workforce exchange, strengthen industrial partnership

Updated 14 January 2025
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Iraq, Pakistan sign MoU to boost workforce exchange, strengthen industrial partnership

  • Development occurred at the 9th JMC session held since its last meeting in Islamabad over two decades ago
  • Both countries discuss industrial cooperation, particularly in export processing zones, in a number of fields
Updated 14 January 2025
SAIMA SHABBIR

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Iraq on Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the provision of workforce between the two countries while agreeing to strengthen industrial collaboration, according to an official statement.
The MoU was part of the 9th session of the Pakistan-Iraq Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC), which was historic for being the first such interaction held since the last meeting in Islamabad over two decades ago in 2001.
Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan arrived in Baghdad a day earlier to lead his country’s delegation at the talks and was received by Iraq’s Minister for Housing and Construction Bangen Rekani at the Baghdad International Airport.
“The purpose of the JMC was to enhance economic, trade and cultural ties, which culminated in the signing of several key memorandums of understanding, including an agreement on the provision of workforce between the two countries,” the statement said.
During the meeting, both sides explored avenues for collaboration in various sectors. Religious tourism emerged as a key area of interest, while discussions also highlighted opportunities for industrial cooperation, particularly in export processing zones and fields such as textiles, pharmaceuticals and agriculture.
Health and education partnerships were emphasized as well, with plans for scholarships for Iraqi students and training programs in health care, vaccine production and biotechnology.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, the Pakistani minister reaffirmed his country’s commitment to deepening its ties with Iraq.
“The economic potential between Pakistan and Iraq is immense, and today’s agreements provide a roadmap for achieving our shared goals,” he said.
The minister highlighted reforms introduced in Pakistan to attract foreign investment and urged Iraq to ease visa restrictions for traders from his country to promote bilateral trade and cultural exchanges.
He expressed optimism the decisions made during the JMC would pave the way for significant progress in bilateral trade, investment and cultural exchanges.
Khan also invited Iraq to participate in the 10th session of the ministerial commission in Pakistan to review progress and plan future initiatives.

Topics: Pakistan Iraq Ties

Pakistan orders inquiry after PIA Paris flight advert revives 9/11 fears

Updated 14 January 2025
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Pakistan orders inquiry after PIA Paris flight advert revives 9/11 fears

  • On Jan. 10, PIA shared a promotional image featuring a plane that appeared to fly toward Eiffel Tower along with a tagline: ‘Paris, we’re coming today’
  • The design drew comparisons to a 1979 ad by PIA showing its Boeing 747 casting a shadow over Twin Towers in New York, reviving horrors of 9/11 attacks
Updated 14 January 2025
KASHIF IMRAN

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has ordered an inquiry into a celebratory advertisement by the state-run Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) that sparked a controversy last week, with many saying the advert revived fears of 9/11 attacks against the United States.
The Pakistani state carrier resumed its Europe operations with a flight to Paris on Jan. 10, marking the end of a four-year ban imposed by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) over flight safety concerns. EASA, United Kingdom and United States authorities suspended permission for PIA to operate in the region in 2020 after Pakistan began investigating the validity of pilots’ licenses, following a deadly plane crash that killed 97 people.
On Jan. 10, PIA shared a promotional image on X featuring a plane that appeared to fly toward the Eiffel Tower along with a tagline, “Paris, we’re coming today.” The design drew instant comparisons online to a 1979 ad by PIA showing its Boeing 747 casting a shadow over the Twin Towers in New York. Many netizens said the chilling image revived horrors of the 9/11 attacks against the US by Al-Qaeda.

This combination of photos, created on January 14, 2025, shows two viral ad posts, 2025 Paris ad (left) and 1979 New York ad (right), by the state-run Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) that sparked a controversy.

In a session of Pakistan’s upper house of parliament on Tuesday, Senator Sherry Rehman drew the House’s attention to the controversial advertisement and said it “cost the national airline its reputation,” with several Western analysts and security experts criticizing the advertisement.
“The cabinet, and the prime minister too, have ordered an inquiry into who conceived this ad,” Pakistan Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar said in televised comments, in response to Rehman’s statement. “This was stupidity, to show the Eiffel Tower.”
Dar even suggested alternative ways to portray the resumption of PIA flights to Paris.
“They could have showed the aircraft above it [Eiffel Tower], and said that ‘We are coming’,” he said. “You could have flipped the front of the plane.”
The loss-making Pakistani airline now operates two weekly flights to Paris, on Fridays and Sundays, however, it remains barred from flying to the UK and the US.
PIA flies to multiple cities inside Pakistan, including the mountainous north, as well as to the Gulf and Southeast Asia. The airline, which employs 7,000 people, has long been accused of being bloated and poorly run — hobbled by unpaid bills, a poor safety record and regulatory issues.
Pakistan’s government has said it is committed to privatizing the debt-ridden airline and has been scrambling to find a buyer. Late last year, a deal fell through after a potential buyer reportedly offered a fraction of the asking price.
Officials hope the opening of European routes, which they expect will be followed by a similar announcement by the UK later this year, will boost PIA’s selling potential.

Topics: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA)

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