PFUJ recalls November 3, 2007 emergency as Pakistan’s darkest day
November 03, 2025: PFUJ recalls November 3, 2007, as Pakistan’s darkest day under Musharraf, urging protection for journalists and the abolition of laws threatening press freedom.
JournalismPakistan.com | Published 13 years ago
Join our WhatsApp channel
ISLAMABAD: Veteran journalist and television anchor Nusrat Javed believes restrictions on media are to be slapped soon by the government because the rulers do not like truth being highlighted.
Speaking on Geo TV’s Capital Talk program, he said: “Media will be hanged through PEMRA (Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority) and this will be done sooner than later.”
Nusrat features on a ‘List of 19’ television anchors allegedly given cash, land and other favors by property magnate Malik Riaz.
The list surfaced the day Dunya TV ran a pre-planned interview with Riaz, the off-air footage of which went viral on the Internet leaving the media fraternity shocked.
Pervez Shaukat, President of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) who was also on the program was critical of television talk show hosts. “Most of them are not journalists and if they have done corruption, they must be held accountable.”
He pointed out the highly-paid anchors had never taken up issues and problems facing the ‘common journalists’ “but each time they (the anchors) get stuck themselves, they turn to us.”
The PFUJ last week constituted a three-man committee to probe allegations of corruption against the TV anchors. But the inquiry panel headed by APNEC Chairman Nasir Naqvi has already drawn criticism with people questioning its mandate and saying no one would believe its findings.
Meanwhile, Sumsum Bukhari, State Minister for Information said categorically on the program hosted by Hamid Mir, there would be no ban on the media. Hamid’s name is also on the ‘List of 19’.
Ahsan Iqbal, Deputy Secretary General of PML-N said there had been a proliferation in the media. “It is a race for ratings where good news is no news.” He suggested the media have their own code of ethics.
Farooq Faisal Khan, President of National Press Club, Islamabad said they would not take any ban on media lying down. “We have stood up against such bans previously and would do so again if the government has any such plans.”
November 03, 2025: PFUJ recalls November 3, 2007, as Pakistan’s darkest day under Musharraf, urging protection for journalists and the abolition of laws threatening press freedom.
November 02, 2025: PFUJ urges Pakistan’s federal and provincial governments to end Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists and ensure their safety and press freedom.
November 02, 2025: Impunity for crimes against journalists deepens worldwide as Pakistan reports a 60 percent surge in attacks and weak enforcement of safety laws.
November 01, 2025: Pakistan Press Foundation reports 137 attacks on journalists in 2025, highlighting rising threats, legal harassment, and censorship on the International Day to End Impunity.
November 01, 2025: A viral Samaa TV clip featuring MNA Sher Afzal Marwat’s crude remarks and Talat Hussain’s laughter raises questions about the declining ethics of Pakistani television.
October 31, 2025: Police foiled a plot to kill DawnNewsTV journalist Tahir Naseer in Rawalpindi after arresting suspects hired for Rs200,000. Naseer says threats followed his reporting.
October 31, 2025: CPJ calls on Pakistan to bring Imtiaz Mir’s killers to justice after the journalist was allegedly murdered by a banned militant group in Karachi.
October 30, 2025: The PFUJ has condemned a fabricated drug case against journalist Matiullah Jan, calling it an attempt to silence him and urging authorities to quash the charges immediately.
November 03, 2025 Global journalist unions condemn the Indonesian agriculture minister’s lawsuit against Tempo, calling it a threat to press freedom and demanding that the case be withdrawn.
November 02, 2025 Independent outlet All About Macau to halt print and online operations amid rising pressure, financial strain, and legal threats, sparking press freedom concerns in the city.
November 01, 2025 Belarus court jails journalist Siarhei Chabotska for extremism and defaming the president, highlighting Minsk’s ongoing crackdown on press freedom.
November 01, 2025 Mexican journalist Miguel Angel Beltran was found murdered in Durango. CPJ urges authorities to ensure justice amid rising violence against journalists in Mexico.
November 01, 2025 UNESCO survey finds one-third of media lawyers cannot effectively defend journalists due to threats, limited resources, and lack of specialization.