JournalismPakistan.com | Published September 13, 2021
Join our WhatsApp channelLONDON - Many Pakistani journalists have organized a protest demonstration outside the Pakistan High Commission premises in solidarity with the journalist community in Pakistan.
Journalists Joint Action Committee (UK) convened the protest to show support for Pakistan's media workers in uproar against the current information minister who is determined to go ahead with the PMDA law to enforce media control bypassing courts and the system.
The speakers said that the ill-conceived and dictatorial PMDA concept had been unanimously rejected by all media and journalists' bodies and the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, Pakistan Bar Council, Supreme Court Bar Association, political parties, and international media.
They said that the government was saying it would set up tribunals for workers' rights when such tribunals already exist. However, its actual objective is to bypass high courts and create NAB and anti-terrorism like courts to fix journalists and their stories and pressure media houses to control the free and objective flow of information.
The journalists said that the government is so hell-bent on bringing the new ordinance that through tribunals, it will end the right to appeal against punishments unless the case is taken to the Supreme Court, which is costly. Already there is a massive backlog of cases, and it could take years before a lawsuit is heard.
The journalists particularly singled out the current information minister for first playing his role in the economic murder of journalists and now pushing through a black law to finish the private media, which provides thousands of jobs to media workers.
Journalists said that media tribunals are the most dangerous part of the PMDA because the government will sanction the journalists it doesn't like and make it impossible for the objective journalists to operate.
They said that the controversial law is ill-conceived. While it makes lofty promises, its actual objective is only to bring Pakistani media under a draconian body that will be like a 'state above the state" and only abuse its powers to support the sitting government.
Journalists and community leaders called on British Pakistani MPs to break their silence, stand by the Pakistani journalist community, and support free media in Pakistan.
The speakers said that PMDA proposes penalties on media houses and journalists up to Rs250 million and prison sentences up to five years or more. The purpose of these unfair laws is to instill fear in media, not to question the government's actions or actions hold them accountable.
According to them, this law would penalize only those journalists and media the sitting government doesn't like. Journalists called on the government to scrap the ordinance and strengthen the existing laws and the relevant institutions.
Journalists Joint Action Committee members Azhar Javed, Wajahat Ali Khan, Shaukat Dar, Ghulam Hussain Awan, Asad Malik, Farid Qureshi, Sahira Khan, and Kousar Kazmi addressed the protest. Representatives of PPP, PMLN, ANP, and civil society members also condemned the PMDA ordinance.
Journalist leaders condemned attempts made by Pakistan High Commission officials to stop the protest. They said that the Pakistan High Commission officials called journalists individually and asked them not to hold the rally outside the High Commission premises and threatened severe consequences for organizing the protest. The journalists called on the Pakistan High Commission to desist from such practices and not become part of the media crackdown.
June 11, 2025: Pakistan celebrated a narrow win over Bangladesh, but beneath the jubilation lies a deeper crisis—from sidelined veterans to a collapsing domestic structure—signaling an urgent need for cricket reform.
June 11, 2025: Journalists walked out of the post-budget press conference in Islamabad to protest the absence of a technical briefing and the government's dismissive behavior, calling it unacceptable and intolerable.
May 31, 2025: Dr. Nauman Niaz has issued a defamation notice to Shoaib Akhtar over derogatory remarks made during a recent broadcast, reigniting a longstanding media feud between the two prominent figures in Pakistan.
May 30, 2025: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has demanded the full repeal of PECA, citing its vague language, coercive powers, and threats to free speech and digital rights in Pakistan.
May 30, 2025: The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has condemned the murder of journalist Syed Mohammed Shah in Jacobabad, calling for urgent justice and improved safety for media professionals in Sindh.
May 26, 2025: In Rawalpindi, police allegedly side with Jang Group to block 66 reinstated employees from resuming work despite court orders, drawing sharp criticism from unions and press freedom advocates.
May 25, 2025: PFUJ condemns the Jang Group's decision to dismiss over 80 employees in Rawalpindi, calling it an 'economic massacre.' The union warns of nationwide protests if workers are not reinstated.
May 25, 2025: Daily Jang Rawalpindi has terminated over 80 employees, including female staff, despite multiple court rulings in their favor—raising concerns over labor rights violations and misuse of authority in Pakistani media.
May 19, 2025 PJS reports 219 Palestinian journalists killed in Israeli attacks since October 7, with 30 women among the victims. Over 430 were injured and 685 family members were killed. Read more on the systematic targeting of media in Gaza.
May 15, 2025 Discover the legacy of Samiullah Khan, Pakistan’s legendary "Flying Horse," whose breathtaking speed and artistry redefined hockey. From Olympic glory to World Cup triumphs, his story is one of myth, movement, and magic.
May 04, 2025 Algerian authorities suspend Echorouk News TV for 10 days after it used a racist slur against African migrants. ANIRA demands an apology, calling it a violation of human dignity.
May 04, 2025 NCHR and MMfD launch a journalism fellowship to train reporters on digital rights & gender inclusion in Pakistan. Supported by UNESCO, this initiative aims to bridge the gender digital divide. Apply by May 15, 2025!
April 23, 2025 Discover Dr. Nauman Niaz’s In A Different Realm: Story of Quadruple & Triple Centuries 1876–2025, a profound exploration of cricket's most monumental innings, blending historical analysis with poetic narrative.