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 8 years ago
Join our WhatsApp channel
ISLAMABAD –BOL News’ bitterness against PEMRA was there for all to see Saturday, the channel airing a short report targeting regulator head Absar Alam.
The over three-minute report says in a case pending with the Islamabad High Court, questions were raised about Alam’s appointment as chairman and his role has been suspicious since the beginning.
Alam, said to be quite close to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, was named to head PEMRA in November 2015. His critics point out merit was tossed out of the window in appointing him.
PEMRA Friday served a show cause notice on BOL for airing hate comments in its program Qaum Kay Saath Aisay Nahi Chalay Ga, a sequel of the controversial show Aisay Nahi Chalay Ga, banned by the regulator.
“Absar Alam has failed badly in taking any kind of action against Indian content and dishes,” the report says, adding the people siding with India’s cultural invasion and promoting Indian content were the ones the chairman was trying to protect.
BOL report adds that Alam has had direct contacts with such people as images of Geo-Jang Group head Mir Shakilur Rehman, Najam Sethi and others are flashed on the screen. It alleges Alam has never acted against this India-siding group but instead initiated action against those who opposed Indian content and its cultural invasion.
The report claims there are allegations against Alam he had assured the Supreme Court he would not become the PEMRA chairman. However, “it is a surprise and pity that the very man who moved court for appointment on merit of PEMRA chairman, himself became its head.”
It is further alleged that in order to make himself eligible for the position of chairman, Alam prepared tailor-made advertisements in connivance with the government and hence illegally got selected.
The BOL report also points out although the chairman’s tenure is for four years, a government notification dated November 11, 2015, says he has been appointed until further orders.
Moreover, the report mentions allegations of Alam abusing his authority, and getting tailor-made notification about his salary and other perks issued despite the case being in court. It claims his salary and perks and privileges were increased several hundred times.
A decision on Alam’s ‘illegal’ appointment would come soon and would be a blow to those promoting Indian content, the report says in conclusion.
In January, BOL accused Alam as being biased and working to protect the “Neela Peela” channel (Geo News).
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.