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 last year | JP Staff Reporter
Join our WhatsApp channel
ISLAMABAD—Samaa TV's current affairs talk show 'Redline with Talat' was mysteriously not aired on Tuesday as scheduled raising censorship concerns.
The program host, Syed Talat Hussain, in a tweet, apologized to his guests Kashif Abbasi, Shehzad Iqbal, Amir Ilyas Rana, and Munib Farooq, stating, "Apologies to Kashif Abbasi, Shehzad Iqbal, Amir Ilyas Rana, and Munib Farooq who participated in my programme Redline with Talat, recorded today, and which didn't air for reasons beyond my control."
The reasons for the episode not being broadcast remain unclear. However, there are indications that the decision was not due to technical issues but rather related to the content discussed during the show, which may have upset influential entities.
In recent times, censorship in Pakistan has intensified, with faces of opposition figures being blurred on screen, any images of former Prime Minister Imran Khan censored, and other critical discussions being heavily regulated.
Hussain is no stranger to censorship. Throughout his career, he has faced numerous such instances. Geo News, where he once used to host 'Naya Pakistan' show, was reportedly pressured to take him off the air and he spent three years off the screen. As an editorial writer for The News several years ago, some of his more hard-hitting articles were not published due to their critical nature.
Talat's program, which normally airs Monday through Thursday, was pulled from the lineup on Tuesday and was also not available on YouTube.
Photo: Facebook
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.