Freedom Network clarifies position on Peshawar event amidst controversy

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published July 05, 2024 |  JP Staff Reporter

ISLAMABAD—Freedom Network, an international award-winning Pakistani civil liberties organization focused on defending freedom of expression and promoting diversity in media, has issued an official statement addressing the recent public controversy arising from an event it supported in Peshawar. The event, held on June 26, 2024, aimed to launch a special report on the state of media in Pakistan's merged tribal districts.

The controversy began after an award-winning journalist, representing women media practitioners, shared her experiences from the event on her social media account. The journalist, who was part of a panel discussion focusing on the challenges faced by journalists from the tribal districts, alleged harassment during the event. Her post on Facebook, which included a short clip featuring her and her spouse's photos, elicited numerous responses, amplifying the perceived scale of harassment.

Freedom Network wishes to clarify that the event, hosted jointly by the KP Chapter of Pakistan Journalists Safety Coalition (PJSC) and Freedom Network, included prominent guests such as Muhammad Ali Saif, the government advisor on information to the chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and provincial minister Adnan Qadri. The panel discussion, moderated by journalist Adnan Rehmat, featured esteemed speakers from the media community. She was an official invitee in a panel of discussion.

During the discussion, the journalist spoke about the difficulties women journalists face in the tribal districts, including gender disparities and challenges in joining press clubs. Her comments led to a heated exchange with the President of Peshawar Press Club (PPC), who defended the club's record of supporting women members. The situation required intervention from the moderator and Advisor Saif to ensure the journalist could complete her presentation.

After the panel concluded, Freedom Network's Executive Director, Iqbal Khattak, addressed the audience, urging the PPC President to consider the journalist's membership application, which he affirmed. Despite the subsequent cordial interactions and support from the audience, the journalist's social media post painted a partial picture of the event, leading to misconceptions about the nature and extent of the alleged harassment.

Freedom Network emphasized its commitment to supporting media diversity and freedom of expression. It said that the organization regularly collaborates with women journalists and advocates for better representation and conditions for them within the media industry. Freedom Network also acknowledges the crucial role of press clubs and unions in promoting press freedom and journalist safety, especially in conflict-prone areas like Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The organization stands by its partners, including the Peshawar Press Club, Khyber Union of Journalists, and Tribal Union of Journalists, and reaffirms its dedication to fostering a more inclusive and representative media landscape. The event's outcomes, including government commitments to journalist safety legislation, highlight the need for continued collaboration to strengthen Pakistan's media industry.

Freedom Network calls for an open dialogue to address differences and work towards a more vibrant, diverse, and sustainable media environment, encouraging greater participation of women journalists in the field.

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