Journalism Pakistan
Journalism Pakistan
Even a win can't hide Pakistan's structural collapse in cricket فتح بھی پاکستان کرکٹ کے ڈھانچے کی تباہی نہیں چھپا سکتیJournalists stage walkout at post-budget briefing over government's dismissive attitude صحافیوں کا بجٹ کے بعد کی بریفنگ سے واک آؤٹ، حکومت کے توہین آمیز رویے پر احتجاجLegal storm brews as Dr. Nauman Niaz serves defamation notice on Shoaib Akhtar ڈاکٹر نعمان نیاز کی جانب سے شعیب اختر کو ہتکِ عزت کا نوٹسHRCP urges complete repeal of PECA, citing threats to free speech and civil liberties ایچ آر سی پی کا پی ای سی اے کے مکمل خاتمے کا مطالبہ، آزادی اظہار اور شہری آزادیوں کے لیے خطرہ قرارPFUJ condemns murder of journalist Syed Mohammad Shah, urges immediate justice پی ایف یو جے کا صحافی سید محمد شاہ کے قتل کی مذمت، قاتل کی فوری گرفتاری کا مطالبہState within a state? Police block reinstated Jang employees from resuming duties ریاست کے اندر ریاست؟ جنگ گروپ کے بحال شدہ ملازمین کو دفتر جانے سے روک دیا گیاMoeed Pirzada to report journalist Fakhar Durrani to FBI over alleged data theft معروف صحافی معید پیرزادہ کا فخر درانی کے خلاف ایف بی آئی کو رپورٹ کرنے کا فیصلہ

Najam Sethi says curbs on Pakistani media unprecedented

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published September 13, 2019

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Najam Sethi says curbs on Pakistani media unprecedented

ISLAMABAD — Veteran journalist Najam Sethi says things are really bad in the Pakistani media.

Speaking to the Committee to Protect Journalists, he said he had lived through many authoritarian regimes and periods of censorship. “But what is happening now is unprecedented.”

“Every time we ask a question, our credentials are challenged. We are accused of being treasonable. Efforts are afoot to gag us.”

The censorship is such that “we are told we cannot use certain words; we can’t interview certain people. We cannot show demonstrations by a certain political party. One by one, they are taking off anyone who is outspoken.”

Sethi said the channel he worked for — 24 News — was taken off air for four days once, and then three days because of things he said.

“The fact that they can pull the plug on you, the fact that there is nothing you can do is a huge disincentive for freedom of press.”

He said people are wary of criticizing the national security instiutions, and rightly so. But at the end of the day, when these institutions meddle in politics, then they bring themselves into disrepute.

He pointed out that pressure comes from various sources. “One phone call from anyone who is anyone in the organs of the state — to the cable operators to take a channel off and they will do it. It kills you because if your channel is not being shown, the advertisers pull out. There’s no revenue, you can’t pay your salaries, and then you have to layoff staff. That’s what is happening.”

Sethi said that the courts have to protect the media. “If the courts protect us things would be different. International organizations have to raise a hue and cry every time an untoward thing happens. But more than anything else, we have to stand up and resist. It is not going to be easy. There’s a price to be paid for it.”

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