Pakistan seeks info from RSF on press predators list

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 7 July 2021

The Pakistani government seeks clarity from Reporters Without Borders on their criteria for naming press predators. The Prime Minister has been included on this list amid concerns over press freedom.

Summary

ISLAMABAD—Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry has said the government has asked Reporters Without Borders to provide criteria for including a leader in its list of press predators.

For 2021, the RSF has named Prime Minister Imran Khan among 37 leaders dubbed as ‘predators of press freedom.’

Prime ministers of India and Bangladesh and the presidents of China, Russia, and Brazil along with others are also on the list.

When asked about the inclusion of Prime Minister Khan on the predators’ list in the talk show Nuqta-e-Nazar on Dunya TV, the minister said Pakistan was currently facing an international war of propaganda.

“Today we have asked them about the criteria for including Pakistan in the list,” the minister said.

In another tweet, the minister maintained that under a conspiracy, the narrative of restrictions on press freedom in Pakistan has been promoted. He added that a particular group is becoming part of this propaganda to bring Pakistan into the FATF and other such frameworks. “Fake groups issue news and a particular group highlights such news in Pakistan.”