The Tehreek-e-Taliban in the troubled Swat region of Pakistan has warned newspapers and TV channels against publishing or broadcasting news against the Taliban.
In a poster issued on 28 April 2009, the Taliban warned the media of dire consequences if they did not stop "propaganda" against the struggle of Taliban "for the enforcement of Shariah" in Malakand Division. Copies of the poster were posted outside the offices of a number of newspapers and private TV channels.
The poster addressed to "all editors of private and official news agencies, journalists and columnists" said, "you have a key role in changing the direction of the society, bringing revolution and making public opinion," and added that it is "your responsibility to give space in your columns, editorials and headlines, to such news which creates positive results and represents the aspirations of the people of Malakand. Our two-year struggle was purely meant for the enforcement of Nizam-e-Adl (Islamic system of justice) and we have no other objective."
The poster claimed that the tone of media coverage had changed over the previous one week and added "this changed tone of the media shows that journalists are either lured by the pro-West polices of media or are doing so under pressure."
The poster said the Taliban would go to the Shariah court to file cases against the media if such reporting was not stopped. The poster added: "The media's biased coverage was giving the impression that Taliban were sabotaging the Nizam-e-Adl. Journalists would be responsible for the grave consequences if they did not stop working on that agenda."
The warning comes amidst growing nationwide criticism of the Taliban for violating the peace deal and resumption of armed patrolling in Dir and Buner districts of Swat even after the enforcement of Nizam-e-Adl Regulation.
The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) expressed concern over the threat which is tantamount to intimidation of the media and media personnel.
In a statement the PFUJ said if this tendency was allowed to develop, all non-state actors would start telling the media to project their particular point of view, and the media would not be able to play its due role as envisaged in the Constitution of Pakistan.
The PFUJ appealed to the Taliban's leadership and government to realize their moral responsibilities and to ensure the protection of journalists and create a "conducive environment," for fair and factual reporting. The PFUJ pointed out that media would not succumb to pressure from any group, government or Taliban for reporting as per their mandate.
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Monday, May 4, 2009
Journalist arrested, detained overnight
Dilawar Jan, a reporter in the Peshawar bureau of the daily "The News", was picked up by intelligence agency personnel from his office on the evening of 28 April 2009 in a bid to force him to disclose the source of news filed by him about an impending military operation in Buner. He was released on the morning of 29 April after refusing to be pressured into disclosing his source.
Jan told PPF that three personnel of an intelligence agency came to "The News" Peshawar office around 7:00 p.m. (local time) and started questioning him about the source of a news item which he had filed about a military operation in Buner.
Jan said that when he refused to disclose the source, the agency personnel took him to their office and interrogated him about the source of the news. He said he told them that as a responsible journalist it would be unethical to identify his source.
After some time, they blind-folded him and transferred him to another place for further interrogation, but he stuck to his position. Jan said that they did threaten him, but did not torture him. "Ultimately, they left me near my office," he said.
After one hour of Jan's detention, two of his journalist colleagues, Bukhar Shah and Mushtaq Yusufzai, went to the intelligence agency office to seek Jan's release. The agency personnel demanded that they disclose the name of Jan's news source, but they also refused. After waiting there until past midnight, they returned unsuccessfully.
The group editor of "The News", Shaheen Sehbai, has in a statement urged the security officials and the army not to target journalists if they cannot keep their operations a secret. They should look inwards and stop information leaks in their system, instead of victimizing media persons. He said Jan had done nothing unprofessional or irresponsible.
On 29 April, a meeting held at the Peshawar Press Club attended by members of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) and the Khyber Union of Journalists (KHUJ) strongly condemned the harassment of the journalist.
Click here to view source
Jan told PPF that three personnel of an intelligence agency came to "The News" Peshawar office around 7:00 p.m. (local time) and started questioning him about the source of a news item which he had filed about a military operation in Buner.
Jan said that when he refused to disclose the source, the agency personnel took him to their office and interrogated him about the source of the news. He said he told them that as a responsible journalist it would be unethical to identify his source.
After some time, they blind-folded him and transferred him to another place for further interrogation, but he stuck to his position. Jan said that they did threaten him, but did not torture him. "Ultimately, they left me near my office," he said.
After one hour of Jan's detention, two of his journalist colleagues, Bukhar Shah and Mushtaq Yusufzai, went to the intelligence agency office to seek Jan's release. The agency personnel demanded that they disclose the name of Jan's news source, but they also refused. After waiting there until past midnight, they returned unsuccessfully.
The group editor of "The News", Shaheen Sehbai, has in a statement urged the security officials and the army not to target journalists if they cannot keep their operations a secret. They should look inwards and stop information leaks in their system, instead of victimizing media persons. He said Jan had done nothing unprofessional or irresponsible.
On 29 April, a meeting held at the Peshawar Press Club attended by members of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) and the Khyber Union of Journalists (KHUJ) strongly condemned the harassment of the journalist.
Click here to view source
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