FAISALABAD: Khawar Shafiq, a journalist, went missing on Tuesday night. According to his family, they had heard nothing about him for the past 24 hours.
The missing of Shafiq, who works for Daily Waqt, Lahore, has sent a wave of panic among journalists. They have called upon the government to trace his whereabouts.
A meeting of journalists at the Faisalabad Press Club was told that Mr Shafiq was being harassed by employees of a secret agency and he had taken his colleagues into confidence about the threats.
Mr Shafiq had left the press club at 6pm on Tuesday, but did not reach home.
Members of the press club have informed police about the disappearance of Khawar Shafiq.
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Thursday, April 9, 2009
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
KUJ's protest demo at KPC
Following a countrywide call of the PFUJ to condemn the massive retrenchment of journalist from various print and electronic media outlets, Karachi Union of Journalists held a protest demonstration at Karachi Press Club on Tuesday to press the media owners to halt the economic killing of journalists.
A large number of AXED JOURNALISTS and members of various units of KUJ were present on the occasion holding play cards and banners inscribed with slogan for repatriation of axed journalist, implementation of 7th Wage Award, asking Chief Justice of Pakistan to take suo-moto action of journalist’s hardships and condemning the media owners.
The demonstration was addressed by veteran leader of PFUJ, Mr. Minhaj Burna, General Secretary KUJ Amin Yousuf , Member FEC PFUJ Rabiah Baig and vice president KUJ Zaheer Khan.
Addressing a charged and slogan / chanting journalist, KUJ leaders asked the Chief Justice Iftikar Muhammad Chaudhary to take suo-moto notice of massive economic slaughtering of journalists and hold the media owners accountable for this.
The speakers asked the government to pressurize the media owners for immediate implementation of 7th Wage Board Award which is pending in the courts for the last seven years.
They condemn the media owners for using flimsy / clumsy pretexts to delay the implementation of wage award and also for axing journalist. Speakers demanded of the government to conditionally the issuance of government advertisement to all media outlets with implementation of wage award and repatriation of axed journalist.
Speakers also demanded of the government to announce the formation of 8th wage board award as per requirement of 1973 constitution of Pakistan.
Click here to view source
A large number of AXED JOURNALISTS and members of various units of KUJ were present on the occasion holding play cards and banners inscribed with slogan for repatriation of axed journalist, implementation of 7th Wage Award, asking Chief Justice of Pakistan to take suo-moto action of journalist’s hardships and condemning the media owners.
The demonstration was addressed by veteran leader of PFUJ, Mr. Minhaj Burna, General Secretary KUJ Amin Yousuf , Member FEC PFUJ Rabiah Baig and vice president KUJ Zaheer Khan.
Addressing a charged and slogan / chanting journalist, KUJ leaders asked the Chief Justice Iftikar Muhammad Chaudhary to take suo-moto notice of massive economic slaughtering of journalists and hold the media owners accountable for this.
The speakers asked the government to pressurize the media owners for immediate implementation of 7th Wage Board Award which is pending in the courts for the last seven years.
They condemn the media owners for using flimsy / clumsy pretexts to delay the implementation of wage award and also for axing journalist. Speakers demanded of the government to conditionally the issuance of government advertisement to all media outlets with implementation of wage award and repatriation of axed journalist.
Speakers also demanded of the government to announce the formation of 8th wage board award as per requirement of 1973 constitution of Pakistan.
Click here to view source
Countrywide protest
Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists and all affiliated Unions have strongly protested against massive scale sacking of media persons from Newspapers and TV channels on the call of PFUJ. Countrywide protest rallies were held in all major cities and towns attended by large number of Journalists and Newspaper workers belonging to print and electronic media. They chanted slogans against economic massacre of media persons by media owners and demanded of immediate implementation of 7th wage award. Journalists in one voice rejected all the unjust and cruel acts to remove media workers without any cogent reason. Protest rallies were held in Islamabad, Peshawar, Karachi, Lahore, Faisalabad, Abbotabad and other parts of the country.
The PFUJ has urged government to take notice of brutality of media owners and non implementation of 7th wage award. “Owners are oppressing the media workers by sacking of hundreds of journalists from different newspapers and private TV channels and resorting other illegal and unlawful tactics for depriving legitimate rights of media workers. Government must act promptly to stop media owners from victimization and arbitrary acts against journalists. Hostility against media workers may trigger severe disappointment among media persons, it can demoralize the sprite of media men committed for freedom of expression, rule of law and true democracy in country.”
The PFUJ organized main rally from PFUJ Secretariat which ended at National Press Club Islamabad. Rally was led by President PFUJ Pervez Shuakat, Secretary General Shamsul Islam Naz and attended by the journalists from Rawalpindi Islamabad Union of Journalists and members national press club. Protestors chanted slogans against media owners their victimization and demanded immediate implementation of 7th wage award.
Click here to view source
The PFUJ has urged government to take notice of brutality of media owners and non implementation of 7th wage award. “Owners are oppressing the media workers by sacking of hundreds of journalists from different newspapers and private TV channels and resorting other illegal and unlawful tactics for depriving legitimate rights of media workers. Government must act promptly to stop media owners from victimization and arbitrary acts against journalists. Hostility against media workers may trigger severe disappointment among media persons, it can demoralize the sprite of media men committed for freedom of expression, rule of law and true democracy in country.”
The PFUJ organized main rally from PFUJ Secretariat which ended at National Press Club Islamabad. Rally was led by President PFUJ Pervez Shuakat, Secretary General Shamsul Islam Naz and attended by the journalists from Rawalpindi Islamabad Union of Journalists and members national press club. Protestors chanted slogans against media owners their victimization and demanded immediate implementation of 7th wage award.
Click here to view source
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Taliban suspected in attack on Radio Pakistan
Reporters Without Borders condemns a pre-dawn attack with explosives on 3 April 2009 on Radio Pakistan Wana, a state-owned radio station in South Waziristan, part of the Tribal Areas adjoining the Afghan border. The attack, which destroyed the station, was almost certainly carried out by Taliban activists but their motive is unknown.
"Waziristan has clearly become a lawless region not just for ordinary citizens but for journalists in particular," Reporters Without Borders said. "This station had already been forced to cut back to the minimum because of repeated Taliban harassment and was no longer broadcasting any programmes that could have been the subject of debate."
The press freedom organisation added: "The Pakistani government has set up many state radio stations in the Tribal Areas, where the Taliban threaten journalists and ransack media offices. We urge the authorities to accept that they have a duty to protect journalists and prevent attacks on the media so that press freedom can be established in the Tribal Areas."
Officials said gunmen surrounded Radio Pakistan Wana at around 2 a.m. on 3 April, broke down the doors and took the transmission equipment. The militants blew up the building after taking equipment away, an official said. A local government official who asked not to be identified told Reporters Without Borders: "The Taliban are suspected of destroying the radio station and taking equipment early this morning."
This was the third armed attack on Radio Pakistan Wana since its creation in 2004. The first one came just a few days after it began operating. The second one was in 2006. It is the only radio station in the area and the only source of entertainment for South Waziristan's inhabitants.
Residents told Reporters Without Borders that the station stopped broadcasting music two years ago after being threatened by the Taliban. Since then, it had only been broadcasting reports about development projects, sports news and Islamic instruction.
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"Waziristan has clearly become a lawless region not just for ordinary citizens but for journalists in particular," Reporters Without Borders said. "This station had already been forced to cut back to the minimum because of repeated Taliban harassment and was no longer broadcasting any programmes that could have been the subject of debate."
The press freedom organisation added: "The Pakistani government has set up many state radio stations in the Tribal Areas, where the Taliban threaten journalists and ransack media offices. We urge the authorities to accept that they have a duty to protect journalists and prevent attacks on the media so that press freedom can be established in the Tribal Areas."
Officials said gunmen surrounded Radio Pakistan Wana at around 2 a.m. on 3 April, broke down the doors and took the transmission equipment. The militants blew up the building after taking equipment away, an official said. A local government official who asked not to be identified told Reporters Without Borders: "The Taliban are suspected of destroying the radio station and taking equipment early this morning."
This was the third armed attack on Radio Pakistan Wana since its creation in 2004. The first one came just a few days after it began operating. The second one was in 2006. It is the only radio station in the area and the only source of entertainment for South Waziristan's inhabitants.
Residents told Reporters Without Borders that the station stopped broadcasting music two years ago after being threatened by the Taliban. Since then, it had only been broadcasting reports about development projects, sports news and Islamic instruction.
Click here to view source
صحافیوں کی برطرفیوں پر احتجاج
دنیا بھر کی صحافی یونینوں کی تنظیم انٹرنیشنل فیڈریشن آف جرنلسٹس نے پاکستان کے مختلف اخباری اداروں اور ٹیلی وژن چینل کی جانب سے صحافیوں اور اخباری کارکنوں کی برطرفیوں پر احتجاج کیا ہے اور میڈیا مالکان سے کہا ہے کہ وہ اپنے کارکنوں کے ساتھ احترام سے پیش آئیں اور ملک کے مزدور قوانین کی پاسداری کریں۔
آئی ایف جے نے دعوی کیا ہے کہ اسے میڈیا کے جن اداروں کے سیکڑوں صحافیوں اور اخباری کارکنوں کی اچانک برطرفیوں کی شکایات ملی ہیں ان میں ٹی وی چینلز ڈان نیوز، نیوز ون، چینل فائیو، آج، جیو، سماء کے علاوہ اخبارات آج کل، جناح، خبریں، دی پوسٹ، الشرق اور پاکستان آبزرور شامل ہیں۔
'مالکان کو اپنے سرمایہ کاروں کو یہ بات سمجھانی چاہیے کہ ایسی کمپنیاں ہی ان کے مفاد میں ہیں جو اپنے عملے پر سرمایہ لگاتی ہیں نہ کہ وہ جو مختصر مدت کے لئے پیسے بچانے کی خاطر ملازمتوں میں کٹوتی کرتی ہیں۔‘
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