Journeys to democracy

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Over 100 Pakistani journalists, editors, columnists, media persons from across the media landscape in the country have endorsed this statement since it was initiated on 19 April, protesting against the ongoing curbs on freedom of expression in the country. It follows on the heels of a statement signed by prominent academics including Noam Chomsky. Besides the stifling of debate at university campuses, articles are being pulled off media websites in Pakistan like Babar Sattar’s oped (published in this blog) as well as three other pieces in The News on Sunday this past weekend. Others were not published to begin with, like Mobashir Zaidi’s oped in The News, and Gul Bukhari’s article on 16 April that The Nation didn’t run (published in Naya Daur). Statement and list below.

Pakistani journalists, editors, media persons protest against ongoing censorship

We the undersigned journalists, editors, columnists and media persons, express our serious concern and condemn the ongoing curbs on freedom of expression in Pakistan.

Beginning with a crackdown against select media groups and banning the broadcast of various channels, there now is enhanced pressure on all media houses to refrain from covering certain rights based movements.

Media house managements under pressure are dropping regular op-ed columns and removing online editions of published articles. One media house even asked its anchors to stop live shows.

There is growing self censorship and increasingly, discussions on “given news” rather than real news, violating the citizens’ right to information.

These examples represent a fraction of the kind of censorship taking place across the country in different ways.

We strongly protest against all forms of censorship imposed on free media and freedom of information and stand united against it.

(Signed – alphabetical order)

1. Abbas Nasir, former editor Dawn
2. Abdul Sattar freelance journalist, Islamabad
3. Adnan Rehmat, freelance journalist
4. Afia Salam, freelance journalist, The News, Dawn
5. Ahmed Noorani, reporter, The News
6. Ailia Zehra. Assistant Editor, Daily Times
7. Allah Bux Arisar, district correspondent daily Dawn and Dawn TV, Umerkot
8. Annam Lodhi, journalist Media Matters For Democracy
9. Annie Zaman, Global Voices
10. Anwar Ali Arqam, Newsline magazine
11. Asad Baig, founder, Media Matters for Democracy (MMFD)
12. Asad Hashim, freelance journalist
13. Alefia T. Hussain, Consulting Editor, The News on Sunday
14. Ali Warsi, Associate Digital Editor, Daily Times
15. Ammara Ahmad, freelance journalist
16. Amber Rahim Shamsi, freelance journalist
17. Asher John, Deputy Editor Pakistan Today
18. Asma Shirazi, journalist and TV anchor Aaj News
19. Azra Syed, freelance writer/journalist, former reporter with Reuters and The News
20. Babar Sattar, columnist, The News
21. Beena Sarwar, editor, Aman Ki Asha
22. Bilal Farooqi, News Editor, The Express Tribune
23. Farah Zia, editor, The News on Sunday
24. Farhan Ahmad Khan, senior sub-editor, interviewer, Daily 92 News, Lahore
25. Farieha Aziz, freelance journalist and co-founder Bolo Bhi
26. Farooq Mehsud, TV journalist, Chief Editor Waziristan Times
27. Fauzia Shahid, former Secretary General Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ)
28. Hamid Mir, columnist and TV anchor
29. Hamza Rao, Assistant editor, op-ed, Daily Times
30. Haroon Rashid, editor BBC Urdu
31. Hasan Khan, Editor at www.PakVoices.pk
32. Husain Naqi, senior journalist and former editor Sajjan, The News, Jehd-e-Haq
33. I.A. Rehman, former editor Pakistan Times
34. Imtiaz Alam, Secretary General SAFMA
35. Iqbal Khattak, freelance journalist and RSF Pakistan representative
36. Irfan Husain, columnist Dawn
37. Irfan Aslam, copy editor, Dawn
38. Ishtiaq Mehsud, journalist, D. I. Khan
39. Ismat Jabeen, freelance journalist
40. Javed Aziz Khan, ex president Khyber Union of Journalists, senior reporter The News
41. Jawad Zulfiqar, journalist, Pakistan Today
42. Jugnu Mohsin, journalist, Managing Editor, The Friday Times
43. Kamila Hyat, former editor, The News Lahore
44. Kashan Akmal, News Anchor DBTV
45. Kiran Nazish, independent journalist
46. Khalid Hameed Farooqi, Europe correspondent, Geo TV
47. Khurram Husain, Business Editor, Dawn
48. Maham Javaid, assistant editor, The News on Sunday
49. Manzoor Ali, reporter Dawn
50. M. Ziauddin, former editor Express Tribune
51. Marvi Sirmed, journalist, Daily Times
52. Mehmal Sarfraz, journalist and producer Neo TV
53. Miranda Husain, Deputy Managing Editor, Daily Times
54. Khurram Baig, former City Editor, The News; former Sports Editor Dawn News; former Business Editor, The Express Tribune
55. Mohsin Sayeed, freelance journalist
56. Mona Kazim Shah, freelance journalist, correspondent DW
57. Muhammad Salman Khan, sub-editor, Express Tribune
58. Muna Khan, journalism lecturer, CEJ, Karachi
59. Munir Pervaiz, oped writer Huffington Post, Urdu Times, Niazamana; former Board Member and Chair Writers in Exile Committee, PEN Canada
60. Munizae Jahangir, journalist, Aaj TV
61. Mureeb Mohmand Express Tribune Peshawar FATA
62. Murtaza Solangi, journalist, TV anchor, former Director General Radio Pakistan
63. Mustafa Nazir Ahmad, freelance journalist, The News International
64. Naimat khan, Correspondent The Frontier Post & Arab News. Joint Secretary, Karachi Press Club
65. Najam Sethi, Editor in Chief The Friday Times
66. Nasir Zaidi, archivist, Jang Group (one of the journalists flogged in the Gen. Zia regime)
67. Nasim Zehra, journalist, TV anchor Channel 24
68. Naziha Syed Ali, assistant editor, Dawn
69. Nida Tahseen, Editor Young Nation magazine (The Nation)
70. Nighat Daad, media and censorship researcher
71. Nosheen Abbas, freelance journalist
72. Nusrat Javed, TV anchor, columnist
73. Quatrina Hosain, independent journalist
74. Rai Shahnawaz, TV reporter, Express News
75. Rana Muhammad Azeem, president Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), editor Forum 92 News, Lahore
76. Raza Rumi, editor, Daily Times
77. Saadia Salahuddin, Assistant Editor, The News on Sunday
78. Saba Eitizaz, journalist, CBC
79. Sabahat Zakariya, Deputy Editor,  The News on Sunday
80. Sadaf Baig, co-founder Media Matters for Democracy
81. Sailab Mehsud, journalist, Mashal Radio
82. Salman Haidar, poet, writer, freelance journalist
83. Saleem Asmi, former editor Dawn
84. Sajid Khan Lodhy, News Editor, Pakistan Today
85. Shabana Mahfooz, freelance journalist
86. Shah Meer Baloch, freelance journalist
87. Shahzada Irfan Ahmed, Senior Reporter, The News on Sunday
88. Shahzad Ahmad, Country Director, Bytes For All, Pakistan
89. Shahzaib Walia, journalist, France 24
90. Shahzeb Jillani, Senior Executive Editor, Dunya News
91. Shamim Bano, freelance journalist, contributor, Express Tribune
92. Sheen Farrukh, journalist, editor, Inter-Press Communication
93. Shezad Baloch, freelance journalist, former correspondent Express Tribune, Balochistan
94. Shujauddin Qureshi, freelance journalist, Karachi
95. Sirmed Manzoor, freelance journalist
96. Taha Siddiqui, journalist, France 24
97. Tanzeela Mazhar, TV news anchor
98. Tom Hussain, freelance journalist, South China Morning Post, The National, Nikkei Asian Review
99. Umar Cheema, reporter, The News
100. Umber Khairi, Producer, BBC Urdu Service
101. Umer Ali, freelance journalist, Herald, News Deeply, Thomson Reuters
102. Urooj Tarar, sub-editor, Daily Pakistan Global
103. Wajid Ali Syed, journalist, Geo TV, Washington
104. Waqas Habib Rana, associate digital editor Daily Times
105. Waheed Ahmad, Deputy Editor Rast go daily
106. Waseem Ahmad Shah, senior correspondent, Dawn Peshawar.
107. Xari Jalil, reporter, Dawn
108. Zahid Hussain, journalist and columnist, Dawn, Newsline
109. Zebunnisa Burki, deputy editor oped, The News
110. Zia Ur Rehman, reporter, The News, Karachi
111. Zofeen T. Ebrahim, freelance journalist, IPS News, Dawn
112. Zohra Yusuf, former editor, The Star Weekend, Herald Publications
113. Zubeida Mustafa, former editor Books & Authors, Dawn

Filed under: Freedom of expression, journalism, Media | Tagged: censorship, Media muzzled, Pakistan, resistance |