Journeys to democracy

Dozens of senior Pakistani journalists have signed a statement expressing unity and solidarity with each other in today’s divisive times. Many of us have associations with different companies, we have fought long and hard against censorship and for media ethics, and we will not let ourselves be used against each other. Note: This was released on May 3, World Press Freedom Day, with 50 signatories. More are being added as they come in.

Joint statement of solidarity by senior Pakistani journalists against censorship, urging media unity against threats and attacks

To:  The owners of all media companies, Pakistan:

From: Senior journalists associated with various Pakistani media companies

Through this joint statement, we the undersigned, express solidarity with the Pakistani media and working journalists, and stand against any proposed ban on any television or radio channel or newspaper.

We also urge the media owners to rise above their corporate interests and rivalries and work together against threats to and attacks upon journalists in Pakistan.

The shameful divisions in the Pakistani media are not only making journalists more vulnerable to attack and weakening our fight for justice, truth and democracy but also making us a spectacle for the world to see.

We urge the media owners/ companies to:

• Support written policies / codes of ethics for the journalism work of their companies incorporating best practices on ethical journalism.

• Promote policies and mechanisms that reduce the expanding margins of risks to the safety of journalists and discourage unnecessary risk taking that endanger lives in the absence of written guidelines

• Support efforts for appointment of special prosecutor(s), at the federal and provincial levels, along with necessary resources, dedicated to investigating and prosecuting cases of threats against media houses and attacks against journalists

• Unite in support of any journalist who is attacked or threatened, as if he or she is one of their own, even if associated with a rival company.

Endorsed (alphabetically):

1. Abbas Nasir, former editor Dawn; formerly with The News, BBC London
2. Absar Alam, Anchor Aaj News; formerly Director News Dunya News; Islamabad Bureau Chief Geo News, Resident Editor The Nation, Islamabad; Nieman Fellow 2005
3. Adeel Pathan, Pakistan Coalition for Ethical Journalism (PCEJ); formerly with The News, The Nation, contributor to Express Tribune
4. Adnan Farooq,co-editor, Viewpoint Online
5. Adnan Rehmat, political and media analyst, The News, and director media development Civic Action Resources
6. Afia Salam, freelance journalist; formerly with Star, The Cricketer
7. Agha Iqrar Haroon, Special Correspondent Dispatch News Desk; formerly with The Frontier Post
8. Ahfaz ur Rahman, Magazine Editor, daily Express, former President Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ)
9. Ahmad Waleed, Controller News, Samaa TV
10. Amir Ghauri, journalist, broadcaster; formerly with BBC, Geo, Dunya
11. Anwer Sen Roy, BBC World Service (Urdu) London
12. Asma Shirazi, senior anchor, analyst Dawn News Islamabad, formerly with Geo, Samaa, ARY
13. Alefia T. Hussain, Consulting Editor, The News on Sunday
14. Amar Sindhu, freelance writer, columnist, Kawish
15. Asad Hashim, Web Correspondent, Al Jazeera English
16. Asha’ar Rehman, Resident Editor Lahore, Dawn
17. Ayesha Siddiqa, freelance columnist, analyst
18. Babar Ayaz, Journalist and Author
19. Babar Sattar, Columnist, Dawn (formerly at The News); Co-host Siasat Aur Qanoon, Express TV
20. Badar Alam, Editor, The Herald, Dawn group
21. Bahzad Alam Khan, Editor, Metro & South, Dawn
22. Beena Sarwar, Editor Aman ki Asha, Jang Group, formerly with Star, The Frontier Post; Nieman Fellow 2006
23. Bina Shah, writer and columnist
24. Farah Zia, Editor, The News on Sunday
25. Farooq Sulehria, co-editor, Viewpoint Online
26. Farrukh Khan Pitafi, PTV anchor, columnist for Express Tribune, Rozanama Dunya
27. Hamraz Ahsan, columnist daily Waqt; formerly European Desk Editor, Daily Jang London
28. Hasan Zaidi, Journalist, filmmaker, media analyst; formerly with The Herald, News, Geo News, Aaj TV (trainer)
29. Husain Naqi, former editor The News Lahore, Sajjan (Punjabi)
30. I. A. Rehman, freelance contributor, former editor Pakistan Times
31. Iftikhar Ahmad, Director Special Projects, Geo Investigates and Election Cell, GEO News; Editor Jang Forums. Columnist,  Jang
32. Irfan Haider, Multimedia Journalist at Dawn.com; Mentor-TV/Newspaper at Internews, Islamabad
33. M. Ismail Khan, former columnist, presently media and communication specialist with ADB
34. Javed Soomro, Senior Broadcast Journalist BBC Urdu TV, formerly with The News, Friday Times
35. Jugnu Mohsin, Publisher & Managing Editor, The Friday Times
36. Kamran Rehmat, Columnist; former Editor, The News; Res. Editor, Express Tribune; News Editor, Dawn News; Political Analyst Al Jazeera Online
37. Kamran Shafi, columnist, Express Tribune, formerly Dawn, News
38. Khalid Chaudhry, freelance journalist; formerly Editor Daily Aajkal, Chief editor Daily Musawaat, editor daily Nia Akhbar
39. Khurram Husain, freelance journalist, columnist, Dawn, formerly Express Tribune
40. Kiran Nazish, Journalist, currently at The New York Times
41. M. Ismail Khan, former Columnist, presently media and communication specialist with ADB
42. Malik Siraj Akbar, Editor-in-chief The Baloch Hal; former Bureau Chief Balochistan, Daily Times
43. Marvi Sirmed, columnist, The Nation
44. Masood Ashar  writer, columnist  Daily Jang; Editor Mashal Books, former Editor Daily Imroze
45. Mazhar Abbas, former secretary general, Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ)
46. Mehmal Sarfraz, Deputy Secretary General, SAFMA
47. Mohammad Taqi, columnist, Daily Times
48. Mosharraf Zaidi, Columnist, The News
49. Muneeb Farooq, Senior Anchor, Geo
50. Murtaza Solangi, journalist, former Director General, Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation
51. Najam Sethi, Editor, The Friday Times
52. Nasim Zehra, Anchor/Columnist, Capital TV; formerly with Dunya TV, News, Nation
53. Nasir Jamal, Chief Reporter, Dawn Newspaper
54. Naziha Syed Ali, assistant editor, Dawn, former assistant editor, Newsline
55. Omar R. Qureshi, Op-ed Editor Express Tribune; formerly with Dawn, The News
56. Owais Aslam Ali, Secretary General, Pakistan Press Foundation; Nieman Fellow 2002
57. Owais Tohid, freelancer, former: Exec. Director Dunya, Dir. News Geo English, Sr Exec. Director ARY
58. Qamarullah Chaudri, former Director News APP, former Executive Director, APP, ex. President Karachi Union of Journalists, former Secretary General, Punjab Union of Journalists, former President APP employees union, CBA, Punjab
59. Qurratulain Zaman, author/contributor Global Voices
60. Raza Rumi, Consulting Editor, The Friday Times
61. Sabir Nazar, Editorial cartoonist, The Friday Times, Express Tribune
62. Sahar Ali, blogger, columnist, formerly with Panos South Asia
63. Sahar Habib Ghazi, Deputy Editor Global Voices
64. Sana Saleem, blogger, Director, Bolo Bhi
65. Shaheen Qureshi, Group Editor Coordination, Jang Group
66. Sirmed Manzoor, Gen. Sec. SAFMA – Pakistan; freelance columnist;  formerly with The News and The Frontier Post
67. Talat Aslam, Senior Editor, The News, formerly with The Herald
68.  Wahab Tariq Butt, Bureau chief PTV News HK, Blogger ARY News, Express Tribune
69. Zahid Gishkori, Correspondent, The Express Tribune, (partner of New York Times); Alfred Friendly/D. Pearl Fellow 2014
70. Zaman Khan, columnist, Mashriq, former bureau chief Faisalabad, The Frontier Post
71. Zarrar Khuhro, Assistant Editor (magazines), Dawn Media Group
72. Zia Ur Rehman, journalist, The Friday Times
73. Zubeida Mustafa, Columnist, Pakistan Herald Publications Ltd

Filed under: Media | Tagged: ethics, journalists, Media, media wars, Pakistan, unity |