Pressure increases, journalists fight back
By Massoud Ansari Posted Jul 1 2002
Journalists in Pakistan protest military ruler President Gen. Pervez Musharraf's treatment of the media. Journalists walked out of a rally Musharraf staged after the Punjab provincial governor accused newspapers of misrepresenting the military leader's election campaign. – AP/ K.M. CHAUDARY
Military rulers in Pakistan are showing signs of nervousness soon after General Parvez Musharraf chose to hold a referendum to legitimize his stay in power. Although he himself had been claiming that he has no plans of gagging the voice of press, the situation on the ground is turning more hostile every passing day. Bugging phones and receiving obnoxious calls in the middle of night have been reported time and again, but journalists in Faislabad had to face the worst of all when they were beaten when boycotting the proceedings of a government function after they were insulted.
It all happened on April 14, when General Musharraf’s right hand man in Punjab province, Lt. General Khalid Maqbool, asked the crowd to denounce the press for its irresponsible attitude during the rally to seek support for General Musharraf in the referendum. “If the press doesn’t behave, the press will be taken to the task, and such element would be courting danger,” he announced, provoking the people to raise slogans of shame.
He was enraged that the journalists had exposed the way the government was pressuring the officials of the public sector to participate in the rally or face punishment. Dozens of journalists walked out of the rally to protest the hostile remarks. As the journalists left the rally, baton-wielding police officers assaulted them. As a result of the brawl, at least 23 of the journalists were injured, some of them seriously, and were hospitalized.
Ironically, General Musharraf said in a press conference that he is holding inquiry into the incident, but also announced categorically that he would not take any action against General Maqbool. In fact, he mocked the media, quoting a few of the reports which he believed were not true. A statement issued by the Committee to Protect Journalists — a New York based organization that works for the rights of journalists — in the wake of the incident said that the very nature of military rule in Pakistan threatens press freedom in Pakistan and the journalists no longer enjoy constitutional protections and other democratic safeguards.
CPJ urged the government to issue a public statement upholding the right of all journalists in Pakistan to report freely, without fear of reprisal.