Campaign - Media Under Attack in Pakistan

Democracy Now in Pakistan!

Set Journalism Free Says IFJ and Pakistani Union

Click here for Nov 15 Day of Action photos and report

Members of the Indian Journalists' Union, an IFJ affiliate, joined other civil society groups in protesting the media crackdown in Pakistan under the new Emergency decree.

Dear Colleagues,

As you know, the situation for journalists in Pakistan has seriously deteriorated under new emergency measures taken by President Pervez Musharraf to suspend democratic institutions including orders to silence journalists and media workers and to restrict the work of media in the country.

The IFJ with its affiliate the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) is uniting with other professional associations at local, regional and global level to resist and overturn the Government’s repressive actions.

Today Pakistan is in the grip of a profound political crisis that has implications for the region and for wider world. Journalists are organising protests at press clubs across the country and many of them are refusing to conform to new censorship controls and are continuing to file critical reports despite pressure on media to change their editorial policies.

In response to this deepening crisis and in solidarity with our colleagues the IFJ with the PFUJ organised a Global Day of Action on Thursday November 15th.

The PFUJ and the IFJ asks all journalists’ unions to play their part in highlighting the impact of this crisis and in declaring their solidarity with our colleagues and other rights advocates in Pakistan.

We encourage all affiliates to take the following actions:

• To issue public statements condemning actions against independent media and press freedom in Pakistan.

• To send or deliver letters of protest to the Pakistan embassy or mission in your country, preferably delivered directly to the Ambassador. Some have already been sent, but we would like you to update the information and to take account of the global protests that are being organised. A draft letter in English is attached.

• To write and deliver letters to the relevant ministries of your own government urging them to apply pressure on the Government of Pakistan and President Musharraf to rescind the emergency decree and uphold the Government’s prior commitments to free expression in Pakistan.

The IFJ is also looking at other possible actions – a possible solidarity mission of journalists’ groups and human rights activists to investigate the impact of the Government’s repressive actions and meet with journalists and a mission in partnership with other global rights groups to put pressure on the government to end the emergency, to maintain the commitment to democratic elections and to restore the full rights of the people of Pakistan to enjoy fundamental liberties. These actions are being prepared in co-operation with the PFUJ.

Your action in response to this crisis is urgently needed. Please advise Rachel Cohen at the IFJ office rachel.cohen@ifj.org and Anna Noonan at the IFJ Asia-Pacific office anna.noonan@ifj-asia.org  when you send a letter or take any action.

Please send us too any pictures of your actions and meetings around this issue. Please let us know if there are other actions we could be taking.

We are already in contact with the world’s major leading human rights groups as well as the global trade union movement on the need for co-ordinated actions over the crisis in Pakistan.

We are very much aware that every action at local, regional and global level will have an impact on this crisis. Please do what you can to add your union’s voice to the growing calls for an end to the emergency in Pakistan by joining the Day of Action.


With Best Wishes,

AIDAN WHITE
General Secretary

Click here for the draft letter.