The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has
condemned Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari for imposing a ban on the Geo TV
News, accusing him of "intolerable interference" in press freedom which undermines
the reputation of his government.
The IFJ also welcomed the reported resignation of
Information Minister Sherry Rehman in protest at the President's action. "Her
offer to resign shows a degree of principle in a tawdry incident that casts a
shadow over the good name of the governing Pakistan People's Party," said Aidan
White, IFJ General Secretary. "The President is guilty of the most intolerable
interference in press freedom."
Rehman was reported by local media as having resigned
after she failed to convince the President to lift the ban on the telecast of
Geo and Aaj TV channels in major Pakistani cities over their coverage of
protesting lawyers and opposition party opinions. Zardari gave direct orders
for the blocking of the transmission of Geo News.
The IFJ says that Pakistan media are now at the
centre of a struggle for democratic values in the country. The IFJ has strongly
supported its affiliate, the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists, which has
been campaigning for media reform and action to strengthen ethical journalism
across the robust media sector.
"Standards of journalism have to improve, but that
will not happen when government tries to dictate to journalists what is
acceptable," said White. "The government and President Zardari must end hostile
actions against media and keep out of the newsroom"
An IFJ mission to Pakistan met with Asif Ali Zardari
before his Pakistan People's Party came to power and he promised that in
government there would be no hostile relationship with media which had
characterized the regime of former President Pervez Musharraf.
At an IFJ meeting in Lahore
last year Minister Rehman gave her full support to the PFUJ and IFJ efforts to
strengthen standards in Pakistan
media.
For more information contact the IFJ at +32 2
235 2207
The IFJ represents over 600,000 journalists in
123 countries worldwide
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- IFJ Condemns Pakistan President Over Media Ban