In its order on the Balochistan security case, Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry justified the decision, writing that material supplied by Senator SM Zafar suggested that whenever there was an incident involving murder of innocent people, civilians or otherwise, newspapers blamed different ‘organisations’. This, the chief justice noted, increased a sense of insecurity among the people of Balochistan.
Recent statements by the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) following thier attack on Malala Yousufzai, received widespread coverage in electronic and print media.
The 14-year-old student activist from Swat alongwith other students was shot at by TTP men, when they were on their way from school on October 9.
Another statement by the TTP where it justified its barbaric act citing some Islamic precedent, also got considerable coverage by the media. Their justification was subsequently rejected by the Ulema and clerics across the country.
The CJ, heading a three-judge bench, noted in the order that the provision of 11-W of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997 should be followed strictly by the electronic and print media in the future.
The court also incorporated the provision in its judgment noting: “Printing, publishing, or disseminating any material to incite hatred or giving projection to any person convicted for a terrorist act or any proscribed organisation or an organisation placed under observation or anyone concerned in terrorism. (1) A person commits an offence if he prints, publishes or disseminates any material, whether by audio or video-cassettes [FM radio station] or by written, photographic, electronic, digital, wall-chalking or any the method which [glorifies terrorists or terrorist activities] incites religious, sectarian or ethnic hatred or gives projection to any person convicted for a terrorist act, or any person or organisation concerned in terrorism or proscribed organisation or an organisation placed under observation: Provided that a factual news report, made in good faith, shall not be construed to mean ‘projection’ for the purposes of this section.
“We are told that in this behalf restraint order has also been passed by the High Court of Balochistan, therefore, we confirm the order which has been passed by the High Court of Balochistan that in future the above provision of law shall be followed strictly both by the electronic and print media,” the judgement further read.
COMMENTS (21)
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'Media should desist from glorifying terrosrists' Courts should desist from freeing the terrorists!
Nobody, and I mean nobody has the courage and guts to put a check on Media-Mafia.
IK and Judges can?
MEDIA SHOULD AVOID GLORIFYING TERRORISTS - SC
and, if I may add, should also refrain from acting their aplologist by spinning conspiracy theories.
Did he forget that his own lawyers showered rose petals on Mumtaz Qadri, the assassin of Salman Taseer.
how about the religious political parties who are pro talibans and they spread roamers and false information on social media? CJP should also take action against all such accounts on social media too
Let the people decide what they want to hear or read. if the public wants to restrain the media it will be done through their representatives in the parliament. the courts behaviour is abnoxious.
Why is the supreme court looks black and white dear media..... Bear with it and follow the order.
And now the CJ becomes the custodian of what is to be printed in the media and what is not. Should the media come to the court every time they write a news report or a comment on terrorists' activities to see if the material is to the court's liking? Why not let the readers and viewers decide that? if they think, the material is unjust or trashy, they can stop buying the printed material and that would teach the publishers a lesson. If it is an audio/TV channel, the audience can simply change the channel. Every time there is political capital to be made, the CJ is right in the middle of it. He was right when the other day he let it slip from his lips that that people consider SC their "savior." He has savior complex. If he is really interested in earning the people's trust and gratitude, he should focus on many cases that are pending because he and his fellow justices are busy playing politics from the bench. Spare the people more agony: For bad politics, the people have plenty of politicians. Siddique Malik, Louisville, Kentucky, USA.
KILL THE MESSENGER!!!!!
Genius SC, utter GENIUS!!!!
Good! About time!
What about the liars who are every present to shower rose pastels on thugs and scum bags like Qadri?
Media should Desist From Glorifying Terrorists and Judges
Absolutely agree............at the same time the judiciary should make an effort not to release offenders of justice just because the prosecution fails to do its job. The power of the judiciary is immense and needs to be exercised so that justice is seen to have been done.
And all this time I thought it was the CJ and his crew glorifying the terrorists by setting them free.......
I don't know which sick mind finds glorification in TTP claiming responsibility for heinous crimes, other than those who try to find justification for such acts, such as PML-N, PTI, JI, JUI. I find it repugnant and sickening. Does CJ want media not to expose these hyenas.
Oh by the way did supreme cout miss the public gathering of DPC, why no action was taken?
How does reporting the act of barbarian and higlighting the misdeeds of enemies of our nation is glorification.... Is the SC imposing some sort of sensors hip on media to report such incident and identify these crazy elements among us. Supreme Court must take strict action against these terrorist instead of releasing them, it should take action against the supporters and apologist who provide oxygen to these barbarians, SC must setup a commission to investigate who the nations money is and was squandered in building, supporting and nurturing these so called jehadi's barbarians and there supporting groups, individuals, and institutions. It seems by SC is trying to rescue these elements by suppressing flow of accurate and timely information to the people of our country. Oh please stop.
Good advise by the SC. However, when are the courts going to stop releasing each and every terrorist caught by police? When are we going to put Qadri to justice and punish the lawyers who lionized him and showered with roses? When are we going to punish the lawyers and leaders who offered janaza prayers for OBL?
This should include both ethnic terrorist parties as well as the religious terrorist groups.Everyone talks about the religious terrorism,but we hesitate to talk about ethnic terrorism happening in karachi.