Pakistan

Killing the messenger: Petition filed against journalists, media

Says ‘agencies responsible for defending geographical and ideological boundaries’.

Qaiser Zulfiqar June 24, 2011

ISLAMABAD:

A petition was filed by an advocate in the Supreme Court of Pakistan on Thursday against journalists and media organisations for ‘defaming’ Pakistan’s armed forces and its top spy agency. He submitted to the court that the armed forces and the intelligence agencies are responsible for defending the geographical and ideological boundaries of Pakistan and that elements from the print and electronic media are “out to destabilize and de-nuclearise Pakistan.”

The petitioner called upon the apex court to declare that the “freedom of press and expression is not absolute and is subject to restriction and limitations … as mandated by article 19 of the constitution.”

The petitioner, a former deputy attorney-general of Pakistan and ex-additional secretary of Supreme Court Bar Association Advocate Sardar Muhammad Ghazi, included the publisher and editor of The Express Tribune among its respondents, for publishing an opinion piece by journalist Ejaz Haider titled “An open letter to General Pasha” on June 8, 2011.

The piece, written “in the wake of the gruesome and gratuitous murder of Syed Saleem Shahzad,” called upon the chief of army staff to “understand the deep fault lines developing in [the] state [of Pakistan.]”

The petition also included Secretary Information and Pakistan Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) as respondents.

In the petition, Ghazi prayed to the court that “the federation and Pemra may be directed to enforce the code of conduct in Pemra rules and ban Najam Sethi and Hamid Mir for six months.”

Ghazi called for the cancellation of The Express Tribune’s declaration and Geo Television Network’s license, in addition to calling for the imposition of a cash penalty on Ejaz Haider.

The petitioner also asked the court to direct Najam Sethi, Hamid Mir, Ejaz Haider, Geo TV and the editor of The Express Tribune “to stop propagating against the armed forces and the premier spy agency.”

Ghazi added that “the whole media may be restrained from criticising the armed forces and intelligence agencies” and asked the Supreme Court lay down guidelines for media to protect these institutions from ‘baseless criticism.’

Published in The Express Tribune, June 24^th, 2011.

COMMENTS (13)

ahmed Yar | 13 years ago | Reply @Aristo: AOA Respected Sir, i want to draw your kind attention to the area where in every days time thief the people, killing, beating and rubbering them in the presence of police. there is no any action taken against them. they are lotting the government propriety and of propereity and land cash from the local poor people who are earning by daily wages. no any government Official is serious to take action against them. the area is known as No go area. sir there were so many innocent people lotted and killed. the people of the area are knowning them very wel but they are afraid of them. respected sir this is humble submission in your kind honour to please for the sack of Allah do some thing for innocient people of the area. here i am writing address of the area and the name of tribe who are lotter, killer: the name of tribe : Janwary Place: District: Sukkur Taluka : Rohri Police Station: Kandhra town

kulamarva balakrishna | 13 years ago | Reply Vienna,24-06-2011 I am not all surprised by erudite former deputy attorney Ghazi´s case.In India we have witnessed a well meaning decent painter,poet and film maker, creative from head to toes Maqbool Fida Hussain being harassed by more than a hundred legal faithfuls. He had no option but to accept the honorary citizenship of Qatar. Pakistan is more or less under Sharia laws, the courts may find hands are bound. That may make it slightly different. -Kulamarva Balakrishna

VIEW MORE COMMENTS

Latif | 13 years ago | Reply @D. Powers: very well said In fact, the problem started when the Army started to feel that it is the sole custodian of ideological frontiers of Pakistan. Look at american genral. we donot agree in full with Obama on withdrawl plan but he is supreme commander and he is has to look at full picture beyong battle field also, so we will follow orders to the point what is humanly possible.

Cautious | 13 years ago | Reply I suppose this must be one of those "reasonable restrictions imposed by law in the interest of the glory of Islam or the integrity, security or defence of Pakistan" loopholes in the Constitution that effectively eliminates freedom of speech.

Foreman | 13 years ago | Reply Its for stopping army from taking drastic actions against media. I hope Courts shall intervene and act as fair Referee.

Saadia Farooq | 13 years ago | Reply Wel the reality is bitter but it is a reality .. I always see our media making fun and fire-balling against our nation and arm forces, no channel has ever supported any functional government .. For our media players sitting outside the court are deserving and real players..

syed imran | 13 years ago | Reply I just want to complain that I posted my comments in favour of petition and it found no place on comment box. So you are only allowing the comments of those who write in media favour

Aristo | 13 years ago | Reply What! nonsense petition, should be routed into a GARBAGE BIN.

D. Powers | 13 years ago | Reply Army is responsible for protecting the geographical frontiers of the country but the defining and protecting the ideological frontiers is not its responsibility. In fact, the problem started when the Army started to feel that it is the sole custodian of ideological frontiers of Pakistan.

syed imran | 13 years ago | Reply This is excellent. Over the last few months the likes of Hamid Mir, Kashif Abbasi absar Ahmed talat hussain etc had launched an open war on the Army as an institution, which was a real music for the ears of Pakistan enemies. Who gave them this licence to de fame a state institution like this. Now that the issue has been taken to the court, I would request the CJP to clearly lay down the lines where the freedom of press as well as individuals ( Asma Jehangir) starts and where it ends .

Feroz | 13 years ago | Reply The petitioner wants to petition against the freedom of speech and expression, something guaranteed by the constitution. This petition seems to suggest that the Military and agencies are above the country, its people, as well as the Constitution. It also suggests that the Army is the protector of the countries ideological frontiers, without elaborating what ideology or whose ideology. That a former legal advisor to the government fattened by tax payer money is petitioning against Constitutional provisions, is not just sad but humiliating for the citizen. Courts have a huge backlog of case to dispose and such frivolous pleas add to the burden. Petition should be dismissed without hearing.

Moazzam Salim | 13 years ago | Reply It seems some lawyers would do anything for the love of money and fame. How could any law abiding person and particularly those who have taken an oath to uphold the law can fall to such depths and try to hide the truth with blatant lies? I belong to the legal fraternity but I am ashamed that such elements exist in our ranks. It is the role of media to highlight the corruption and unlawfulness prevalent in the various institutions of the country. Ultimately we will have to revisit our constitution with a bid to eliminate all sacred cows from its purview.

Mirza | 13 years ago | Reply "media are “out to destabilize and de-nuclearise Pakistan.” There cannot be a greater insult of the army than filing this case. If the army cannot even defend against its own media, then what good is half a million strong army? The petition assumes that the army is worse than little babies who would be hurt by the transparency and open discussions. No country would even allow these kinds of stupid cases for hearing in their HC let alone SC.

Replying to X