Vexing question to PM costs journalist his job

Asking a vexing question regarding "diminishing space for freedom of speech" and curbs on media in Pakistan to the Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif, apparently cost the questioner, who happens to be President Press Club Lahore his ‘contract’ with state-run PTV.

According to President Lahore Press Club Azam Chaudhry, immediately after the PM’s press conference at Governor House, he was informed that “he was no more with PTV”, and was off-air from a program he was to record from the venue. He further said that nothing has been given to him in writing, thus far. 

Ironically, this press conference took place at the Governor's House, where Finance Minister Ishaq Dar boasted about his government’s media-friendly policy, claiming to allow anyone to attend the press conference. Dar also chided the previous Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government for only inviting chosen journalists to their media interactions. However, it appeared that leading journalists from prominent English dailies were excluded from this particular presser.

During the press conference, Chaudary posed a two-part question to the prime minister, addressing the widespread media restrictions in the country. He inquired about the end of these restrictions and when journalists would be granted the freedom to speak and write without constraint.

In response, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed his disapproval of curbs on media freedom but deflected responsibility to Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb. Aurangzeb, while acknowledging the need to distinguish between politics and the authority of the state, emphasized that the two should be treated separately.

Azam was called to the Governor House for a program on PTV where he was providing his services as an analyst since September last year (as per his contract), was immediately informed after the press conference that he would not be sitting in the program that was scheduled the same evening.

Azam talking to The Express Tribune claimed that he was informed earlier on the day that PTV would be doing a panel program from the Governor House after the PM’s press conference, where he would also be joined by Sajjad Mir and Salman Ghani. He added that after the press conference, he was "off aired and told that he was no longer with PTV".

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The journalist said that he was part of the pioneer team of the program Ba-Khaber that started airing last year. He added that according to the last communication he had with PTV, he was not with them officially as there was nothing given to him in writing as he was on contract and they were not bound to give him any written intimation. 

Azam further said journalists in Pakistan were operating in a "very suffocating environment", where they were not allowed to express themselves freely. "I was not fired on establishment’s orders, I was fired by this government, but in the larger scheme of things, people would blame them." he said, adding that this tenure also "exposes PPP and their claims of being upholders of democratic principles".

Interestingly the entire PTV hierarchy, from his Lahore bosses to PTV’s MD, who is also serving as Additional Information Secretary, to Information Minister Marrium Aurangzeb, all were present at the event. 

Head of Current Affairs Lahore PTV Salman Ahmad, when asked to verify Azam's status with PTV, said he was never a permanent member of PTV and there were weeks when he did not appear even once. When asked why he was off aired on June 29 and if he was still a part of PTV, Salman said the query should be directed to the relevant producer.