Declan Walsh had been working in Pakistan since 2004. PHOTO: ATHAR KHAN/EXPERSS
ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MOIB) expressed concern in a letter to the Interior Ministry on Tuesday regarding a failure to seek approbation from MOIB while issuing visas, extending stays, and cancelling visits of foreign journalists, reported Dawn.
In the letter, the MoIB observed that Interior Ministry had bypassed the Rules of Business 1973 under which visa-related matters of foreign journalists were to be routed through the external publicity wing of the information ministry.
Regular procedures were reportedly bypassed as Walsh’s visa was extended by the Interior Ministry without approval from MOIB and was later cancelled the same way. The letter asked for reasoning behind bypassing the MOIB in extending and cancelling the visa.
The issue surfaced as the Pakistan Bureau Chief of the New York Times, Declan Walsh was issued a notification to leave the country on the eve of national elections. The journalist left within the three days deadline from the notice and was not provided details for the expulsion. The notice stated that his visa had been cancelled on the basis of his “undesirable activities”.
Walsh had been working in Pakistan since 2004.
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If Mr Walsh has been treated unfairly I am sure racists in the British press like Daily Telegraph will be waiting to pounce on it to shout it to the world. MOIBs toes are again being stepped upon by the Interior Ministry. It is always suspicious when due process is short circuited specially by those in uniforms.
MOIB has expressed concern over "failure to seek approbation from MOIB while issuing visas, extending stays, and cancelling visits of foreign journalists". This concern is not strictly about Declan Walsh hence the headline is misleading. With that said, thank God this biased journalist has finally been kicked out.
This what you get for writing columns on Balochistan. The powers that be still call all the shots.