Pakistan’s Musharraf tightens media regulations

PAKISTAN: Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf handed the country’s television and radio watchdog greater powers Monday amid protests against the alleged blocking of three news channels.

Media organisations say the move is the latest attempt by the government to dampen popular support for Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry after his suspension by military ruler Musharraf on March 9.

Musharraf issued a decree that allows the independent Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) to make new regulations by itself, according to a copy seen by AFP.

It also enables the authority to seize broadcast or distribution equipment or to seal premises that are operating “illegally.”

Condemning the decree, hundreds of journalists staged a procession outside the prime minister’s office and chanted slogans against restrictions on private channels.

“Our struggle for independent media and independent judiciary will continue,” Afzal Butt, president of the Rawalpindi-Islamabad Union of Journalists, said.

“This is a black law, we reject it,” he said adding that it would “tarnish” Pakistan’s image abroad.

Private television stations Geo, ARY-ONE and Aaj accused the authorities Monday of blocking their transmissions in the past three days because of their coverage of the political crisis.

Earlier around 200 lawyers and journalists rallied outside PEMRA’s office in Islamabad chanting “Go Musharraf, go” and calling for an end to curbs on the media.

Geo said authorities had taken off the air its popular talk show “Meray Mutabiq” (According to Me).

Aaj said that while transmission blockages by under-pressure cable operators had become routine since March 9, it believed they had received “verbal instructions” from the authorities for the recent clampdown.

Information Minister Muhammad Ali Durrani, who last week warned the media to tone down its coverage of the crisis, was not available for comment, but an information ministry official denied the protesters’ claims.

“No channel, including Geo, has been blocked by the government. A channel had some dispute with cable operators after which some of them suspended its transmissions,” the official said on condition of anonymity.

Islamabad, Tuesday, AFP