Pak scribes anticipate imminent crackdown on media

Islamabad, May 12 : Leading media persons in Pakistan are reportedly apprehending a crackdown within a week or ten days for "conspiring" against the elected government or the Presidency.

If a report in The News is to be believed, lists of "troublemaker media persons" are being compiled and the intelligence sleuths are being assigned to straighten out the "crooked pen pushers".

Some media houses have been pinpointed for "conspiring" against the elected government and are being warned to get ready for another round of beating, while the stage is being set to teach the unrepentant media a lesson, said the report.

It quoted several leading Pakistani journalists apprehending fears of being hounded once again in the 60 years of Pakistani polity.

Nusrat Javeed said that the crackdown on media is just round the corner, and added it might strike the media in just a few days. He was of the view that a 'financial emergency' was likely to be imposed to attain the objectives of the vested interests, said the report.

Similarly, Hamid Mir, host of a popular TV show and a senior columnist, was aso certain that the "D-day was just 10 days away". The list of five marked journalists had swelled to 17 and possibly included the names of most of those invited to the lunch, he said.

According to Hamid, amongst the media houses Geo News, The News and Aaj Television were said to be the first in the firing line. "Our Group Editor Shaheen Sehbai perhaps had some clear picture of what was simmering against the media but for being a man of few words he kept his secrets to himself," he said.

ANI