Pakistan tightens media rules after army criticised

ISLAMABAD, June 1 (Reuters) Pakistani authorities are tightening rules to restrict live television broadcasts of opposition rallies in a move aimed at stopping criticism of the powerful military.

Government attempts to remove the country's top judge have touched off a broad campaign by the judge's supporters and opposition parties against President Pervez Musharraf, the army chief who took power in a 1999 coup.

Government opponents have been calling for the restoration of full democracy and some have criticised the army, which has ruled the country for more than half of its history since it was carved out of British-ruled India as a home for Muslims in 1947.

Criticism of the army is a sensitive issue but some lawyers supporting suspended Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry threw barbs at the military at a seminar broadcast live on private television channels on Saturday.

The government responded by filing a legal complaint against the lawyers.

In addition to the legal action, the government's broadcast authority is going to enforce rules that require television stations to get permission for live broadcasts.

''We will ensure that the rules are properly followed,'' said a senior government official who declined to be identified.

A broadcaster said there had always been a rule requiring permission for live broadcasts but it had not been invoked before.

''Now, they say they will not allow it without permission,'' said Syed Talat Hussain, news director at the private Aaj television. He said he had received an instruction to get permission this week.

Information Minister Mohammad Ali Durrani, asked about the broadcasting rule, said: ''We will not allow maligning of the army and the judiciary. It will no longer be tolerated.'' ''HUMILIATING'' Chief Justice Chaudhry, who refused to resign in the face of unspecified accusations of misconduct, has been circumspect in the few speeches he has made since he was suspended on March 9.

Chaudhry has not given media interviews and has not commented publicly on the accusations against him.

He has not made any overt, specific attacks on the government but he has made veiled criticism, warning of the danger of dictatorship and the centralisation of powers in one set of hands.

Musharraf said some of the comments from lawyers at last Saturday's seminar amounted to ''humiliating the armed forces'' and he accused some television networks of imbalanced reporting.

The Pakistani media has flourished since Musharraf seized power in a bloodless coup more than seven years ago and he hails media freedom as one of his government's achievements.

But media groups say there has been growing pressure on the media since the judicial crisis erupted. Television stations have been attacked and journalists have been threatened for covering protests by lawyers and opposition groups.

In another sign the criticism of the military is raising hackles, a prominent political analyst said yesterday authorities tried to spoil the launch of her book on military penetration of the economy by pressuring venues in Islamabad not to hold the event.

The anti-government campaign poses the most serious challenge yet to the authority of Musharraf, an important US ally, and it comes in the run-up to presidential and parliamentary elections.

REUTERS DS VV1601