AHRC lauds Pak PM for suspending PEMRA ordinance

New Delhi, June 8 (UNI) The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) today lauded Pakistan Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz for suspending the implementation of the recently amended Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) and referring it to a reviews committee.

However, the battle for media freedom was not yet won, it said.

In a statement issued in Islamabad, the AHRC congratulated the journalists, lawyers and social organisations for successfully protesting, all across Pakistan, the media gag imposed by the government and said the Prime Minister has had good sense to recognise the displeasure of the people.

The AHRC believed that any discussion on the amendment and implementation of the ordinance would have been more fruitful had it been withdrawn by the government altogether and then a realistic PEMRA law could have been discussed by the committee to ensure media freedom.

The statement further added that any dialogue on the repressive ordinance in its present form will not serve freedom of media in any way and only after its withdrawal would a more meaningful dialogue be possible with media organizations including working journalists, which would benefit the Pakistan government as well.

The formation of PEMRA laws are themselves very controversial, so it would be more practical to have a discussion on freedom of the media and the necessity of ensuring this freedom and then have a discussion on the ordinance, the release said.

The AHRC said ''President Gen Musharraf must realise that the freedom of expression is guaranteed in the country's Constitution and that by arbitrarily curtailing this freedom he is acting malafide.

Furthermore, as in the case of the suspended Chief Justice Mohammad Ifthikar Chaudhry, Gen Musharraf has once again arrogantly miscalculated the will and determination of the people of Pakistan. The people rose up against his suspension of the Chief Justice and they have done so once again in protest of the PEMRA ordinance.'' The ordinance, issued by President Musharraf on June 4, 2007, vested the authorities with sweeping powers to seal the premises of or confiscate the equipment of the broadcasters or even suspend their licenses should they defy the wishes of the government. The fine for violating the rules was also increased from Rs one million to ten million. The newly constituted review committee consists of three persons from media houses and another three from the government.

UNI