June 06, 2007	Wednesday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 20, 1428

ISLAMABAD, June 5: Opposition leader in the Senate and a key People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPP) leader Mian Raza Rabbani has condemned the regime for issuing the Pakistan Electronic Regulatory Authority (Pemra) Ordinance, 2007 and termed it “blackest of black laws”.

In a statement here on Tuesday, Mr Rabbani said this was a crude attempt by the regime to gag the media.

Mr Rabbani said this assault of the regime on the media would be resisted as the combined opposition in the Senate had already filed a resolution under Article 89 of the Constitution for disapproval of this amended ordinance. He also assured the journalists community of his party’s continued support.

The PPP leader said in the recent past, the regime engineered the attack on Geo Television’s office in Islamabad, issued notices under Pemra Act to other electronic media, intermittently the transmissions of various electronic media were stopped by the regime, the six hours firing at the Aaj offices in Karachi by the coalition partners of the regime and finally the sending of bullets to three journalists in Karachi were some of the attempts that the regime had made to stifle the media from reporting the truth.

“This is a gross violation of the fundamental rights provided in the Constitution of Pakistan,” he said, adding the midnight raids in various districts of Punjab to arrest opposition activists was strongly condemned. “If the regime thinks that by arresting political workers it can stop the people’s movements, it should learn from history.

Meanwhile, District Bar Association in its general body meeting demanded revocation of Pakistan Electronic Media Regularity Authority (PEMRA) Ordinance (Amended) 2007 issued by President General Pervez Musharraf on June 4.

The lawyers through a unanimously passed resolution moved by Farooq Awan advocate condemned the fresh curbs on the electronic media.

Speaking on the occasion, the lawyers said the amended ordinance belied the tall claims of government about provision of extended freedom to the media. They said the move had been made to subvert the on-going movement of lawyers’ fraternity for the independent judiciary. The military-sponsored government has shown its intention by blocking the live coverage that it does want common man to see its real image.

They also castigated the government for hurling threats to a prominent journalist who hosted a programme discussing issues, that irritated the government. The lawyers said they stood by the media that was under the sun. They vowed to work for the freedom of media as they had been struggling for the independence of judiciary.

The lawyers also condemned the self-assigned monitory role of cable operators who had said not to show any programmes maligning armed forces or judiciary. How can they deprive the viewers of programmes of their likings, they questioned. The viewer pays to view programmes of his choice. They added.

Later the lawyers came out of the court premises and protested against the media curbs in Kachari Chowk. The lawyers dispersed peacefully after raising anti-government slogans.