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

PESHAWAR, June 5: Leaders and activists of different political parties and bodies representing journalists on Tuesday held a protest demonstration against the promulgation of the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Amendment) Ordinance 2007 in front of the Governor’s House, demanding of the federal government to immediately withdraw the “draconian law”.

The call for the protest demonstration was made by the Khyber Union of Journalists to condemn the measure taken by the government to “gag the media”.

Lawyers and activists of the Tehrik-i-Insaaf and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz attended the peaceful demonstration who termed the ordinance part of an organised campaign to muzzle the electronic media.

Carrying placards and banners, journalists, lawyers and political activists took out a procession from the Peshawar Press Club. After marching on the Sher Shah Soori Road, they held a demonstration near the Governor’s House, as personnel of police deployed at a nearby checkpoint stopped them from proceeding further by placing barbed wire on the road.

Speaking to the protesters, KhUJ president Jan Afzal condemned the Pemra Ordinance, and demanded of the government to withdraw it immediately as it was contrary to the spirit of a free press which was the prerequisite for any democratic dispensation. He termed the media a watchdog for people’s basic rights.

He said the action taken by the government against some private TV channels and cable operators had exposed its hollow claims about freedom of the press in the country.

He said the government had failed in providing protection to the community of journalists.

Peshawar Press Club president M. Riaz also condemned the ordinance and said the community of journalists would never accept such “black laws”.

He said the press had always sided with the people in their struggle for basic democratic rights. He said the recent oppressive step was not a new one for the media because successive governments had placed restrictions on the press.

Noted lawyer and chairman of the executive committee of the Pakistan Bar Council Qazi Anwar said the legal fraternity completely supported the demands of the community of journalists for a free press that, he said, was essential for any democratic country.

The print and electronic media, he said, had played an important role in portraying the struggle for an independent judiciary in the country.

He said journalists would be provided full legal support in their efforts for a free, objective and independent press.

PML-N leader Haji Mohammad Afzal and PTI provincial chief also spoke on the occasion. They criticised the ban on live coverage of socio-political events.

They asked the government to immediately withdraw the “anti-media ordinance”.

Aurat Foundation’s resident director Rukshanda Naz and activists of other NGOs also attended the protest demonstration.