KARACHI: Rare city council unity against media curbs
By Latif Baloch
KARACHI, June 6: The City Council on Wednesday witnessed a rare show of unity when the treasury and opposition benches sank their differences on a single resolution condemning recent curbs on the media.
Both sides had first tabled their separate resolutions but on the insistence of Naib Nazim Nasreen Jalil, who presided over the session, they agreed on the contents of another resolution that was moved jointly and adopted unanimously.
The resolution condemned the fresh amendments made to the relevant media law to make controls on the electronic media tighter. It termed the move against press freedom and basic human rights, and urged the government to withdraw the amendments unconditionally.
The resolution also called for withdrawal of cases against lawyers, journalists and other people in view of the unrest prevailing in the country following the filing of the presidential reference against the chief justice of Pakistan.Earlier, leaders of the treasury and opposition benches moved their respective resolutions on the amendments and the role of the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority.
The chair pointed out that the issue bore vital importance as it pertained to basic human rights. Advising the two sides that the House should come out with a clear and concerted view on it, she asked them to work out a joint resolution.
She invited Leader of the Opposition Saeed Ghani of the Awam Dost Group to initiate the debate. He condemned the federal government’s media policy and intolerance, pointing out that in the past eight years, more than 250 journalists had been imprisoned and many of them tortured, although the government had been boasting about having given unprecedented freedom to the press.
He questioned the justification for the issuance of the ordinance while the National Assembly and the Senate were to meet soon.
Rafiq Ahmed of the Al-Khidmat Group said the ordinance was against basic human rights and demanded its immediate repeal. He said both the Constitution and Islam envisaged freedom of expression, adding that no authority, therefore, was competent enough to put curbs on it.
He said the Pemra ordinance had snatched away whatever freedom press was being enjoyed by the media.
Leader of the House Asif Siddiqui termed the press an important and valuable pillar of the state, and observed that the new media curbs had created unrest among the journalistic community.
Lending support to the press from the Haq Parast Group, to which he belongs, Mr Siddiqui urged the government to review its fresh moves.
Masood Mehmood, who is also a senior presiding officer of the City Council, endorsed the views expressed by Mr Siddiqui, but criticised the opposition for “taking undue advantage of the situation arising out of the reaction from the media. He recalled that those now on the opposition benches had taken similar steps when they ruled the country”.
His claim, and certain other political remarks, caused some opposition members to see red but prompt intervention by the chair averted what could have been a verbal dual.
Another Haq Parast leader, Abdul Jalil, also spoke in favour of press freedom and against the harsh media restrictions. He said his group stood for protecting all pillars of the state. He, however, questioned whether the City Council was a proper forum to take up the issue. He also informed the House that the issue was to be debated in the National Assembly on June 9.
After the debate, the chair adjourned the session for five minutes to allow both sides time to work out a joint resolution on the issue.
When the proceedings resumed, the House unanimously adopted the joint resolution amid desk-thumping. The chair remarked that the House had shown solidarity with the press, and congratulated the treasury and opposition benches on the rare show of unity.
The leader of the opposition sought the chair’s permission to stage a demonstration outside the House. Ms Jalil did not turn down the request. She then adjourned the house till June 11.
Later, members from the treasury and opposition benches staged a demonstration outside the Council’s hall to express solidarity with the media and demanded an immediate withdrawal of the Pemra ordinance.
Separately, Ms Nasreen Jalil talked to newsmen and appreciated the show of unity demonstrated by the treasury and opposition members during the session. She said she was keen to see the same spirit and unity in condemning all undemocratic moves, and expressed the hope that the same spirit would be shown in taking up the matters relating to the city. Masood Mehmood told reporters that the treasury was ready to extend all cooperation to the opposition on every issue.
