November 08, 2007	Thursday	Shawwal 26, 1428

KARACHI, Nov 7: The All Pakistan Newspapers Society has urged the government to immediately suspend implementation of recent amendments to press laws and all actions taken under them, including notices issued to publications.

According to a press release, an emergency meeting of the executive committee of the APNS authorised its president to form an action committee to work out an action plan to handle the situation, and also to set up a ‘press rights secretariat’ to monitor acts of harassment and intimidation against the media and take necessary action.

The APNS president was also authorised to announce a series of one-day strikes if action is taken against any newspaper under the new press laws.

The executive committee rejected what it called ‘black amendments’ made to the press laws after the imposition of state of emergency and said that the action aimed at silencing the media was unacceptable.

The committee urged the government to provide security and protection to publishers, staff of newspapers and other media and their premises in view of threats and intimidation from two intelligence agencies.

It also criticised raids on a newspaper office, arrest of media personnel and the serving of a show-cause notice to an Urdu paper.