February 04, 2008	Monday	Muharram 25, 1429

ISLAMABAD, Feb 3: The Pakistan People’s Party has severely criticised ‘warning’ given to the media by the caretaker information minister and demanded an apology from the government for the insolent remarks.

“The caretaker information minister’s warning to the media echoes General (retd) Pervez Musharraf’s warning in London last week to thrash journalists asking difficult questions and is condemned in the strongest possible terms,” PPP spokesperson Farhatullah Babar said in a statement on Sunday.

The PPP statement pointed out that Information Minister Nisar Memon had warned journalists in Hyderabad to “remain within their limits” and “not pollute the environment for free elections”. He also warned them of action if “tarnished the image of the country through wrong propaganda.”

“The image of the country was tarnished not by the media but by Gen (retd) Musharraf when he sacked more than sixty judges, detained the chief justice and then went touring the world with dossier in hand that the chief judge was corrupt,” he said.

“When it is claimed before journalists in foreign countries that women in Pakistan got themselves raped for visas and dollars…who tarnished the image of the country — the media which reported it or the retired general who painted the nation black?,” the statement said.