KARACHI, Oct 5: The standing committee of the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE), while rejecting the press laws as adopted by the federal cabinet and the Defamation Ordinance promulgated this week, has declared that it would resist all attempts at regimentation of the press in Pakistan and work together with the All Pakistan Newspaper Society (APNS), working journalists and other segments of the civil society in Pakistan to uphold Article 19 of the Constitution.

The CPNE standing committee, which met here on Friday, deliberated at length on the situation created by the adoption of the three legislations directly relating to the print media and the Defamation Ordinance and opined that these draconian legislations negate the fundamental right of the citizen to know and to be fully informed through the print media, says a press release.

The standing committee declared that it would oppose with all resources at its disposal all attempts at restricting press freedom and would seek support nationally and internationally.

The resolution adopted by the CPNE said: “This meeting of the Standing Committee of the CPNE notes with deep regret and anguish the total disregard of the government of Pakistan and the Minister for Information and Media Development for the views of the CPNE as publicly declared on the three legislations relating to the press and the already promulgated Defamation Ordinance. The manner in which these legislations have been adopted by the cabinet is contrary to the very process of dialogue and understanding in which the CPNE along with the APNS as also other bodies of the print media had been engaged in.

“The promulgation of the Defamation Ordinance and the adoption of the three legislations relating to the print media with provisions violative of the agreed drafts negotiated between the CPNE and the APNS and the Ministry of Information betrays an un-called for haste. It is tantamount to a crude attempt at imposing these laws on the press. It also negates all claims of press freedom in Pakistan as often made by the government functionaries. On the contrary, it reflects the government’s total insincerity to the very concept of press freedom and endorses a growing feeling among the member-editors of the CPNE that the government is now seeking to prevent the press from performing its constitutional role in the service of democratic practice and return to true civilian rule in Pakistan.

“The Standing Committee, after due deliberation on the current situation of government-press relations and after consultations with the All Pakistan Newspaper Society, declares its total opposition to all attempts by the government to foist regimentation on the press in Pakistan through the promulgated and adopted draconian laws. The CPNE has pursued with all sincerity a dialogue with the government of Gen Pervez Musharraf on the subject of press laws and the defamation law stressing the fact that meaningful dialogue is the best course for the government to follow.

“However, the CPNE has been deeply disappointed by the unilateral attitude of the government and the Minister for Information and Media Development. The Standing Committee of the CPNE, therefore, calls upon the government to hold in abeyance all these black press laws and let the elected parliament that shall emerge after polling on Oct 10 decide on all these issues. Any attempt to preempt the authority of the elected parliament by foisting black press laws on the print media would be totally counterproductive to the process of democratic practice and the strengthening of democratic values in Pakistan.

“The CPNE Standing Committee is confident that in its categorical stand on rejection of the black press laws it shall have the support and backing of every segment of society in Pakistan and all international organizations that stand for press freedom and access to information.”

The Standing Committee of the CPNE also endorsed the proposal that a 12-member joint committee of the CPNE and APNS should carry out the programme for comprehensive protest against the black press laws as also the defamation law and seek their withdrawal.