RAWALPINDI: Cases against editors of four Lahore daily newspapers have been withdrawn, it was officially announced here today [June 5]. The announcement said: “Martial Law cases against the editors of four newspapers namely, the “Javedan”, the “Kohistan”, the “Mussawaat” and the “Nawa-i-Waqt”, were registered and are … being heard by military courts. Meanwhile, the President of the Council of Pakistan News­paper Editors, Mir Khalilur Rahman approached the Government with a request that the Martial Law cases against the editors be withdrawn. He has explained that the editors concerned have given a firm assurance that they would not commit any breaches of MLR77 in the future.

“In view of this assurance of good behaviour and the request made by the President of the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors, it has been decided to withdraw the cases against the editors. The Government expects these editors to abide by their assurances.

“The Press is once again warned to abide, in letter and spirit the provisions of MLR77 as any other violations will be strictly dealt with.” — Agencies

[Meanwhile, as reported by agencies in Krishnanagar (India),] The death toll in the cholera epidemic among the East Pakistani refugees in … West Bengal state last night [June 4] reached 2,550, official sources said.

Published in Dawn, June 6th, 2021