PAKISTAN: Opposition seeks debate in Senate on media reports

Senators submit motions concerning press freedom in response to recent trend of journalist harassment

Dawn
Saturday, July 29, 2006

Islamabad --- Opposition senators belonging to the Democratic Alliance have submitted adjournment motions on various issues, including that of press freedom, for debate in the forthcoming Senate session commencing from August 2.

Parliamentary secretary of the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy (ARD) Izhar Amrohvi told Dawn on Friday that through one motion the opposition members had sought a debate on the issue of press freedom with reference to a recently-issued survey report stating that 48 journalists had so far become victims of violence and harassment in the past six months.

Quoting the report, he said, media in Pakistan had faced at least 48 recorded incidents of attacks and harassment during the first six months (January 1 to June 30) of the current year in which two journalists were murdered and 28 attacked or tortured. He said these statistics had been compiled from Pakistani print media by an international NGO.

Mr Amrohvi said the report which revealed that 25 journalists were kidnapped or detained in various parts of the country in just six months had exposed the government's claim that the press was enjoying complete freedom in the country.

Another important aspect of the report, he said, was that there had been an increase in the incidents of violence against mediapersons and media property in Pakistan as six incidents were recorded in January and the number of attacks had risen to 13 in June.

According to Mr Amrohvi, the opposition members have also filed a motion on reports that the government wanted to slice land off the Hingol National Park, the country's largest, as defence-related organisations were eying the prized real estate.

The motion states: "The Senate do adjourn to discuss a news item, appeared in Dawn giving a caption 'PAF swoops on Hingol National Park.'

"Notified a national a park in 1997, the Hingol National Park's total area is over 600,000 hectares. The government is all set to slice land off the Hingol National Park, the country's largest, as the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) and another defence- related organisation eye the prized real estate near the estuary, whose value is likely to increase once the Gwadar Port starts functioning.

"The matter is of serious nature and of national importance which needs discussion on the floor of the house adjourning the normal proceedings of the house."

Mr Amrohvi said the opposition senators had also moved an adjournment motion seeking discussion on a media report with reference to the US stating that "drug-barons were bribing Pakistani judiciary." He said it was a very important national issue and the opposition wanted a clarification from the government on it.

The motions have been moved by Opposition Leader in the Senate Raza Rabbani, Dr Safdar Abbasi, Enver Baig, Babar Awan, Rukhsana Zuberi, Sadia Abbasi, Ishaq Dar, Asfandyar Wali and Shahid Bugti.

Date Posted: 7/29/2006