AHRC condemned the Pakistan action against “ARY News” channel

Wed, Oct 22, 2014 at 8:51 AM

A Statement from the Asian Human Rights Commission

PAKISTAN: Government must restore the arbitrarily suspended broadcast license of ‘ARY News’ with immediate effect

The government of Pakistan  through its regulatory body, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) has banned a local television channel, the “ARY News” and has arbitrarily suspended its license for a period of 15 days, and  imposed a fine of Rs.10 million (approximately USD 97,000) for airing on 20^th October 2014  an allegedly derogatory programme against the judiciary. Two days prior to the ban, on 17^th October 2014, the same regulatory body also banned a talk show tittled “Khara Sach” (the crude truth),  hosted by Mr. Mubashir Lucman, one of ARY’s anchor personalities. The PEMRA said it was acting on the instructions of the single judge bench of the Lahore High Court (LHC) who has taken the decision through a Suo Motu action.

The PEMRA, although a mere regulatory body, is infamous for working under influence of powerful groups like the military, the government, and the judiciary. In June this year, in another scandalous incident, the PEMRA suspended the license of yet another popular media channel, the Geo TV, which was the country’s leading news network, following the telecast of allegations that the head of the government’s powerful spy organization, the Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate, was behind an attempt to assassinate Mr. Hamid Mir, a popular Geo TV talk show host. At the time, even Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif publicly expressed support for Mr. Mir and the media channel; however the government did little or nothing and turned a blind eye at the time when the country’s powerful military establishment was pushing the government to have the channel taken off-air.

As the news of the suspension of the license was aired, a strong reaction and an outcry was generated by journalist bodies, politicians and the civil society which compelled the single judge bench of the Court to clarify, the very next day that it has never ordered the PEMRA to suspend the license of Geo TV. According to “ARY News”, Justice Mazahir Ali Akbar Naqvi during the hearing observed that the Court had not issued any orders for suspension of the license of ‘ARY News’ and added that the PEMRA had misinterpreted the orders of the Court.

According to the statement issued by the PEMRA the action to ban ‘ARY News’ was in compliance with the order of the single judge bench of the Lahore High Court that ordered the PEMRA to review the talk show “Kara Such”. The Court placed restrictions on airing of this particular show and the participation of Mr. Lucman  in any other TV programme in the future. Later, in the wake of the strong protests from civil society, the politicians and journalist’s bodies,  the Lahore High Court (LHC) issued a statement to the effect that “the Court did not order for the cancellation of the license of the ‘ARY News’”. However, the Court has failed to-date to order for the restoration of ‘ARY News’ though it has issued a statement saying that the PEMRA is trying to now put the blame on the Court.

In its previous decisions the Lahore High Court has banned the programme ‘Khara Such’ and also prevented the anchor person, Mr. Lucman from participating in any future programme in any TV channel.

The single judge bench, headed by Justice Syed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi, opposed the actions of the “ARY News” when it aired a programme where it was revealed that the Chief Minister and Justice  Syed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi  have made a deal with a private company to clear the company of all its corruption charges. Justice Naqvi , then proceeded to institute ‘Suo Motu’ an action, in complete conflict of interest where he himself heard the case and ordered the warrant against the Mr. Lucman the anchor person of ‘ARY Channel’ and the Chief Executive Officer of the same channel.

The freedom of expression in Pakistan has always remained under serious threat from the military, the judiciary, and the government authorities and above to all, by Muslim extremist fundamentalists. With the successive governments the reality of freedom of expression has  grown thinner and more thinner as the right guaranteed by the Constitution of Pakistan has been further constricted. Apart from the blatant interference by the government, freedom of expression is also being squeezed by non-state actors without any hindrance from the authorities.

As a result, journalists have been at the receiving end of most of the victimizations and every year more than half a dozen journalists are killed by un-known persons and law enforcement authorities.

Journalists and media houses along with the civil society were on the front line during the lawyer’s movement for the restoration of the Chief Justice and the restoration of the independence of the judiciary since 2007 till 2009. However, this time around, the fight for the freedom of expression has come up against the judiciary itself, it has come up against some journalists and media houses who are providing legal cover to these authorities, and it has come up against retired military bureaucrats sitting as heads of the regulatory bodies in Pakistan – so much so that to hold an opinion, to be able to discuss it and to be able to freely express such an opinion has become an impossibility in Pakistan.

In this backdrop, the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) urges the government of Pakistan to restore with immediate affect the license granted to the ‘ARY News’ and take appropriate disciplinary and legal actions against high ranking officials of the PEMRA taking such arbitrary decisions to suspend the license of the “ARY News” for suspending the license of ARY News and misinterpreting the decision of the high court. The programme of Khara such which is hosted by Mubashir Lucman must be restored.

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About AHRC: The Asian Human Rights Commission is a regional non-governmental organisation that monitors human rights in Asia, documents violations and advocates for justice and institutional reform to ensure the protection and promotion of these rights. The Hong Kong-based group was founded in 1984.

BURMA/MYANMAR: Journalists get ten years jail for writing on army

Mon, Jul 14, 2014 at 6:48 AM
AHRC on conviction of journalists
Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) regrets to inform you that four journalists who wrote an investigative article about an army facility in Burma have been sentenced to ten years in jail, along with their editor. The conviction is clearly intended to intimidate the print media in Burma, or Myanmar, at a time that the country is supposedly democratizing. 

CASE NARRATIVE: 

As we wrote in the original urgent appeal (AHRC-UAC-066-2014) the Unity Journal on 25 January 2014 published an article alleging that a military facility in Magway Region was being used for the making of chemical weapons. The officer responsible for the factory then brought a criminal case against the journal director and reporters for allegedly breaching state secrets, taking photographs of the facility without permission, and publishing the article without first obtaining approval. 

Despite the many obvious flaws in the case brought against the men, set out in that appeal, on July 10 a judge sentenced all five of them to ten years in jail. Observers to the trial have pointed out that throughout the court favoured the prosecution side, hearing 29 of its witnesses against only six for the defence, and that in its characteristics the court process was not significantly different from the period of direct military dictatorship. 

Further details of the case are in the sample letter below.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Despite the changed political conditions in Myanmar, still many journalists and writers are facing legal actions for doing nothing other than exercising their right to free expression. For instance, Ma Khine, a journalist with Eleven Media, was sentenced to jail over a story of alleged judicial corruption by accusing her of interfering with the duties of public service personnel. She served her full prison term. Journalist with the Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB) Ko Zaw Phay and parents of school children who tried to get information on choosing scholarship awards to go to Japan from the Magway Regional Education Office also were sentenced to one year’s imprisonment. And currently another four journalists from the Mondi news journal are facing charges over their reporting. Therefore, the Unity case is part of a larger project to intimidate and delimit the print media, which at present is the only independent media in Burma, since the broadcast media remains under direct control of the government in the case of television, or in the case of radio is either under directly control or closely monitored. 

REQUESTED ACTION:
Please write a letter condemning the men’s conviction and to call for their urgent release through the reversal of convictions. Please note that for the purposes of the letter Burma is referred to by its official name, Myanmar. 

Please be informed that the AHRC is writing separate letters to the UN Special Rapporteurs on Myanmar and on the independence of judges and lawyers, and to the regional human rights office for Southeast Asia calling for interventions into this case.

SAMPLE LETTER:

Dear …………….,

MYANMAR: Executive Director and Journalists of the Unity Journal given ten years jail for alleged leaking of state secrets

Names of persons being prosecuted: 
1. U Tint San aged 52 (Son of U Thein Tun), Executive Director of Unity Journal
2. Thae Yazar Oo aged 28 (Son of U Thein Maung Gyi), Senior Journalist
3. Paing Thet Kyaw (a.k.a.) Aung Thu Ya aged 25 (Son of U Aung Ko Lwin), Senior Journalist 
4. Si Thu Soe aged 22 (Son of U Win Hlaing), Senior Journalist
5. Lu Maw Naing (a.k.a.) Lin Kyaw Oo (a.k.a.) Lu Maw aged 28 (Son of U Maung Maung Kyi), Journalist for rural areas

Names of persons involved in prosecution:
1. Lt-Colonel Kyaw Kyaw Oo, Serial No. Kyi/28299, No. 24 Defence Material Factory, Myar Pine Village Tract, Pauk Township, Magway Region

Criminal Case: No. 4/2014, Pakkoku District Court, Judge U Maung Maung Htay presiding, all five accused sentenced to 10 years imprisonment with labour on 10 July 2014, accused 1-4 under section 3(1)(a) the Burma Official Secrets Act 1923, and accused 5 under sections 3(2)(a)/9. 

I condemn the sentencing of four journalists and a news editor to ten years in prison each under an antiquated law on state secrets and urge that the sentences be overturned and that they be released. 

According to the information that I have received, after the Unity Journal on 25 January 2014 published an article alleging that a military facility in Pauk Township of Magway Region was being used for the making of chemical weapons, the officer responsible for the factory, Lt-Col. Kyaw Kyaw Oo brought a criminal case against the journal director and reporters for allegedly breaching state secrets, taking photographs of the facility without permission, and publishing the article without first obtaining approval. 

On July 10 a district judge sentenced all five men to ten years in prison, one for allegedly attempting to obtain and retain official documents concerning the site, and the others on the charge under the Burma Official Secrets Act that, “If any person for any purpose prejudicial to the safety or interests of the State approaches, inspects, passes over or is in the vicinity of, or enters, any prohibited place… he shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend, where the offence is committed in relation to any work of defense, arsenal, naval, military or air force establishment or station, mine, minefield, factory, dockyard, camp, ship or aircraft or otherwise in relation to the naval, military or air force affairs of or in relation to any secret official code, to fourteen years…”

The many flaws in the case have already been brought to your attention. They include that the correct procedure was not followed in bringing the case; that the factory in question does not fall under the terms of the law used to convict the men; and, that three accused were allegedly forced to confess. It has also been pointed out that the men were acting in the national interest, not contrary to it, by reporting on an issue of national concern. 

In addition to the above, the case is clearly intended to threaten the media in Myanmar, and have a chilling effect on public debate. Presently the broadcast media remains under direct state control or is tightly monitored. Only the print media is able to communicate relatively freely on matters of national concern such as those that the journalists were working on in this instance. By convicting the five men, the court, acting on behalf of the military, is sending a signal that certain topics – including those that question the predominance of the army in all spheres of political and economic life, will not be tolerated. Indeed, the case is only one of a number currently going on against journalists in Myanmar. 

Therefore, I call for the reversal of these convictions and release of the five men at the earliest opportunity. I take the opportunity to note that it is not sufficient that the men be released through a presidential pardon, as have other persons in recent times, since the pardon keeps the conviction of the accused intact. These men have committed no crime. Not only do they not deserve to be in prison, but also they do not deserve to have a criminal record. Therefore, the sentences should not merely be pardoned but overturned completely. 

Lastly, it seems profoundly obvious yet necessary to add that the Burma Official Secrets Act 1923 is not up to date anymore and that it ought to be revoked or significantly amended to be made consistent with Myanmar’s new era of political and social change, and not to enable people who would prefer that the country remain stuck in the past to use it as a weapon against persons legitimately exercising the freedom of expression. 

Yours sincerely,

----------------

PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:

1. Lt-Gen. Ko Ko
Minister for Home Affairs
Ministry of Home Affairs
Office No. 10
Naypyitaw
MYANMAR
Tel: +95 67 412 079/ 549 393/ 549 663
Fax: +95 67 412 439

2. U Thein Sein
President of Myanmar
President Office
Office No.18
Naypyitaw
MYANMAR

3. U Tun Tun Oo
Chief Justice
Office of the Supreme Court
Office No. 24
Naypyitaw
MYANMAR
Tel: + 95 67 404 080/ 071/ 078/ 067 or + 95 1 372 145
Fax: + 95 67 404 059

4. Thura U Aung Ko
Chairman
Pyithu Hluttaw Judicial and Legislative Committee
Pythu Hluttaw Office
Naypyitaw
MYANMAR

5. U Aung Nyein
Chairman
Pyithu Hluttaw Judicial and Legislative Committee
Committee for Public Complaints and Appeals
Office of the Amyotha Hluttaw
Naypyitaw
MYANMAR

6. U Win Mra
Chairman
Myanmar National Human Rights Commission
27 Pyay Road
Hlaing Township
Yangon
MYANMAR
Tel: +95-1-659 668
Fax: +95-1-659 668

7. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi
Chairwoman
Pyithu Hluttaw Rule of Law and Tranquility Committee
Office of the Pyithu Hluttaw
Naypyitaw
MYANMAR

Thank you.

Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ua@ahrc.asia)

PAKISTAN: World Press Freedom Day --

Sat, May 3, 2014 at 2:49 PM

A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission

57 journalists killed during the last 15 years

Courtesy photo

The United States, the United Kingdom and a delegation of the European Union on Friday called upon the Government of Pakistan to resolutely defend media freedom in the country, adding that gags on the media and attacks on journalists were not acceptable.

While marking the World Press Freedom Day today, May 3, the European Union Delegation, in agreement with the EU Heads of Mission in Pakistan, expressed in a statement its deep concern over the steadily deteriorating environment for media freedom in Pakistan. The EU delegation said that Pakistan is one of the most dangerous countries in the world for journalists.

May 3, was proclaimed World Press Freedom Day by the UN General Assembly in 1993. This year’s theme for this day, as declared by the UN, is “Media Freedom for a Better Future: Shaping the post-2015 Development Agenda”.

Amnesty International in its statement of April 30 said that journalists in Pakistan live under the constant threat of death, harassment and other violence from all sides, including the intelligence services, political parties and armed groups like the Taliban. Pakistan’s media community is effectively under siege. Journalists, in particular those covering national security issues or human rights, are targeted from all sides in a disturbing pattern of abuses carried out to silence their reporting. The spy agency has been implicated in numerous abductions, torture and killings of journalists, but no serving ISI officials has ever been held to account which effectively allows it to continue to operate beyond the reach of the law. Human rights violations against journalists by the ISI often follow a familiar pattern that starts with threatening phone calls and escalates into abductions, torture and other ill-treatment, and in some cases extrajudicial killings.

The World Press Freedom Index 2014, issued by the international non-governmental organisation “Reporters without Borders” earlier this year, termed Pakistan “..... the world’s deadliest country for media personnel”, adding that for the second year running, the Indian sub-continent is the Asian region with the biggest rise in violence for journalists. The index calls the targeted nature of the violence “the most disturbing development”. The report ranked Pakistan at the 158th position out of 180 countries.

It is evidently true, as far as the government is concerned that Pakistan is not the deadliest country in the world for journalists. They claim that dozens of media houses are operating freely and that the media has never enjoyed such freedom in its history. However, every year on average a dozen journalists are killed and many are injured by the attacks from Muslim banned organisations, extremists and secret spy agencies run by the military establishment. Many journalists have told various quarters that they would be attacked or killed by state intelligence agencies particularly by the notorious ISI. The Taliban and other Muslim fundamentalist’s organisations are operating freely and they monitor the broadcasting of every television channel and try to dictate their policies. In most cases the owners of the media houses follow their instructions. But the lives of individual journalist remain at the mercy of the militant organisations without protection even from their employers. The governments always want to remain as silent spectators as if the protection of journalists or media houses is not their responsibility.

The year 2014 started with the killing and attack on journalists. On January 1, Mr. Shan Dahar, the reporter of Abb Takk television was shot dead while filming near a pharmacy in Larkana. He had already produced one story on prescription drugs being illegally resold in the town, and was taking video of a package bearing a "not for resale" label on it shortly before he was shot dead.

On January 17, Gunmen riding on motorcycles shot dead three Express News workers on Friay after ambushing a stationary DSNG van in a busy neighbourhood of Karachi. This was the third and most lethal strike on Express Media Group and its staff in the space of five months. In two previous attacks, the main offices of Express Media Group, were targeted. The January 17’s ambush took the lives of a technician, security guard and a driver, all of whom were seated in the front of the van. The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the latest attack in a live telephone call from Afghanistan to Express News.

From January 2013 to date, 17 journalists were attacked and injured either by the intelligence agencies, beaten and tortured by police or by injured by violent people while covering processions and rallies. Other journalists mentioned in the report are living under the dangling swords of life threats. The authorities were least bothered about conducting investigation in the matter except in the case of Hamid Mir, who was attacked by unknown persons while he was coming from Karachi airport during the tight security arrangements for former military ruler General Pervez Musharraf.

On March 28, Raza Rumi, a prominent journalist and anchorperson from Express News channel has survived an assassination attempt but his driver was killed. He left the country as he found no security or protection from the government. The Taliban has accepted the responsibility for the attack which has given a good excuse to the government that they can not provide protection as the Taliban is beyond the reach of the law enforcement agencies including the military intelligence agencies.

On April 6, Jamshed Baghwan, Peshawar bureau chief of Express News was been targeted for the second time this year. A bag with 2.5kg of explosives was found outside his house, and on April 6, grenades were thrown at his residence. Baghwan says every day his mother and colleagues tell him to leave the country as they do not find any protection from the law enforcement agencies.

On April 19, a prominent journalist and anchorperson of Geo TV was attacked by unknown persons and he was critically injured by six bullets. He and his family members accused the ISI and its chief general Zaheerul Islam for the attempt to kill him. The military establishment, instead of, conducting inquiries against the allegations rather file a petition before the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) to cancel the license of Geo TV for hurling the blame on ISI. The ISI and military establishment are using banned Muslim terrorists organisations and its paid politicians to agitate on the streets in favour of military and the ISI.

On May 2, a Geo TV News cameraman was subjected to thrashing and a bid was made to snatch his camera. Geo News cameraman Asif Kabir was going to the channel’s office located in Model Town A, Bahawalpur, Punjab, when three bike riders wearing helmets intercepted him. The three men called him a traitor and an Indian agent and assaulted him. They injured badly but no case has been filed by the local police.

During the year 2013, the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) documented that 13 journalists were killed while performing their duties. 55 journalists have been killed in the line of duty in Pakistan in the last ten years, and 36 of them were deliberately targeted and murdered because of their work, says the Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) in its latest report. The PPF say, for every journalist who has been deliberately targeted and murdered, there are many others who have been injured, threatened and coerced into silence. Sadly, the perpetrators of violence against journalists and media workers enjoy almost absolute impunity in Pakistan. This is seriously hampering press freedom in the country.

In the country the media freedom is fragile. Journalists are being harassed or killed for doing their work, publications are being censored or shut down, and laws are being passed which criminalise free speech. This reality does not change on the Internet. Along with the jobs offered by the network, new obstacles emerge: content filtering, monitoring and suspension of Internet access, often without due regard to individuals’ fundamental rights.

The judiciary, which is always looking for the political cases to shut up the democratically elected governments by using Suou Moto actions while the government fail to control the spy agencies and its cronies for the attacks on journalists and escape from their responsibilities for the protection and suitability of the freedom of expression which is the basis of a democratic society.

The AHRC calls upon the military establishment to halt the use of coercive actions on the freedom of expression and press as if it is continued it would lead to the defeat of the military in the hands of unarmed media persons. The Government of Pakistan must ensure that all abuses committed against journalists are duly investigated and that appropriate action is taken against perpetrators while the public is provided with information on the outcome of enquiries.

The government must defend media freedom, this being an important component of the freedom of expression as defined in Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and in the Article 19 of the Constitution of Pakistan.

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About AHRC: The Asian Human Rights Commission is a regional non-governmental organisation that monitors human rights in Asia, documents violations and advocates for justice and institutional reform to ensure the protection and promotion of these rights. The Hong Kong-based group was founded in 1984.

Two senior journalists were killed in 48 hours

PAKISTAN:The killings of journalists continue unabated
 February 28, 2013                                                                            Two senior journalists were killed during the short span of 48 hours. As is usual, enquiry committees have been formed by the authorities to investigate the killings and the motives behind the incidents. However, as committees have been formed in the past for the same reason which have not shown any results there is not much hope that the latest committees will show any progress.

 A report by AHRC

On February 27, Mr. Malak Mumtaz Khan, a renowned journalist of the tribal areas and president of the Miranshah Press Club, was shot dead in North Waziristan. The area of Miranshah is known as a war zone which is under the control of the Taliban and from time to time the military conduct operations against the terrorists. Malak was going home from Miranshah bazaar in his car when men in another vehicle opened fire at him near his Miranshah Kalley village at about 4pm. He suffered bullet wounds to his head and chest and died on the spot. Malak was associated with several print and electronic media organisations, including The News, Jang, Geo TV and AVT Khyber.

The senior journalist, Mr. Khushnood Ali Shaikh, the chief reporter of the state-controlled Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) wire agency was killed in Karachi, the capital of Sindh province. He was killed in a hit-and-run accident by a car near his house on February 25. It is said that he was asked to pay an amount of Rs. 50,000 in extortion, ostensibly from a political group, for purchasing a new house. He was receiving threatening calls of the abduction and killing of his child if he did not pay the money demanded. He informed his journalist organization, his news agency, the APP, and the police of the threats. But after not getting any relief he shifted to Islamabad, the capital. When he thought the situation had been settled he returned to Karachi but again received threatening calls and it is believed that this resulted in his killing. The Police has appointed a highly designated officer to conduct the enquiry.

During the first two months of this year five journalists have been killed including three journalists in two bomb blasts in Quetta city, the capital of Balochistan province, when the Hazara Shia community was targeted by a sectarian organization.  

Pakistan is among the most dangerous countries in the world for journalists with a total of 87 deaths since the year 2000.  During the year 2011 16 journalists were killed and in 2012 nine journalists died while performing their official duty which ranked Pakistan as the third most dangerous country in the world for journalists. The tribal areas, Khaber Pakhton and Baluchistan provinces are the most dangerous areas for journalists.

Besides the number of journalists killed more than 100 journalists were injured while performing their duties. The government at all tiers claim that they are providing treatment to the injured journalists and taking care of the welfare of their family members. However the government and the media houses have failed to provide protection to the working journalists, particularly in the war zone areas.  The media houses are equally responsible for not taking steps to provide protection to the journalists rather than taking them for granted. At times it looks as if media houses are happy when a journalist is killed as the names of the media houses are quoted at every level.

No one has ever been arrested or even named in these killings with the exception of the case of one US based journalist, Daniel Pearl whose murder was investigated with the assistance of the American authorities. As already stated there have been many judicial commissions on the subject of the killings but they have all failed to identify the killers. In the very famous inquiry by a judge from the Supreme Court into the mysterious killing of Saleem Shahzad of Asia News after one year of deliberations could not identify the killers. This is despite the fact that Saleem himself had complained that he was facing death threats from the intelligence agencies of armed forces. http://www.humanrights.asia/news/forwarded-news/AHRC-FST-006-2012?searchterm=Saleem+Shahzad

The reason for the failure of the judiciary must be the insecurity of the judges which do not wish to associate themselves with any investigation into matters involving the military authorities or the terrorists. As a result they have failed to develop a system of protection under the law. The judiciary is well aware that there is no proper witness protection and terrorists enjoy this lacuna and the incapacity of the judiciary which gives them a good opportunity to pressure the legal proceedings. The case of murder of a journalist, Wali Khan Baber of Geo TV channel, is the best example to be quoted here as all the witnesses were killed. Despite this the judiciary remained silent on the matter.  http://www.humanrights.asia/news/ahrc-news/AHRC-STM-228-2012?searchterm=wali+khan+

Many journalists leave the country when they find no protection from their own organizations and the government. In 2011 four journalists left the country and in 2012 a further eight journalists left. These journalists, when they received shelter abroad have been hired by international media houses because of their investigative journalism.

The absence of any government policy to protect media workers continues to hamper the ability of journalists to work freely in Pakistan. After every incident of killing the government comes out with tall assurances to the journalist community. The same may be said about the media houses who always try to shift the responsibility onto the authorities but have never made any effort to develop a mechanism through their powerful organizations which always works for their benefit but not of the welfare or protection of journalists supposedly under their care. 

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) urges the government of Pakistan to ensure protection for the journalist's community. This must necessarily include their families and loved ones. It is the responsibility of the government to rein in the military and the intelligence agencies to ensure that they do not carry out extrajudicial killings of journalists who expose their failings. Their time would be better spent controlling the terrorists that are a threat to the entire country. 

Freedom of expression is now so limited in Pakistan due to the various laws, including the blasphemy laws and the Official Secret Act of 1923 which generated intolerance in the society at every level. The only group that benefits from this Act is the terrorists and the state intelligence agencies. Therefore the government must follow Article 19 of the United Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights which has already been ratified by Pakistan. This Article provides space for the freedom of expression and a society based on tolerance.The Eagle Eye News

AHRC report on killing of journalists