Islamabad February 12 (Online): Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists, National Press Club Islamabad and other journalists unions and press clubs across the country on Saturday strongly condemned the PEMRA action against News One channel for airing a program and warned of strong agitation if the notification is not taken back immediately.
They were in consensus that issuance of notice and shift of the news channel on last numbers is against the freedom of speech and expression, which cannot be tolerated.
They demanded immediate restoration of transmission of NEWS ONE and following set procedures and ethics for the purpose.
PFUJ has condemned PEMRA for issuing show cause notice and taking TV channel “NEWS ONE” off Air without following due process and using cable operators for the purpose.
President PFUJ Shahzada Zulfiqar and Secretary General Nasir Zaidi, in a statement, said that such an “illegal and unilateral action shows malafede and ill conceived practice for victimizing Media House”.
In a statement issued by Pakistan Broadcast Association (PBA) in Karachi, the PBA strongly condemned PEMRA for taking NEWS ONE off air on cable networks without following due process.
The PBA condemns this practice of taking unilateral action against media houses without following the laid down legal and lawful procedures.
The NPC Islamabad office-bearer also strongly condemned the PEMRA action against the news channel. In their statements, NPC President Anwar Raza, General Secretary Raja Khalil , Finance Secretary Nayyar Ali and other members said the shift of News One on last numbers and issuing notice is against the freedom of speech and expression. They said the channel is being closed just because the channel on aired a program in which a minister was discussed.
The NPC leadership warned of strong protest against the government and PEMRA if notification is retrieved. They said no one would be allowed to curb media freedom of expression and speech.
While condemning PMERA action, RIUJ President Aamir Sajjad, General Secretary Tariq Virk, Finance Secretary Hanif ur Rehman and other in their statements said notice to the news channel and asking cable operators to shift News One transmission on last number is an attack against freedom of expression, which cannot be tolerated.
They said thousands of journalists’ careers are associated with the channel and such black attacks would not be tolerated. They said the transmission was stopped just because the government had objected to why the news channel aired a program in which a minister’s track record was discussed.
Meanwhile, Peshawar Press Club and Multan press club managements also strongly reacted against PEMRA action against New One channel, demanding the government to immediately retrieve its notification.
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