Islamabad, Dec 31 (IANS) The year 2007 was the bloodiest for journalists in South Asia. Pakistan topped with the toll of seven journalists, followed by six in Sri Lanka, and five in Afghanistan, according to the South Asia Free Media Association (SAFMA).
The Pakistani journalists killed were – Mehboob Khan, a freelancer, Noor Hakim Khan of Daily Pakistan, Javed Khan of Markaz and DM Digital TV, Muhammad Arif of ARY One World TV, Zubair Ahmed Mujahid of Jang, Nisar Ahmed Solangi who worked for a Sindhi daily, and Syed Kamil Mashadi, who worked with a private TV channel, reports Online news agency.
In Pakistan, where media flourished with the vibrant induction of private TV channels, the private electronic media faced a bad time with successive draconian amendments to the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority ordinance, and, later, imposition of an arbitrary media code that took life out of the private TV channels, SAFMA said in its report.
The Musharraf government that took pride in allowing private TV channels panicked over massive public outrage against the suspension of the Chief Justice of Pakistan and clamped down on private electronic media that sympathized with the cause of independence of the judiciary.
Faced with the constitutional and judicial hurdles to legitimise sitting army chief’s controversial election as president, the military regime took off the air all news channels and imposed blanket restrictions on free debate and live coverage of events, it said.
The restrictions continue to keep the election campaign of most popular parties at low key. Under the new amendments made to PEMRA and the Press, Newspapers, News Agencies and Books Registration Ordinance (PNNABRO), the TV owners and journalists can be imprisoned for three years and a fine up to Pakistani rupees one million and a publication can be suspended for a month without notice.
Yet, the joint struggle of journalists, lawyers, students and civil society organizations continue for a free media, independent judiciary and rule of law as the struggle for restoration of democracy enters its most crucial phase.
The journalists also suffered immensely in the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan and Sri Lanka.
In Afghanistan, especially in the Pakhtun belt across the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan, the journalists had to pay heavily amid the battle of adversaries.
They became victim to the guns of not only Taliban-Al Qaeda extremists, but also of various other forces, including the warlords and international forces.
In Sri Lanka, as the internecine ethnic conflict grew out of proportion, media persons and outlets became more vulnerable to conflicting pressures. The government of President Mahinda Rajapakse and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam competed in enforcing restrictions on the media.
However, Nepal and Bangladesh presented a mixed picture due to a difficult and tenuous transition. If the Maldives remained, as usual, a difficult country for journalists from many decades, Bhutan presented a case of healthy but careful opening for media with the advent of constitutional monarchy and introduction of democracy.
Most encouraging feature of 2007 was the valiant resistance put up by the media and the civil society against the curbs on freedom of expression and the right to know in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
As the year 2007 comes to an end, the media community should continue to keep up the banner of press freedom in our region, SAFMA said.