1999 Was a Year of Severe Trial for Journalists and Media Institutions: PFJA Annual Report

1999 Was a Year of Severe Trial for Journalists and Media Institutions

Journalists and Newspapers Faced Continuous Pressure and Violence in Pakistan, States Iqbal Yousufi

C.R. Shamsi, Pervez Shaukat, Fauzia Shahid, and Others Faced Continuous Threats

Main Press Report Text

LAHORE (PR) — The final year of the 20th century, 1999, was an extremely harsh and difficult year of trial for the field of journalism in Pakistan. Iqbal Yousufi, the President of the Freelance Journalists Association, an organization of independent journalists, said this in a statement. He stated that according to the data and facts received by the Association from various international organizations, including the United Nations and global human rights organizations, journalists and newspapers in Pakistan faced continuous pressure and violence from government agencies. During these incidents of violence, the death of a journalist from Thatta also occurred, who was allegedly tortured by the police; apart from this, dozens of journalists were arrested, some faced threats of severe consequences, and some were beaten up.

Iqbal Yousufi, the President of the Freelance Journalists Association, while releasing the reports received from various international bodies and human rights organizations, stated that the second half of December 1999 was the worst time of the year, when cases were registered against 3 major newspapers, the office of a Turkish news agency was attacked, 2 journalists were initially abducted and later released, journalists protesting against the government were subjected to violence, and the cameras of photographers were smashed. During the retaliatory actions against journalists, the Nawaz government arrested senior journalists including The Frontier Post Chief Editor Rehmat Shah Afridi, journalist Nadeem Malik, Dawn Bureau Chief in Islamabad M. Ziauddin, and Pakistan's current Ambassador to the United States Maleeha Lodhi. The only fault of all these journalists was speaking the truth and supporting the truth. A Lahore-based journalist, Mehmood Ahmed Khan, who had made a film for the BBC regarding corruption by the Nawaz family, was abducted through government agencies. The Friday Times Editor Najam Sethi was picked up from his house by a federal agency without a judicial warrant and was accused of delivering a speech against Pakistan in India. According to the report, a columnist and politician was also abducted by the agencies because he had exposed the corrupt practices of the Sharif family in the BBC film. Senior journalists Zahid Malik, Maleeha Lodhi, and Ghazi Salahuddin were also arrested on account of participating in a seminar in New Delhi alongside Najam Sethi.

The RIUJ strongly protested against these incidents of violence on journalists and held protest demonstrations in Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi. The prominent leaders of the RIUJ, including C.R. Shamsi, Pervez Shaukat, Fauzia Shahid, and others, faced severe difficulties and threats under these circumstances. The Karachi Union of Journalists demanded resignations from all such police officers who participated in the illegal actions against journalists. In New York, the internationally renowned Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), in its report, mentioned the abusive treatment of the journalism sector in Pakistan by the Nawaz government. In this report, attacks on Newsline, Herald, Dawn, Mashriq, and the BBC reporter and Les Thiar were also mentioned.

According to the report, 3 journalists—Ghulam Farooq of "The Nation", Saleem Khan of "Aaj", and Ghafoor Khan Adil of "Shamal"—were arrested for exposing the corruption of the Swat police. The police shut down the local offices of these journalists and conducted raids to arrest other journalists, including Ali Hazrat Bacha of Mashriq and Dawn, Juma Rehman Afghan Assistant Editor ("Shamal"), and Hazrat Bilal of Daily Jehad. A case was also registered against the Editor of Ausaf Islamabad, Hamid Mir; the sole fault of all these journalists was exposing the corruption of the police and administration. The report further stated that the police also attacked the Lahore Press Club and subjected its Secretary and other journalists to extremely abusive treatment.

The report stated that during 1999, 91 journalists and media workers performing duties in war-torn countries were killed. Due to the bombing by NATO warplanes on the media building located in Belgrade, 41 media workers were killed. During the largest civil war in history in Sierra Leone, 11 local journalists were killed; 3 local journalists were killed in East Timor, Indonesia; 8 journalists were killed during the civil war in Colombia; while in Algeria, during the attempts to impose another government in place of the elected government, 150 journalists were killed in the civil war, and to save the lives of the remaining journalists, they were given asylum in Belgium with the assistance of international organizations.

Freelance Journalists Association Expresses Condolences over the Demise of Haroon Saad

 

Freelance Journalists Association Expresses Condolences over the Demise of Haroon Saad

LAHORE (PR) — In a special condolence meeting organized by the Pakistan Freelance Journalists Association (PFJA), an organization of independent journalists, deep sorrow, grief, and regret were expressed over the demise of Mohammad Haroon Saad, the former Chief Editor and Chief Executive of the Daily Imroze. During the condolence session, rich tributes were paid to the deceased for his 40-year-long services to the field of journalism.

The speakers at the meeting included Fazal-ur-Rehman Naeem, Iqbal Yousufi, Zafar Ali Raja, Shakeel Siddiqui, Shaukatullah, and Akhtar Hayat. The condolence session was attended by Naeem Qureshi, Ibrahim Tahir, Laiq Askari, Afaq Ali Khan, Imtiaz Rashid Qureshi, Naveed Bukhari, Idrees Usmani, Khalid Pervez Malik, Abdul Hameed, Rana Iqbal Choudhry, Tanveer Zuberi, Mazhar Ali Adeeb, Ahsan Karim, Kamal Rizvi, and Khalid Latif. At the conclusion of the meeting, Fateha was offered for the departed soul of late Haroon Saad.

Haroon Saad Was a High-Caliber Journalist Endowed with Great Administrative Skills

Haroon Saad Was a High-Caliber Journalist Endowed with Great Administrative Skills

Speakers Pay Rich Tribute to the Deceased in a Condolence Meeting Held by the Freelance Journalists Association

LAHORE (PR) — In a special condolence meeting organized by the Pakistan Freelance Journalists Association (PFJA), an organization of independent journalists, deep sorrow, grief, and regret were expressed over the demise of Mohammad Haroon Saad, the former Chief Executive of the Daily Imroze. During the condolence session, glowing tributes were paid to the deceased in magnificent words for his outstanding forty-year-long services to the field of journalism.

The speakers at the meeting included Fazal-ur-Rehman Naeem, Iqbal Yousufi, Zafar Ali Raja, Shakeel Siddiqui, Shaukatullah, and Akhtar Hayat. They stated that Haroon Saad was not only a highly successful journalist but also proved his mettle exceptionally well in administrative affairs, establishing his reputation through his superb leadership capabilities.

Late Haroon Saad Was a High-Caliber Journalist Endowed with Great Administrative Skills: Complete Report of the Condolence Meeting

 

Late Haroon Saad Was a High-Caliber Journalist Endowed with Great Administrative Skills

Late Haroon Saad Was a High-Caliber Journalist Endowed with Great Administrative Skills

Freelance Journalists Association Pays Tremendous Tribute to the Deceased for His Exemplary Services in a Condolence Meeting

LAHORE (P) — The Pakistan Freelance Journalists Association (PFJA), an organization representing independent journalists, held a special condolence meeting where deep sorrow and grief were expressed over the demise of Mohammad Haroon Saad, the former Chief Editor and Chief Executive of the Daily Imroze. During the condolence session, glowing tributes were paid to the deceased in magnificent words for his outstanding 40-year-long services to the field of journalism.

The prominent speakers at the meeting included Fazal-ur-Rehman Naeem, Iqbal Yousufi, Zafar Ali Raja, Shakeel Siddiqui, Shaukatullah, and Akhtar Hayat. They stated that Haroon Saad was not only a highly successful journalist but also proved his mettle exceptionally well in administrative affairs. The speakers noted that during his editorial tenure, Imroze Lahore and Imroze Multan remained top-tier, quality newspapers in every respect. They further expressed that the sudden closure of the newspaper and the resulting unemployment of its staff caused him deep, unbearable grief, which drove him into a state of reclusive isolation.

Presiding over the session, the Association's President, Iqbal Yousufi, stated that the deceased was a journalist of high caliber who possessed exemplary administrative capabilities. He always adopted a policy of treating friends with great hospitality and benevolence, yet fate dealt with him unfaithfully. He remarked that the demise of Haroon Saad has deprived Pakistani journalism of a sincere and deeply patriotic journalist.

The condolence meeting was attended by Naeem Qureshi, Ibrahim Tahir, Laiq Askari, Afaq Ali Khan, Imtiaz Rashid Qureshi, Naveed Bukhari, Idrees Usmani, Khalid Pervez Malik, Abdul Hameed, Rana Iqbal Choudhry, Tanveer Zuberi, Mazhar Ali Adeeb, Ahsan Karim, Kamal Rizvi, and Khalid Latif. At the conclusion of the meeting, Fateha was offered for the departed soul of late Haroon Saad, followed by collective prayers for his forgiveness.

Haroon Saad Entered Reclusive Isolation Due to the Closure of Imroze His Demise Deprives Journalism of a Statesmanlike and Patriotic Journalist; Various Journalists Address the Condolence Meeting

 

Haroon Saad Entered Reclusive Isolation Due to the Closure of Imroze. His Demise Deprives Journalism of a Statesmanlike and Patriotic Journalist; Various Journalists Address the Condolence Meeting

Haroon Saad Entered Reclusive Isolation Due to the Closure of Imroze

His Demise Deprives Journalism of a Statesmanlike and Patriotic Journalist; Various Journalists Address the Condolence Meeting

LAHORE (PR) — In a special condolence meeting organized by the Pakistan Freelance Journalists Association (PFJA), an organization of independent journalists, deep sorrow, grief, and regret were expressed over the demise of Mohammad Haroon Saad, the former Chief Editor and Chief Executive of the Daily Imroze. During the condolence session, glowing tributes were paid to the deceased in magnificent words for his 40-year-long services to the field of journalism.

The speakers included Fazal-ur-Rehman Naeem, Iqbal Yousufi, Zafar Ali Raja, Shakeel Siddiqui, Shaukatullah, and Akhtar Hayat. They stated that Haroon Saad was not only a highly successful journalist but also proved his mettle exceptionally well in administrative affairs. The speakers noted that during his editorial tenure, Imroze Lahore and Imroze Multan remained top-tier, quality newspapers in every respect. They further expressed that the sudden closure of the newspaper and the resulting unemployment of its staff caused him deep, unbearable grief, which drove him into a state of reclusive isolation, and ultimately, this profound grief proved fatal.

Presiding over the session, the Association's President, Iqbal Yousufi, stated that the deceased was a journalist of high caliber who possessed exemplary administrative capabilities. He always adopted a policy of treating friends with great hospitality and benevolence, yet fate dealt with him unfaithfully. He remarked that the demise of Haroon Saad has deprived Pakistani journalism of a sincere and deeply patriotic journalist.

The condolence meeting was attended by Naeem Qureshi, Ibrahim Tahir, Laiq Askari, Afaq Ali Khan, Imtiaz Rashid Qureshi, Naveed Bukhari, Idrees Usmani, Khalid Pervez Malik, Abdul Hameed, Rana Iqbal Choudhry, Tanveer Zuberi, Mazhar Ali Adeeb, Ahsan Karim, Kamal Rizvi, and Khalid Latif. At the conclusion of the meeting, Fateha was offered for the departed soul of late Haroon Saad, followed by prayers for his forgiveness.