 |
| |
WEEKLY
SECTIONS |
 |
 |
 |
|
| World’s top editors seek protection in Pakistan |
|
|
|
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
By Usman Manzoor
ISLAMABAD: Top editors and executives of 21 renowned international news organisations of the world have asked the government of Pakistan to take necessary steps to ensure the safety of all foreign media personnel working in the country.
In a joint letter to Minister for Information Qamar Zaman Kaira, these media officials have shown a strong concern that has caused alarm among the international media organisations working in Pakistan.
The concerns were raised when a Pakistani newspaper published a front page article on November 5, accusing Matthew Rosenberg, a correspondent for The Wall Street Journal, of working for the CIA, Israeli intelligence and the US military contractor, Blackwater. It is pertinent to mention here that Daniel Pearl, also a reporter of The Wall Street Journal, was also subjected to a similar criticism a few years back and was later kidnapped and killed gruesomely.
These officials and their organisations included Chuck Lustig, foreign editor of the ABC News; Philippe Massonnet, global news director of the AFP; Kathleen Carroll, senior vice-president and executive editor of the AP; Alan Rusbridger, editor-in-chief of The Guardian; Jon Williams, world news editor of the BBC; Roger Alton, editor of The Independent; Nancy Lane, senior vice-president of the CNN; John Micklethwait, editor-in-chief of The Economist; Al Anstey, head of news of the Al-Jazeera English; Daniel Bogler, managing editor of the Financial Times; Bruce Wallace, foreign editor of the Los Angles Times; Jean-Gerard Robichez, deputy director of the France Info; John L Walcott, Washington bureau chief of the Mcclatchy Newspapers; Ellen Weiss, senior vice-president for news of the National Public Radio; David Schlesinger, editor-in-chief of Reuters; Bill Keller, executive editor of The New York Times; Richard Stengel, managing editor of the Time; Nisid Hajari, foreign editor of the Newsweek; James Harding, editor of The Times; Claude Cirille, editor-in-chief of the Radio France Internationale; and Robert Thomson, managing editor of The Wall Street Journal.
The letter said: “Mr Rosenberg is a respected journalist of high standing. Not only was the article (in the Pakistani newspaper) unsubstantiated, it critically compromised his security and raised questions about whether he can return to Pakistan to work safely in the future. The article also has broader implications.”
The letter also mentioned that these were difficult times for all journalists in Pakistan and journalists working with international news organisations were already facing an array of threats, including violence and kidnapping, as they strived to provide timely and accurate coverage and after the said news item, those risks had been increased needlessly.
“We strongly support press freedoms across the world. But this irresponsible article endangered the life of one journalist and could imperil others. It is particularly upsetting that this threat has come from among our own colleagues. We recognise that courageous Pakistani journalists routinely face greater dangers than their international counterparts. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, five Pakistani journalists have been killed in the past 12 months alone. And we are heartened that several Pakistani media organisations have denounced the said news story,” wrote the top officials of foreign media organisations.
“But we are also concerned that an incident of this kind — tarring a foreign reporter as a spy — could occur again. We ask the government of Pakistan to take note of this story and to take all the necessary steps to ensure the safety of all the media personnel in future,” the letter read.
|
|
|
| Back
| Send
this story to Friend | Print
Version |
|
|
Three killed as Sh Rashid escapes attempt on life
By Shakeel Anjum
RAWALPINDI: Awami Muslim League (AML) Chief and a candidate for NA-55 (Rawalpindi) by-election Sheikh Rashid Ahmad was wounded, while three people — a guard and two party workers — were killed when four gunmen more |
|
|
12 soldiers killed in South Waziristan
ISLAMABAD: Twelve soldiers embraced martyrdom while two others were injured in a clash with militants during the ongoing operation Rah-e-Nijat in South Waziristan Agency (SWA), the ISPR said on Monday.
S more |
|
|
Plan to attack five-star hotel foiled
By our correspondent
LAHORE: The CIA police here on Monday claimed to have foiled an attack on Americans staying at a five-star hotel and arrested six terrorists, including a suicide bomber.
Addressing a press conference, SS more |
|
|
Govt taking court for a ride
By Ansar Abbasi
ISLAMABAD: She fought her case in the media. She won her battle in the judicial forum too. But still the government is bent on making an example out of her for refusing to follow the illegal dictates of her min more |
|
|
Pakistan against arms race: Gilani
By Azeem Samar
KARACHI: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Monday said Pakistan does not want to be engaged in an arms race with any country.
Speaking as chief guest at the induction ceremony of second Chinese-m more |
|
|
|
Punjab-Sindh water row Centre’s intervention sought
By our correspondent
ISLAMABAD: Tension between Punjab and Sindh over opening of the Chashma-Jhelum and Taunsa-Punjnad link canals has touched a new high as the former has sought the Centre’s intervention.
The Punjab has sai more |
|
|
|
French, Dutch fight over giving LNG to Pakistan
By Khalid Mustafa
ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin and his team is all set to thwart the attempt of an unscrupulous combine of oil industry heavyweights and some functionaries of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Re more |
|
|
|
Nine killed as no let-up in rains
By Nisar Mahmood
PESHAWAR: Nine people were killed and scores of others injured as heavy rains and snowfall lashed various parts of the country for the fourth consecutive day on Monday.
Reports from the Shangla district more |
|
|
|
Malik orders NUML closure as protest enters 5ht day
ISLAMABAD: The protest of the students of the National University of Modern Languages (NUML) against thrashing of Professor Malik Tahir by Registrar Brigadier (R) Obaidullah Ranjha entered its fifth consecutive more |
|
|
|
Malik insists no Blackwater in Pakistan
By Muhammad Anis
ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Rehman Malik while responding to an accusation from a PML-N parliamentarian told the National Assembly that Blackwater was not providing security to the president and the prime mini more |
|
|
|
FBR gets list of properties rented out to foreigners
By Hanif Khalid
ISLAMABAD: Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has received list of properties from Foreign Office, which were in use of foreigners in Islamabad, Karachi, Peshawar and Lahore, but these were not shown in annual tax more |
|
|
|
Repealing of 17th Amendment
By our correspondent
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has begun efforts to create consensus on repealing the 17th Amendment before presidential address to the joint sitting of the parliament.
The prime minis more |
|
|
|
Three suspects held in Mohmand
By our correspondent
GHALLANAI: The security forces arrested three suspected persons during search operation in Safi subdivision of Mohmand Agency, official sources said Monday. The sources said the security forces carried out sear more |
|
|
|
No presence of Blackwater, DynCorp in Pakistan, NA body told
ISLAMABAD: Secretary Interior Qamar Zaman again negated on Monday the presence of Blackwater, DynCorp or any other foreign security agency in the country. “Neither the Blackwater and the DynCorp nor any other s more |
|
|
|
Govt urged to take up water issue with India
By Asim Yasin
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Q, Parliamentary leader in the National Assembly, Makhdoom Faisal Saleh Hayat while urging the government to take up the issue of ‘water terrorism’ with New Delhi, has question more |
|
|
|
Avalanche kills 17 Indian soldiers in held Kashmir
HELD SRINAGAR: Seventeen Indian soldiers were killed on Monday in an avalanche that slammed into a group of 70 combat troops at a high-altitude warfare training camp in Kashmir, the army said on Monday.
more |
|
|
|
Taliban defiant as Afghans flee ahead of assault
KANDAHAR: The Nato commanders urged the Taliban to surrender as troops dug in on Monday for a major assault on their key stronghold in southern Afghanistan, sending thousands of residents fleeing.
The Ta more |
|
|
|
Plea to freeze foreign accounts
By our correspondent
LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday ordered the federal government to submit a reply within four weeks on a petition seeking freezing of accounts in foreign banks and recovery of illegal assets accumu more |
|
|
|
Attack on Sh Rashid
RAWALPINDI: The PML-N candidate for by-polls from NA-55, Malik Shakil Awan, has announced suspension of electioneering for a day to mourn the death of those killed in the attack on the office of his rival, Shei more |
|
|
|
Indian forces to halt Kashmir rally outside UN office
HELD SRINAGAR: The held Kashmir authorities deployed thousands of police and troops on Monday to prevent a protest outside the UN office here over the recent killing of two teenage boys by Indian security force more |
|
|
|
briefs...
20 die in Afghan floods, avalanches
KANDAHAR: Twenty people have died in floods and avalanches triggered by some of the heaviest rain and snow in Afghanistan for 50 years, an official said on Monday. At more |
|
|
|
ISSN 1563-9479 
