Holding of national convention: PFUJ declares information minister’s statement ‘irresponsible’

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) Friday said that the information minister should refrain from generating fake news to divert the public attention from the shrinking civic space for debate, discussion and dissent. The PFUJ was denouncing the statement of Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry regarding the recently-held PFUJ National Convention on the Freedom of Media and Freedom of Expression.

Reacting to the tweets and statements issued by Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry and State Minister Farrukh Habib on the holding of the PFUJ Convention, PFUJ President Shahzada Zulfiqar and Secretary General Nasir Zaidi termed such statements “irresponsible”.

In a press statement issued here, the PFUJ leaders said that the event was organised by the PFUJ to hold an open debate on the increasing “unannounced censorship and curbs on the national media by the PTI government".

“Holding such open debates is a mandate and responsibility of the civil society,” the PFUJ leaders said, adding “no threats by any minister can deter us from pursuing our path to achieve the Freedom of Press and Freedom of Expression in the country."

The PFUJ leadership noted that since the inception of the PTI government, Pakistan is being viewed as a country where “democratic norms and practices” are being compromised. “Pakistan has dropped to its lowest level in the World Press Freedom Index during the last three years. This speaks volumes about the coercive policies of this government towards the free media.” The PFUJ leadership suggested to the minister that instead of attacking the media and civil society he should improve performance of his ministry.

“Things that should have been done by the Information Ministry like the recently-passed Protection of Journalists’ bill are being performed by the Human Rights Ministry,” the PFUJ president and secretary general said. “No nation can move forward without ensuring the freedom of press and right of media workers.”

Referring to the “baseless accusation” levelled by Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry that the PFUJ Convention was an “anti-government event”, the PFUJ leadership advised the minister to seek “proper information” from the PTI leadership, including Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari and IT Minister Amin-ul-Haq, who were invited by the PFUJ to address the convention. They noted that besides PTI leadership, leaders from PPP, MQM, PML-Q, JUI, Jamaat-i-Islami, National Party, Awami National Party, BNP and other political parties were also invited. “It were the PTI and MQM that did not attend the convention while all others were present there.”

The two leaders also reminded Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry that he himself had attended the PFUJ’s first National Convention held at Marriott Hotel on March 17, 2021. That convention was also attended by the-then Information Minister Shibli Faraz.

“Despite Fawad Chaudhry’s irresponsible statements, the PFUJ will continue to organise such open debates and dialogue among the political parties and the civil society to ensure that the media is free from any government pressure,” the statement said. “We will continue to work with the civil society to achieve our objective of freedom of speech and workers’ rights.”

Shahzada Zulfiqar and Nasir Zaidi said the PFUJ was always open to discussion with all the political parties, including the sitting government. “We never shied in the past from holding talks with any political party and we remain committed to engaging with them,” the joint statement said.

“The information minister needs to know that we had sit with the government and parliament in finalising the Protection of Journalists and Media Workers Bill besides engaging with the ministers,” the statement concluded.