Alvi’s concerns over harassment of journalists are subjective: Rabbani

ISLAMABAD: Former chairman Senate Mian Raza Rabbani has termed President Dr Arif Alvi’s concerns for the media as subjective while counting eight failures of the president to raise his voice against harassment of journalists during the tenure of PTI in government.

He said that harassment of journalists is condemned as all Pakistani citizens are equal before the law and the president of Pakistan has to view them as such and not through politically-tinted glasses.

“During the tenure of the PTI government, he violated his oath of office to the extent 'that, in all circumstances, I will do right to all manner of people, according to law, without fear or favour, affection or ill-will'. But he failed to ask the government to conduct prompt, impartial and effective investigations into the increasing incidents against the media,” he said while commenting on President Dr Arif Alvi's recent statement through which he expressed concerns on harassment of journalists.

While counting the failures of President Dr Arif Alvi of raising his concerns on the harassment of journalists, Senator Rabbani said the president failed to draw the attention of the government on the attacks on Asad Ali Toor, Absar Alam and Matiullah Jan, amongst others.

He said the president failed to question the government on suspension of or removal of anchors and working journalists, including Hamid Mir but not limited to him.

The former chairman Senate said the president failed to show his concern to the government when a horrendous social media campaign was unleashed against women journalists. “The president failed to show his concern to the government when regulatory agencies blocked cable operators and TV channels,” he said.

Senator Raza Rabbani said President Dr Arif Alvi failed to return ordinances to the government, which amended the press laws placing fetters on the media. The president failed to take notice of an international report, wherein, more than 86 cases in one year i.e May, 2021 to April, 2022, were reported against the media and its practitioners. Senator Rabbani also called for the part 2 of the Charter of Democracy saying that the need of the hour is not suppression but a dialogue between the political stakeholders, a COD II.