Muzaffarabad [PoJK], May 20 : Media professionals recently held a protest against the administrative control on the flow of information in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK).
Wearing black armbands, the journalists protested at the constituent assembly premises during the recent PoJK assembly session.
"Attempts are being made in PoJK to suppress all forms of media, including independent media, press, and social media. Previously, it was being done in the shadows, but now everything is in the open," PoJK's former Prime Minister Raja Haider Farooq said during the protest.
"They are suppressing the media in broad daylight. Journalists are being framed under fake cases and FIRs, and the heads of news channels are being threatened and pressurized. A cell has been formed to closely monitor the independent media. All these actions are the signs of a government that is afraid and is covering for its wrongful actions," he added.
He stated, "The government is not bothered to pay attention to the matters of the people. After a long time, the assembly meeting was scheduled but none of the administrators were present here. They are just organizing these assembly meetings to do the formality of completing the 60 days written in the law. They get paid heavily but this is how they work. We have repeatedly submitted documents to raise the voice of journalists, but nothing has happened."
Previously, Liyaqat, a journalist from Karachi, had highlighted similar issues being faced by journalists in Pakistan. He mentioned that the situation is comparatively easier for journalists who hold powerful positions in Pakistan. While, media personnel who are out in the field are repeatedly being targeted and even killed in their line of duty.
Liyaqat said, "We journalists may work day in and day out, but very frankly there is no journalism left in the profession anymore. We journalists pay a high price for our work each day. We are not very different from Afghanistan when it comes to journalism, many news organisations, don't even pay the minimum wage to journalists and cameramen, they barely survive by picking side projects."
Liyaqat highlighted that journalists don't get support even if they get in trouble. He said that a journalist was attacked and killed in Khuzdar while Press Freedom Day was celebrated
"Keep aside money we are not even supported if we get in trouble. And the commercialization of news in the country is making the condition even worse. This year, while Pakistan celebrated Press Freedom Day, one of our brethren was attacked and killed in Khuzdar, Balochistan. The country is now becoming a very dangerous place for us journalism professionals. The stats of attacks on journalists have risen, and it is becoming more and more difficult to pursue the profession," he lamented.
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