— Sharif says his government is ‘fully committed’ to press freedom
— Media curbs undermine Islamabad’s image, ability to progress: WashingtonÂ
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan plunged 12 places in Reporters Without Borders’ annual press freedom ranking for 2022 and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Wednesday said the drop has placed the democracy in a “bad light”.
Pakistan placed 157th out of 180 countries surveyed by the organisation known by its French acronym, RSF or Reporters Sans Frontiers.
#RSFIndex: RSF unveils its 2022 World #PressFreedom Index
1: Norway🇳🇴
2: Denmark🇩🇰
3: Sweden🇸🇪16: Germany🇩🇪
24: UK🇬🇧
26: France🇫🇷
42: USA🇺🇸
58: Italy🇮🇹
71: Japan🇯🇵
110: Brazil🇧🇷
134: Algeria🇩🇿
150: India🇮🇳178: Iran🇮🇷
179: Eritrea🇪🇷
180: North Korea🇰🇵https://t.co/fdZ3RWSFjN pic.twitter.com/rV2i3sPmwW— RSF (@RSF_inter) May 3, 2022
“Despite changes in political power, a recurring theme is apparent: political parties in opposition support press freedom but are first to restrict it when in power,” RSF said in an analysis attached to the ranking.
The “media regulators are directly controlled by the government and systematically put the defence of the executive government before the public’s right to information.”
The new government of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) component parties, led by Sharif, has cracked down on journalists giving coverage to its rival Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, taking Samaa TV anchor Imran Riaz Khan off-air and carrying out night raids at the residence of ARY News anchor Arshad Sharif.
Personnel claiming to be from Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) also carried out night raids at the residence, and harassed the septuagenarian mother, of defence analyst retired Maj. Aadil Raja, forcing him to seek exile in the United Kingdom.
The Paris-based campaign group further observed the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), adopted by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government in 2016, is “used more to restrict online freedom of expression than to crack down on online crime.”
But Sharif, instead of looking into the shortcomings of his own government, chose to launch a scathing attack against his predecessor. “Pakistan fell 12 points […] during last year of Imran Khan’s [government and] 18 points during his tenure. It not only earned him [the] shameful title of “press freedom predator” but also placed our democracy in [a] bad light,” he tweeted.
Pakistan fell 12 points on Press Freedom Index during last year of Imran Khan’s govt & 18 points during his tenure. It not only earned him shameful title of “press freedom predator” but also placed our democracy in bad light. We are fully committed to freedom of press & speech!
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) May 4, 2022
“We are fully committed to freedom of press [and] speech!”
‘COLLECTIVE DUTY’
Commenting on the development, Minister for Information and Broadcast Marriyum Aurangzeb said the ultimate conscience of society was a responsible, conscientious free press.
In a tweet, she said the contribution of the press was transparency, accountability and healthy discourse with high standards of ethics and journalism.
ultimate conscience of society is a responsible conscientious free press,their contribution is transparency,accountability &healthy discourse with high standards of ethics and journalism.Our collective duty,to be unified in condemnation of persecution& intimidation of the press https://t.co/SrUwAPasgy
— Marriyum Aurangzeb (@Marriyum_A) May 3, 2022
She was of the view that it was the collective duty of all to stand unified in condemnation of persecution and intimidation of the press.
RANKING ‘UNDERMINES’ PAKISTAN’S IMAGE
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Washington is aware of the curbs on media and civil society in Pakistan and such restrictions on freedom of speech undermine Islamabad’s image and ability to progress.
Responding to a question from a Pakistan reporter during a press briefing on World Press Freedom Day, Blinken said Washington “take this [issue of press curbs] up in our engagements with Pakistani counterparts.”
Live now! @SecBlinken delivers remarks to the press in recognition of World Press Freedom Day at the Foreign Press Center in Washington, D.C. Also streaming at https://t.co/O45ujN8amk. https://t.co/vIeWunBczM
— Department of State (@StateDept) May 3, 2022
“Of course, this is also a feature of the annual Human Rights Reports that we put out, and, of course, we’re aware of significant restrictions on media outlets and civil society more broadly in Pakistan,” he added.
