Emergency Imposed!

[Tiki Tam Tam]

Musharraf had no option.

He has done the right thing.

It will stabilise Pakistan.

Enough is enough. One problem after another being created by anti govt elements.

 

[bhangra12345]

A new chief justice has been appointed for Pakistan

BBC NEWS | South Asia | Musharraf defends emergency rule

A new chief justice has been appointed, officials say. He is Supreme Court judge Abdul Hameed Dogar, a supporter of Gen Musharraf who was a member of the special tribunal appointed to investigate allegations of wrongdoing by Mr Chaudhry.

Sorry if already posted.

 

[Awesome]

Musharraf had no option.

He has done the right thing.

It will stabilise Pakistan.

Enough is enough. One problem after another being created by anti govt elements.

Only time will tell.

For now all indications point to following an American diktat for the only thing that has been done is the reshuffling of the Judiciary. The rest is business as usual.

Stability was required no doubt. But it is also true this stability cannot come through Benazir Bhutto.

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

in red my change just so that it becomes clear what Jana is talking about. This was in the first page, sorry for bringing this up. I came to know of emergency only right now. So when I came to this forum, one of the first few posts I read were these posts.






On reading these two posts, it sent a chill down my spine (no joking, really).
A journalist (a woman at that too) showing ecstasy when tv channels are taken down and media is severely curbed, and cheering on emergency. A journalist who shows happiness from deep inside the heart when army is sent into SC to arrest the judges. I really did not think that I would see this day. Frankly words elude me when I try to describe my feeling of, when your basic assumptions going invalid, the emptiness, the confusion it brings.

In what f*cked up situations can a journalist say things like this? I really cant understand.

In her defense, as I said in an earlier post, when "objective journalism" defined to be synonymous with allowing propoganda time to terrorists, when it is defined to cast them in a sympathetic light as if they were sitting around twiddling their thumbs and the SF's just decide to go attack them, when the SC orders those professing the ideology, and related to, the terrorists of Lal Masjid who threatened suicide bombings throughout Pakistan, who endangered the lives of thousands of students for saving their own skins - then the system has broken down.

Forget not the anarchy and breakdown of State control orchestrated through the media in Mossadegh's Iran.

 

[Awesome]

In her defense, as I said in an earlier post, when "objective journalism" defined to be synonymous with allowing propoganda time to terrorists, when it is defined to cast them in a sympathetic light as if they were sitting around twiddling their thumbs and the SF's just decide to go attack them, when the SC orders those professing the ideology, and related to, the terrorists of Lal Masjid who threatened suicide bombings throughout Pakistan, who endangered the lives of thousands of students for saving their own skins - then the system has broken down.

Forget not the anarchy and breakdown of State control orchestrated through the media in Mossadegh's Iran.

I still maintain even if a TV channel is conducting propaganda, it should be allowed to do so. Since curbing these things do not end there.

Under the PCO a 35 page notice has been issued to all TV channels. They will be allowed to be reopened as long as the President, the army and their actions such as the War on terror are not criticized.

Imagine that! Banning criticism!

 

[bhangra12345]

I still maintain even if a TV channel is conducting propaganda, it should be allowed to do so. Since curbing these things do not end there.

Under the PCO a 35 page notice has been issued to all TV channels. They will be allowed to be reopened as long as the President, the army and their actions such as the War on terror are not criticized.

Imagine that! Banning criticism!

what else did you expect from a dictator, just turning from mild to actual.
Complete power in one person's hands.

 

[Awesome]

Associated Press of Pakistan - Text of ordinance on electronic media

Ordinance No. LXV of 2007
AN
ORDINANCE

further to amend the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority Ordinance, 2002.

WHEREAS it is expedient further to amend the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority Ordinance, 2002 (XIII of 2002) for t he purposes hereinafter appearing;

AND WHEREAS the National Assembly is not in session and circumstances exist which render it necessary to take immediate action;

NOW, THEREFORE, in exercise of the powers conferred by clause

(1) of Article 89 of Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the President is pleased to make and promulgate the following ordinance:-



1. Short title and commencement.- (1) This Ordinance may be called the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Third Amendment) Ordinance, 2007.



(2) It shall come into force at once.



2. Amendment of section 20, Ordinance XIII of 2002.- In the

Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority Ordinance, 2002

(XIII of 2002), hereunder referred to as the said Ordinance, in

section 20,-

(a) in clause (d), after the word “rules” the words “and regulations” shall be inserted;

(b) in clause (h), at the end, the word ‘and’ shall be omitted; and

(c) in clause (i) for the full stop at the end, a semi colon shall be substituted and thereafter the following new clauses shall be added, namely:-



“(j) not broadcast video footage of suicide bombers, terrorists, bodies of victims of terrorism, statements and pronouncements of militants and extremist elements and any other act which may, in any way, promote, aid or abet terrorists activities or terrorism;

(k) ensure that no anchor person, moderator or host propagates any opinion or acts in any manner prejudicial to the ideology of Pakistan or sovereignty, integrity or security of Pakistan.

(l) not broadcast any programme inciting violence or hatred or any action prejudicial to maintenance of law and order;

(m) not broadcast anything which defames or brings into ridicule the Head of State, or members of the armed forces, or executive, legislative or judicial organs of the state;

(n) not broadcast any programme or discussion on a matter which is sub-judice; and

(o) not broadcast anything which is known to be false or baseless or is malafide or for which there exist sufficient reasons to believe that the same may be false, baseless or malafide.”



3. Amendment of section 25, Ordinance XIII of 2002.- In the said Ordinance, in section 25, in clause (d), after the word “organization” the words “including any foreign non-governmental organization” shall be added.

4. Amendment of section 27, Ordinance XIII of 2002.- In the said Ordinance, in section 27, after the word “operator” the words “or owner” shall be inserted.

5. Insertion of section 27-A, Ordinance XIII of 2002.- (I) In the said Ordinance, after section 27, following new section shall be inserted, namely:-



“27A Prohibition of foreign broadcasts:- A person who is issued a broadcast media license or a landing rights permission under this Ordinance shall not enter into an agreement with any foreign broadcaster to sell its air time or otherwise provide its air time to another foreign broadcaster without prior written permission of the Authority.”

6. Amendment of section 29, ordinance XIII of 2002.- In the said Ordinance, in section 29, in sub-section (6), for the word “one” the word “ten” shall be substituted.

7. Amendment of section 30, Ordinance XIII of 2002. - In the said Ordinance, in section 30,-

(a) in sub-section (1), for clause (b), the following shall be substituted, namely:-

“(b) the licensee has contravened any provision of this Ordinance or rules or regulations made thereunder or an order passed under section 27;” ,and

(b) after sub-section (3), the following new sub-section shall be inserted, namely:-



“(4) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (5) of section 29 or any other provision of this Ordinance, where the Authority takes action under sub-section (3) without notice by reason of necessity in the public interest, the Authority or the Chairman, as the case may be, may seize broadcast or distribution service equipment or seal the premises of the licensee:

Provided that in a situation of emergency the Authority or the Chairman may direct closure of any broadcast or distribution network for such period as it may determine.”.

8. Amendment of section 31, ordinance XIII of 2002.- (1) In the said Ordinance, in section 31, after sub-section (2), the following new sub-sections shall be added, namely:-



“(3) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Ordinance the live coverage of incidents of violence and conflict shall not be broadcast.

(4) A licensee or permission holder shall ensure that nothing is transmitted or broadcast in violation of the provisions of this Ordinance, rules, regulations and Code of Conduct and for this purpose shall install time delay equipments within its system to prevent any such violation.”,

9. Amendment of section 33, Ordinance XIII of 2002.- In the said Ordinance, in section 33,-

(a) for sub-sections (1) and (2) the following shall be substituted, namely:-

“(1) Any broadcast media licensee or its representative who violates or abets violation of any provision of this Ordinance shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years or with a fine which may extend to ten million rupees or with both.

(2) Any distribution service licensee or its representative who violates or abets violation of any provision of the Ordinance shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year or with a fine which may extend to five million rupees or with both”.

10. Substitution of section 34, Ordinance XIII of 2002.- In the said Ordinance, for section 34 following shall be substituted, namely:-



“34. Offences to be cognizable and compoundable:- The offences under this Ordinance shall be cognizable and compoundable”.

11. Omission of section 34-A, Ordinance, XIII of 2002.- In the said Ordinance, section 34-A shall omitted.

GENERAL (PERVEZ MUSHARRAF)

PRESIDENT

The bolded part is what is the problem. You should be able to criticize the head of state or any part of the government. If it results in defamation and ridicule, so be it.

 

[roadrunner]

I still maintain even if a TV channel is conducting propaganda, it should be allowed to do so. Since curbing these things do not end there.

Under the PCO a 35 page notice has been issued to all TV channels. They will be allowed to be reopened as long as the President, the army and their actions such as the War on terror are not criticized.

Imagine that! Banning criticism!

AA, there's limits to every criticism. If someone incites violence through media, they can be jailed, even in the west. If such violence is wrong, things that destabilize society clearly need to be controlled. Is criticism of the WoT, the role of Pakistan leading to destabilization. It could be argued it is, because the suicide bombings are given some justification (that if it werent for the WoT, there wouldnt be this feeling). It's unprecedented in the West that people are targetting Army soldiers, but imagine if they did. It calls for more extreme measures. One of those measures must be to stop helping the Jihadists by criticizing the stance of governments WoT, when it did not/does not have any choice. I agree with the person who said it shows backbone to make the move. Obviously the US won't agree in kerbing media freedoms, but it's about time it happened. Pak journalists are for the most part too irresponsible to be able t report whatever they like.

 

[Awesome]

Again the same is repeated for the Print Media in different words


Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan

Text of press ordinance

ISLAMABAD: Following is the ordinance to amend the press, newspapers, news agencies and books registration ordinance, 2002:

“Where it is expedient to amend the Press, Newspapers, News Agencies and Books Registration Ordinance, 2002 (XCIII of 2002), for the purposes hereinafter appearing;

And whereas the National Assembly is not in session and the circumstances exist which render it necessary to take immediate action;

Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by clause (I) of article 89 of the constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the President is pleased to make and promulgate the following ordinance;

Short title and commencement: (1) this ordinance may be called the Press, Newspapers, News Agencies and Books Registration (Amendment) Ordinance, 2007.

It shall come in to force at once.

General amendment, Ordinance XCVIII of 2002, in the press, Newspaper, News Agencies and Books Registration Ordinance, 2002 (XCVIII of 2002), hereinafter referred to as the said ordinance, after the word “District Coordination officer” wherever occurring, the words and commas “or, where the District government has not come into being, the Deputy Commissioner” shall be inserted.

Insertion of new section 5A, ordinance XCVIII of 2002, in the said ordinance, after section 5, the following new section shall be inserted, namely:

“5A restriction on publication of certain material: (1) No printer, publisher or editor shall print or publish in any book, periodical or paper any material which consists of, photographs or pictures of suicide bombers, terrorist (expect as required by law enforcing agencies for purposes of investigation), bodies of victims of terrorist activities, statements and pronouncement of militants and extremist elements and any other thing which may, in any way, promote, aid or abet terrorist activities or terrorism.

Graphic or printed representations or projection of statements, comments observation or pronouncement based on sectarianism, ethnicism or racialism;

Any material, printed or graphic, that defames, brings into ridicule or disrepute the Head of State, or members of the Armed Forces or executive, judicial or legislative organs of the State;

Any materials that is likely to jeopardize or be prejudicial to the ideology of Pakistan or the sovereignty integrity or security of Pakistan.

Any material, photographic or in print, that is likely to incite violence or hatred or create interfaith disorder or be prejudicial to maintenance of law and order, and

Any material that is in conflict with the commonly accepted standards of morality and decency and which promote vulgarity, obscenity, and pornography,

Amendment of section 19, Ordinance XCV11 of 2002, in the said ordinance, in section 19, after sub-section (2) for the full stop, at the end, a coin shall be substituted and thereafter the following proviso shall be inserted, namely,

“Provided that in a situation of emergency, pending action under this section, the district coordination officer, or as the case may be, the Deputy Commissioner, may suspend the declaration for a period not exceeding thirty days, as deemed appropriate in the circumstances”.

Amendment of section 44, ordinance XCVII of 2002, in the said ordinance, in section 44, for the word “Government” the words “Federal Government in consultation with the Provincial government” shall be substituted”.

 

[Goodperson]

The Army support Mush. There's no morale problem there. If there was to be a rebellion, there would've been one by now. Asking for a rebellion is treachery in it self too. That's like pushing for a civil war like situation.

Everyone including Musharaf knows Emergency is not good for Pakistan or its Economy which Musharaf was boasting of turnaround.

Only reason to impose emergency was he feared Supreme Courts verdict if it had been declared then he would be left with no option but to quit Presidentship and role of general as he already appointed successor for him in Army.

Only reason of enforcing emergency is just to keep his seat as President and General.

I really pity members here who blindly accuse only Pakistani politicians for running only after seats and corruption whatever happening now in Pakistan is much more than corruption.

Tell me Musharf is single handely controlling Pakistan for eight years then why is he forced enforce Emergency now ? Basically he is losing peoples support without which he cannot survive for long soon he will face rebellion.

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

I still maintain even if a TV channel is conducting propaganda, it should be allowed to do so. Since curbing these things do not end there.

Under the PCO a 35 page notice has been issued to all TV channels. They will be allowed to be reopened as long as the President, the army and their actions such as the War on terror are not criticized.

Imagine that! Banning criticism!

Indeed, I have no quarrel in principle with what you say Asim, it is after all a slippery slope we would then be upon, one of relatavistic interpretations of what can and cannot be said. But I do not believe in absolute freedom of speech, especially when the exercise of such can cause material and physical harm to society - providing opportunities to advocate and justify terrorism goes beyond the pale of simply freedom of speech.

This was no matter of interpretation - the guilty had no qualms about boasting of their deeds, yet they were almost lionized in the press and media! The Americans and the West even do not resort to such shameless pandering of criminal activity under the guise of "freedom of speech", yet we seem obliged to play the "Islam card" and provide our "Muslim brothers" equal, and in most cases more airtime than those who are combatting them.

 

[Awesome]

AA, there's limits to every criticism. If someone incites violence through media, they can be jailed, even in the west. If such violence is wrong, things that destabilize society clearly need to be controlled. Is criticism of the WoT, the role of Pakistan leading to destabilization. It could be argued it is, because the suicide bombings are given some justification (that if it werent for the WoT, there wouldnt be this feeling). It's unprecedented in the West that people are targetting Army soldiers, but imagine if they did. It calls for more extreme measures. One of those measures must be to stop helping the Jihadists by criticizing the stance of governments WoT, when it did not/does not have any choice. I agree with the person who said it shows backbone to make the move. Obviously the US won't agree in kerbing media freedoms, but it's about time it happened. Pak journalists are for the most part too irresponsible to be able t report whatever they like.

Nobody is preventing the government to state its own case in the media either. If WoT is being criticized, the government can come and praise WoT. The criticism against WoT... War is must. Pakistan is not the first country to criticize it's government's involvement in War.

By this standard, America should have hung Jane Fonda, Beatles, Pink Floyd, Led Zep. I don't think anyone in the media has said, "This war is wrong so please go attack the army". They have said "This war is wrong, so army please stop attacking others". I'm not saying the war was wrong or the Army attacked the wrong people, I'm just saying it's everyone's RIGHT to say so.

That's why:

They have banned the Constitution but kept around the constitutional bodies Parliament, Senate and the 'new and improved' judiciary. But the fundamental rights that the constitution grants to every common citizen has been banned.

 

[Awesome]

Indeed, I have no quarrel in principle with what you say Asim, it is after all a slippery slope we would then be upon, one of relatavistic interpretations of what can and cannot be said. But I do not believe in absolute freedom of speech, especially when the exercise of such can cause material and physical harm to society - providing opportunities to advocate and justify terrorism goes beyond the pale of simply freedom of speech.

This was no matter of interpretation - the guilty had no qualms about boasting of their deeds, yet they were almost lionized in the press and media! The Americans and the West even do not resort to such shameless pandering of criminal activity under the guise of "freedom of speech", yet we seem obliged to play the "Islam card" and provide our "Muslim brothers" equal, and in most cases more airtime than those who are combatting them.

Go through the bold parts of the text I quoted. In both cases he has curbed his own and the government's criticism. Anything you say against them would be filed under ridicule and defamation and you'll face the iron hand of the law.

The text tries to shroud this part under the pretenses of trying to curb violence emanating through free speech (lol with guns, grenades, suicide bombers around our midst, our government decides to attack big mouths). In both the ordinances that part has been kept in the middle.

You can't say anything against the government no matter what.

 

[EagleEyes]

Associated Press of Pakistan - Text of ordinance on electronic media



The bolded part is what is the problem. You should be able to criticize the head of state or any part of the government. If it results in defamation and ridicule, so be it.

Asim,

Does it mean that media cannot do that in the period of emergency or is it already part of the law?

 

[A.Rahman]

He also issued two ordinances toughening media laws, including a ban on live television broadcasts of "incidents of violence and conflict." Also, TV operators who "ridicule" the president, armed forces, or executive, legislative or judicial organs of the state can be punished with three years in jail.

This is unheard of, now everyone will know for sure that Pakistan is being ruled by a dictator. It would undo any economic benefits we had.