http://www2.irna.ir/en/news/view/menu-236/0711077540164518.htm
Wednesday November 07, 2007 SAFMA slams Musharraf for suppression of mass media in Pakistan New Delhi, Nov 7, IRNA India-SAFMA-Pakistan Slamming the Pervez Musharraf government for the suppression of mass media in Pakistan, the South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA) today asked the journalist fraternity of the country to fight for freedom of expression. The SAFMA expressed shock at the illegal detention of its founding secretary general Imtiaz Alam and asked Pakistan to refrain from attempting to muzzle the media of the country. "The SAFMA is shocked by the sudden and illegal detention of its founding Secretary General Alam... We condemn the detention of Alam for over 36 hours, without furnishing any charges and keeping him incommunicado," a statement signed by seven presidents of SAFMA said here, a PTI report said. Concerned over the "general adverse" conditions for the Pakistan mass media under the enforcement of emergency rule, the SAFMA said the Pakistan government should refrain from attempting to muzzle the media and thereby depriving the citizens of their due right to information and freedom of expression. "We call on Pakistan to respect international standards of freedom of expression and information and media rights and to desist from actions that suppress the functioning of media enterprises and channels," the presidents, including India's K K Katyal, said. The SAFMA said the emergency rule resulted in widespread violation of human rights through mass arrests of lawyers, right activists and journalists and other professionals. "Suppression of political activity and the abuse of human rights and democratic norms will not help attain the goal of eliminating terror," he said.
