Dozens of senior Pakistani journalists have signed the statement some of us put together, below, expressing unity and solidarity with each other in today’s divisive times. Many of us have associations with different companies, and we will not let ourselves be used against each other. Note: More endorsements are expected, but until they come in, given that it’s World Press Freedom Day, we thought it appropriate to share this now, and add more names later as they come in.
Joint statement of solidarity by senior Pakistani journalists against censorship, urging media unity against threats and attacks
To: The owners of all media companies, Pakistan:
From: Senior journalists associated with various Pakistani media companies
Through this joint statement, we the undersigned, express solidarity with the Pakistani media and working journalists, and stand against any proposed ban on any television or radio channel or newspaper.
We also urge the media owners to rise above their corporate interests and rivalries and work together against threats to and attacks upon journalists in Pakistan.
The shameful divisions in the Pakistani media are not only making journalists more vulnerable to attack and weakening our fight for justice, truth and democracy but also making us a spectacle for the world to see.
We urge the media owners/ companies to:
Support written policies / codes of ethics for the journalism work of their companies incorporating best practices on ethical journalism.
Promote policies and mechanisms that reduce the expanding margins of risks to the safety of journalists and discourage unnecessary risk taking that endanger lives in the absence of written guidelines
Support efforts for appointment of special prosecutor(s), at the federal and provincial levels, along with necessary resources, dedicated to investigating and prosecuting cases of threats against media houses and attacks against journalists
Unite in support of any journalist who is attacked or threatened, as if he or she is one of their own, even if associated with a rival company.
Endorsed (alphabetically, more endorsements expected):
Absar Alam, Aaj News; formerly Special Correspondent/Deputy Editor, The Nation
Adnan Farooq,co-editor, Viewpoint Online
Afia Salam, freelance journalist; formerly with Dawn, Star, The Cricketer, Newsline, Aurora, Slogan
Ahfaz ur Rahman, Magazine Editor, daily Express, former President Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ)
Ahmad Waleed, Controller News, Samaa TV
Anwer Sen Roy, BBC World Service (Urdu) London
Asma Shirazi, senior anchor, analyst Dawn News Islamabad, formerly with Geo, Samaa, ARY
Alefia T. Hussain, Consulting Editor, The News on Sunday
Amar Sindhu, freelance writer, columnist, Kawish
Asad Hashim, Web Correspondent, Al Jazeera English
Asha’ar Rehman, Resident Editor Lahore, Dawn
Ayesha Siddiqa, freelance columnist, analyst
Babar Ayaz, Journalist and Author
Babar Sattar, Columnist, Dawn (formerly at The News); Co-host Siasat Aur Qanoon, Express TV
Badar Alam, Editor, The Herald, Dawn group
Bahzad Alam Khan, Editor, Metro & South, Dawn
Beena Sarwar, Editor Aman ki Asha, Jang Group, formerly with Star, The Frontier Post
Bina Shah, writer and columnist
Farah Zia, Editor, The News on Sunday
Farooq Sulehria, co-editor, Viewpoint Online
Farrukh Khan Pitafi, PTV anchor, columnist for Express Tribune, Rozanama Dunya
Husain Naqi, former editor The News Lahore, Sajjan (Punjabi)
I. A. Rehman, freelance contributor, former editor Pakistan Times
Javed Soomro, Senior Broadcast Journalist BBC Urdu TV, formerly with The News, Friday Times
Jugnu Mohsin, Publisher & Managing Editor, The Friday Times
Kamran Rehmat, Columnist; former Editor, The News; Res. Editor, Express Tribune; News Editor, Dawn News; Political Analyst Al Jazeera Online
Kamran Shafi, columnist, Express Tribune, formerly Dawn, News
Khalid Chaudhry, freelance journalist; formerly Editor Daily Aajkal, Chief editor Daily Musawaat, editor daily Nia Akhbar
Khurram Husain, freelance journalist, columnist, Dawn, formerly Express Tribune
Kiran Nazish, Journalist, currently at The New York Times
Malik Siraj Akbar, Editor-in-chief The Baloch Hal; former Bureau Chief Balochistan, Daily Times
Marvi Sirmed, columnist, The Nation
Masood Ashar writer, columnist Daily Jang; Editor Mashal Books, former Editor Daily Imroze
Mazhar Abbas, former secretary general, Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ)
Mehmal Sarfraz, Deputy Secretary General, SAFMA
Mohammad Taqi, columnist, Daily Times
Mosharraf Zaidi, Columnist, The News
Muneeb Farooq, Senior Anchor, Geo
Murtaza Solangi, journalist, former Director General, Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation
Najam Sethi, Editor, The Friday Times
Nasim Zehra, Anchor/Columnist, Capital TV; formerly with Dunya TV, News, Nation
Nasir Jamal, Chief Reporter, Dawn Newspaper
Naziha Syed Ali, assistant editor, Dawn, former assistant editor, Newsline
Omar R. Qureshi, Op-ed Editor Express Tribune; formerly with Dawn, The News
Owais Tohid, freelancer, former: Exec. Director Dunya, Dir. News Geo English, Sr Exec. Director ARY
Raza Rumi, Consulting Editor, The Friday Times
Sabir Nazar, Editorial cartoonist, The Friday Times, Express Tribune
Sahar Ali, blogger, columnist, formerly with Panos South Asia
Sahar Habib Ghazi, Deputy Editor Global Voices
Sana Saleem, blogger, Director, Bolo Bhi
Shaheen Qureshi, Group Editor Coordination, Jang Group
Sirmed Manzoor, Gen. Sec. SAFMA – Pakistan; freelance columnist; formerly with The News and The Frontier Post
Talat Aslam, Senior Editor, The News, formerly with The Herald
Zaman Khan, columnist, Mashriq, former bureau chief Faisalabad, The Frontier Post
Zarrar Khuhro, Assistant Editor (magazines), Dawn Media Group
Zubeida Mustafa, Columnist, Pakistan Herald Publications Ltd
