|
SOUTH Asian Free Media Association and South Asia
Media Commission have condemned a suicide attack
at the Peshawar Press Club as “outrageous”.
“The blast, which occurred following a string of
threats, is an attempt at undermining independent
reporting through coercion,” said SAFMA Secretary
General Mr. Imtiaz Alam and SAMC Chairman Mr. N.
Ram and Secretary General Mr. Najam Sethi in a
joint statement.
 “Journalists, especially those in the NWFP and
tribal areas, face extraordinary risks,
difficulties and challenges. There is little room
to operate neutrally. Their houses are attacked in
retaliation for their reporting. Many other
journalists have been forced to flee,” they said.
“This attack should be an eye-opener for those who
have been apologetic towards such incidents of
terrorism,” they said.
They asked the government to bring the
perpetrators of the attack and predators of media
freedom to task.
The SAFMA and SAMC officeholders also urged media
employers to have their staff working in the high
risk zone insured. “News organizations should
equip all staff deployed in hostile environments
with training and equipment that meets
internationally recognized standards,” they said.
“Still a vast majority of reporters are left to
fend for themselves. Even full-time staff members
for prominent, profit-making news organizations
are sent into the field without insurance and
protective equipment,” they lamented.
BACK
|
