By Nava Thakuria*
Karachi/Geneva: A Karachi-based civil court ordered the release of senior Pakistani television journalist Ammad Yousaf on August 11, 2022. He was the director (news) of popular ARY News and was arrested on Wednesday, August 10, 2022, over an anti-Pak army comment. The newsman was picked up by a group of armed personnel in plainclothes from his residence in the southern port city of Pakistan during night hours.
Allegations framed against Yousaf were based on a news item, telecast by ARY News, which perpetually asked the lower-level armed personnel to disobey orders of top military officers. Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority termed it as a matter of serious concern as the comment was seemingly aimed at mutiny in the name of a political tussle between the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (led by former Pakistan premier Imran Khan). The authority also warned ARY digital network chief Salman Iqbal along with anchors Arshad Sharif and Khawar Ghuman for the same.
Media persons across the south Asian nation condemned Yousaf’s arrest and termed it an act of victimization. They demanded immediate intervention by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif into the ‘shameful’ act. The government authority even prevented the transmission of ARY News.
However, the court directed for resumption of its transmission across the country. Blaise Lempen, president of PEC appealed to the Islamabad-based government to respect press freedom, which was committed by PM Sharif as he took over the responsibility.
Press Emblem Campaign (PEC), the Geneva-based global media safety and rights body, while expressing relief over the release of Yousaf, urged the Pakistani military authority to maintain respect for media persons.
Pakistan continues to be a dangerous country for working journalists as it has witnessed the killing of four journalists (Iftikhar Ahmed, Hasnain Shah, Murtaza Shar and Athar Mateen) and a number of incidents of media intimidation to date this year.
The same number of media casualties was also reported from its neighbour India as the large country lost Rohit Kumar Biswal, Sudhir Saini, Juned Khan Pathan and Subhash Kumar Mahato to assailants on January 1, 2022.
*Senior journalist
