APD | Pakistan’s plan to hold media courts criticized

By APD writer Rishika Chauhan

According to reports, the Pakistani government's plan to start special media courts has been criticized intensely on the ground that such an arrangement would be a violation of freedom of speech.

Last week, a government spokesperson Firdous Ashiq Awan said that special tribunals would be constituted to hear cases against media and would be supervised by higher courts.

Awan further said through twitter, “The whole process will be a true reflection of laws and high democratic values,” explaining that the new courts would take care of the judicial standards and would be faster.

A Reuters report quoted Hameed Haroon, the president of All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) explaining, “Special courts aimed at intimidating and strangulating the media and freedom of expression are not only unconstitutional but also contrary to the spirit of democracy.”

APNS further said that the day of the announcement was a “black day for the Pakistani media”.

Responding, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) said it was “alarmed”, by the recent report of imposing restrictions on the media through a court.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)