Harrassment of journalist

Memon promises investigation

By Khalid Hasan

NEW YORK: Pakistan’s information minister Nisar Memon has promised to personally investigate reports that Amir Mateen, a senior journalist, was being harassed by unidentified persons and intelligence agencies and being pressured to “mend his ways.”

He told a small group of Pakistani journalists covering the President’s visit to New York which begins Wedenesday when he arrives from Chicago that he would personally investigate Amir Mateen’s complaint that he was being threatened by anonymous persons and being followed by what obviously were intelligence agency operatives. There were four-wheel drive vehicles parked outside his home and his phone calls were being monitored. He had been pelted with threatening phone calls as well and he was being told that if he did not mend his ways, he would suffer horrible consequences. Mateen said these threats were emanating from official agencies to pressure him to stop writing articles critical of the government and some of its functionaries like Dr Nasim Ashraf, chairman of the national human development commission.

Memon said he would be calling information secretary Anwar Mahmood and if anything like what was being alleged happening, he would see to it that an immediate stop was put to it. He said this was a government that tolerated criticism and what had been reported by Mateen was not consistent with the style of the Musharraf administration. He said the government respected dissent and there was freedom of the press in Pakistan.

Pak journalists condemn: US-based Pakistani journalist have condemned the harrassment by Pakistani intelligence and law enforcement agencies of Amir Mateen, a senior Islamabad journalist, and asked President Pervez Musharraf to intervene to put a stop to it.

Journalists slam harassment

Staff Report

LAHORE: Journalists’ unions and human rights groups last night accused government agencies of pursuing a vicious harassment campaign against senior reporter Amir Mateen, and warned of dire consequences if action were not taken to investigate.

The President of the Pakistani Federal Union of Journalists, IH Rashid warned that the Government’s reputation was at stake. The Director of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, IA Rehman told the Daily Times that his group would investigate the matter after receiving formal complaints lodged by Mr Mateen.

The president of the Punjab Union of Journalists Usman Bin Ahmad warned that hunger strikes would go ahead if the demands were not met. The PUJ’s Dastoori Group President Jallilur Rehman insisted that shedding light on government agency practices was vital to shield journalists from threats made by high-level officials. Lahore Press Club President Moeen Azhar said that whoever was ultimately responsible for the covert campaign must be dealt with in the most severe terms, in order to protect the integrity of the press in future.

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