Vigil for media freedom against PEMRA ordinances

KARACHI, Dec 8:

For the third consecutive Saturday, the People's Resistance held a vigil at the Karachi Press Club as part of the ongoing protest against restrictions on media through the Pemra Ordinance 2007, the forced ban on shows, presenters, channels and radio programmes. While some media companies have been forced to conform to restrictions and demands, others continue to resist government pressure at great cost.

FM 103 was recently restored after a month but all channels of Geo TV continue to be blocked in Pakistan and the Sindh High Court dismissed as 'non-maintanable under the PCO' Geo's petition to allow at least its non-news channels back on air. Royal TV, closed along with the other channels on Nov 3 is also yet to be restored.

The People's Resistance stands with the journalists in their ongoing struggle for media freedom against all irritants, including recent amendments in PEMRA ordinance and RPPO, and restrictions on private TV channels and on their editorial content.

Citizens were invited to express their peaceful defiance and join journalists to individually light candles symbolic of the human freedom of thought and expression in the darkness imposed by the martial law-emergency. Participants of the vigil, including children, stamped their hand-prints on a white banner, symbolic of their support and salute to the organizations, journalists, writers, and staff who are standing for freedom of expression.