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Javed Jabbar assures press of expression freedom

PESHAWAR: Adviser to the Chief Executive on National Affairs, Information and Media Development Javed Jabbar has reiterated government's resolve to emancipate press from clutches and ensure expression of opinion free from melancholy.

Expressing his views at the Peshawar Press Club (PPC) programme "Meet the Press" on Thursday, Javed Jabbar said," no government in the past, including the elected governments, have ever ensured so much press freedom, rather overt and covert pressures were exerted against it. But we do not believe in any pressure to subvert civil liberties and expression of opinion, we initiated debate on the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) on the TV net work since January 30, with a view to giving chance to the general public to assess the positive and negative impacts of signing or otherwise of the treaty. So far five such discussions have been held on the subject, wherein some of the participants have opposed the idea of signing the treaty while some have supported".

No military rule have ever unleashed civil liberties in the past, he maintained.

He, however, said decision on the subject would be taken after taking all its pros and cons into consideration and general consensus. He said the government respected the public opinion.

He said the government had decided to start issuing licences for Cable TV so as to benefit the common man of the access to TV programmes and TV, Radio stations would be allowed in the private sector.

He told a questioner that the government would keep the dignity, prestige and honour of the country and the nation above all other considerations and would never cow down before any pressure including economic pressure.

"We are setting trends to give a specific direction to the nation", he remarked.

Earlier, PPC President Suhail Qalandar, while narrating the problems of the mediamens demanded implementation of the 6th Wage Board Award in the newspaper industry and constitution of 7th Wage Board. He, complained that some newspapers in Peshawar were not even giving appointment letters to its employees. He appreciated the provincial government's policy to declare some local newspapers dummy. He, however, expressed concern over the provision of advertisements to such newspapers by the Press Information Department. APP