Citizens’ response: Thank you Mr Siddiqi…

From: Dr Kamran Iqbal (cc’d to signatories below) Date: Sat, 28 Jan 2012 To: Zafar Siddiqi Dear Mr Siddiqi, Thank you for your prompt and courageous response. We appreciate the moral courage of SAMAA TV’s stance. We hope you will continue to lead by example in developing a code of ethics and directives, which you [...]

Media ethics: Samaa TV’s response to citizens’ feedback and Maya Khan’s refusal to apologise

Following the citizens’ campaign expressing outrage at a Samaa TV morning show’s intrusive and unethical programming, and the host  Maya Khan’s refusal to apologise unconditionally, the channel is taking her show off the air and terminating her contract. BELOW: CEO Samaa TV Zafar Siddiqi’s letter in response to our email to him yesterday. This is [...]

Citizens’ response to Zafar Siddiqi, President CNBC Pakistan & CEO Samaa TV

On Tue, Jan 24, 2012 at 12:05 AM, <Zafar Siddiq> wrote: Dear All I have travelled to Khi to look at this matter and yesterday Maya apologised in her program for this. I can assure this will never happen again. Samaa is a progressive channel. There are certain other directives that have been put into place as [...]

Samaa TV’s apology and Maya Khan’s smiling (not) apology

So after all the public pressure, Samaa TV apologises, says the programme that was broadcast (moral policing, intrusion of privacy) does not reflect their policy, and that it won’t happen again. The anchor says that the programme host Maya Khan has also apologised – but the apology we are then shown is no apology. Sitting [...]

No to vigil-aunties: thousands protest media’s moral policing in Pakistan

A morning show broadcast in Pakistan on Jan 17, 2012, on Samaa, a Pakistani television channel, has catalysed what could well be the beginning of a media consumer rights movement. In the show, Subah Saverey Maya kay Sath (Early Morning with Maya), the host Maya Khan, charges through a public park looking for dating couples [...]

‘Any attempts to dislodge parliament will be resisted’

National Dialogue on Challenges to Democracy and Role of Civil Society in Pakistan Joint Declaration: Any attempts to dislodge parliament will be resisted LAHORE, January 23, 2012: Civil society representative  and concerned  citizens (Intellectuals, legal activists, journalists, women, students trade union activists, religious minorities and academia) of Pakistan from all over the country shared their deep concerns [...]

RIP Mukarram Khan Atif, another journalist killed in Pakistan

Anguish and anger. Yet another journalist in Pakistan, Mukarram Khan Atif of Mohmand Agency, shot dead in cold-blood. The Taliban have claimed responsibility. They are out to eliminate our best, our brightest and our bravest. They will not succeed. Read Tazeen on how Atif helped her look “beyond the stereotype of a stern and unyielding tribesman with [...]

India-Pakistan prisoners – fishermen, POWs, and more

Below, my article on the India-Pakistan prisoners issue published in Aman ki Asha on Jan 11, 2012, followed by a correction from Sen. Iqbal Haider and further clarification from B.M. Kutty. Also please do read Shivam Vij’s thought-provoking and thorough report ‘Why is Gopal Das free and not Dr Chishty?‘, published in Aman ki Asha, and Anahita Mukherji’s report [...]

Khudai Khidmatgars: India launch Jan 20, 2012

The Khudai Khidmatgar (Red Shirts) movement will be launched in India on Jan 20, 2012, marking the 24th death anniversary of the ‘Sarhadi Gandhi’ Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, with a membership drive, and addresses by distinguished peace activists, writers and poets Date: January 20, 2012 Time: 3.30-5.30 pm, Place: 5 Tees January Marg New Delhi Contact: +91-9911292235 and [...]

Salmaan Taseer: The political context of a ‘religious’ assassination

My recent article for Viewpoint Online, published Jan 7, 2012: Salmaan Taseer: The political context of a ‘religious’ assassination Enforce rule of law, expose hypocrisy of the Taliban mentality Just over a year ago, Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer was assassinated in the most cowardly manner by a government-assigned security guard. Mumtaz Qadri, a member of [...]