Journalist fraternity, legal experts condemn cancellation of ARY News NOC

The journalist fraternity and legal experts on Friday strongly condemned the cancellation of ARY News NOC by the Ministry of Interior without serving any notice.

The journalist fraternity and legal experts termed the government’s move as the ‘economic murder’ of the journalists’ families without giving the reasons behind the cancellation of the NOC.

Karachi Press Club (KPC) President Fazil Jamili said that such steps were not even taken in the worst scenario of martial laws in the country. He strongly condemned the savage step against ARY News by the federal government.

Fazil Jamili said that the Sindh High Court (SHC) issued clear directives and the government was going to create financial troubles for the thousands of media workers and their families amid the skyrocketing inflation.

READ: INTERIOR MINISTRY NOTIFIES CANCELLATION OF ARY NEWS NOC

He announced that journalists will record their strong protests across the country.

KPC Secretary Rizwan Bhatti said that the journalist fraternity will never accept the political and revengeful action against any TV channel.

He said that KPC office-bearers were standing side-by-side with the media workers of ARY News in the tough time and the press club will struggle to stop the economic murder of the journalists.

Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) President Afzal Butt said, “This day will be remembered as the Black Day in the history of Pakistani media. Economic murder of thousands of media workers is being committed.”

Afzal Butt said that such a situation was not even witnessed in the dictators’ era. He expressed surprise over the move to end the security clearance of a channel after 30 years. The PFUJ president asked the rulers to refrain from making such decisions.

READ: JOURNALISTS ACROSS COUNTRY PROTEST AGAINST ARY NEWS’ UNJUST SUSPENSION, AMMAD YOUSUF ARREST

Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) Secretary-General Rana Azeem said that the move has exposed the enmity of the current government with the journalist and thousands of media workers were unemployed.

“The government is planning the economic murder of the journalists,” said Azeem, adding that the interior minister Rana Sanaullah should immediately review the decision. He said that an emergency session of the PFUJ has been summoned. The PFUJ secretary general announced to approach the courts and the parliament against the decisions.

Senior lawyer Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan said that it is a legal requirement to issue a show-cause notice and listen to the reply in such decisions. Ahsan said that NOC cancellation could be challenged.

The senior lawyer said that the court will not take a long time to nullify the government’s decision of the NOC cancellation of ARY News. He said that the decision came under the contempt of the court as the SHC issued orders to not close the transmission of the channel.

READ: INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SPEAKS UP AGAINST ARY NEWS’ VICTIMIZATION

Senior lawyer Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan said that it is a legal requirement to issue a show-cause notice and listen to the reply in such decisions. Ahsan said that NOC cancellation could be challenged.

“The Ministry of Interior cannot end the security clearance of a channel in this way. The ministry will also have to clarify his position regarding the agency’s report and clarification can be sought.”

“It cannot be done in this way that a bureaucrat takes a decision solely to issue a notification of the NOC cancellation. The channel cannot be closed after the decision of the interior ministry. The decision of the NOC cancellation should be immediately challenged to the court,” said Aitzaz Ahsan.

Babar Awan said that the government has committed the economic murder of over 4,000 families of media workers. He added that it is needed to give reasons for the cancellation of the NOC and clarification is sought from the channel.

Awan said that the government was making attempts to suppress independent voices. He said that the move was apparently against the verdict of the Sindh High Court (SHC) and the government committed contempt of the court.

He condemned the cancellation of ARY News’ NOC and demanded the government to give clarification regarding its decision.

Legal expert Abuzar Salman Niazi said, “According to PEMRA law, a notice will be issued to seek a reply. The court will not take time to nullify the decision and such steps cannot be taken in a democracy. The NOC cancellation is an unconstitutional and illegal move.”

Legal experts said that NOC could not cancelled without the issuance of a show-cause notice.