Guwahati: The Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) urged the Pakistani military authority to respect media persons while expressing relief at the release of senior television personality Ammad Yousaf by a Karachi-based civil court on Thursday.
The director (news) of popular ARY News was arrested on Wednesday for making an anti-Pakistan army remark. During the night, a group of armed personnel in plain clothes picked up the energetic newsman from his home in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi.
Allegations framed against Yousaf were based on a news item that was telecast by ARY News, where it perpetually asked the lower-level armed personnel to disobey orders of top military officers.
The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority described it as a serious concern because the comment appeared to be aimed at inciting mutiny in the name of a political squabble between the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.
The authority also issued a warning to ARY digital network Chief Salman Iqbal, as well as anchors Arshad Sharif and Khawar Ghuman.
Yousaf’s arrest was condemned by the media across South Asia as an act of victimisation. They demanded that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif intervene immediately to stop the heinous act. The government even blocked the transmission of ARY News.
However, the court ordered that its transmission be resumed across the country.
PEC President Blaise Lempen urged the Islamabad-based government to uphold the press freedom pledged by Prime Minister Sharif when he assumed office.