Pakistan ranks 158th at global press freedom index

• Report terms militants and military a threat to Pakistani journalists

• India and Bangladesh ranked at 140th and 146th positions out of 180 countries

ONLINE-

Pakistan has been ranked at 158th position out of 180 countries on the global press freedom index report issued by a France-based international non-profit, non-governmental organization working for the promotion of information and press freedom on Wednesday.

The report by Reporters without Borders (Reporters Sans Frontières in French) mentioned the killings of seven Pakistani journalists during the last year, four of which died in the turbulent province of Balochistan.

The Pakistani government was blamed for its failure to rein in the extremist elements including the Taliban insurgents who have been a continuing threat to the journalists in the country.

The report also mentioned the political government’s incapability to control the military apparatus, which international observers describe as a “state within the state.”

“While armed groups pose the biggest threat to Pakistani journalists, the intelligence agencies, especially Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), continue to represent a danger. Journalists who dare to speak out accuse the military of spying on media personnel, abducting them, torturing them and even murdering them,” said the report.

Neighbouring rival India has been ranked at 140 by the RWB report.
The report said that a record number of eight journalists and one media worker were killed in India in 2013.

Half of these deaths were premeditated killings.

“This was twice the 2012 death toll and more than the death toll in Pakistan, long the world’s deadliest country for media personnel,” it said.

The report added that in India, criminal organizations, security forces, demonstrators and armed groups pose a threat to the journalistic society.

“The violence and the resulting self-censorship is encouraged by the lack of effective investigations by local authorities, who are often quick to abandon them, and inaction on the part of the federal authorities,” read the report.

The report has termed 2013 as grim year for freedom of information in Bangladesh as well, which was ranked at 146th position in the index.

Independent bloggers, especially those covering the trials of former political leaders accused of war crimes during the 1971 independence war, have been the targets of constant attacks.

Ahmed Rajib Haider, died in an attack while Asif Mohiuddin was stabbed by Islamist activists who accused him of blasphemy and insulting the Prophet.

Journalists were targeted by police as well as rioting protesters during a series of demonstrations from May to October to demand a blasphemy law, the report mentioned.

Finland, Netherlands and Norway headed the list while Turkmenistan, North Korea and Eritrea occupied the last three positions in the 2014 Press Freedom Index.