Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz’s interview with Hum News’ Nadeem Malik was pulled off air “forcefully” a minutes after the broadcast, tweeted Nadeem Malik.
“Just came to know Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s interview has been stopped forcefully just [a] few minutes after it started live,” said Malik in a statement.
#NadeemMalikLive #Pakistan #HumNews @pmln_org @MaryamNSharif pic.twitter.com/yqBPtP5yk1
— Nadeem Malik (@nadeemmalik) July 11, 2019
According to a statement issued by the TV channel the media house considers protecting “freedom of expression is one of our core values”.
“Hum News believes in a free and responsible media, at the same time, we stand for the respect and dignity of [the] judiciary in line with our ethical values and the constitution,” it added.
#HumNews firmly believes in a free & responsible media. Protecting #FreedomOfExpression is one of our core values. At the same time, we stand for the respect & dignity of judiciary in line with our ethical values & the constitution. #PressFreedom
— HUM News (@humnewspakistan) July 11, 2019
There has been increasing censorship over the past month, with three TV channels —AbbTakk TV, 24 News, and Capital TV — being taken off air this week. All had their broadcasts cut after screening a press conference by Maryam Nawaz.
The Reporters Without Borders (RSF), a global media watchdog, described the outage as an act of “brazen censorship”.
It slammed the local authorities over the removal of three television channels from the country’s airwaves, saying the move was “indicative of disturbing dictatorial tendencies” as pressure mounts on journalists in Pakistan.
