In a panel discussion titled “Why is our freedom of expression being curbed”, representatives from the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) expressed concerns over the rapidly eroding space for freedom of expression in the country.
HRCP chairperson Dr Mehdi Hassan said that under Article 19 of the constitution of Pakistan all citizens were entitled to freedom of expression, with six conditions.
He said that it was the role of political parties to ensure that everyone especially journalist could have a level playing field to write and report freely on issues.
Human rights activist Husain Naqi said that space for freedom of expression was diminishing from the country.
He said that the government tolerated the disappearances of people, and now it had itself disappeared. He said that a “toothless commission” had been formed to find missing people but it could hold nobody accountable.
He further said that the rights to knowledge, dissent and free expression of ideas were essential to any democratic setup. Without the free flow of information and ideas there could be no informed discourse between citizens, leading to a further breeding of divisions and intolerance in society.
It was further highlighted that in recent months a range of measures have been implemented to restrict Pakistani media’s voice, using methods like clampdowns, stoppages, manipulation, enforcement of the draconian, Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016 and increasing intimidation of journalists.
HRCP representatives also condemned the recent 28-hour blackout of private news channels across Pakistan by Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), calling it an attempt to cover up the failure of the government’s Faizabad operation from the public and saying that it was a disproportionate unilateral action taken by a government body to silence the media’s voice.
They further said that enforced disappearances have included social media activists, news reporters, bloggers, journalists and human rights defenders, with the latest victim being Raza Khan, an Indo-Pak peace activist and convener of Aghaz-e-Dosti, who was picked up earlier this week.
“All such actions are clearly having a chilling effect on civil society’s ability to exercise its freedom of expression for fear of the serious repercussions for speaking out freely,” they said
In a statement issued on the eve of Human Rights Day, HRCP says, “In the lead up to the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 2018, HRCP believes that the shrinking space for freedom of expression in Pakistan is extremely disturbing. Stifling citizens’ freedom of expression will lead to the negation of all other human rights. “
It emphasised that the government needed to stop ignoring the prevailing situation and resist from being part of any repressive measures which threaten freedom of expression.
It also calls upon those responsible for expressing and disseminating information to the general public, especially mainstream media persons, to act responsibly and ethically to ensure that an impartial and objective viewpoint is presented, adding that they must not use the platforms they control for personal agendas nor be swayed by attempts at intimidation and coercion.
