Six journalists were slain in contract killings in 2007

Six journalists were slain in contract killings in 2007. One of them was a TV journalist who was killed in the first suicide bomb attack on former Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) chairwoman Benazir Bhutto in Karachi. A cameraman was killed when the security forces stormed the Lal Masjid in Islamabad. “Pakistan became the most dangerous Asian country for the media in 2007,” RSF underlined.
“RSF firmly condemns bombings against civilians, including journalists, and calls for the murders of journalists to be investigated.”
Report rejected: Pakistan Television (PTV) is directly controlled by the government and “systematically plays up the statements and activities of President Musharraf and other government leaders,” the report alleged.
“The legislative elections will not be free unless the government immediately rescinds the restrictions imposed on the media,” said the RSF. “The violence by the police and acts of intimidation by the intelligence services are also unacceptable.”
A spokesman of the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting rejected the RSF report terming it unrealistic, unreasonable, based on hearsay and contrary to the ground realities in Pakistan.
The spokesman said that the media in Pakistan was the freest ever in the history of the country. There is no censorship at all, the spokesman said, and wondered if any country would allow telecasting of rumours on the TV channels without any substance. But such instances of irresponsible reporting in Pakistan are many, the spokesman said. staff report/pr