Memon warns ex-servicemen, media to behave
03 February, 2008
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HYDERABAD: Caretaker Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Nisar Memon has asked ex-servicemen and media to remain within their limits, otherwise action could be taken against them, Geo News reported.
He said any channel that will violate code of conduct would be closed down.
Agencies add: He said ex-servicemen society was a welfare body, as such it should concentrate on welfare of retired servicemen. He said if they were so anxious to indulge in politics, they should enter into it lawfully.
The minister said this during inauguration of Sindhi Service of the state news agency at a local hotel, and later talking to newsmen at Circuit House and at the Press Club on Saturday.
He said President Musharraf was elected with a heavy mandate and un-elected ex-servicemen were polluting the environment of free elections through their irresponsible statements.
He said the ex-servicemen should form a political party before “claiming or demanding” anything. He said the constitution allowed them full freedom to form a political party. He castigated ‘elements’ for trying to create a situation right in the middle of the election process.
Nisar Memon claimed President Musharraf has given freedom to the media, adding earlier it had been working under black laws of General Ayub Khan era.
He said the present government has also made Radio Pakistan, PTV and APP free, which are now giving full coverage to all political parties.
He said at present there were 80 private TV channels and 106 private radio stations working independently.
He said foreign media was trying to tarnish the image of Pakistan through wrong propaganda. He said he was happy that the Pakistani media was replying to them in a befitting manner to prove that the media in Pakistan was free.
The minister said that the foreign visit of President Musharraf was successful. He said the president convinced the Western leaders that the elections would be free, fair and transparent.
He said the caretaker government was not interfering in the election process and would hand over power to the party winning a majority.
He termed the assassination of PPP leader Benazir Bhutto a great tragedy. He said Benazir’s murder investigation was being carried out by Scotland Yard and Pakistani police.
He said President Musharraf paid homage to her by declaring three-day official mourning.
To a question, Nisar Memon called deposed and detained Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry a security risk.
He said the retired chief justice would remain under ‘protection’, until he gives an assurance that he would not create security problems.
He said whenever a country adopted an independent foreign policy it was subjected to external pressures, which was what was being faced by Pakistan.
To a question about nuclear technology, he said journalists and the media had already been briefed about the issue and should be assured that nuclear assets were in safe and sound command and control custody.
He denied having any information about President Musharraf’s alleged meeting with the Israeli defence minister, and also expressed his ignorance about a number of cases and persons against whom FIRs had been registered for riots in the wake of Benazir Bhutto’s assassination.
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