Press Release
Please creed the following news item and oblige.
“The All Pakistan Newspapers Society convened today an emergency session chaired by APNS President Hameed Haroon in response to what was described as an ‘astonishing and ill-conceived’ resolution on the state of Pakistani media passed late last week by the Punjab Assembly.
While rejecting in its totality the controversial 9th July resolution, publishers at the packed session described the contents of the resolution scandalising national media as ‘a crude attempt to divert public attention’ from the ‘unseemly’ number of fake graduation degree-holders present in the Punjab legislature.
APNS members were also of the unanimous opinion that the Punjab government had failed to institute timely security measures to prevent the Data Darbar mayhem in Lahore. Rather than reflecting upon this failure, the legislature had resorted instead to demonstrating ‘an inability to assume responsibility in response to the subsequent public outrage.’ ‘The virtual absence of parliamentary oversight demonstrates an unforgivable criminal neglect. Why chose this very moment to blame the national media for your own failures?’ was the question rhetorically posed by the APNS President.
“The burning issue today is the unbecoming conduct of the Punjab legislature. Why attack freedom of the press, when upon oath, you have undertaken as members of the Punjab Assembly, to defend Article 19 to the fullest?” the APNS President concluded in his address.
APNS members - as per the resolution unanimously passed at the emergency session - felt ‘embittered’ at ‘the self-serving allegations’ hurled by the members of the Punjab legislature, with respect to ‘regional and ethnic discrimination’ and ‘irresponsible reporting prompted by vested interests’ in the national media. Meanwhile the Punjab Chief Minister, the Speaker and the government benches - representing both the PML (N) and PPP – and ‘even’ the opposition PML (Q) – ‘collectively - as if by prior arrangement - observed a silent acquiescence’ during the passage of the resolution.
The APNS resolution unreservedly declares: “The Punjab Assembly - in its transgression of constitutional proprieties and by virtue of an irresponsible conduct - has demonstrated that it - rather than the national press - represents a threat to a smooth progression of the democratic ethic.”
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