DATE=5/10/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-249193
TITLE=U-S / PAK PRESS REACT (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=SCOTT ANGER
DATELINE=ISLAMABAD
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THE UNITED STATES HAS CONDEMNED PAKISTAN OVER THE RECENT
CRACKDOWN ON JOURNALISTS CRITICAL OF THE GOVERNMENT. AS
CORRESPONDENT SCOTT ANGER REPORTS FROM ISLAMABAD, WASHINGTON IS
CALLING FOR THE RELEASE OF TWO JOURNALISTS BEING HELD WITHOUT
FORMAL CHARGES BY THE PAKISTANI GOVERNMENT.
TEXT: IN A WRITTEN STATEMENT, THE STATE DEPARTMENT SAYS THE
RECENT CRACKDOWN ON JOURNALISTS IN PAKISTAN IS UNACCEPTABLE, AND
RAISES SERIOUS DOUBTS ABOUT THE COMMITMENT OF THE GOVERNMENT TO
FREEDOM OF THE PRESS AND THE RULE OF LAW.
THE U-S GOVERNMENT SAYS DURING THE PAST TWO-WEEKS, JOURNALISTS
HAVE BEEN MISTREATED, THREATENED, AND ARRESTED ON TRUMPED-UP
CHARGES.
ONE OF THOSE UNDER ARREST IS PROMINENT NEWSPAPER EDITOR NAJAM
SETHI, A SHARP CRITIC OF PRIME MINISTER NAWAZ SHARIF'S
GOVERNMENT. HIS NEWSPAPER "THE FRIDAY TIMES" HAS PUBLISHED
ARTICLES ACCUSING GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS OF CORRUPT PRACTICES, SUCH
AS TAX EVASION AND DEFAULTS ON LOANS WORTH MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
SPOKESMAN FOR THE U-S EMBASSY IN ISLAMABAD LEE JAMES IRWIN SAYS
THE EDITOR SHOULD BE RELEASED IMMEDIATELY.
/// IRWIN ACT ///
THE IMMEDIATE CONCERN IS THAT NAJAM SETHI BE RELEASED --
AS WELL AS OTHER WHO ARE BEING HELD -- AND TO TERMINATE
THE CRACKDOWN IN GENERAL.
/// END ACT ///
PAKISTAN'S GOVERNMENT HAS ACCUSED MR. SETHI OF HAVING LINKS WITH
INDIAN INTELLIGENCE AGENTS.
BUT HIS WIFE, A FELLOW JOURNALIST, SAYS HE WAS ARRESTED FOR
GIVING AN INTERVIEW TO THE "BRITISH BROADCASTING CORPORATION" FOR
A FILM DOCUMENTARY PROFILING ALLEGED CORRUPTION BY PRIME MINISTER
SHARIF AND HIS RELATIVES.
THE EDITOR'S ARREST FOLLOWS A SERIES OF INCIDENTS OF HARASSMENT
AGAINST JOURNALISTS CRITICAL OF THE GOVERNMENT. ANOTHER "FRIDAY
TIMES" WRITER, HUSSAIN HAQQANI, DISAPPEARED FOR MORE THAN
24-HOURS LAST WEEK BEFORE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS ACKNOWLEDGED HIS
ARREST. NO FORMAL CHARGES HAVE BEEN BROUGHT AGAINST MR. HAQQANI
AND NO ONE OUTSIDE THE GOVERNMENT HAS SEEN HIM SINCE THE ARREST.
OTHER JOURNALISTS HAVE HAD CARS BURNED AND BEEN DETAINED BY
INTELLIGENCE AGENTS.
THE UNITED STATES SAYS IT WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE SITUATION
CLOSELY -- AND THE NEW-YORK BASED "COMMITTEE TO PROTECT
JOURNALISTS", WHICH HAS WRITTEN A LETTER OF PROTEST TO PRIME
MINISTER SHARIF, SAYS IT IS PLANNING TO LODGE ANOTHER PROTEST
SOON. (SIGNED)
NEB/SA/RAE
10-May-99 2:09 PM EDT (1809 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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