Major Pakistan newspaper under government pressure
{{date|March 28, 2007}}
{{Pakistan}}

The publisher [[w:Dawn Group of Newspapers|Dawn Group]] has been under increasing pressure from the government to stop negative coverage of events happening on the troubled [[Pakistan]]-[[Afghanistan]] border as well as recent events in the troubled province of [[w:Balochistan (Pakistan)|Balochistan]].

A series of emails written last week by [[w:Hameed Haroon|Hameed Haroon]], the managing CEO of Dawn Goup and Pakistan's biggest English language newspaper, the [[w:Dawn (newspaper)|''Dawn'']], have been circulated over the Internet. The emails allege that the government is depriving the newspaper of advertising revenue as a means of placing increasing pressure on it.

Mr. Haroon wrote, "It has always been difficult for governments to coexist with a free and independent press in Pakistan. Of late, however, the government headed by President Musharraf has become increasingly intolerant towards criticism in the press and towards the publishing of news that reflects poorly on the performance of his government on security matters." according to ''AsiansInMedia.org''.

The allegations came recently after the offices of the [[w:Geo TV|Geo TV]] network and its affiliates, a media group unrelated to Dawn Group, were stormed by Islamabad police while the network was airing live video coverage of unrest caused by the dismissal of Chief Justice [[w:Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry|Iftikhar Chaudhry]].

The [[w:President of Pakistan|President of Pakistan]] [[Pervez Musharraf]] has denied his government is targeting the media, and in the controversy sparked by the revelations insisted that he supports press freedom. "I granted freedom which the (Pakistani) media enjoys today," he said in a speech delivered Saturday in Pakpattan.

==Related==
*{{wikinews|title=Pakistan's judicial crisis deepens as police attack and seal private news channel|date=March 18, 2007}}
*{{wikinews|title=Protests in Pakistan as Chief Justice appears before judges' panel|date=March 13, 2007}}

== Sources ==
*{{source|url=http://www.asiansinmedia.org/news/article.php/publishing/1584
|title=Pakistani newspaper Dawn complains of government censorship
|author=
|pub= AsiansInMedia.org
|date=March 27, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://pakistaniat.com/2007/03/27/pakistan-dawn-newspaper-pressure-letter-email-hameed-haroon/
|title=DAWN Under Pressure: Email From Hameed Haroon
|author=Adil Najam
|pub=All Things Pakistan
|date=March 27, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.pakistantimes.net/2007/03/18/top.htm 
|title=Musharraf Reiterates: Supremacy of Judiciary, Freedom of Media   
|author=Khawaja Ahsan Paul
|pub= Pakistan Times
|date=March 18, 2007}}

==External links==
* [http://pakistaniat.com/2007/03/27/pakistan-dawn-newspaper-pressure-letter-email-hameed-haroon/ '''Dawn''' Under Pressure: Email From Hameed Haroon]
* [http://www.geo.tv GEO tv] 

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Major Pakistan Newspaper Under Government Pressure}}
[[Category:Asia]]
[[Category:Pakistan]]
[[Category:Politics and conflicts]]
[[Category:Crime and law]]
[[Category:Journalism]]
[[Category:Pervez Musharraf]]
[[Category:Islamabad Capital Territory]]

[[fr:Pakistan : le « Dawn », principal quotidien du pays, subirait des pressions du gouvernement]][[Category:Islamabad]]
[[Category:Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry]]
The publisher Dawn Group has been under increasing pressure from the government to stop negative coverage of events happening on the troubled Pakistan-Afghanistan border as well as recent events in the troubled province of Balochistan.

A series of emails written last week by Hameed Haroon, the managing CEO of Dawn Goup and Pakistan's biggest English language newspaper, the Dawn, have been circulated over the Internet. The emails allege that the government is depriving the newspaper of advertising revenue as a means of placing increasing pressure on it.

Mr. Haroon wrote, "It has always been difficult for governments to coexist with a free and independent press in Pakistan. Of late, however, the government headed by President Musharraf has become increasingly intolerant towards criticism in the press and towards the publishing of news that reflects poorly on the performance of his government on security matters." according to AsiansInMedia.org.

The allegations came recently after the offices of the Geo TV network and its affiliates, a media group unrelated to Dawn Group, were stormed by Islamabad police while the network was airing live video coverage of unrest caused by the dismissal of Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry.

The President of Pakistan Pervez Musharraf has denied his government is targeting the media, and in the controversy sparked by the revelations insisted that he supports press freedom. "I granted freedom which the (Pakistani) media enjoys today," he said in a speech delivered Saturday in Pakpattan.

fr:Pakistan : le « Dawn », principal quotidien du pays, subirait des pressions du gouvernement
Asia Pakistan Politics and conflicts Crime and law Journalism Pervez Musharraf Islamabad Capital Territory Islamabad Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry