00:00In Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Balkistan, claims of press freedom
00:05and free expression remained hollow.
00:08On World Press Freedom Day, suppression by the Pakistani military persists, prompting
00:14exile leaders to protest against what they call Islamabad's repressive policies.
00:20As we observe International Journalism Day, we should not forget the plight of and struggle
00:28of the people of Pakistani-occupied Gilgit-Balkistan and the people of Pakistani-occupied Jammu
00:36and Kashmir.
00:37And more so, we should not forget how the stranglehold of PID, Press and Information Department,
00:47based on Islamabad, which is a federal organization, a federal institute, controls media.
00:55The people of Gilgit-Balkistan and Pakistani-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, we should not forget them
01:03for the simple reason that they are denied not only genuine information in the media, in
01:12their local press, but moreover, they are denied of alternate views in their opinion pages,
01:23in their editorial pages, or someone who wants to write an article about the real causes of
01:34the split of the state of Jammu and Kashmir.
01:39Journalism in Pakistan and its occupied territories has long faced strict control and pressure.
01:46Media, especially print, is regulated through the Information Department, PID.
01:51Influenced by Inter-Services, Public Relations or ISPR, exile leaders have raised concerns over
01:59the worsening state of media freedom.
02:03The people of Gilgit-Balkistan have heard about this issue.
02:07The people of Gilgit-Balkistan have heard about this,
02:08in terms of writing and the social media is not only a freedom of expression,
02:17but also a freedom of journalism, a freedom of journalism.
02:19And today, the press freedom day, the people of Gilgit-Balkistan Union of Journalists
02:26or Skardoo Press Club
02:27or Gilgit Union of Journalists
02:29has raised a sound about this.
02:32Pakistan's ranking is 153rd
02:34in the world's access to the country
02:35which is Reporters Without Borders,
02:37Human Rights Watch, Freedom House,
02:40International Federation of Journalists
02:41has said that
02:44there is no freedom of journalism
02:47in Pakistan.
02:50Despite official claims,
02:52journalists and activists in Pakistan
02:54and its occupied regions
02:56continue to report censorship,
02:59institutional control
03:00and shrinking space for independent media,
03:04raising serious questions
03:05about democratic accountability.
Comments