Islamabad, (Parliament Times) : All Kashmir Newspapers Society (AKNS) has expressed serious concern over the government’s policy based on alleged retaliatory actions against senior journalists of Azad Kashmir and said that despite the passage of a week, the government has not implemented the proposed action against the journalists. There is no explanation for the news of reprisals, which is a cause of concern for AKNS.
In response to this situation, AKNS has said that if action is taken against any journalist or media house, it will be severely condemned. If the government has any complaints, there is a forum of AKNS. In this regard, a committee was established to listen to the complaints on the proposal of the Prime Minister. If the government has any complaint against any journalist or media house, then the committee has sent so that this complaint can be reviewed but no compromise will be made on freedom of press.
In a statement released by AKNS, it was said that a consultative meeting of AKNS was held in Islamabad yesterday. In the consultative meeting, AKNS President Amjad Chaudhry, former presidents Zahid Tabasim, Aamir Mehboob, Syed Muhammad Akram Shah, Sardar Hameed, Ch. Javed Iqbal, Nisar Kayani, Ejaz Khan, Khalid Gardizi, Kashif Mir, Naqash Abbasi, Zahid Bashir, President of Kashmir Journalists Forum Khawar Nawaz Raja, Joint Secretary Abid Hashmi, Ali Hasnain Naqvi, Talha Javed, Zamir Khan and others participated in the meeting.
In the meeting, Chief Editor of Jammu and Kashmir Daily Aamir Mehboob, Group Editor Raja Kafeel, Editor Shehzad Rathore and State Views Editor Khalid Gardizi and Managing Editor Kashif Mir briefed the meeting regarding the proposed retaliation against journalists by the government and all Informed about the situation.
Later, AKNS president Amjad Chaudhry also held a telephonic consultation with AKNS members across Azad Kashmir on the current situation and expressed deep concern over the proposed retaliatory government policy. AKNS has also set up a committee on the proposal of the Prime Minister to manage the affairs between the government and journalists in a better way. If the government has any complaint against a journalist or media house, it can approach the said committee. Azad Kashmir is the base camp of Azadi movement and Kashmiri newspapers are playing their full role in Azadi movement.
This is the age of digital media and all newspapers have digital editions, online editions of Kashmiri newspapers connecting Kashmiris, Kashmiri diaspora across the world. AKNS is committed to reforms and transparency in print and digital media. It supports but will not accept any committee set up by the government regarding print and digital media without representation of media stakeholders.The organization demanded that before setting up any such committee, stakeholders should be taken into confidence otherwise unilateral committee will not be accepted. All journalists, newspaper owners of Azad Kashmir will not compromise on freedom of press. If any vindictive or illegal action is taken by the government against any journalist or media house, it will be considered as an action against the entire organization and it will not only be condemned and strongly resisted but also a movement can be started.
