51 senior journalists condemn blatant accusations of Zaid Hamid against SAFMA

Dear All,

Leading media professionals and editors have condemned the blatant accusations and lies of Mr Zaid Hamid against the South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA), a mainstream media body associated with SAARC, in the Crossfire program of the Dunya TV.

Please carry the press release and oblige.

Thanking you in anticipation...

Regards,
Sadaf Arshad
Executive Editor
South Asia Media Monitor
Media Commission, Pakistan
+92 (0)42 7555622

51 senior journalists condemn slander against SAFMA

Leading media professionals and editors have condemned the blatant accusations and lies of Mr Zaid Hamid against the South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA), a mainstream media body associated with SAARC, in the Crossfire program of the Dunya TV.

In a statement the leading media personalities have taken serious exceptions to the unfounded and shameful accusations hurled by an irresponsible person against a media body of most credible journalists of the South Asian region in a talk show by Ms Mehr Bukhari that violates all ethics of professional journalism. If Mr Zaid has committed an extreme defamation which incites public sentiments against SAFMA and its thousands of members, Ms Mehr Bukhari, Crossfire team, Dunya TV management have intentionally tried to malign a media body and its leaders by allowing such a provocative and damaging statement.

The media representatives expressed their serious concern over the Crossfire’s slanderous program anchored by Ms Mehr while taking exception to the dangerous trend in the electronic media of maligning various personalities and credible organizations. What is quite despicable is that Mr Zaid, Ms Mehr, her team, and the owner of Dunya TV, did not have the decency to invite some SAFMA representative to rebut atrocious allegations aired by the TV channel.

Appreciating SAFMA’s remarkable role in defense of right to know, freedom of expression, press freedom, rights of journalists, media development, peace and regional cooperation, the senior journalists endorsed SAFMA’s decision to sue the so-called analyst, anchor, her team, and the management of the Dunya TV. It may be mentioned that the Secretary General of SAFMA, Imtiaz Alam, President SAFMA Pakistan, Nusrat Javed, and other office bearers of various SAFMA branches in Pakistan have decided to issue libel notices to the concerned accusers and make them pay for their highly irresponsible and provocative conduct.


Signed By:

I A Rehman, Senior Journalist and Director HRCP; M. Ziauddin, Executive Editor Express Tribune; Zahid Hussain, Senior Editor Newsline; Nazir Leghari, Editor Awam; Hussain Naqi, Senior Journalist; Sadaf Arshad, Executive Editor Media Monitor; Atta-ul- Musawar, City Editor, Express Tribune; Amir Mehmood, General Secretary, CPNE; Siddique Baloch, Editor, Balochistan Times; Tariq Chaudry, Vice President of PFUJ; Tahir Rathore, President, Rawalpindi-Islamabad Union of Journalists (RIUJ); Khalid Farooqi, Editor, Daily Awaz; Ayaz Khan, Editor Editorial, Daily Express; Raza Rumi, News Editor of The Friday Times; Shahzada Zulfiqar, Senior Journalist, Quetta; Nusrat Javeed, Anchorperson Aaj TV; Sirmed Manzoor, General Secretary SAFMA, Pakistan; Agha Nasir, Director Geo News; Iftikhar Ahmed, Anchorperson Geo News; Babar Ayaz, Columnist; Shamim Shahid, President Peshawar Press Club; Saleem Shahid, President Quetta Press Club; Dr. Jabbar Khattak, Editor Awami Awaz; Ghazi Salahuddin, Columnist; Mujahid Barelvi, Anchorperson CNBC; Irfana Mallah, Columnist; Jehangeer Aslam, President Turbat Press Club; GN Mughal, Senior Sindhi Journalist; Ghulam Nabi Chandio, Editor; Syed Mumtaz Shah, Editor Mashriq Quetta and Lahore; Lala Asad, President Sukkar Press Club; Khalid Khokar, Editor; Fayyaz Naich, Anchorperson Sindh TV; Amer Sindhu, Columnist; Anjum Rasheed, Senior Journalist Jang Group; Khalid Chaudhry, Former Editor AajKal; Shoaib Adil, Editor Naya Zamana; Saida Fazal, Resident Editor Business Recorder; Munno Bhai, Columnist; Ibrahim Shirwani, Senior Journalist; Asma Shirazi, Anchor SAMAA TV; Afzal Khan, Columnist; Mustansar Javed, Editor DateLine; Rana Qaisar, Resident Editor Pakistan Today, Islamabad; Shamsul Islam Naz, Former Sec-Gen PFUJ, Khushnood Ali Khan, Editor Jinnah; Mehmal Sarfaraz, Editor Oped Daily Times; Khaled Ahmed, Editor and Columnist; Allama Sadiq Azhar, Columnist Waqt; Imtiaz Alam, Editor South Asian Journal