Pak media faces threats, abductions ahead of vote

ANALYSTS SAY THE MILITARY AND THE POWERFUL SPY AGENCY ISI ARE TRYING TO MAINTAIN THEIR POWER AMID AN UNUSUALLY LONG PERIOD OF CIVILIAN RULE.

Rawalpindi:whenpakistan’smilitary spokesman held a press conference earlier this month on emerging threats, Matiullah Jan, a journalist who has written critically of the judiciary and the military, was surprised to see his own picture flash on the screen.

Gen Asif Ghafoor said Jan and a handful of other journalists and bloggers were anti-state and antimilitary. Those are serious allegations in Pakistan, where the military has ruled, directly or indirectly, for most of the country’s history, and where rights groups say it is waging a campaign of intimidation ahead of next month’s elections.

“He wasn’t specific,” Jan said. “But he tried to paint everyone on the so-called slide prepared by intelligence reports with a broad brush as being anti-state and anti-army.”

The July 25 vote will mark the first time the country has held three consecutive elections without a coup, but the armed forces are still believed to wield considerable power behind the scenes.

The security apparatus has zeroed in on the ruling PML-N, the party of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, who was forced to step down last year after leaked documents from a Panama law firm revealed he and his family had undisclosed assets abroad. Sharif was banned from politics for life and was ordered to step down as the leader of his party.

Sharif has denied any wrongdoing, and supporters suggest the military is going after him because he criticised its efforts to combat extremist groups.

“The heavy handedness is to achieve a certain result. . . they don’t want a strong government and parliament that can legislate the judiciary and military,” said Gul Bukhari, a social media activist who was kidnapped earlier this month and held before being returned to her home blindfolded. Bukhari refused to identify the culprits but said the experience was terrifying.

Other journalists and bloggers say they have been similarly targeted after speaking out.

Ghafoor denied the allegations and said the military is committed to democratic civilian rule. He also denied he was targeting journalists at his June 4 press conference. “We are the strong supporters of democracy,” Ghafoor said. “But the army is the most organized and capable institution with the ability to assist.” AP