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Pakistan PM Heads to Washington Amid Media Crackdown at Home

VOA News

   A week ahead of Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's first official
   visit to Washington, his party has launched another attack on the
   press, linking critical coverage to potential "treason."
   Khan, a cricket hero who captained Pakistan's national team to a World
   Cup victory in 1992, was elected last summer after running a fiery
   campaign -- vowing to crack down on corruption and build an Islamic
   welfare state.
   But, nearly one year later, his rule has been marred by a crackdown on
   civil rights activists, the rounding-up of opposition leaders, and
   increased pressure on the news media.
   In the latest development, the official account of the Pakistan
   Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party fired off over two dozen tweets in English
   and Urdu late Tuesday, lambasting the press for coverage criticizing
   the government and Khan which it deemed "Anti-State".
   "Freedom of Expression is beauty of Democracy. Expressing Enemy's
   Stance is Not Freedom of speech but treason against its people," read
   one tweet.
   "Media houses & journalists must take care that in their quest for
   criticism on State, they intentionally or unintentionally do not end up
   propagating enemy's stance," read another, with the hashtag:
   #JournalismNotAgenda.

     Media houses & journalists must take care that in their quest for
     criticism on State, they intentionally or unintentionally do not end
     up propagating enemy's stance. Freedom of expression is immense
     power. And with great power there is great
     responsibility![1]#JournalismNotAgenda [2]pic.twitter.com/YdxD9Al5Pb
     -- PTI (@PTIofficial) [3]July 16, 2019

   Pakistan routinely ranks among the world's most dangerous countries for
   media workers, and reporters have frequently been detained, beaten and
   even killed for being critical of the government or powerful military.
   In recent years the space for dissent has shrunk further, with the
   government announcing a crackdown on social networks and traditional
   media houses decrying pressure from authorities that they say has
   resulted in widespread self-censorship.
   Khan will meet President Trump at the White House on July 22. While his
   supporters are planning to host a big event at DC's Capital One Arena,
   several anti-government protests are planned around town.

References

   1. https://twitter.com/hashtag/JournalismNotAgenda?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
   2. https://t.co/YdxD9Al5Pb
   3. https://twitter.com/PTIofficial/status/1151131210871013377?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

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