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Musharraf's retreat

President Pervez Musharraf's decision to withdraw a draconian ordinance to `regulate' television broadcasts must be credited to a spirited fightback by Pakistan's media community and civil society. The ordinance, which gave the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority sweeping powers to seize equipment, seal premises, and revoke the operating licence of private television channels, was outrageous. The beleaguered Pakistan leader wanted to black out coverage of anti-government protests that began three months ago with his action to remove Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhary. He seemed to believe that the rapid spread of the agitation was the work of the news media, especially television. The country's private television news channels have kept the nation riveted with live coverage of the protests, especially of Mr. Chaudhary's marathon road journeys that have turned into a show of people power against military rule. Each channel also runs at least one current affairs talk show daily. But President Musharraf failed to see that the news media reflect what they see; nor could he complain that the government point of view was not presented — he gave lengthy interviews to two channels. The great folly of shooting the messenger became clear to members of his government when the popular agitation intensified post-ordinance. Journalists came out on the streets and even took the National Assembly by storm — with a historic protest from the press gallery. Worldwide outrage added to the government's discomfiture.

General Musharraf evidently feels that the explosion of private television in Pakistan and the vibrancy of newspapers owe something to him. But Pakistani journalists contend that this freedom is not a favour he has done them but the cumulative result of years of fighting repressive laws; it is also the inevitable consequence of revolutionary advances in communication technology that militate against censorship. What the military ruler did for half a decade from 2002 was intelligent: he did not stand in the way of media freedom. Politically, this helped build his credentials as a moderate ruler, even though the intense pressure on journalists covering the "war on terror" and the unrest in Balochistan is an open secret. Going ahead with the PEMRA ordinance would have stripped the regime of all legitimacy. Withdrawing it less than a week after signing it in was the general's first sensible move in the three months since his akratic troubles began.

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