Thursday, January 21, 2021
#Pakistan - Racism and marginalisation of minorities in Punjab school textbooks
Racism “is a crime against humanity, it is the enemy of pluralism, peaceful coexistence and harmony in society,” writes Anjum James Paul, president of the Pakistani Minority Teachers Association (PMTA) a letter addressed yesterday to Prime Minister Imran Khan, denouncing a new case of discrimination in school textbooks. “Pakistan’s foreign policy has always condemned racial discrimination, but unfortunately it still exists in our country,” he adds. “The religious identity of minorities matters as much as that of the majority” and for this reason every form of racism and marginalisation must be “fought”. In this case, a middle school textbook is at the centre of a controversy, but “there are hundreds of examples,” warns the educator and activist from Faisalabad. The offending words had a wide echo on social media, sparking anger and pain in the Christian community according to which this attitude is now rooted in a part of the population and is instilled in school to new generations of pupils in Punjab. On page 155 of an Urdu language middle school textbook (pictured) distributed by the provincial government of Punjab, the following dialogue can be read: Nasir: I have brought a dish of sweets for your guests Girl: But who is that black boy? Nasir: He is our neighbour, Joseph, who is my friend Girl: I don't like to eat anything from black people Nasir: Oh Saima, what are you talking about. We have to see the inner beauty of a person. This is just one of many examples from recent years. Activists, experts and human rights groups have long underlined that racism and confessional hatred must be opposed from an early age and that peace and integration must be promoted in school classrooms, starting with the youngest. In this context, a crucial role is played by school textbooks which, in too many cases, are themselves the first to sow divisions and promote intolerance. Mariyam Kashif Anthony, a teacher and human rights activist from Karachi, stresses the urgent need to “counter” hate speech in textbooks. “As a teacher my priority is to teach my students about humanity, ethics and moral values ,” she said.Many associations share such concerns, including the Pakistani National Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP), which has long been involved in this area. From 2011 to 2020, Christian experts point out, a climate of hatred seem to have increased and episodes of intolerance have multiplied, despite the appeals and demands for greater attention to the material published for students, especially the youngest. http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Racism-and-marginalisation-of-minorities-in-Punjab-school-textbooks-52128.htmlProf Anjum James Paul writes to Prime Minister Imran Khan to denounce a new example of intolerance. A dialogue in a middle school textbook is at the centre of a controversy. But “there are hundreds of examples,” Prof James warns. Students must be taught “humanity, ethics and moral values”.
EDITORIAL: #Pakistan - Who’ll answer for the gas crisis?
This is not just a case of a couple of deals gone wrong, rather such things not only amount to a lot of suffering for households who are suddenly struggling with no gas, but also drive up production cost for industry and end up harming revenue collection in no small manner. Already the demand-supply situation has forced the petroleum division to recommend discontinuation of natural gas from February 1 to all industrial units using it primarily for power-generation and self-consumption. Therefore the prime minister must initiate an urgent inquiry into the matter; on which will also investigate if Nadeem Babar’s present duties amount to a conflict of interest considering his personal stakes in the private energy business.
Now the long-term LNG deals signed by the previous government, which PTI criticised to no end at the time and later, are the only thing ensuring what little gas that is still flowing in the country. These developments do not speak very highly of the government since it had been warned in advance of a hard winter yet not only did it not prepare for it, it also made the existing situation much worse. These are very genuine concerns and the government must address them. If a part of the official machinery, or some of its advisors, is responsible for causing harm to the treasury as well as industry, then it must be fixed immediately. Anything less would be unbecoming of a party that came to power on promises of fair play and transparency.
https://dailytimes.com.pk/714890/wholl-answer-for-the-gas-crisis/
#Pakistan journalists face charges for criticizing military
Criticizing Pakistan's military has become riskier, and journalists are being singled out for flimsy offenses under a beefed-up "electronic crimes" law. DW speaks with one of the journalists targeted.
It was a normal day in September 2020 for Pakistani journalist Asad Ali Toor, who started his morning with a fresh newspaper and a cup of tea. But when Toor turned to page three, he was shocked to see a so-called First Information Report (FIR) had been registered against him.
Toor was being charged with spreading "negative propaganda" against the Pakistani state and its institutions through social media under the Pakistan Electronic Crimes Act 2016 (PECA). Since it was passed in 2016, PECA has been heavily criticized by civil society in Pakistan as a draconian tool used to muzzle free speech. The act criminalizes speech considered "blasphemous," along with speech that criticizes state institutions, which are colloquially referred in Pakistan as "the establishment." Authorities are attempting to extend PECA's reach with a new section inserted into Pakistan's penal code stipulating up to two years in prison and a fine of over €2,500 ($3,018) for anyone that "intentionally ridicules, brings into disrepute or defames the Armed Forces of Pakistan" or its members.PECA targets social media
Toor has been working in Pakistani digital media since 2005, and says he has witnessed the erosion of journalistic freedom and a simultaneous strengthening of censorship with each successive government.
"Traditional media has had to bow down to governments and censorship. Social media is not as censored, so they are now introducing these laws to scare people into silence," Toor told DW.
A week before the FIR was registered against him, Toor was let go from his longtime job at Samaa TV, a major Pakistani broadcaster. The journalist says he had not backed away from his reporting on the government and military.
Toor said the most frustrating part of the three-month judicial process was that he was never told which of his tweets were deemed illegal, or who had filed the FIR.
"I was not told even during the hearings at the High Court in Lahore. It is very frustrating when you are standing trial for a crime you don't understand you committed," Toor added.
In addition to Toor, two other journalists were charged with "spreading hatred" against the state and its institutions in the same week. Free speech activists say the charges are intended as a warning that the state is willing to enforce PECA.
Civil society comes to journalists' defense
In November 2020, Toor was cleared of charges by the Lahore High Court. He wrote on Twitter that the Lahore High Court judge ruled there was not enough evidence, and he gave credit for the dismissal to the overwhelming support he received from lawyers and free speech activists.
Toor's case was taken up by the non-profit Media Matters for Democracy and the Pakistani Bar Council's "Journalists Defence Committee," which provides free legal assistance and services to journalists.
Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir, a committee member who worked extensively on the case, told DW that the journalists were targeted because the Pakistani state wishes to avoid the accountability and criticism brought on by free and independent media.
Mazari-Hazir said she worries the PECA's amendment into the penal code will weaponize the act against journalists.
"It will impact freedom of expression and journalism by curtailing this right, and intimidating and punishing those who exercise it," she said.
"We are already not able to discuss many issues that relate to the military and intelligence agencies, including enforced disappearances," she added.
Since PECA was passed, many activists and journalists have been subject to arrests and sedition charges.
However, there has also been a countermovement seen in digital activism that safeguards people's right to freedom of expression. This pushback has allowed for journalists like Toor to challenge claims made against them under the PECA.
Targeting social media
The Pakistani digital rights organization Bolo Bhi keeps track of PECA-related arrests, restrictions and takedowns.
Their most reliable estimates show that from 2006 to 2020, there have been 84 incidences of content blocking and takedown requests.
In 2006, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) blocked more than 1,000 websites over a Supreme Court ruling targeting online "blasphemy."
In the meantime, there have been numerous temporary bans on social media platforms like TikTok, Facebook and YouTube.
It is also estimated that the Pakistani government has allocated an estimated budget of $10 million towards internet filtering tools and blocking systems to control data.
According to Bolo Bhi, there have been a total of 36 "government announcements to crackdown and regulate social media" between 2016 and 2020.
Between 2017 and 2019, the organization has recorded at least 51 incidents during which
legal action was taken against individuals based on their social media posts.
"The Federal Investigation Agency is not transparent and many accusations seem baseless and frivolous. When freedom of speech is criminalized, we cannot have a free, critically thinking society or government," Toor said.
https://www.dw.com/en/pakistan-journalists-military-press-freedom/a-56265949
#Pakistan #PPP - Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari congratulates the newly-elected President of the USA, Mr Joe Biden
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari further expected that democracies around the world will be strengthened and autocratic, selected and sponsored regimes will find no support to undermine the will and aspirations of the people around the democratic world.