The reported agreement between the government and the Jang group of newspaper which at the time of this writing the Jang spokesman was reluctant to acknowledge needs to be welcomed. Because regardless of the difference that may still have remained unresolved the release of the newsprint to the group and the dismantling of the police and FIA surveillance of the group's business are positive development. We have also associated ourselves with the all Pakistan newspapers society concern about the freedom of press and the government's occasional inclination to use newsprint quotas and government advertising as coercive tools to influence the educational policies of some newspapers. In the event of legitimate differences of opinion between the press and the government which may cause misunderstanding leading to confirmation we believe that the matter should be got settled through a press council presided over by a retired judge of the High court or supreme court. Had such a body been in position when the Jang group's dispute with the government surfaced, matter would not have come to such a pass. It is a matter of regret that the Jang group could not see its way to support the proposal of setting up of such a council. 

Having said that it also needs to be stated that while we expect the government to deal with the press in an upright and ethical manner we also expect the press to follow its own code of ethics. Under that code freedom entails certain responsibility as well. A newspaper for example should not resort to blackmail by publishing negative stories to extort monetary or other favours. It would also be unethical on its part to deceive or bribe the Audit Bureau of circulation to get a certificate of highly inflated figures of its circulation through which it may be able to black-market newsprint or secure higher rates for government advertising then may otherwise be due to it. We have proposed that the ABC should be an autonomous body so that it cannot be used by the government to favour those in its goods books and damage those it does not like. And last but not the least. We believe that like every other private business in the country the newspapers should also pay all their taxes due to the government. They should not seek any favours from the government on that account because if they do the government too would be tempted to seek favours from them and that would inevitably compromise their freedom of expression.

(2-2-1999)

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