Police shut Lahore radio station

Police shut Lahore radio station
By Shahid Malik
BBC correspondent in Lahore

A private radio station in the Pakistani city of Lahore has gone off air after police took control of the premises on Friday evening.A senior officer told the BBC two arrests were made in closing FM 103. It is still on-air in Faisalabad.Three days ago, two FM 103 journalists were arrested in Lahore after criticising health policies. The pair were charged with airing provocative material likely to disturb public peace and bailed on Thursday.

BBC bulletins

The police action was triggered by a controversial report this week in which the working of a government-run cardiac hospital was strongly criticised. Two journalists, Syed Afaq Hussain and Farhat Abbas Shah, were arrested on Wednesday after airing the report. FM 103 has been broadcasting news bulletins provided by the BBC’s Urdu service, which has brought it into conflict with the state broadcasting regulator in Pakistan.Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed recently launched a general appeal for “responsible journalism”. Mr Ahmed warned the Pakistani media to avoid sensational coverage of day-to-day events.

A blatant and direct attack on the functioning of the free press.

I thought Busharraf wanted to implement democracy. Well, democracy is the dictatorship of the elite I guess he has.

To account the leader's policies is an Islamic right but as usual the Islamic part of the 'Islamic Republic of Pakistan' doesn't really matter does it?