Pakistan administered Kashmir AlNoor News CEO Placed on Fourth Schedule Organisation Rejects Allegations Muzaffarabad Raja Arslan Abid Chief Executive Officer of AlNoor News has been named among individuals placed on the Fourth Schedule under anti terrorism legislation in a notification issued by the Home Department in Pakistan administered Kashmir. On the first page of the official document Raja Arslan Abid son of Raja Abid Hussain appears at number 23 on the list. His district is listed as Kotli while the document states that he is currently residing in Hungary. AlNoor News has expressed concern over the move and rejected any suggestion that the organisation supports terrorism or any proscribed organisation. It says its coverage of protests and the sit in involving the Awami Action Committee in Pakistan administered Kashmir was a journalistic activity and that reporting on a protest or organisation should not be interpreted as endorsing it. According to AlNoor News it has neither supported the Awami Action Committee nor any other political group. The organisation says it reported on a significant public and political development in its capacity as a local news outlet. It argues that protests and sit ins of this nature are also covered by international and regional media organisations and that reporting on an event should not in itself be regarded as an endorsement of the political position of those involved. AlNoor News says it respects Pakistan national security institutions and armed forces and that its editorial policy is committed to fact based reporting. The organisation maintains that it has never knowingly broadcast any report intended to distort facts spread misinformation against Pakistan’s military institutions, or promote terrorism or violence. Appeal to Field Marshal Asim Munir to Take Notice AlNoor News CEO Raja Arsalan Abid has appealed to Pakistan Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir to take notice of the matter and play a role in ensuring that journalists and media organisations are not subjected to action solely on political grounds or because of their news coverage. Abid says that respect for national security and the law is essential but if action against a media organisation is based merely on its reporting of a protest or political activity such action should be subject to a transparent legal review. He maintains that politically motivated retaliatory action is unacceptable and says that if there is any substantive allegation or evidence against AlNoor News or any member of its staff it should be presented through due legal process. Reporting the News Does Not Mean Supporting It AlNoor News says its fundamental responsibility is to report the news not to become part of any political party organisation or movement. According to the organisation coverage of the Awami Action Committee sit in and the situation surrounding it was necessary because it had become a major matter of public interest in Pakistan administered Kashmir. AlNoor News says it attempted as far as possible to present the positions of different sides in its reporting and that because of the sensitivity of the situation it also placed limits on the extent of its coverage. The organisation says that despite this restrained approach the inclusion of its CEO on the Fourth Schedule raises questions about press freedom and the professional responsibilities of journalists. Raja Arslan Abid says AlNoor News exercised caution while reporting during a sensitive period and in several instances refrained from extending its coverage to a point where the organisation or individuals associated with it could potentially face further action. Conflicting Claims Over Casualties Different sides have made conflicting claims about casualties during the Awami Action Committee protests and sit in. According to Raja Arslan Abid protesters claimed that more than 100 people were killed during the events while police authorities also reported fatalities among their personnel. AlNoor News says it has not been able to independently verify these figures and is therefore not presenting casualty numbers provided by any side as independently established facts. The organisation says that in such circumstances the media has a responsibility to clearly attribute claims to the parties making them and to inform audiences when independent verification is not possible. Claims Concerning Azra Alam Safia Alam and Their Mother AlNoor News has also expressed concern over the alleged detention of its anchor Azra Alam its editor Safia Alam and their mother. The organisation says that according to their lawyer the three have been held in unlawful detention. AlNoor News has called for their release arguing that if action is taken against an individual in connection with attendance at or coverage of a political gathering, the legal grounds allegations and evidence should be made clear. According to AlNoor News participation in a gathering associated with Senator Mushtaq Ahmad should also not by itself constitute grounds for action unless there is clear evidence that an individual has committed an offence punishable under the law. The claims made by AlNoor News regarding Azra Alam, Safia Alam and their mother could not be independently verified from the material available for this report. Government Accused of Allowing Situation to Deteriorate Raja Arslan Abid has accused the government of allowing the situation to reach a more confrontational stage instead of addressing it through timely political and administrative measures. AlNoor News however says it is not a party to the dispute and does not represent the Awami Action Committee or any other political organisation. The organisation maintains that scrutinising the actions of the government protesters and law enforcement agencies and reporting information of legitimate public interest about those actions is part of journalism. AlNoor News Reports News It Does Not Promote Terrorism Raja Arslan Abid has rejected suggestions that AlNoor News supports any proscribed organisation terrorism or violence. According to him AlNoor News reports the news it does not promote terrorism. Covering an incident sit in or protest does not amount to supporting the organisation involved. If any factual error in our reporting is established it can be corrected in accordance with journalistic standards, but reporting the news should not be equated with terrorism. AlNoor News says its editorial policy has consistently given importance to issues concerning Pakistan and Kashmir while seeking to report with respect for state and national security institutions. The organisation has called for the reasons and evidence behind Raja Arsalan Abid’s inclusion on the Fourth Schedule to be disclosed and for him to be given a full opportunity in accordance with the law to present his case and challenge the decision. AlNoor News says that protecting national security is a responsibility of the state but that press freedom due process and the right to respond to allegations must also be protected. #alnoornews