Mush suspends law muzzling Pak media

New Delhi:: Pakistani President General Pervez Mussharraf has suspended the implementation of an ordinance muzzling the media.

Instead, a committee will be formed in which the government and broadcasters will be represented.

It will review the ordinance and report to Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz in the shortest possible time.

The government's climb down is seen as a reaction to the uproar at home and criticism from abroad over the government's blatant attempt to gag freedom of the press.

Two hundred and fifty journalists, politicians and civil society activists were in the dock for violating the ban on public rallies.

The FIR accused journalists of violating Section 144, interfering in government matters and illegally occupying the gate of the Prime Minister's Secretariat.

Hundreds of journalists gathered on Monday night outside the Prime Minister's Secretariat.

They were joined by lawyers, politicians and civil society activists in a rally protesting the government's fresh measures to curb the freedom of the media.

The journalists made fiery speeches, strongly rejecting the amendments to the PEMRA Ordinance, which was promulgated hours before they took to the street.

Those booked under Section 188 included the President of the Federation of Union of Journalists Mazhar Abbas.

An official of the Secretariat Police Station confirmed the registration of the case to Dawn News.

But he also disclosed that the FIR had been sealed, meaning that no further legal action would be taken against the booked journalists and politicians.