LDA’s unseemly haste

Freedom of speech and expression is the most important of the rights guaranteed to us by the constitution, the bedrock right on which all our other rights are dependent. Once this right is curbed, any action can be taken without fear of dissent. The Lahore Development Authority may have justified sealing the offices of the non-profit, South Asian Free Media Association, on the grounds that the association operates in a residential area but there seems to be more to this closure than meets the eye. Truly commercial enterprises are based in residential areas around the country but there seems to be no haste to take action against them. It is then rather odd that a library for journalists or lectures for them by a not-for-profit organisation counts as commercial activity when so much else gets ignored. Regardless, any action taken by the LDA should be across the board and tackle all commercial institutions if there are complaints about traffic congestion, noise or other problems caused by them.

Safma operates under Article 123 of the constitution which guarantees the right to free expression and to raise awareness about it; the organisation is also a subsidiary of Saarc. Officials of the organisation, who claim they were not even allowed to rescue records located inside the building, have suggested that the LDA action was vindictive and may be linked to issues beyond neighbours’ complaints. There is enough reason then for there to be an independent investigation into the sealing of the office. We would also argue that in the current environment it is important to protect the freedom of expression at all costs and ensure that Pakistan’s reputation in this respect does not slip further internationally. There have already been comments in the global press about recent crackdowns on media freedoms in Pakistan, and fear has been expressed that the risks associated with political speech are growing. In a truly democratic and free society, all are free to speak their minds without fear of reprisals – and we hope that Pakistan does not stray too far from this ideal. It is thus important that organisations promoting learning for journalists be allowed to continue their services. It is also important to resolve any legal matters in a proper manner. To avoid making their action look suspect, the LDA needs to find a way to resolve the dispute as amicably as possible so that no damage is done either to free expression or to the rights of people who live in the area.