PPP boycotts Pak’s largest media group, accusing it to be biased against Zardari

ISLAMABAD - The ruling Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has formally announced its decision to boycott the country’s largest media organisation, Jang Group, accusing it of being biased toward its co-chairman, President Asif Ail Zardari.

“We today formal announce boycott of the country’s largest media group and direct all workers, leaders, and federal and provincial ministers not to participate in any programme of the group,” The News quoted PPP Secretary General, Senator Jehangir Badr, as saying in a press conference.

The PPP still believed that the media was fourth pillar of the state, said Badr, adding that the party had taken this decision with a heavy heart.

“We are taking the media into confidence on it today so that nobody could raise the objection that we did not take them into confidence before taking such extreme step,” he added.

He said all the party members as well as federal and provincial ministers would strictly follow this decision. “Those who will not follow the decision will face disciplinary action,” he warned.

Badr claimed that for the last two and an half years, a campaign had been launched against Zardari and the other leaders of the party.

Ninety two percent programmes were against Zardari and three percent against other political parties, he pointed out, and added that while 300 talk shows discussed 12-year-old controversial cases levelled against the president, not a single talk show was dedicated to discuss his 12 years in jail.

After the press conference, the PPP leader distributed the letter written to the All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) President, which read, “We write with the great concern that one of the media group in Pakistan has crossed all the limits of decency, ethics and journalistic norms. The Jang and Geo group is overtly engaged in politics and is pursuing a malicious campaign against the PPP and its leadership.” (ANI)