Letter to PM Bhattarai by PPF
July 4, 2012
Baburam Bhattarai
Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Nepal
Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers
Singh Durbar, Kathmandu, Nepal
Tel: 977-1-4211000
Email: info@opmcm.gov.np
bishnurijal@gmail.com
Your Excellency,
Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF), an independent non-governmental institution committed to promoting and defending freedom of expression is seriously concerned over the attack on daily Nigarani on June 30, 2012 in Biratnagar, a city in the eastern plain of Nepal.
According to Freedom Forum, Supporters of the Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) in Morang district vandalised the printing press of the Nigarani daily, disabling the operating and vacuum system. As a result of the vandalism, the daily has been closed for three days. Prior to this, the daily's editorial team was threatened and warned to shut down the paper.
The root cause behind the vandalism is a political dispute between the cadres of the Nepali Congress, and Maoist parties in the district.
PPF therefore, strongly urges the Nepali government and to respect press freedom and citizens' right to information. Also, the local administration needs to provide security for the journalists and take action against the vandals so that the daily can resume publication.
I thank you for your attention and will welcome your comments.
Yours sincerely,
Owais Aslam Ali
Secretary General
Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)
Press Centre
Shahrah Kamal Ataturk
Karachi
Pakistan
Tel: +92 21 3263-3215
Fax: +92-21 3221-7069
Email: owaisali@pakistanpressfoundation.org
Web: www.pakistanpressfoundation.org