Authorities on Saturday barred media from giving live coverage to protest rallies in support of the Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry. The move came as the judge travelled in a slow-moving motor convoy with supporters from the Islamabad to Abbotabad to address a gathering of lawyers.
"Such desperate measures aimed at curtailing the freedom of the media show the extent the government is worried about the deepening political crisis," said Talat Hussain, Director News Aaj television channel.
Channels including Aaj applied for but were denied permission to broadcast Saturday's appearance by the judge, which drew thousands of people onto the streets in towns along the route to Abbotabad.
Crowds also chanted the stock slogan of "Go Musharraf, go" for the president's resignation and showered rose petals on Chaudhry, who has emerged as a symbol of resistance to the military regime. However, journalists remained defiant over the official move to censor coverage.
"Pakistani history is full of such obstacles to media freedom but we have resisted them over the years and will continue doing so in future," said Nasir Chughtai, managing director of Geo.
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