By Raza Ruman
Islamabad, May 10 (Pak Destiny) The Committee to Protect Journalists is deeply concerned that Pakistani authorities are declining to renew visas for the only two Indian journalists working in Pakistan.
Pakistani authorities informed Meena Menon, a correspondent for The Hindu, and Snehesh Alex Philip, a correspondent for the Press Trust of India, that their visas would not be extended and that they would need to leave the country in one week.
“Prime Minister Sharif expressed a strong commitment to improving Pakistan’s press freedom environment in his meetings with CPJ this year, and he should ensure that visas are renewed for both Meena Menon and Snehesh Alex Philip,” said CPJ Asia Program Coordinator Bob Dietz.
It is unclear whether the two journalists’ respective media organizations would be allowed to send replacements.
Pakistan and India have an agreement that each is allowed two journalists in each other’s capital. Last year, the two sole Indian correspondents in Pakistan, Anita Joshua of The Hindu and Rezaul Hasan Laskar of the Press Trust of India, were asked to leave after Pakistan denied extensions to their visas. The two outlets waited more than a year for clearance to send replacements. – Pak Destiny