Musharraf orders media curbs under emergency rule

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan's military President Pervez Musharraf imposed sweeping curbs on the media early on Sunday after declaring emergency rule in a bid to reassert his authority.

Official state news agency Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) said Musharraf issued rules prohibiting media from broadcasting or publishing statements ridiculing him, top government officials and the military.

He also stopped media from carrying statements from Islamist militants or their pictures, APP reported.

Speaking to the nation on state-run Pakistan Television, Musharraf had earlier accused some television channels of adding to political uncertainty in the country.

The media has flourished in Pakistan since Musharraf seized power in a military coup in 1999, but it has been highly critical of his moves since he tried to sack the country's chief justice in March.

Musharraf has now taken steps to rein in the media.

Under the ordinance, an offender could be sentenced to up to three years in jail or fined up to 10 million rupees ($167,000).

"(It) prohibits projection of anything that is based on sectarianism, ethnicity or racism, that defames, and brings into ridicule or disrepute the Head of State, or members of the Armed Forces or executive, judicial or legislative organs of the state," APP said.

Shortly after imposition of emergency rule, all private news channels were taken off the air.

A private television official said police raided their offices to confiscate equipment used for live broadcast.

"They had no written orders but they were insisting that they had orders to confiscate the equipment," Talat Hussain, Director of News and Current Affairs of Aaj television said.