An US based media watchdog has condemned the expulsion of a New York Times correspondent from Pakistan, and asked the interim government to reverse its decision in this regard.
The order to expel New York Times bureau chief Declan Walsh from Pakistan came on the eve of the crucial general elections in the country.
"The expulsion of Declan Walsh shows just how much the authorities fear independent media coverage," said Bob Dietz, of Protect Journalists.
"The vagueness and the late night delivery of the expulsion order smack of a need to intimidate foreign and local journalists on the eve of historic elections that could herald the growth of democracy in Pakistan. Instead, Walsh's expulsion only mars the event, and undercuts hopes for a free press," Dietz said in a statement.
Journalists in Pakistan, he said, face deteriorating security accompanied by a lack of justice. Authorities have failed to prosecute a single suspect in the 23 journalist murders over the past decade.
Later this month, the media watchdog plans to publish a report analysing the state of press freedom in Pakistan.
