My government most inclusive: Imran Khan on press censorship

Washington, July 24 (IANS) Facing questions of censorship in Pakistan, Prime Minister Imran Khan said his government was the most inclusive government as far as the freedom of press was concerned and added that the media should act as a watchdog, not a blackmailer, Jang reported on Wednesday.

Addressing a gathering at the US Institute of Peace here, Khan said Pakistani media was freer than the British media. "In Britain, no media would be allowed to publish the kind of news our media publishes," the premier said, adding that strengthening media watchdogs was not censorship.

"The Pakistan media, in my opinion, is even freer than the British media, it is not just free but sometimes out of control," said the prime minister. He went on to say that in Britain no media would have published the kind of remarks that the Pakistani media had since he had come into power.

He said he himself was the biggest beneficiary of free media as he forwarded his message to the people through the media. Otherwise, he said, there was the state television at that time, which was under the government's control.

He said that media should avoid personal attacks and not a become party. Imran Khan said there were 70 or 80 channels but only three had issues. "Even if we ask them about their sources of income or taxes, they say this is against freedom of expression," he said.