This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/south_asia/7089315.stm
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| UK reporting trio leave Pakistan | UK reporting trio leave Pakistan |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Three Telegraph newspaper group reporters are on their way back to the UK after being expelled from Pakistan. | Three Telegraph newspaper group reporters are on their way back to the UK after being expelled from Pakistan. |
| The Pakistani government claimed their coverage of the country's state of emergency was offensive and on Saturday ordered them to leave within 72 hours. | The Pakistani government claimed their coverage of the country's state of emergency was offensive and on Saturday ordered them to leave within 72 hours. |
| President Pervez Musharraf said an expletive in an editorial "shocked" him and meant Isambard Wilkinson, Colin Freeman and Damien McElroy must leave. | President Pervez Musharraf said an expletive in an editorial "shocked" him and meant Isambard Wilkinson, Colin Freeman and Damien McElroy must leave. |
| The declaration of emergency rule was blamed on militant violence. | The declaration of emergency rule was blamed on militant violence. |
| 'Really shocked' | 'Really shocked' |
| The editorial at the centre of the controversy was critical of the West's relations with General Musharraf, and used a quote containing an expletive to describe the key ally in the so-called "war on terror". | |
| When questioned about the expulsions at a news conference, the president said he was "really shocked" by the language used. | |
| "Would you accept a word of that sort if I was to use it, if any one of my reporters were to use [it] against your president?" he asked. | "Would you accept a word of that sort if I was to use it, if any one of my reporters were to use [it] against your president?" he asked. |
| He said he expected the Telegraph to apologise to him. | |
| For a newspaper of the Daily Telegraph's reputation to resort to such derogatory language is highly regrettable Imran GardeziPakistan High Commission | For a newspaper of the Daily Telegraph's reputation to resort to such derogatory language is highly regrettable Imran GardeziPakistan High Commission |
| The article, carried on the Telegraph website, prompted a response from the press officer of the Pakistan embassy in London on Friday. | The article, carried on the Telegraph website, prompted a response from the press officer of the Pakistan embassy in London on Friday. |
| The editorial, which was titled Bankrupt Relationship, described Gen Musharraf's rule as a "combination of incompetence and brutality". | The editorial, which was titled Bankrupt Relationship, described Gen Musharraf's rule as a "combination of incompetence and brutality". |
| A comment beneath the editorial from Imran Gardezi at the Pakistan High Commission said: "The language used for the President of Pakistan in your leading article is offensive and flouts the norms of decent journalism. | A comment beneath the editorial from Imran Gardezi at the Pakistan High Commission said: "The language used for the President of Pakistan in your leading article is offensive and flouts the norms of decent journalism. |
| "For a newspaper of the Daily Telegraph's reputation to resort to such derogatory language is highly regrettable. | "For a newspaper of the Daily Telegraph's reputation to resort to such derogatory language is highly regrettable. |
| "This deserves an apology." | "This deserves an apology." |
| Media blackout | |
| Under the state of emergency, the Pakistani constitution has been suspended, while opposition supporters have been arrested, Supreme Court justices replaced, and mass public gatherings banned. | Under the state of emergency, the Pakistani constitution has been suspended, while opposition supporters have been arrested, Supreme Court justices replaced, and mass public gatherings banned. |
| A media blackout is still in force. International channels like the BBC and CNN were allowed back on air on Thursday, but have since been blocked. | A media blackout is still in force. International channels like the BBC and CNN were allowed back on air on Thursday, but have since been blocked. |
| President Pervez Musharraf said on Sunday that he hoped new parliamentary elections could be held by 9 January. | |
| Reporters Without Borders, a group which campaigns for press freedom, criticised General Musharraf over the expulsion. | |
| "Gen Musharraf is demonstrating a disturbing degree of authoritarianism and behaving like an all-out press freedom predator," it said. |