VOA常速英语2007年-Pakistani Government Pressures Media Networks t

By Barry Newhouse
Islamabad
17 November 2007

Two leading Pakistani media outlets² that had their television broadcasts shut down inside Pakistan have now been forced to end international broadcasts. VOA's Barry Newhouse reports from Islamabad that the new crackdown on independent media came as U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte met with President Pervez Musharraf.

Government officials in Islamabad shut down domestic broadcasts by leading Pakistani media outlet¹ Geo television when emergency rule was imposed on November 3. Since then, network officials say, the government has waged a campaign to financially cripple the station, intimidating³ advertisers and suspending sports and entertainment programs.

Pakistan's main networks have continued to broadcast abroad through Internet and satellite transmissions. But early Saturday, Geo officials said the government pressured the networks' partners in Dubai to stop relaying its overseas transmissions, effectively shutting down their operations.

Some independent news channels have signed a new broadcast contract that allowed them to return to the airwaves in recent days, but Geo and ARY One World have not.

Geo President Imran Aslam calls the contract "draconian⁴." He told VOA the contract allows officials to enter television offices at will, seize equipment and arrest employees.

"There have been indications that they would like to see some of our anchors, some of our hosts, some of our journalists sidelines - so we can be tamed a little bit," he said.  "And this is not something we were willing to adhere to."

The crackdown against the broadcasters was swiftly condemned⁵ by journalists, lawyers and political opposition⁶ leaders.

At a rally Saturday outside Geo television's offices in Islamabad, more than 200 journalists chanted slogans denouncing President Pervez Musharraf. 

Ansar Abbassi, a senior editor with The News newspaper, says he is one of several political reporters who have been unofficially barred by the government from appearing on television networks.

"I believe we have been vocal⁷ both through our writings and when we are on the air," he said.  "We had no enmity with any party, but representing the people's view, I think this is not acceptable to Musharraf."

President Musharraf has defended the new media laws as necessary to ensure what he calls "responsible" reporting that does not undermine the government or incite⁸ violence. Critics say the laws are part of the broad campaign to crush opposition to emergency rule.

Abassi said despite the crackdowns, General Musharraf remains⁹ politically strong, because he still enjoys the backing of the United States.

"General Musharraf is all powerful even today, though he is very vulnerable," he added.  "I have a firm belief that in the kind of movement we are seeing all around, his days are numbered. But Washington still wants, I think, to carry on with him."

On Friday, U.S. officials said Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte spoke¹⁰ by phone to Benazir Bhutto to hear her perspective on the political situation.  On Saturday, he met with General Musharraf and other senior officials in Islamabad and was expected to press them to end emergency rule.

Pakistani officials said the president told Negroponte that emergency rule is necessary to ensure stability for January elections.

1 outlet   

n.出口/路；销路；批发商店；通风口；发泄

参考例句：

• The outlet of a water pipe was blocked.水管的出水口堵住了。
• Running is a good outlet for his energy.跑步是他发泄过剩精力的好方法。

2 outlets   

n.出口( outlet的名词复数 )；经销店；插座；廉价经销店

参考例句：

• The dumping of foreign cotton blocked outlets for locally grown cotton. 外国棉花的倾销阻滞了当地生产的棉花的销路。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They must find outlets for their products. 他们必须为自己的产品寻找出路。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

3 intimidating   

vt.恐吓，威胁( intimidate的现在分词)

参考例句：

• They were accused of intimidating people into voting for them. 他们被控胁迫选民投他们的票。
• This kind of questioning can be very intimidating to children. 这种问话的方式可能让孩子们非常害怕。

4 draconian   

adj.严苛的；苛刻的；严酷的；龙一样的

参考例句：

• You can't expect the people to obey such draconian regulations.你不能指望人民服从如此严苛的规定。
• The city needs a draconian way of dealing with robbers.这个城市需要一个严苛的办法来对付强盗。

5 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

6 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

7 vocal   

adj.直言不讳的；嗓音的；n.[pl.]声乐节目

参考例句：

• The tongue is a vocal organ.舌头是一个发音器官。
• Public opinion at last became vocal.终于舆论哗然。

8 incite   

v.引起，激动，煽动

参考例句：

• I wanted to point out he was a very good speaker, and could incite a crowd.我想说明他曾是一个非常出色的演讲家，非常会调动群众的情绪。
• Just a few words will incite him into action.他只需几句话一将，就会干。

9 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

10 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。