"The media remains under extreme pressure," said Mr Alam, the Current Affairs Editor of The News and Secretary General of the South Asian Free Media Association, following his release Wednesday after 36 hours in detention. He said Pakistani media organisations would conduct protest rallies on 15 November against the press crackdown.

At least five other journalists have been arrested and dozens of journalists have reportedly been assaulted or prevented from working since President Musharraf suspended the constitution on 3 November. Other attacks on press freedom include the suspension of broadcasts of all international and private news channels, the restriction of cable broadcasts to entertainment programming and the blocking of several international and national news websites.

In a letter to President Musharraf, the Paris-based WAN and WEF called for the release of the journalists and a halt to the crackdown on the media. The letter can be read here.

The Paris-based WAN, the global organisation for the newspaper industry, defends and promotes press freedom world-wide. It represents 18,000 newspapers; its membership includes 76 national newspaper associations, newspaper companies and individual newspaper executives in 102 countries, 12 news agencies and 10 regional and world-wide press groups.

The WEF is the organisation for editors within the World Association of Newspapers (www.worldeditorsforum.org).

Inquiries to: Larry Kilman, Director of Communications, WAN, 7 rue Geoffroy St Hilaire, 75005 Paris France. Tel: +33 1 47 42 85 00. Fax: +33 1 47 42 49 48. Mobile: +33 6 10 28 97 36. E-mail: lkilman@wan.asso.fr.