CMD Pakistan

CMD Pakistan, also called the Center for Media and Democracy Pakistan, describes itself as a civil society organization. However, it publicly discloses no detail on its website about who is involved in the organization, who funds it or its history. Indeed, there is no evidence that it is a formal organization at all. (Also, this organization is entirely unrelated to the Center for Media and Democracy based in Madison, Wisconsin, USA.)

The group's website was registered on December 19, 2007 by a Lahore-based webdesigner.

Background
In a preamble to a report it issued on the the February 2008 election in Pakistan, CMD Pakistan states that it is "a non-partisan public interest organization, having an established network in major cities of Pakistan. It is working for the advancement of media and strengthening participatory democracy in Pakistan. The organization is guided by the belief that freedom is a universal human aspiration that can be realized through the development of democratic institutions, procedures and values."

In an indication that its political pedigree is of a neo-liberal persuasion it states that "we believe that small governments are effective governments and role of the state should only be limited to the basic minimum. We believe that for the larger good and interest of citizens of Pakistan, capabilities of the private sector should be harnessed to reduce poverty, improve quality of life and bring prosperity in the country. Private sectors' potential should be unleashed to meet the challenges Pakistan faces today, as has been done in China and India right on our borders."

CMD Pakistan has managed to gain some media coverage of its activities. "The Center for Media and Democracy (CMD), a civil society organization, called on Feb. 10 (2008) for urgent attention and foolproof security measures by the relevant authorities to ensure the holding of free, fair and transparent elections in a safe environment in Gujrat, the home district of Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, president of the erstwhile ruling Pakistan Muslim League (PML)."

Personnel and Funding
A February 13, 2008 visit to this website found it sparse with no information on who is involved with and funds the organization. Attempts to access the 'Board of Directors', 'Secretariat' and 'Objectives' links on the group's website returned this response: "You are not authorised to view this resource."

However, the names of several people associated with CMD Pakistan appear in news reports, including:
 * Ayub Munir
 * Thomas Houlahan,

Contact and Website
48-B, Gulberg II, Lahore, Pakistan Phone: 92 42 575 0965 and 575 0966 Fax: 92 42 575 0967 Website: http://cmdpakistan.org/