Foreign Minister Don McKinnon said the military takeover of the Government in Pakistan is very worrying.

"Pakistan has enjoyed popularly elected governments since 1988. The coup is a step backwards for democracy in Pakistan. It is our hope that the military will move swiftly to restore a democratic government.

"The coup appears to have been non-violent. There are no reported threats to any of the several New Zealanders living in Pakistan. Our High Commissioner resident in Tehran and our Honorary Consul in Karachi are monitoring the situation closely.

New Zealanders in Pakistan, and those travelling to Pakistan, should take care particularly to avoid any public gatherings or possible demonstrations.

ends

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>