Comment

It has not been long since the Geo News journalist Musa Khan was brutally murdered by Taliban with 32 bullets in his body. Though the journalistic fraternity of Pakistan tried to put up a brave face, saying it was undeterred by the killing and would continue its fight against Taliban, if only it was so simple. Musa is third journalist in a series to be murdered by Taliban in the tribal regions. This takes the toll of journalists killed in violence in Pakistan up to nine this year, according to the World Association of Newspapers.

This threat to life is keeping even the brave hearts away from Swat and other tribal regions, and the ones who are able to dig out a story or two are suspected to have struck a deal with Taliban not to tell the ‘full truth’. Noted journalist Hamid Mir — only journalist to have interviewed world’s most wanted fugitive Osama Bin Laden twice — was spotted on Geo TV disapproving of the military offensive in Waziristan against the Taliban, branding it as an absolute failure. He indicted the army for killing dozens of civilians dubbed as ‘terrorists’.

If Hamid Mir is to be believed, then what about the government’s version of scores of terrorists being killed and that the lawless South Waziristan was soon to be liberated from the Taliban? Are the 30,000 odd Pakistani troops and millions of dollars directed at killing innocent Pakistanis? Is it really something which can be seen in clear black and white or does the truth lies somewhere in the grey? Ironically, there is hardly any third view emerging from this war zone which may be measured, authentic and unprejudiced. Yet, trustworthy news is as crucial to Pakistan as it is to South Asia and the world at large.
Most of the Pakistani media invariably lives under threat and pressures both from the government and the militants. And the rest, a strong section of the Urdu press, have a soft corner towards Taliban and deem its government’s action as part of an international conspiracy to break up their country. This view is endorsed by a section of society as well. The Urdu press reflects an image of Pakistani society which is transforming its views from promoting jihad to just being soft on it while some of them still denouncing it thunderously.

Though free media is still a new phenomenon for Pakistan, there are a number of new private players, usually established businessmen. For advertisers, mostly multi-national companies, the Urdu media is an ideal vehicle to reach their target audiences. However the low literacy rate — the UNESCO puts the figure at 50 per cent —as well as the high cost of newspapers (Rs18) does affect readership figures.

Journalists working in English, Urdu and local languages use different prisms to see their nation and its policies and hence have different world views. For the government what matters is what Urdu media is writing about and this can make Urdu language journalists more susceptible to establishment pressure.

The electronic media in Pakistan has undergone tremendous changes in last five years and has become a money-spinning business.

The government’s sole concern seems to be the large licence fee and as a result, anyone with the ability to pay the stipulated amount can run a ‘news’ channel and advertise his own interests and ideology. This leads to a compromise with the standards and ethics of journalism as well as degradation of people’s faith in it. This would have been fine anywhere else but is a treacherous trend in a country which is currently fighting the worst ideological battle of its history.

Today Pakistan’s crisis is highlighted by this a war of information vs misinformation, where battles are fought not on the ground but in the cyberspace. Pakistani media needs to return to its past, show its true mettle and do true journalism, not bow down to dictators.This too is vital for Pakistan’s future existence.