Deadly country
Jan 2nd 2012


THE outgoing year has not been kind to those in journalism. A report launched on Friday by a media organisation says that working conditions for journalists in Pakistan are becoming riskier, particularly against the backdrop of the ongoing conflict in the northwest and Balochistan. While this country is not alone in being a danger zone — with 17 journalists killed, 2011 was deemed the worst year for journalists in South Asia — the fact is that of this total count, 12 were Pakistanis. The report noted that while journalists are targeted with impunity by militants, there have also been suspicions about the role of the security agencies in the kidnapping, killing or intimidation of journalists.

This report is hardly alone in its conclusions. The view of Pakistan as a dangerous place for journalists is shared by watchdog bodies across the board. The Committee to Protect Journalists placed the country amongst the deadliest states in the world for journalists in 2010, ranking it at number 10 on its Impunity Index. The latter highlights countries where journalists are killed regularly but governments fail to solve the crime. Here lies the problem: this is a deadly country for journalists not only because they are killed, but also because the state has consistently refused to pursue the killers. Cases are rarely — if ever — investigated thoroughly. Some argue that not all journalists killed can be said to have died in the line of duty, or that allegations that state agencies are involved are baseless. Both these points can be settled only if there are credible investigations. The death of Saleem Shahzad is a case in point, and ought to be taken as a litmus test for the government’s will. Although the set-up of an inquiry commission was announced in June, little progress has been reported. Unless the circumstances of Mr Shahzad’s killing and that of other journalists this past year are made public, the state will continue to send out the signal that journalists can be silenced with impunity. Meanwhile, the fog of suspicion surrounding the role of law-enforcement authorities in this regard will grow steadily more dense.

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Real richness is that you are so expensive that no one can buy your character.