Pakistan becomes the deadliest country for the media BY Hamid Mir

[niazikhan2]

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has become one of the deadliest countries in the world for media. Pakistani journalists are target of not only Taliban militants, Baloch separatists and intelligence agencies but most of the liberal political parties are also not happy with the free media. All these parties were united when a resolution was passed recently against the media in the provincial assembly of Punjab.
Interestingly the recent coverage of floods by most of the Pakistani TV channels was not liked by many top political figures and non-governmental organizations who are blaming that media is over glorifying the role of army in relief and rescue operations.
One federal minister complained to many TV anchors just a few days ago that MQM chief Altaf Hussain demanded a martial law-like action from patriotic army generals because media had over-glorified the role of the army. When the same TV anchors pointed their fingers at army intelligence agencies after the abduction of journalist Umar Cheema the same minister was speechless. He never uttered a single word in support of Umar Cheema.
In fact Pakistani media is under fire from all sides. There is a general perception that Pakistani media is free and strong but ground realities are different. Pakistani journalists and media houses are paying a very heavy price for their freedom. Many of them have sacrificed their lives as the price of their freedom.
Seven Pakistani journalists lost their lives in target killings and bomb blasts this year, more than 70 were injured and about 10 were kidnapped and tortured in different areas of the country. Thirty journalists were forced to leave their homes from 7 tribal agencies of Fata in last six years, about 10 journalists have left the valley of Swat in last two years.
Twenty journalists migrated from Quetta to other parts of the country in one year because they were threatened to leave the profession or leave the area. Many journalists have moved from Peshawar to Islamabad and a lot of others are looking for jobs outside the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
These journalists left their homes not only because Taliban were angry with them, many of them were forced to leave their homes under the pressure of intelligence agencies and security outfits.
Sometimes political leaders and intelligence agencies were united against the media and at others they acted separately. Only one media house suffered losses of billions of rupees due to ban on transmission of its three channels, on advertisements and use of other arm-twisting methods.
According to world press freedom index of 2009 prepared by France-based ‘Reporters without Borders’ Pakistan ranks 159th in 175 countries. According to this press freedom index Afghanistan stands at number 149, Iraq 145, Bangladesh 121 and India 105. Most of the under developed countries improved their rankings compared to 2008 but Pakistan jumped down 7 points in one year. Pakistan was at number 152 in 2008 but lost 7 points in 2009 and reached at 159.
Afghanistan was at number 156 in 2008 but improved 7 points and is now at number 149 in 2009 which is far better than Pakistan. Iraq was standing at number 158 in 2008 but improved 13 points and standing at 145 in 2009. Bangladesh improved from 136 to 121 and India from 118 to 105.
The figures of 2010 are more disturbing. Only 2 journalists were killed in Afghanistan, 4 were killed in Iraq while 7 were killed in Pakistan in last 9 months making Pakistan the most dangerous place for journalists even worse than Afghanistan and Iraq. It is feared that Pakistan will further go down in the press freedom index in the year 2010.
It is interesting to note that when Pakistani media was only criticizing corruption in government and supporting the implementation of Supreme Court verdicts, many PPP leaders accused the media of conspiring against democracy.
When Altaf Hussain recently demanded from “patriotic” army generals to take a martial law-like action, the same PPP leaders were silent and it was a big section of Pakistani media which opposed martial law and said that worst democracy is always better than good dictatorship.
Many journalists who participated in a protest rally two days ago in support of Umar Cheema were those who also resisted the dictatorship of General Pervez Musharraf. Most of these journalists were threatened and chased by masked men after this demonstration.
Some of them were threatened that if they do not shut their mouths they may face hard times. Those running democracy failed to give protection to all those who are just demanding arrest of culprits who abducted and tortured their colleague Umar Cheema.
These culprits are playing their dirty games from behind the scene because the government does not have control over these culprits. Democratic political forces have used these culprits against the media many times but majority of Pakistani journalists are still committed to protect democracy, though those running the democratic government have failed to protect their freedom. Because of the policies of those calling themselves democrats, the perception has emerged as democracy has failed.


http://thenews.com.pk/10-09-2010/ethenews/t-509.htm