Afghan Press Author: Rooh-ul-Amin

No other profession demands for the sacrifice of one’s life except army whilst equally with that in South Asian context is going the profession of journalism, which demands sacrifice of life. There have been 8-12 cases of journalists’ murders only in Pakistan the past year, which is a clear indication that this ill-fated community has been facing myriad challenges and hurdles. Here it would not be futile, if said that state and non-state actors are responsible alike for obstructing the free flow of information and impartial analysis.

Once a Soviet nonconformist, Yevgeny Yevtushenko said, “when the truth is replaced by silence the silence is a lie. ”

He may have said it for the deadly silence of rulers when they prefer to stay mute especially when there is an hour of crisis, nonetheless if media remains silent then it not only comes under the category of lie but a sin also. A country without rule can go well than a country without press and media. Being impressed of the force of media one of the kings of England said that Times newspaper is powerful than river Thames. It is the fear of press that President Asif Ali has banned, “The Duel: Pakistan on the Flight Path of American Power”–a critical book penned by Tariq Ali. As it is beyond one’s capability to check and gag the flow of information altogether then he must have faced it with open heart instead banning it. And this bane could not mitigate and gag his voice rather the ban catapulted its fame many notches higher than it could have. Going through the history of past despotic monarchs of the world, one can conclude without hesitation that they had faced failure in burying the voice of truth there must not be any uncertainty that in present age of information it will be gagged. And the people, who think that by killing those who raise the voice of truth, they will be triumphant, are badly mistaken. The voice of truth is like flowing water and flowing water makes its way through any means.

The clamant of Islam must keep in mind that it also says, “confound not truth with falsehood, and whosoever confound it, he surely, is a sinner.” Thus beyond any doubt it comes quite clear that it is the utmost duty of a journalist to provide the masses with factual information. In a society like Pakistan and many other developing countries it is possible only when one keeps his or her head at palm. In most of the developing countries the threat is more from non-state actors than governments. Still it is the splendid deed of media that it paved way for democracy in South Asia. It is media, which lashes the rulers for their lapses and voice the grievance of afflicted. It is media in Pakistan, which played a vital role in the knocking down of bigheaded Musharaf. It has been performing its duty well and dauntlessly against the military dictators since long. Many dictators tortured journalists but it was under the regime of Zia-ul-Haq, wherein they were lashed and whipped physically. Beside that many journalists were granted perks and parks but his policy of ‘carrot and stick’ could not prove a magic wand for him and the criticism goes abreast with his persecution. Though, he succeeded in corrupting many journalists and his successors also the same path but could not chock the voice of righteous and conscious.

Musharraf went ahead of him and introduced vilified tradition of ‘abduction and missing’.

During his regime hundreds of journalists mysteriously were abducted which still is a dilemma, as no one knows about their whereabouts.

Still, the dauntless journalists kept free voice up, where as Musharraf had to leave the political arena while licking his wounds. The quandary did not remain only confine to Pakistan but it also affected the entire South Asia.

One can title 2008 as a harbinger of change, as it witnessed general elections in Pakistan. The same year the Rana regime in Nepal came to an end because of the pressure from in and out of the country. In this regard different civil societies including media is worth praising.

Afghanistan is enjoying a bit little freedom but still it has to go a circuitous way against the non-state actors.

Bhutan also said adieu to the centuries-long kingdom and a swanky welcome was given to democracy. In Maldives, the 30-year long dictatorship sagged to pressure from media and other civil societies. When criticism and denigration mounted from multiple corners, at length, general elections in Maldives were held, where the despotic monarch, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom faced a drub by his rival, Ibrahim Nasir, who was journalist and an adamant critic of dictatorship. It all was, is, and would be, indebted to the blessings of media. The freedom that it has today has not been achieved in charity rather journalists watered it with their blood and liver. It is, though relatively a bit little free in west and the US, but to claim that there exists absolute freedom of press and media is no less than a myth. In the US one cannot discuss American foreign military bases, which speak volumes of its military adventurism. And similarly one cannot discuss the US and Israel close ties with a candid-pen.

As media is supposed to be fourth pillar of the state, and reaching this point media fought a long way against the elements, which trammeled its path with iron obstacles. With that change there was a great uproar and tumult not only in Pakistan but also across South Asia. If not exaggeration across the globe the situation remained the same. And 2009 has arrived in a great episode of violence. The past year remained really very much fatal for the journalists in Pakistan where at least eight journalists washed their hands of their lives. The report, issued by the Paris-based Reporters without Borders, says that Pakistan had the second highest death toll for journalists after Iraq where 15 journalists hugged the lap of death. But the report of International Federation of Journalists says that 12 journalists in Pakistan sacrificed their lives in their line of duty. Both the reports are crdible but the latter report was issued recently than the former one.

During the past few years Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad were plague spots for journalists while the environment for journalists in Tribal belt and NWFP was relatively normal. These days the order seems inverted and FATA, PATA and NWFP is a black zone for journalists. Ibrahim who had been working for Express TV and Daily Express from Bajaur was silenced forever in 2008 but those who wanted to burry the voice of free conscience failed and the reporting of violence news goes constantly from that area. Another journalist, Shoaib, who had been a correspondent for Pakistan Press International (PPI) from the militant infested area Mingora, Swat, was shot dead by security forces when he was coming home, back from a hospital of the vicinity after visiting his daughter. After a great deal of resentment the security forces confessed that he was killed mistakenly. The same year Abdul Aziz from Swat linked with daily Azadi was killed in the hideouts of Taliban when the security forces pounded their havens. Allegedly he was abducted by a gang of Taliban and confined to jail until the security forces shelled the entire area.

Such is the life of journalists in the region nonetheless the threat is hovering over the heads of hundreds of journalists still they are carrying their duty out. Currently at least 200 hundred journalists have been working in tribal belt but facing an inscessant series of threats in one way or the other.

A few of them, while giving way to the menaces from state and non-state actors, have preferred to say departure to thier journalistic career. And above all is the cruelty of media owners, who have fired more than 400 journalists across Pakistan under the pretext of global financial crisis. The media owners even did not think for a while how they will feed thier innocent childern in this sheer times of materialism.

The writer is a FATA-based freelance journalist.