Journalists vow to defend their sources
ISLAMABAD: While the government will press the Supreme Court inquiry commission through its counsel to order journalists to reveal their source of information in NICL corruption case, top journalists of the country say that right of protecting their sources will and should not be compromised in any case.
The Supreme Court inquiry commission to probe the political intervention into the NICL scam investigation will resume its proceedings today (Wednesday).
It is opined that focal point of the proceedings should be the facts of the corruption scandal and political intervention in the case and not revelation of sources of journalists.
Pervaiz Shaukat, president Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ, said that during Pakistan movement the top Muslim League leaders used to leak information regarding processions and public rallies but journalists never revealed sources to the British colonial regime. Pervaiz said that during the movement of restoration judiciary, these were official sources who informed media about wrong-doings of the dictator Musharraf and thus the journalists succeeded informing people about conspiracies of the army government against judiciary. He argued that if the journalists had revealed the source of their information to the Musharraf regime these officials would have been fired.
Senior journalist Raja Asghar while talking to The News said that he faced a trial on the question of disclosing sources during Ayub Khan’s dictatorial regime in early 60’s while he was representing Daily Jang in Peshawar. Ashgar said that journalists had faced trials and threats in past many decades but never disclosed their source.
Senior journalist Rahimullah Yousafzai said that the principle of maintaining the confidentiality of sources exists from the first day of start of the profession. Yousafzai said that institutions should use other resources to get the things verified. He said journalists file stories in public interest and become voice of the people by making the rulers accountable to the people through their sources of information.
Shaheen Sehbai said nowhere in the world have journalists surrendered this right to any institution or organisation, whether judicial, parliamentary, public or private. “In Pakistan journalists have gone through this test before and they succeeded and they will succeed again as characters like Rehman Malik cannot force the history of journalism to be changed, as they wish,” he said.
Veteran Editor Muhammad Ziauddin said that it is universal practice for the journalists to never to disclose source. He said that judges have accepted in so many cases this very right of the journalists and never gave some judgment ordering journalists to reveal source of their information.
Dr Mughees Sheikh, senior academician and former head of the department of mass communication in Punjab University, said that there is no law in any part of world, which presses journalists to disclose the sources. Contents of the stories are to be proved but without disclosing of the sources. If the stories are proved false the journalists have to face defamation law.
Senior journalist Talat Hussain said that no journalist could be asked on any forum to disclose his source of information in any way for any stories of public interest. However, the same principle became a bit diluted in stories regarding national security issues. Talat gave two different examples where American journalists filed some stories on national security issues revealing some classified information and were declared as traitors by some circles but meanwhile won the prestigious Pulitzer Prize for the same stories. He said these journalists never revealed source of their information.
Senior journalist Hamid Mir said that all the international codes of ethics of journalistsÂ’ organizations also approved by the UN ensure confidentiality of the journalistic sources. He said that international and national media organizations are unanimous that journalists could not be forced to reveal their sources at any forum. He said that if courts forced the journalists to disclose sources it will be against article 19 of the Constitution and charter of UN ratified by the Pakistan
Senior journalist Kashif Abbasi said that it is basic responsibility and duty of a journalist to protect his source of information. He said that in the countries with the advanced democratic systems, journalists have even refused to disclose the sources of the stories on national security issues.
Senior journalist Ansar Abbasi said that journalism without source(s) is unimaginable whereas the confidentiality of the source(s) is critically important for the survival of the profession. Information received through sources helps inform the people, expose the corrupt and keep a check on rulers and governments. If the journalists are compelled to disclose their source of information, the whole edifice of this profession would collapse at once.
Senior journalist Iftikhar Ahmad while talking to The News from Lahore said that a journalist should protect his source at all costs and should maintain the sanctity of his profession.
Senior journalist and former president PFUJ Mazhar Abbas, wrote in his article that journalists should become united to save their right of protection of a source. He said that if institutions started pressing journalists on this count the whole profession of journalism will collapse.
Senior journalist Muhammad Malick said that the sanctity of the source is the guarantee of information flow which otherwise would not be possible because of inherent dangers and consequences of sensitive information being shared by good honest people who otherwise do not have the capacity or resources to stand up to vested interests. He said that the source must be protected at all cost if we have to protect the truth.
Senior journalist Mushtaq Minhas said that judiciary and democracy could only be strengthened with the strengthening of the institution of media. He said that judiciary should acknowledge the great role played by media in exposing corruption and awakening of the society through provision of information to the masses through these sources.
Nasim Zehra said that liable law is present to try journalists if there is any question to the authenticity of their stories and which journalists face happily. She said that therefore the journalists could be asked to prove their stories but can never be pressed to disclose sources.
Senior journalist Javed Chaudhry said that 90% journalism is based on confidential sources of information and if this basic right of the journalists will face any threat 90% journalism will be finished at once. Chaudhry said that this right is given and acknowledged by every civilized society and if someone wants to make Pakistan a Tora Bora he can snatch this right from the journalists.
Senior journalist Salim Bokhari said when there is no law for something then the traditions are followed even by courts in every civilized society of the world. Bokhari said that this is well known tradition in whole civilized world that journalists never reveal or asked to reveal their source. He said that in mega scandals like Watergate which resulted in removal of the US president the journalists never revealed their sources.
Source: The News
Date:11/30/2011
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