=> LAHORE: Free media and independent judiciary have
LAHORE: Free media and independent judiciary have emerged as the most powerful and vibrant forces in a long struggle against widespread corruption prevalent across the country, said Editor-in-Chief of Daily Times Najam Sethi on Thursday.
Addressing a seminar on ‘Eradication of corruption in Pakistan’ organised by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on the eve of the International Day of Anti-Corruption, he said media had played an important role to tackle the rampant corruption in Pakistan.
Mr Sethi said that the media had befittingly highlighted the cases of corruption in the last few years to create awareness among the masses about this social evil so that it could be rooted out from society for a bright future of the country. He praised the efforts made by the NAB to contain corruption in the country since its establishment in 1999.
Terming the media and judiciary two silver linings in the process of accountability, Mr Sethi said that the politicians charged with corruption should be provided with legal assistance and the journalists should be given an access to the first-hand information in such cases. He said there was a dire need to frame a ‘Freedom of Information Act’, which could help overcome the difficulties faced by the journalists in the country to purge the society of the scourge of corruption.
Sharing his professional experiences regarding the investigative journalism in corruption cases, he said that the process of accountability should not be used for political purposes as it happened in the past when most of the corruption cases had been registered against political opponents by the various governments, especially in 1990s.
He said that corruption was usually decreed by the politicians and executed by the bureaucrats in any government in Pakistan. He said the accountability process should be made impartial so that top leaders involved in these practices should be brought to justice rather than persecuting the middle class of society. He said that there was a high time to contain both political and financial corruptions in the country.
The lawyers’ movement for the independence of judiciary and struggle of media community for their rights had brought drastic changes in the country, Mr Sethi said, adding that “media has gained much freedom and independence today than any other governments in the history of Pakistan.”
Media had been highlighting all kinds of issues and holding debates on them involving all stakeholders so that a consensus should be developed, he said, adding that the media had played a vital role to bring about changes in the country. He said that a journalist should not be egoistic and his approach should remain impartial and unbiased in all the circumstances.
Answering a query about the negative role played by a few journalists practicing ‘yellow journalism’ which had badly affected the process of accountability in the country, he admitted that yellow journalism still had an existence in the country and urged all the journalists to do their professional duties in a careful and responsible manner. He apologised to the participants of the seminar on behalf of the media community over the issue of yellow journalism in the country.
Suggesting the means to eradicate corruption from the country, he said that the upcoming general elections should be held in a free and fair manner, the NAB should not be influenced by the politicians and the journalists should have an access to the information in such cases.
Source: Daily Times
Date:12/7/2007
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