Media in Balochistan faces multiple threats
Mumtaz Alvi
QUETTA: Amid seething violence of diverse nature, there are certain positive and encouraging indicators emanating from Balochistan: one of them is the growth of media in recent years.
Though journalists find it exceedingly unsafe here to report what they see with their naked eyes or through camera, they keep on covering events and incidents as and when they happen. Unlike other provinces, political gatherings are organised occasionally here or in other parts of Balochistan. While going through some of the publications in English and Urdu at a bookshop near the main Liaquat Bazar, it was felt that media persons report events and happenings in the insurgency-hit province in a very careful way.
Despite unrest, as many as 120 newspapers in Urdu, English, Pashto and Barahvi hit the market every day, whereas 125 magazines, both monthly and weekly, are also available at shops and stores. These publications, in an environment of fear and insecurity, is a good sign that a province with just 7.5 million population, evinces interest in writing and reading. Quetta’s population is estimated to be around 2.2 million.
When a local journalist, who has put in over 20 years in the profession, was asked as to how he felt being a media person, he first requested his identity should be withheld and then conceded that media persons were vulnerable even in the provincial capital, which continues to see heavy deployment of security forces.
He said militants, from insurgent groups or religious organizations were equally dangerous, whereas tribal chieftains were even more dangerous than the militants and security forces. “We can’t dare to write against any of the tribal chieftains, whether in government or in opposition. There is no possibility of even writing against sectarian outfits,” he maintained.
Syed Ali Shah, who works for a private television channel, says, “Armed men, whether pro-government or anti-government, rule over Balochistan while unarmed persons are so vulnerable.”
Another journalist, Ghulam Tahir, who is in the field for the last 40 years, said they had to balance their stories to suit to the readers in the province. He also said it was not easy to work as a journalist.
It was also learnt from a journalist that the Balochistan High Court, not long ago had in writing asked the media desist from using the term ‘Mujahideen’ for the militants, who tended to claim responsibility after the occurrence of a violent incident. “It is as if we are caught between the rock and the deep blue sea…on one side, there are security forces while on the other, militants. So, we confront danger of multiple nature,” remarked another media man, who works with an Urdu daily.
Talking to The News at his office, located in the heart of Quetta, the Director General Public Relations, Balochistan, Kamran Assad, said there was a very good relationship between the local media and the provincial government, as both fully understood the challenges and problems the province and its people were faced with. He said 120 daily newspapers were on their media list while many other publications were also available in the market.
He said the media highlighted both positive and negative aspects of the government policies and added it was good they portrayed the situation in an effective manner. Assad is press secretary to the chief minister and the slot of DG is an additional responsibility given to him by the government.
Source: The News
Date:7/4/2011
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