Press Freedom Day: Zia regime worst for journalists
LAHORE: Speakers at a seminar to mark the Press Freedom Day say the 11 years dictatorial regime of Gen Ziaul Haq was the worst era for working journalists fraught with illegal confinement, torture and life threat for expressing truth.
The seminar “21st Century Media: New Frontiers, New Barriers” was held by the South Asian Free Media Association.
“On this important event, first of all we need to understand the word freedom,” said IA Rehman, a journalist and rights activist, “from whom we want freedom, what are the limits of freedom and what should be done after getting freedom”.
He said everyone talks about the victimisation of working journalists in Zia’s regime but no one mentions the closure of several newspapers, including Civil-Military Gazette, in other dictatorial regimes.
Mr Rehman said a newspaper should prove its credibility by publishing such stories which do not harm the interests of the state.
“Today, we should evaluate our performance instead of blaming others on issues of freedom of press,” he said.
Famous analyst Hasan Askari said journalists were facing various difficulties, particularly threats while performing their duties in conflict-hit areas.
“In the past, journalists were victimised by the governments and sensitive agencies through traditional tactics such as imprisonment and assault and now the tactics to influence the journalists have changed. Now, the government or agencies victimise reporters through ‘sophisticated tactics’,” he said.
He said it was the day to pay a tribute to those working journalists who had written truth despite facing illegal detentions and torture in the regimes of dictators.
He said after suffering a trail of hardships, the new media had emerged bolder in Pakistan. He said many media organisations were playing the game of breaking false and baseless stories in a hasty competition.
Senior journalist Arif Nizami criticised TV talk shows. “I am surprised that how they (anchor persons) declare their agenda as the voice of 160 million people of Pakistan,” he said.
He said as the country was facing severe financial hardships, the emerging media must start debate on expansion of tax net and other development activities so as to educate people to play their active role in country’s development.
Political analyst Rasool Bakhsh Raees said moderate and enlightened people stood in minority in Pakistan who truly wanted to take part in development activities while those doing politics in the name of religion were in majority.
“It is the responsibility of the media to promote progressive approaches and behaviours,” he said.
Former editor of a national daily Khalid Chaudhry criticised the media houses for publishing and releasing news on the instructions of sensitive agencies.
Columnist and parliamentarian Ayaz Amir said though the Zia’s regime was the worst for press freedom, Musharraf’s era gave liberty to the journalists. He urged media houses to start holding progressive talks for the country’s development.
Imtiaz Alam said as the new media had empowered citizens to express themselves, journalist bodies were concerned about the restrictions on the free flow of information. He said 20 journalists had been killed in South Asia, 12 of them in Pakistan, in 2010.
Asad Sahi and Sheerin Pasha also spoke.
Source: Dawn
Date:5/4/2011
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