If I were an alien from another planet who had descended on Pakistan in October 2009 and were solely dependent on the print and news media for information I would be under the mistaken assumption that all Pakistan’s problems would be solved if only two things happened – NRO was withdrawn and corruption ended. I would have no knowledge of the threat from extremism, the need to build the economy and the need to invest money for social development.
For the last one month Pakistani media’s reporting has centered on the ‘NRO.’ Here is a sampling of headlines from leading papers – “Finally dreaded NRO list is out and official,” “NRO beneficiaries should resign,” “NRO on highway to hell,” “NRO threat to existence of Pakistan, Shahbaz,” “NRO passage to legitimize corruption, Nawaz,” “Another government U-turn on NRO” and “Corruption and NRO.”
Many people predicted that President Zardari would have to either quit office or hand over all powers to Prime Minister Gilani, that Prime Minister Gilani would ‘break off’ from President Zardari and that the NRO would lead to the collapse of the Zardari-Gilani government.
However, that has not happened. The NRO cases will now be heard by the full bench of the Supreme Court and decisions will finally be made. Some cases which have been lying around for almost 2 decades will be dismissed for lack of evidence and others will be tried afresh in court. There is no need to panic, this is routine.
During this period many important happenings have gone unnoticed in Pakistan – the attacks on the GHQ in Rawalpindi and the ISI office in Peshawar, the story that Omar Saeed Sheikh made the hoax calls that almost led to war between India and Pakistan, Manmohan Singh’s visit to U.S., President Obama’s Afghanistan plan and many things with consequences for Pakistan have not received the attention they should. Veteran journalist Ahmed Rashid even wrote an article of how conspiracy theories and media campaigns have prevented Pakistanis from discussing the real issue.
So why was this sense of panic created? Why was it that when you read the newspapers or turn on the television channels instead of people discussing the threat from terrorism – which is an existential threat to Pakistan – all people are discussing is the NRO.
This is because there are a certain set of people, so-called analysts, pseudo-nationalists and instability creators who keep picking up issues by which they can de-stabilize the civilian democratic government of Pakistan.
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Firstly media should review its own moral character,same media praised and eulogized unelected/unconstitutional dictators.Now wanna set new yardstick for morality,that whenever fissure emerge/differences increase between civilen leadership and militry leadership,than it’ll become moral obligation for civilen leadership 2 resign?Is this democratic morality?
Indeed , this media should stop this weird attitude and campaigning against elected governments to harm the country and democracy,,..!!! This media is working for the destruction of the country , rather than working for political stability and country’s integrity…….they go before working for dictators , than creating a peaceful democractic environment..pity on their performance…a discourtious shame!
We as liberal believe in all sorts of freedom,including freedom of expression(freedom of press)co-related with responsibility.Unfortunatily media has not shown responsibility,decency,gentle mannerism and commitment towards democratic principles,Media should not work as agent of establishmnet..media should respect democratic ideals …in a society where undemocratic lobby is 2 much powerful and resourcefull…
media is using freedom without any responsibility towards democracy…only democracy can strengthen Federation,respect all provinces culture and tradation…infact keep intact all four provinces togather….entire sindh condemn Dangar (dr)shahid masood &jang group 4 negative remarks about president zardari for wearing traditional and cultural Sindhi Topi,,,,he has rights to critisize Govt’s policies but he has no right to insult Sindhi culture and its centuries old traditions …We want to say Jang group 2 mind its own professional Limits,not follow undemocratic forces guidline……
Sindh Always Supported Federal parliaminatry politics of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto dismissing the slogans of confederation,independence and Sindhdesh raised by other sindhi nationalists…After Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto’s assassination Asif Ali Zardari raised the slogan of Pakistan Khappay….President Asif Ali Zardari did not allow extreme sindhi nationalists passions against the punjabi dominated civil military to assume the form of insurgancy….thus president Asif Ali Zardari played a historical role in solidifiying a federal democratic pakistan,at that precarious juncture of the country’s history….Now Urdu media is insulting Sindhi culture and tradations….
media is main vehicale of change,also can use to create and develop modern democratic mindset.its painful that our media is not educating modern democratic principles,not tell success stories of democratic countries,not able to understand the difference between constitutionalGovt &illigitimate/unconstitutional Govt.”Understand the Difference”
We are fighting and we’ll continue our struggle against undemocratic/irresponsible attitude of GOE towards democracy and constitutionalism…..instead working on proffesionalism GOE become party,toeing establishments guidelinee,working for undemocratic powers…its main agenda to destablise system,discredit PPP leadership and creat space for undemocratic forces…
Jang group defeated&humiliated in this (media)war against democracy.Nation clearly watching its anti demo/people role.Every 1 keep in mind,that in this modern age,Govts cannot control free media and anti democratic media cannot stop democratic evolution.PPP should use all its resources to counter such anti democratic moves…..
WELL SAID! I AGREE WITH JUNAID QAISER !
Junaid Qaiser you have presented our views in your beautiful words , for which i am thankful !
Long live Bhuttoism which is rulling our hearts and thoughts and flowing like blood !
Long live our beloved president His Excellency Mr.Asif Ali Zardari
Dr shahid Masood is not Journalist…Actualy he’s Agent of Establishment.He is too much baised,he only invite anti ppp,guests,his guest list(gen hamid gul,gen merza aslam baig,roadad khan,shaheen shehbai,insar abbasi aand Ikram sheikh)…if we carefully read and examine media’s content,we can easily find media’s intention.&its anti democratic role… See More…media is pressurising democratic Govt and especialy President to step down,portrying him the most corrupt person of pakistan..media is suggesting that if president asif ali zardari step down,everything’ll be ok…at the same time media is saying that Taliban are our brother Govt & we’ve to talk to them,bring them into mainstream,its all because of USA presence in Afghanistan..we are facing worst sort of terrorism in pakistan and our media’s trying to judge 1996′s corruption cases..media forget ojhari camp,18 Oct incident,Shaheed BB’s assassination,attack on srilankan team,mariot hotel… media is accusing us without any proofs,media even forget its professional and ethical obligations..it is presenting us convicted…we are accussed not convicted.Main Nawaz Sharif admited in his Book”who is traitor..?)admited that inteligence agencies pressurized his govt to made cases aginst Mohtarama Benazir Bhutto and Asif Ali Zardari,to discredit PPP leadership……media even forget this basic lesson of journalism..that there is difference between accused and convicted…media is trying to present politicians corrupt and trying to project them hero who are responsible for klashankhof and drug culture…Our Judiciary is also not understanding the critical situation…
Thank You so Much Umar Azmar Wazir Bhai…
I am fully agree with the contents of Mr Junaid Qaiser , there are some devils in the Electronic media like Dr shahid Masood & his company they all are anti-democratic and partial analyst working for foreign agenda and establishment. It is responsibility of intellectual persons and well-wishers of Democratic Pakistan to come forward and do there job to eradicate the yellow journalism.