Political attack are one of the warts on the journalistic profession. Typically, these attacks come in one of several well known forms: questioning someone’s patriotism, suggesting they are a paid agent, or lobbing accusations of corruption are probably the most common. Often these attacks come after the target has done something that can be misdescribed in such a way as to seem sinister. But what about when the target has not even done anything wrong yet? It turns out, not even the innocent are spared the fangs of our overly-politicised media. The newest target? Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.
Having finished his studies in the UK, Bilawal has recently returned home. This, along with some statements by his father, set off a firestorm of speculation about Bilawal’s future in politics. This speculation was quickly dampened when Bilawal explained that he would not contest the 2013 elections. That was that for a while, until Bilawal began visibly taking part in party politics. The grandson of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and son of Benazir Bhutto, one might think that politics is part of Bilawal’s DNA. He is also co-chairman of Pakistan People’s Party founded by his grandfather, so most people were not surprised that he has become involved. Still, though, he has turned down a ticket saying that his goal is to spend the next years learning politics before diving in head first.
In a time when popular slogans include terms like ‘untested’ and ‘change’, one might be forgiven for thinking that Bilawal’s interest in politics would not be seen as a bad thing, especially by a media that seems fixated on another recent entry to politics. Like most of the population, Bilawal is young. Unlike many sitting politicians, his degree is not only valid but quite respectable. Unlike many of the elites, he is not asking his father to secure him a ticket – actually, quite the opposite as he turned one down. Instead, he is spending his days traveling the country and visiting the people. No one has to praise Bilawal, but we are hard pressed to find some justification for a front page attack. Yet that is exactly what we saw on the front of Monday morning’s The Nation.
According to the reporter, Zamir Sheikh, ‘Debutant Bilawal to carry a lot of baggage’. The piece, which is published as if it were news and not merely the opinion of Zamir Sheikh, begins the very first sentence saying “he lacks the charisma of these two leaders and would find it difficult to handle the affairs of the party and lead a campaign in the coming general elections whenever they are held”. The second sentence, just in case you didn’t read the first, claims that the charisma and egalitarian ideology of his grandfather and mother “would be missing when Bilawal goes out in public to garner support for his fast declining party”.
Since Bilawal has not demonstrated any lack of charisma or anti-egalitarian ideology, the author obviously cannot provide any evidence to support these attacks, so he spends the next several paragraphs complaining about the President and Prime Minister, neither of whom are named Bilawal.
Most shamefully, though, the author closes his article with an obvious attempt to inject a family feud into Bilawal’s life, alleging that he will be opposed by the Bhutto family. Zamir Sheikh does not offer any quotes from any member of the Bhutto family, he only throws this claim out as if he were the Bhuttos’ official spokesman and not a journalist. Judging by this article, it is not clear that he is legitimately either.
This blog takes no position on Bilawal Bhutto Zardari entering politics. In a democracy, all citizens have the right and responsibility be involved in politics, and any citizen who is eligible has the right to contest elections if he so chooses. Targeting one person who is not an elected official and has not been accused of any wrongdoing suggests that powers opposed to him are afraid of what he might accomplish and have begun to launch a ‘preemptive strike’ against the young man. Bilawal should not receive any special treatment, but neither should he be the target of special attacks – especially when he hasn’t even done anything yet.
