Irrespective of barriers, media should try establishing their presence in far-flung regions of Balochistan
ISLAMABAD: Electronic media in Balochistan does not have a very old history. However, slow progress has taken place in the media’s development in the province. In Balochistan, electronic media, in the form of various TV channels, are focused on and functional in the capital (Quetta). In the rest of the province, there is absolutely no presence of the electronic media. Owing to the absence of media, many problems of the province do not get highlighted and do not become part of the public debate.
On August 14, 2005, PTV Bolan was launched as the first regional TV channel. This covered the major languages of the province namely, Balochi, Bravhi and Pashto. Zaabzbath Balochistan, another Baloch TV channel, was closed down as it underwent a financial crisis. One of the main challenges faced by media in the province is the lack of advertisements, which makes it difficult for TV channels to survive in Balochistan.
When it comes to media persons, they no doubt face numerous challenges too. According to a report of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, journalists in the province have been killed with impunity in the past. For journalists, Balochistan is considered to be a very dangerous place. Journalistic activities in Balochistan can be potentially fatal for those pursuing them. If any news is broadcasted that is against a certain religious group, the government, the insurgents or any other state institution, the reporter often has to pay a dear price for this. Under such circumstances, the media often does not highlight the issues of the people because it feels threatened. On the one hand, media organisations in other parts of Pakistan break inconsequential stories about marriage of pop stars, and on the other, the media in Balochistan remains silent about the most crucial of issues.
Irrespective of the barriers they face, media organisations should try establishing their presence in far-flung regions of Balochistan, such as Kech, Panjgur, Gwadar and Khuzdar. In some places of the province, like Zamuran and some areas of Dasht and Kallag, there is no electricity, let alone any electronic media presence. This should be a shameful fact for the government.
Noor Ahmed Baloch
Published in The Express Tribune, December 13th, 2014.
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