Seekeress@0: Why you should work at The Express Tribune

There comes a point in everyone’s life when they are about to start university and have to make choices, pertaining to what subjects they should choose in line with what career or profession they plan to pursue. This can get very tricky, if you are a person of faith - particularly a Muslim.

Since Islam, besides being a religion, is also considered a way of life, Muslims are faced with the moral dilemma of choosing a career that is also in line with the teachings of Islam or at best, does not go against the teachings of Islam.

There is a reason why this piece starts off as a sermon, because this is a reply to a fellow ‘Muslimah’ who is faced with the same aforementioned dilemma.

I recently came across this forum, a platform for Muslims of a particular sect, wherein a lady (according to her brief bio) under the handle ‘Seekeress@0’ had initiated a thread asking for advice on whether she should appear for an interview call from The Express Tribune, since according to her, the newspaper has an “almost secular/anti-Islamic stance on every single issue”.

Interestingly enough, she does not mention what position she had applied for - an editorial one or one in the corporate departments.


To be honest, I can relate to this as I, too, have been taunted by friends for working for a newspaper with a 'seemingly anti-Islamic, anti-Pakistan agenda, fuelled by the Jewish lobby'.

The title picture, by a page on Facebook that loves to hate the newspaper, makes an even more ludicrous allegation as stated in its highly amusing caption that reads:

 



"The employees of SexPress Tribune hail their god Lucifer by making the devil horn sign. Our hypothesis that The Express Tribune is the illegitimate child of Satan is proving step by step. First the illuminati symbolism of Lakson group of companies, the owner of The Express Tribune. Then the promotion of homosexuality. Then showing Israel as innocent and propagating that Pakistan should make diplomatic ties with Israel. And Now this! Is there anyone still blind who cannot see all the illuminati agenda going on in Pakistan? "

Hogwash!

I want to make it very clear to all the critics and ‘Seekeress@0’ as well, that as an employee (a subeditor at the web desk) of The Express Tribune, who has spent over a year at this organisation, the newspaper has no agenda! The closest to an agenda that it has, is an editorial policy, which is every newspaper’s prerogative and an industry requirement.


About the paper being ‘secular’, let us first ponder over the definition of this rather controversial word in our part of the world. The popular meaning of the word is:

Denoting attitudes, activities, or other things that have no religious or spiritual basis.


Organisations, including newspapers, are not supposed to have a religious identity, unless it is a religious organisation. Going by the definition above, every English daily in Pakistan is secular; simply reporting events and happenings as they are. This also addresses the misconception that The Express Tribune is anti-Islamic, since once again if there are conflicts in the Muslim world, including Pakistan vis-à-vis sectarian violence and terrorism, then the newspaper is simply reporting it.

Having worked for the newspaper as subeditor, for over a year now, I have been a part of the news selection process, and the seniors are very keen on taking ‘pro-Pakistani’ and ‘Pro-Islamic’ stories. Stories, spanning from supporting achievements in Pakistan’s academic sector, health sector, and social development so on and so forth. In fact, a simple Google search for Islam and Pakistan related stories on The Express Tribune website is enough to refute all the absurd allegations about the newspaper having an anti-Islam/secular or anti-Pakistan agenda.

In terms of religious stories, The Express Tribune, just like any other daily, celebrates positive news and happenings of all religions practiced in Pakistan. Specifically, Islam related news; the daily has always strived to promote the various Islamic festivals in the country, stories on promoting Islamic banking, also promoting pro-Islam related articles in its blogs and opinions pages.

The Express Tribune's seemingly ‘un-Islamic’ stance is usually associated with its coverage of the rather controversial blasphemy law and encouraging discourse in its blogs and op-ed pages. Bringing to light human rights abuses, carried out under the garb of Islam and tradition, such as karo kari and child abuse at madrassas or homosexuality are issues that need to be addressed or provided a platform for discussions and that is exactly what this daily, like any other, strives to do.

But seriously, let’s take this in perspective, aren’t all dailies, particularly the English ones highlighting such issues? Why is this daily being singled out? Since when did encouraging dialogue over religion, including Islam, become illegal or ‘un-Islamic’. The Express Tribune has always strived to give a balanced perspective, instead of a linear one.

Here, I would like to enlighten my fellow Muslimah and like-minded people that unlike The Express Tribune, it is no hidden fact that there are various popular Urdu newspapers in Karachi and Pakistan, backed by political and religious parties, promoting their respective agendas, which are not always in the best interests of Pakistan ─ often ending up creating sectarian and ethnic tensions in the country.

When it comes to choosing a livelihood, Islam has laid down some basic fundamentals on how to go about it, the bottom-line being that the profession should not indulge in practices that goes against the teachings of Islam, it benefits mankind in general and in turn a ‘halal’ income.

I would never claim to be a pious and virtuous Muslim, because that is exclusively God's prerogative, but I, too, am a God-fearing Muslim striving to be a better human being. Taking decisions in life, in light of my religion, which do not have a negative bearing on me personally or professionally are all my decisions to make.

I’m guessing  that issues in like are the same concern bogging down Seekeress@0’ to who I would like to say that, I have been working here and am very comfortable knowing that what I do does not have a negative bearing on society. There is no such thing as a 'perfectly religion compliant' job, but one can only try and stay within one's religious parameters to an extent, but at the end of the day, the choice is yours not the institution you work for!