Media matters

PTI should turn its media-related manifesto into public and media-friendly laws and regulations at least at the Centre

Following is a verbatim quote from the chapter on media in the new government’s election manifesto. It is being recalled as a reminder, lest it is consigned to obscurity by the multitude of ‘firsts’ the government has to attend to in the first 100 days:

“We are committed to maintaining a vigorous free media, which will evolve its own rules to ensure responsible journalism both in the electronic and print media.

“We will ensure laws for timely implementation of Wage Board decisions and for ensuring that media houses pay journalists their salaries and bonuses on a regular and timely basis. We will also ensure that media owners provide insurance, training and protective cover for their journalists working in conflict zones in particular and in the field in general.

“PEMRA will be made autonomous so it does not become a political tool in the hands of any government to target the freedom of the electronic media.

“Government advertisement will be rationalised and not be made a tool to harass or bribe the independent media.

“PBC and PTV will be made autonomous with their own Board of Governors similar to the BBC model.”

Going by what the PTI government has already done in Khyber-Pakhtunkhaw with regard to the Right to Information (RTI) law, one hopes that it would display the same kind of alacrity in turning its media-related manifesto into public and media-friendly laws and regulations at least at the Centre and the three provinces — K-P, Balochistan and Punjab.

To put the issue in the right context, here are some excerpts from an August 13, 2018 letter from Barbara Trionfi, Executive Director, International Press Institute (IPI), to Prime Minister Imran Khan:

“The global network is deeply concerned about the highhanded use of coercive measures to curtail the independence of the press in Pakistan… Numerous newspaper editors have been forced to drop dissenting columns from newspapers, leading some columnists to post their uncensored columns on social media platforms.

“Excellency, you are well aware that such a climate is inimical to both democracy and the free flow of information necessary for a strong and corruption-free democracy that you have promised to usher in to create a new Pakistan.

“Unless rigorous measures are taken to halt further attempts to influence reporting in the media, and to ensure that newspapers are allowed to publish freely, and television channels are allowed to broadcast in Pakistan without any further harassment, it will be hard to establish a vibrant democracy.”

Clearly, the IPI is not accusing the PTI or its leadership of all the misdemeanours that were perpetrated against selected media organisations and media persons over the last many years.

And true enough, the PTI or its leadership was never in a position or was inclined either to disrupt the distribution of newspapers or the broadcast of TV channels. In a way its leadership, especially PM Imran Khan, have also suffered from inspired media trials over the last so many years. But now that it is in the government, any such misdemeanour would straightaway reflect on its democratic credentials.

Therefore, the new government, it is hoped, would do everything in its powers to discourage rogue elements from disrupting free flow of quality information needed direly for strengthening democratic institutions.

And since PM Imran Khan wants to establish a government based on the principles on which Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) had set up the state of Medina, he would surely be aware of a verse from the Quran: “O believers, if an evildoer comes to you with some news, verify it [investigate to ascertain the truth], lest you should harm others unwittingly and then regret what you have done.” He would also be aware of Prophet’s (peace be upon him) saying that “the best form of jihad is to tell a word of truth to an oppressive ruler.”

Published in The Express Tribune, August 18^th, 2018.

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