KARACHI: Interior Minister Rehman Malik has expressed disappointment with the media over “misreporting of facts” regarding the law and order situation of Karachi.
“With full authority, I can tell you there was no target killing yesterday. I saw the newspapers today. They said six people were killed in target killings yesterday,” said Malik while speaking to the media in Karachi. He added that the deaths were natural or due to personal enmities and accidents.
“This is also abuse for the family [of the deceased] and for Karachi that when a normal death or a death due to a normal crime or enmity is reported as that of a target killing incident. The shops are closed, people hide in their houses thinking that some terrorists have arrived.”
Requesting the media to refrain from misreporting, Malik said that a system has been set up where the reporters can call up the concerned authorities to find out the cause of a death.
“I have asked the interior secretary to write a letter to chairman Pemra [Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority] to monitor it, and wherever there is misreporting, they should at least inform the media owners that their crime reporter misreported a story and ask them to initiate an action against them,” the minister added.
“Home Minister Manzoor Wassan is always available, additional IG and other SHOs are also available. If they are not available, then there is my crisis management cell which is open 24 hours and which has all the information about the crimes taking place across Pakistan.
“It won’t make a huge difference if your news is half an hour late or if your breaking news is aired 15 minutes late. But airing of an incorrect report, like that of a target killing, can cause further tensions in the areas,” Malik added.
He further said that more people died in other provinces of the country due to several reasons, but the incidents were not misreported like the ones reported in Karachi.
Addressing the media, Malik said: “I request you to have mercy on the people. We are not saying that the reporting of killings will bring a bad name to the government, the facts will emerge anyway. There was target killing day before yesterday, we accept that, but yesterday there was no such incident.”
COMMENTS (19)
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Im disappointed in your hair style malik
he is right or wrong its n a big deal but we have often seen media exaggerating issues n dat dey shuld nt do......... it even cause psychological problems and depression among individuals....
interior minster Abdual Rahman malik only working face saving and he should resean because he is totally fail paid his responsibility and peoples are facing terrorism extortion and lawlessness
@Very 1: True. Sometimes I get astonished by the enthusiasm and excitement of young newscasters and anchors while broadcasting news of another wave of killings. Some of them even sound proud of breaking the event first or of showing it 'live' for their 'nazreens'. More ironically but obviously, the influx of advertisements also shift towards news channels whenever such incidents happen. So, it would be naive to think that only politico-criminal parties are the beneficiaries of the law and order situation.
@Muhajir: Media has become a destabilizer probably driven by Gekko's "Geed is good" line in "Wall Street" movie.
DH..how do you explain " death due to a normal crime or enmity"???? What is a normal crime in particular?
“This is also abuse for the family [of the deceased] and for Karachi that when a normal death or a death due to a normal crime or enmity is reported as that of a target killing incident. The shops are closed, people hide in their houses thinking that some terrorists have arrived.”*
Good to know there are crimes which are considered "normal"
I think he is right, this time .
Whats the difference between 'target killing' and what Mr Malik says "..death due to a normal crime or enmity is reported as that of a target killing incident." Does he mean, people who are not targetted are getting killed by accident ?
That reminded me of the advent of an evening newspaper 'Awaam' which capitalized on the law and order situation in Karachi back in early 90s.
Then, those evening new papers used to be the favorite source of news among masses mostly because of their sensationalism.
Now it looks like that almost the whole of of the electronic media has converted into sensational evening newspapers.
They are making good business, by the way, ironic though!
@Manoj Joshi: A rare voice of sanity in the frequent emotional outbursts by the readers!
PPP MQM and ANP will divide and contest elections as separate parties. Later they will form coallition again. Bingo...we are being fooled by them... really...
Mr. Black Propaganda….the situation is worst than even what the media has been shown…..since you have been here no peace, brotherhood, justice and truth will establish in Pak but even the whole Pak in danger..might be broken into pieces….and the people don't trust trust and unite. Just black and negative propaganda and personal and political interest are the major goal of Mr. B. propaganda.
Misreporting is indeed hurting and gives a wrong impression about the performance of any department. When reported on an international basis this does cause hurt to the overall image of a nation and the media of whichever nation it might be must refrain from such (mis)reporting.
Have to agree with Rehman Malik's comments on the Press. Not a fan of the minister but he said what many people feel about the quality of reporting of our esteemed news networks News needs to be factual instead of emphasis on it being sensational. Our News outlets need to be very cautious and responsible -- lives are at stake and blood will be on their hands if violence is instigated as a result of mis-resporting of facts
I dnt understand what does he mean by normal crime? Is there any such thing in the law? Rehman malik must know. And he is the one, who said previously that 80% of these people are killed by their wives, and he has never lied before, so I think we shd believe him. Isn't it guys?
The politics of convenience being played by PPP, MQM and ANP is beyond disgust.
vc university of liers
"Misreporting of facts" ! The lastest joke from a person who has never said anything sensible!