ISLAMABAD:
Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf urged the media on Friday to avoid spreading a negative image of Pakistan.
Speaking at a launch for a book published by the Directorate of Electronic Media and Publications titled “Reconciliation, Reforms and Revival”, the premier said that the Pakistani media was completely independent, adding, “We take pride that it is playing an eminent and effective role as a watchdog.”
However, Premier Ashraf said, “the media should avoid projecting things that lead to feelings of dejection and despair, about the future of Pakistan.” He urged the media to focus on factual reporting and never compromise on factual accuracy.
“The government’s cause of concern arises when facts are compromised and opinions are presented as facts. My advice to the media is that accuracy should never be compromised at the altar of ratings,” Prime Minister Ashraf pointed out.
Even more candidly, the premier specifically asked the media, and new channels in particular, to carry out self censorship and cut out parts where speakers vent their views against Pakistan. He said that Pakistan, being a nuclear power and a determined nation, would foil ‘the desperate attempts of a few people’ to malign Islam as well as the country.
Prime Minister Ashraf said that the nation must shun despondency as desperation and hopelessness were a sin in Islam. “The entire nation must rise together irrespective of their religious and political affiliations, for the solidarity of Pakistan,” he said.
Premier Ashraf, while appreciating the efforts of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting for compiling the achievements of the government over the last four years, urged it to do their work honestly.
Referring to various achievements of the government over the last four and a half years, he said that besides taking steps for the welfare of farmers, workers and peasants, the government increased the salaries of the government servants by 150%.
Ashraf said that although people always complain of inflation, it should be seen from a “real perspective” because living standards today are better than they were a decade ago.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 22nd, 2012.
COMMENTS (11)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
@gp65: Nuclear power is a statement that Pakistan is a powerful country. Nuclear Armed is a statement it is armed and ready to destroy. This is what I think.
@Polpot:
So easy ! Put the tape on : Raw has done it , Mossad is doing it . Of course the Americans are behind it . Why are they doing it ? Oh , Just to undermine the image of our country, respected around the world as an island of peace and tranquility .
@Raj - USA: YEs. I too was surprised to see reference to nuclear power in this context. By the way can you elaborate on what is your hypothesis on why civilians/military establishment choose to use the terms nuclear power/nuclear armed respectively?
@Parvez: Not sure why you would support the PM's suggestion. It seems inconsistent with your general world view. MAybe you were sarcastic and I did not catch it?
Yeah -- all the bad things in Pakistan are a conspiracy. Not!
The Pak media should explicitly follow the advice of its PM. A sample news item- '25 killed and 105 injured in suicide attack in Peshawar, 13 more Killed in Karachi, Mob lynches one for blasphemy in Lahore, 10 Hazaras killed in a bus at Baluchistan. The killings happen in routine however, the law and order situation is normal and completely under control in all parts of the country'
Completely agree with the P.M...........the media dos not have to do this, his government and its record over the last five years speak for itself.
"He said that Pakistan, being a nuclear power and a determined nation, would foil ‘the desperate attempts of a few people’ to malign Islam as well as the country." What does it mean? Is he saying that Pakistan is a nuclear power and shall nuke Pakistan / pakistanis who malign Islam and the country?
BTW, I have noticed that whenever the words "Nuclear Power" is used, it is a statement from the civilian government. If it is a statement from or sponsored by the establishment, you will see the words "Nuclear armed" instead of "Nuclear power". You will see this pattern consistently followed in every statement.
This is nothing but BIG TALK and NO SHOW. Despondency is due to the peoples own blundering by giving the sympathy vote to PPP after Benazir's assassination. Other than corruption scandals, Ballooning domestic debt (PKR 6.0 trillion in sixty-five years to PKR 14.0 trillion in almost five years, by printing notes), Nepotism, defiance of the Supreme Court, daily target killings, power shortages, Inflation in foodstuffs and commodities of daily usage, Frequent foreign trips, inter-racial and sectarian killings, Bankruptcy of PIA, PWR, PSM, The rich not paying taxes and not having NTN numbers, Tax and custom duty exemptions of PKR 650.0 billion in four years, to name a few. Increasing the salaries of government servants by 150 percent is nothing but a bribe to the higher echelons of the overstaffed bureaucracy. The benefits should go to the lower staff.
The PPP book “Reconciliation, Reforms and Revival” is nothing but a brazen and 'megalomaniac' exercise. Salams
so they want to shut the people.. the way these agencies have distorted history, told lies, spread false propaganda??? media only shows whats the truth, and its time for us pakis to stand in front of mirror and agree how ugly, inhuman, corrupt, dishonest, double faced we have become.. shame on every pakistani.....
How to portray the murder of Polio health workers in a positive manner? +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ PM pls advice.
I think that the government should bring in Media experts from North Korea to "advise" how the country's media should be "encouraged" to only portray Pakistan in a positive light, removing all content about lynching of blasphemers, sectarian killings, suicide bombings, massive corruption, tax avoidance, load shedding, polio problems, etc etc! Why in no time Pakistan would be viewed as a model country throughout the world!