Secret state
The bribery of media persons raises all kinds of questions and obviously places their integrity under great doubt.
The secret funds maintained by the information ministry have been controversial for a very long time. DESIGN: SUNARA NIZAMI
We have a state shrouded in secrecy. In fact, even the media which is expected to bring facts to light and keep the public informed has its own secrets to hide. The problem begins with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the funds available to it for use without declaration as to where the money went. The suspicions, of course, are that various amounts taken from this fund are used to buy over and bribe journalists.
Taking up this matter, the Supreme Court (SC) has ordered the information ministry to state how this public money is used. The argument from the counsel for the ministry claimed privilege on 155 of the 372 items under various heads. This strange argument has not been accepted by the Court, which has pointed out that vast sums of money have been paid out to individual journalists and that taxpayers’ money has been used without audit. Secrets agencies have also admitted to paying the media. Other departments, too, hold secret funds, with the SC bench pointing out that 27 departments it had asked to provide details early this year had failed to do so.
The situation is a shocking one. It is quite obvious that the secret funds are used for malafide purposes. The bribery of media persons raises all kinds of questions and obviously places their integrity under great doubt. The question arises of how we can believe reporters or anchorpersons who may have been paid to adopt a certain line or pursue a particular story. The secret funds maintained by the information ministry have been controversial for a very long time. Indeed, even the ministry itself is controversial. People have asked why we need a set-up to control the flow of information. Many nations have no such department with spokespersons providing statements when required. Now that the matter has been taken up by the Supreme Court, we need to get to the bottom of the matter, avoid victimising any particular media group but ensure that the media can be cleaned up and made a more reliable body with media houses and professionals themselves playing a role in making sure this happens.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 20th, 2013.
Taking up this matter, the Supreme Court (SC) has ordered the information ministry to state how this public money is used. The argument from the counsel for the ministry claimed privilege on 155 of the 372 items under various heads. This strange argument has not been accepted by the Court, which has pointed out that vast sums of money have been paid out to individual journalists and that taxpayers’ money has been used without audit. Secrets agencies have also admitted to paying the media. Other departments, too, hold secret funds, with the SC bench pointing out that 27 departments it had asked to provide details early this year had failed to do so.
The situation is a shocking one. It is quite obvious that the secret funds are used for malafide purposes. The bribery of media persons raises all kinds of questions and obviously places their integrity under great doubt. The question arises of how we can believe reporters or anchorpersons who may have been paid to adopt a certain line or pursue a particular story. The secret funds maintained by the information ministry have been controversial for a very long time. Indeed, even the ministry itself is controversial. People have asked why we need a set-up to control the flow of information. Many nations have no such department with spokespersons providing statements when required. Now that the matter has been taken up by the Supreme Court, we need to get to the bottom of the matter, avoid victimising any particular media group but ensure that the media can be cleaned up and made a more reliable body with media houses and professionals themselves playing a role in making sure this happens.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 20th, 2013.