Discussion: Absence of state’s writ fuelling extremist narrative

Media cannot be solely blamed for giving space to intolerant views.

ISLAMABAD:

The media is not solely to blame for reinforcing an extremist narrative, it is the absence of the state’s writ which has led to its proliferation.

These views were expressed by participants at a discussion on “Media, Extremism and Islamic Narratives” at Insaf Network Pakistan (INP) on Tuesday.

Sajjad Bukhari from INP who heads the Islamabad Debates stated that the media willingly or unwillingly contributed to fuelling the extremist narrative. He said there was imbalance in reporting and anchors quite often resort to the wrong side and that especially after the peace talks initiatives. “Media gatekeepers have abandoned their basic role and now journalists are being stigmatised for leaning towards pro-extremist forces.”

In PPP Senator Farhatullah Babar’s opinion, it is narratives in the name of Islam instead of narratives of Islam. He said the media had been coerced by extremists with no protection afforded by the state. “What do you expect in a country where cameras are insured but the people who use them are not,” he said. In this view this was one of the main factors which had created space for people like Mullah Radio and others like him.

He observed that the Lal Masjid incident was a watershed episode in the history of Pakistan with reference to distortion of facts and propagation of an extremist viewpoint.

Senior journalist Mazhar Abbas  criticised the role of progressive and liberal parties who, according to him, contributed nothing to society and people. He said people had voted for years for Babar and ANP’s Afrasiab Khattak; their parties passed the 1973 Constitution which was later hijacked by religious parties. “I will not blame religious parties but political parties which despite getting elected did nothing worth commenting. You cannot just target the media,” he remarked.

Journalist Matiullah Jan criticised editors or bureau chiefs who had little control over content or editorial policy was set by owners who were using media houses to advance their own agenda. Giving space and screen time to people with extremist views for the sake of balancing views was promoting extremist views, he added. “We have failed on the ethical front. We first need to improve on that,” Jan concluded.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 19^th, 2014.