Gagging the big beasts

In a slightly confusing order that the Interior Ministry refuses to own, the Pakistan Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) has called on broadcasters, including TV and FM radio (and presumably the print media as well), to refrain from giving coverage to banned groups. This includes the Jamaatud Dawa which is the charitable arm of the Lashkar-e-Taiba and is a leading supplier nationally of first-response aid in the event of disasters or emergencies. The order is to be seen in the context of the National Action Plan which is seeking to roll back militancy and terrorism in the country. There are 72 named groups covered by the order and the penalty is going to be a fine if broadcasters fail to comply, with channel closure as the nuclear option.

Whilst we have no difficulty in supporting any move to eradicate hate speech or the fanning of sectarian fires, limiting access to the airwaves by banned or militant groups is a worthless exercise unless they are in parallel being dismantled and eradicated. There are plenty of other ways to disseminate messages of hatred in these connected days, and many of the banned groups are skilled manipulators of the internet and the opportunities it offers, as well as the ubiquitous mobile phone services across the land. So-called ‘banned’ groups re-brand themselves and carry on regardless, usually under the noses of the government agencies that banned them in the first place. For most, if not all of the groups on the Pemra list, it will be business as usual, ban notwithstanding. There is a sense that this latest effort in the battle against extremism is cosmetic, and the government expects little or nothing by way of measurable outcomes, let alone the eventual downfall of any of the listed 72 groups. The ban passes the buck to the broadcast media and is one of those look-busy-do-nothing exercises that are a feature of the current government. If the government wants to really ban these organisations, then it needs to do a lot more in concrete terms, but shuffling the problem sideways serves nobody well.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 5^th, 2015.

Like Opinion & Editorial on Facebook, follow @ETOpEd on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.