Visible security for viable media
Muhammad Farouk
Society always waits for truth and facts from media but very few
comprehend the level of sensitivity and threats to life are involved in
reporting for the search of authenticity. Sometimes media persons pay
the price of life while covering incidents for accurate and rational
details. Pay tribute to journalists as they never believe in fears but
try to find information of horrible clashes among warrior factions of
conflicts from war zones. Coverage from dangerous and unsafe areas is
most risky and uncertain but thanks to media they never show hesitance
and provide news bravely. In war against terror, they are also equal
soldiers fighting with pen to identify culprits of terror targeting
common man, but alas they have also become the victims while no one care
for them even not government realize the duty to provide protection to
help for role to expose real reasons of terrorism.
With expansion of the media industry, violence against media persons has
also increased manifold. Media persons are being killed, intimidated,
abused and kidnapped for their efforts to report incidents of clashes,
conflicts and corruption. It is unfortunate that all the segments of
society always urge media for fair and investigative journalism, but no
attention for the security to perform professional duties. Recent
incidents reveal that journalists are the direct victims in war against
terror. North West Frontier Province is most dangerous and insecure zone
where war against terror is at complex but climax stage. Many interest
groups are engaged in conflicts; as a result media persons are suffering
huge agony from visible and invisible hands in their search for factual
reporting. In the wake of recent incidents, entire journalists’
community is feeling vulnerable and insecure, as they had no safety
while reporting in conflict zones. Recent causality of media persons by
security officials sparked protests in which journalists are demanding
for the protection. Security forces shot dead a local journalist in
Mingora city of Swat valley late in night. Qari Mohammad Shoaib, 32 was
working as reporter with two Urdu dailies. Shoaib was the third
journalist who lost his life in continued violence in Swat valley.
Earlier, Siraj was killed in a deadly suicide blast at the funeral of a
slain DSP in Mingora, while another journalist, Abdul Aziz, died in
bombardment.
Two foreign journalists were injured after they were attacked in
Peshawar the capital city when Motoki Yotsukura, a senior correspondent
and bureau chief in Islamabad and Kabul for a Japanese newspaper, the
second largest daily of Japan and an Afghan journalist, Sami Yusufzai an
associate of US magazine were coming back from tribal area when they
were ambushed by unidentified gunmen. According to news reports, a
Canadian lady journalist Khadija Abdul Qahar was kidnapped by
unidentified armed men near Sra Darga area in district Bannu. The
journalist Javed Afridi and his family are receiving threats from the
kidnappers ever since his escape after the journalist opted to expose
criminal dens to the local police. In NWFP, media persons are receiving
constant threats from criminal groups and alleged militants, they
demanded of the government to provide security and protection to the
working journalists and their families across the country. In a recent
incident, security forces opened fire on journalists who were covering
the military operation in Shabqadar Tehsile, District Charsadda. In most
of cases journalists are victims of local dens as they expose crimes and
unlawful actions but police and security forces do not pay attention for
protection of society friendly media persons. Contrary to it, they are
becoming target of security forces. It indicates that there is huge gap
between law enforcers and media persons. Government and its security
institutions should develop a strategy to join hands to identify real
culprits terrorizing the society on the name of religion, ethnic,
national or other affiliations. The safety and security of journalists
should be the top priority of the government for a media environment
free from threats and intimidation.
When investigative journalists try to disclose corruption and social
evils, it again triggers anguish of corrupt and illegal elements. In
latest incident happened in Mianwali district where another journalist
was murdered for his reporting about drug mafia. Abdul Razzak Johra, was
a reporter of national TV network. According to his colleagues, local
drug dealers are believed to be responsible for the murder on November
3. Ansar Abbasi has recently investigated the corruption of previous
government in which political leadership was allotted land ignoring the
rules and regulation to win political support. He was termed the
representative of Jewish lobby since he commits a sin to unveil the
bribery of political and religious factions for political settlements.
Level of allegation also reflects a dimension of approach in which all
opponents fall in category of infidels. Situation is so alarming for
media that Federal Information Minister Sherry Rehman has to assure the
journalist community of the government’s support in the face of threats
from the extremist elements. But she has not commented the role of law
enforces in disturbing the working of journalists. She should also take
notice that law enforcers are victimizing the media persons without
realizing the importance of profession, as in most of cases journalists
were targeted by dens for disclosure of crimes damaging the society. Now
situation is shocking as well as surprising since media is victim of
criminal dens and security forces. It is duty of government to seek fair
consultation with media representative bodies to draft a strategy in
which clear directives should be issued to ministry of interior to
understand gravity of issues and role of law enforcers to facilitate
media in investigation journalism. Government should immediately condemn
visible hands maligning media as well strict action should be taken
against dens targeting media to protect own interest in war against
terror. There is no doubt that terrorism is the biggest challenge
confronting the country and support of all segments of the society is
critical to the government’s efforts to fight the threat. Government can
not win the fight without media. To win the support, it should give due
attention to provide a visible safety to media persons for vibrant role
of media. In the wake of mounting threats against journalists, the
government should concentrate on security measures for a safe media
environment. It is balanced and fair demand of media persons to help
them to unveil enemies of society. Media is mirror and voice of society;
it has strength to investigate culprits of society damaging the soul of
nation through immoral actions.
Through investigative journalism, media can highlight reasons of
terrorism, plight of people, corruption of influence segment and other
immoral and unethical activities, it all can compliment the cause
government to apprehend criminals and eliminate reasons behind terrors.
Media can’t be terrified in any case. In wake of recent war against
terror, it is prime duty of government to draft a plan to help media for
investigative journalism. Media can act an important role through fair
and unbiased reporting to identify elements responsible for terrorizing
society. Government should utilize the vibrant role of media by ensuring
visible security to eliminate the evils of society.
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