Well, actually Pakistani journalists are not looking for freedom of press, they are looking for freedom to lie and make money by selling lies in the name of journalism. After seeing Pakistani journalism during last few years, I feel that most Pakistani journalists do not have any sincerity or respectability. They are mostly bikao maal, ready to sell themselves and their right to journalism, to the highest bidder.
If some one make speech that A is pimp, B is SOB, C is murderer, and than media broadcast that, and broadcast that repeatedly (in such way that for masses, it seems that all those allegations are true), while media absolving the responsibility by saying that they are just transmitting/writing what is said, it is not their opinion, means that media do not deserve to have freedom. In west, if they would do that, they would get sued.
Abdul Rahman Yaqub is owner of ARY. Now suppose if anyone makes speech, where that person says that Abdul Rahman Yaqub is Pimp who stole money to start his business, obviously ARY would not broadcast that. Nevertheless, if any channel, in the name of free press, broadcast that, and broadcast that repeatedly, without any concern what impression that lies would leave amongst masses, means that such channel is not doing journalism, but abusing freedom of press, and thus do not deserve freedom to broadcast anything, rather their licensee should get cancelled.
I am sure that no one amongst people, even we all who are writing on this forum with imaginary name, would like that if it happens regarding them. It is easy to enjoy what does not concern a person, but same thing becomes nightmare, if others start doing that to oneself. Throughout media freedom in Pakistan, media only abused their freedom, that’s all.
When that woman, Sherry Rahman movie was shown on this forum, where she was abused by ex-speaker, her co-party compatriot, I felt bad, not because that I care for Sherry Rahman, but because Sherry Rahman was innocent there. Even though that movie was based on truth, what really happened was wrong, and Sherry Rahman was victim. To enjoy victim embarrassment to me was wrong. Suppose if any person abuse Sherry Rahman or any person with lies, how a person should think about that? Would it be right to spread that lies?
Now let see the behaviour of Pakistani media: Just imagine someone comes to me and tell me that my son ‘A’ stole his book. I call ‘A’ and asked him if he did steal the book. A tells me that, no he did not. I told ‘A’ that, son just tell the truth and return that book, I will see what I can do, still A tells me that he did not. Hence I stopped A in my room and send my other sons, ‘B’ and ‘C’, to check A’s room. I held ‘A’ with me so that if he did steal the book, he does not influence his brother B and C. If B and C finds that A is innocent, I can tell the people that alleged A that they are wrong. If that would happen, no one can say that I did anything wrong.
Same happened regarding CJ. Allegation came to President regarding CJ. President asked CJ if allegations are right, telling CJ that if it is right, do not worry as he could resign and would get accommodated. But CJ tells that he is innocent. Hence, President asked brother of CJ, (other judges) to find out the truth about allegations, while suspended CJ (as in above case, I held A with me), so that CJ could not influence other judge brothers. So, what happened, there is nothing wrong there. If CJ is innocent, nothing could happen to him.
But media taking advantage of freedom of press, tried to put entirely different story in front of the masses. They labelled reference against CJ as Malafied reference as if they know the intentions. Suspension of CJ was presented as sacking of CJ, though suspension is suspension and not sacking. Impression to masses was given that President initiated reference (a big lie and propaganda), rather media should have told true picture to the masses, that allegation was made against CJ not by president but outside sources, and what President did was sent that allegations as reference to other judges, to find out if those allegations are right or wrong.
Even when President told CJ that if he resigns he could still get accommodated, media gave impression to masses that President had bad intention when he offered alternative to CJ, when if media has to mention that, they should have told the masses that it shows that President is not against CJ in anyway and even if there is allegations against CJ, President is still willing to accommodate him.
Media insinuation that reference is because of CJ past judgment, again is misuse of media and trying to give wrong impression to masses, when media or anyone have no reason to assume that, as no one can know intentions. Well, if there was no substance in reference, then CJ would come out fine anyhow, hence Media had no right to assume, but should have just mentioned the causes of reference. If CJ lawyer had said that reference has malafied intentions, media could have cleared that, by telling the masses that CJ lawyer are saying that but they have no proof other then their assumptions.
Well, even about 12th May, media only shown one sided story. They did not showed any cross fire, though MQM released video plus even press footage shows that firing did not happened one sided, but it was cross fire. Well, just to balance what they shown on 12th May, they could have showed MQM released video about 12th May on Channel repeatedly too, to correct the impression, but they did not, showing that their reporting are bias and purpose was to create friction amongst people (do not know whose agenda they were working here).
Actually, regarding many issues, throughout last many years, Media is trying to give bias views full of lies, to misguide masses, especially on economic progress as well as development performance. Till now, they have not shown in video what development has happened in Gowader, all roadworks done throughout Pakistan during last 8 years, or all those lining of canals and other development works done in Pakistan. Apart of PJ Mir, who showed some development work in Karachi, no journalists (or any privately held TV channels) showed any development anywhere in Pakistan. None till now compared the state of Pakistan in 1999 with what Pakistan is today. Rather, without quotation any figure, all channels throughout tried to give bad impressions backed by lies (lies that are so illogical, that it can easily be worked out by even idiots).
It seems that media was using that freedom of press to earn money from corrupts, rather than doing unbiased reporting. Hence, it seems that even though President Musharraf wanted to give freedom to media, media only used that to earn money, showed that they are irresponsible and bias people and does not deserve any press freedom, as for them they are not looking for press freedom; they are looking for freedom to lie and misguide masses (for whoever pays them). Most Pakistani journalists, just like Pakistani politicians and Pakistani bureaucrats, seems corrupts rather than journalists.
