“Balach ko apni zameen bhi nahi mili” was the misleading headline ‘given’ to an article written by senior columnist Abdus Salam, alias Dr Chishti Mujahid, printed in the country’s leading Urdu weekly, Akhbar-e-Jehan, at the death of Baloch nationalist leader Mir Balach Marri. This headline eventually resulted in the murder of Dr Mujahid on February 9, 2008.

Even though this furthered the stance that both Balochistan and Fata were Pakistan’s most dangerous areas for journalists, Dr Mujahid’s case was different from that of the 28 other journalists killed in Balochistan in recent years. His was the first case where a group — the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) — claimed responsibility.

Dr Mujahid, a regular columnist for Akhbar-e-Jehan, was assassinated after receiving threats for his article on Mir Balach Marri. The weekly printed a highly provocative headline against Marri, perhaps not realising the possible consequences of this action, which outraged the Baloch nationalists.

Pakistan has been ranked the most dangerous country in the world for journalists, which makes Balochistan the ‘killing field’ for journalists within the country. Journalists in Balochistan have disclosed that if they get a press release from an extremist group, it is not the organisation but the militants who decide the space which will be given to it in the paper and no editing is allowed to be done to it. Dr Mujahid paid the price of writing the article on Mir Balach Marri’s death anniversary. It became a grave problem because an already critical article was given an even more provocative headline, that too, without the knowledge of the writer. The BLA reportedly defended the killing by saying that Dr Mujahid was working against Baloch interest. Hence, on the morning of February 9, 2008, as Dr Mujahid and his wife came out from their house, two unidentified gunmen opened fire on him, leaving him dead on the spot.

What actually went wrong in this whole incident was never properly investigated, either by the government or by his own media group. Thus, his killing was directly linked to his journalistic work. Therefore, whether in print or in electronic media, journalists must take extra care of the language they use when reporting from conflict zones or when writing about sensitive issues.

The late journalists Hayatullah Khan, Munir Sangi, Mohammad Ibrahim, Musa Khan Khel, Saleem Shahzad and a few others, were killed for their journalistic work in which they got themselves in dangerous positions while reporting.

The practice of journalism in Pakistan faces many challenges, but the biggest one is the threat to fair and unbiased reporting, due to which around 100 journalists have been killed in the past 12 years alone, making freedom of expression a ‘dream’.

Journalists have now started discussing what is more important — freedom of press or freedom to live. In the last few months, two sons of the president of the Khuzdar Press Club were killed and the general secretary of the same club was murdered. Likewise, 28 journalists have been murdered in Balochistan alone.

Hundreds of journalists work in fear and under pressure in Balochistan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Fata and even in Pakistan’s largest economic hub, Karachi. Most of them refuse to quit the profession because they love their work, even if it is at the cost of their lives.

Pakistan Press Foundation

The press is caught in a vice between the Taliban which has stepped up its attacks and the security forces who continue in their old ways of harassing journalists. The country has scores of privately owned television and radio stations, putting it on the path of an information revolution comparable to that experienced by India about ten years ago. The media is increasingly belligerent in its coverage of political and socio-economic problems, despite the huge risks.

PAKISTAN PRESS FREEDOM BAROMETER 2013

3 Journalists killed
0 media assistants killed
0 journalists imprisoned
1 media assistants imprisoned
0 netizens imprisoned

The Taliban offensive and the political upheavals shaking the country have led to ever harsher repercussions for journalists. More journalists have been killed so far in Pakistan in 2009 than in any other country. There has been an upsurge in attacks on the media and press clubs in the tribal areas, but also in Balochistan and sometimes in the big cities.

Though the 1973 Constitution guarantees press freedom, the law still contains a number of articles allowing journalists to be sentenced to prison terms for offences including “defamation”, “immorality” and insulting Islam or the sovereignty of the country. Even though no journalist is currently in prison for this reason, it is not unusual for reporters to be “questioned” for several hours by the secret services.

President Asif Ali Zardari, who heads a government loyal to the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), has put an end to the policy of harassment and systematic censorship of General Pervez Musharraf. But when faced with political tension, the authorities always have the same reflex of resorting to censorship. They deemed it necessary in March 2009 to block television news channels Geo News and Aaj while they were covering demonstrations by lawyers.

Authorities in Islamabad have abolished some draconian edicts inherited from Pervez Musharraf, but they have not, for example, given its independence to the broadcast media regulatory authority.

Journalists have been forced into self-censorship in the Swat valley where the government agreed to the application of Sharia law demanded by the Taliban in exchange for a halt to the fighting there. They have fallen victim to the terror sown by the Taliban through their illegal FM radios. It was in this valley that journalist Mosa Khankhel was brutally murdered in 2009, while he was actually covering the peace agreement.

The very few journalists in the tribal areas are at the mercy of the Taliban who try to get them to report favourably on their “Jihad”, while the army and local authorities react badly to any news reports suggesting failings in the “war against terror”. Scores of journalists in the district of Bajaur, caught between a rock and a hard place, have fled the war. Those who remain are threatened. One journalist threatened with death through a fatwa pronounced on him said, “I cannot leave my home for fear of being kidnapped or killed. I am living cut off from the world.” Tracts have been circulating in the Waziristan tribal area threatening to kill those who work for foreign media.

The international press is kept away from these border areas infested with Jihadists and gangsters. Indian journalists are not always welcome in Pakistan, as evidenced by ill-treatment meted out by soldiers in plain clothes to a team from NewsX in Lahore in February 2009.

The Pakistan army, particularly the secret services secrets (ISI and Military Intelligence) threatens journalists who report on abuse of authority and on disappearances, particularly those of hundreds of Balochistanis that occurred under the Pervez Musharraf regime. It is difficult to investigate safely in Balochistan, Pakistani Kashmir and the tribal areas. Baloch journalist Javid Lehri was held and tortured by military police, while Baloch businessman Munir Mengal was secretly detained for nearly two years by military intelligence for trying to set up the satellite television channel Baloch Voice.

The situation is deteriorating in Balochistan where Islamist groups and sometimes the security forces target supporters of the Baloch cause like Jan Muhammad Dashti, editor of the daily Asaap, published in Quetta, who escaped a murder attempt at the start of 2009. His newspaper is denied all government advertising.

There has been total impunity in cases of murder of physical assault on journalists. No assailant has faced any police questioning for at least the past four years. The authorities have refused to release the results of an investigation carried out by a judge into the kidnapping and murder in the tribal areas of photographer Hayatullah Khan.

The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) regularly condemns the appalling salaries and conditions of journalists, which can undermine their independence.

As news websites grow in popularity and influence, the government makes use of a harsh law to punish “crimes” committed online, particularly the posting of content that is hostile to it. It blocks some opposition websites and in particular those involving the Baloch community.

Pakistan Press Foundation

In a joint statement on Sunday the labour and civil society organisations announced to join the PFUJ’s dharna (sit-in) in front of the parliament in Islamabad on January 28 and demanded of the government to accept all demands of the working journalists. The organisations including the Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (PILER), Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF), National Trade Union Federation, Muttahida Labour Federation, Hosiery Garments Workers General Union Sindh, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), Port Workers Federation and others expressed serious concern over the failure of the government to look into the serious issues confronted by the journalists.

Pakistan Press Foundation

Were these journalists’ deaths preventable? Did the men have even basic safety equipment such as flak jackets, and the awareness and training to protect themselves as far as possible? They were killed in the second blast, timed to take place once people had gathered on the site of the first explosion. We also know that in the cut-throat climate of the news industry in Pakistan today and the race to grab viewers and ratings, concern about those in the actual theatre of operations is shrugged off. The unfortunate reality is that news directors from the safety of their offices miles away, urge journalists on the spot to get as close as possible to the venue of attack; if the representatives of one news outlet manages to get a closer look, the rest are sent in too. Sometimes, the journalists themselves press forward in their effort to ensure the best possible coverage. However, wiser counsel dictates that the newsmen show restraint until security personnel have declared the area safe, as was notable in the chaos that ensued after the 7/7 London bombings.

It would be incorrect to say that there is no awareness on part of news organisations. After the attack on GHQ in Rawalpindi some years ago, during which hostages were taken by the extremists, news channels debated how such events should be covered. The matter of journalists’ physical security was also discussed, and there was an attempt to collectively come up with ethical and safety mechanisms. In practice, though, this matter of concern is hardly a priority. The best service that the news business can do now in the memory of journalists killed while on duty is to revisit that safety code for newsmen. The latter must be provided life insurance, made aware of the dangers of their profession and given safety training and gear such as bullet-proof jackets. News organisations cannot improve the country’s security situation; but they can improve the survival chances of their staff.

Pakistan Press Foundation

The condolence reference was organised by CBE which, besides the journalists, was attended by people hailing from different segment of society. Addressing on the occasion, CBE President Dr Nashnas Lehri said that they would never forget the martyred journalists who laid their lives in line of duty. “We pay tribute to our slain journalist brothers who demonstrated bravery while discharging their professional duty,” he said.

Quetta Press Club President Saleem Shahid said that Balochistan had become the most dangerous zone for journalists where 32 journalists have been killed in target killing and bomb blasts in the past five years. A senior journalist Jalal Noorzai said that journalists should take steps for their security and safety since “we are in a state of war”. Fateha was also offered for the departed souls during the reference.

Pakistan Press Foundation

PCP Chairman Raja M Shafqat Khan Abbasi and Vice Chairman, Pakistan Bar Council, Akhtar Hussain have signed a MoU in this regard here on Friday. Protecting rights of the media and working journalists, especially in sensitive areas has seriously become a tough issue to address to these days in Pakistan. Press as well as legal fraternity of Pakistan had played a vital role in upholding true values of democracy for the rule of law and citizens’ right of expression granted under the Constitution.

According to MoU, both the bodies have agreed to become strategic partners to collaborate in providing legal aid to media persons who fell victim to attack/harassment or murder while during their professional work. The scope of collaboration will include at all levels throughout the country. The Pakistan Bar Council and Press Council of Pakistan will support and strengthen each other’s ongoing initiatives in this regard.

The PBC and PCP will jointly develop new concepts and ideas to protect rights of the media and working journalists in any part of the country.

Both the PBC and PCP will form a working group to review progress on quarterly basis and explore new areas to promote ethical journalism and safe environment for the media persons in the country.

They will support each other in case of any attack or assault on the freedom of press. It was agreed to make short, medium and long terms arrangements to meet the stipulated objectives within ambits of their working charters.

Pakistan Press Foundation