Away from the cameras and newsprint, a wave of fear and foreboding has swept through the media in recent weeks and months. Last week, in the killing of three Express News employees by the Taliban in Karachi, many of the industry\u2019s fears coalesced bloodily \u2013 and few expect the threat to recede.<\/p>\n

In a series of conversations with Dawn, senior journalists offered their views on why, at this juncture, the Taliban are trying once again to intimidate the media and also shed some light on the behind-the-scenes pressure that is being brought to bear and that is rarely made public.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf the focus was on news before, now it\u2019s on views,\u201d Mushtaq Minhas, co-anchor of Bolta Pakistan on Aaj News, said. \u201c(The Taliban) want to dilute the growing state and society narrative against them and want to impose their own narrative.\u201d<\/p>\n

Minhas claimed that the growing sophistication of the Taliban\u2019s media operations \u2013 both in terms of putting out their own message and closely monitoring the electronic and print media in Urdu, English and regional languages \u2013 has meant that the Taliban are alert to growing public and media criticism of the TTP and the possibility of an impending military response by the state against the TTP.<\/p>\n

Several journalists, who declined to be named, specifically mentioned Omar Khalid, the TTP Mohmand leader, and the deputy leader of the TTP, Khalid Haqqani, as being especially media-savvy and intent on intimidating the industry.<\/p>\n

The public clash of narratives has also exacted a toll behind the scenes. Privately, journalists tell of TV anchors and media bosses who have moved their families abroad or increased private security manifold.<\/p>\n

Seated in his office at a distance from its large windows, a small precaution against a potential blast or sniper\u2019s bullet, a senior journalist told of an increase in threatening phone calls and text messages sent by the Taliban \u2013 and not just to senior or high-profile media personnel.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not just us, the faces on TV. They know the personal numbers of in-house employees, the desk in-charges; the people no one outside the organisation or a small circle would know about. Who is giving them these numbers?\u201d the journalist asked, leaving his question unanswered.<\/p>\n

As ever, in the murky world of the Taliban and its many offshoots pursuing agendas of their own, it is not always clear why certain media groups and personalities have incurred the Taliban\u2019s wrath.<\/p>\n

In some cases, such as Hamid Mir and Hasan Nisar\u2019s, the Taliban\u2019s calculations may be more apparent. \u201cI\u2019m a target of everyone,\u201d Hamid Mir said ruefully. \u201cThat fatwa, with mine and Hasan Nisar\u2019s picture at the top, well, with me they (the Taliban) say that, most recently, I promoted Malala. And with him (Nisar), it could be the sectarian issue or that he is seen as pro-Musharraf or that he uses strong language.\u201d<\/p>\n

But M. Ziauddin, the executive editor of the Express Tribune, said the Express media group is unsure why it has become a repeated target of the Taliban. \u201cThe sectarian thing could be a reason. But the Urdu channel and newspaper coverage is not very different to the other mainstream competition.\u201d<\/p>\n

With full and proper explanations yet to be mooted, the vortex of conspiracy has spawned some darker theories about the true origins of the campaign against the media. \u201cWho does it suit, intimidating the media to give the Taliban narrative more airtime?\u201d a TV news director asked, speaking on the condition of anonymity. \u201cIt\u2019s obvious: the establishment.\u201d<\/p>\n

The director claimed that a by-product of the media\u2019s growing criticism of the Taliban in Pakistan is that it has affected how the Afghan Taliban are perceived.
\n\u201cYou hear the anchors saying it more and more, \u2018Enough of this good Taliban, bad Taliban nonsense,\u2019\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut it\u2019s 2014 and all eyes will be on Afghanistan, so they need to keep the Taliban narrative alive, to keep it legitimate. They are stakeholders, remember?\u201d
\nWhatever the true origins of the threat to the media, this much is clear: journalists expect little respite. A newspaper editor said, \u201cMy understanding is that (the TTP) intend to make a big impact by targeting a big media house or a leading anchor or editor to assess the reaction.\u201d<\/p>\n

The editor continued: \u201cThe failure of media houses and journalists to draw up a joint strategy and raise a collective voice goes in the TTP\u2019s favour. It\u2019s only a matter of time before they carry out their first major attack.\u201d
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\nDawn<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"