Indeed media is the reflection of your society! If ‘Kahan Ghar Ghar Ki’ and; ‘Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi’ was the most watched Indian soap opera in Pakistan with which people used to align themselves during prime times in early 2000; the introduction of news and current affairs channels has allowed us to find an alternative where we have been able to find our own version of ‘Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki’ and ‘Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi’ during that time slot not on any entertainment channel but on news and current affairs channels.
Here we don’t need any mother in law who wants to control her daughter in law or some sister in law who doesn’t adore her brother’s bride rather here we have anchors /host who play the role of mother in law who is quiet concern about what’s happening in the powerful corridor<!–more–> of our country. These mothers in law who have been able to find so much space in local cable network thinks that all of them can go on to speak on any issues without holding them accountable for anything. Yes self accountability and self responsibility is one thing which you can’t align with them.
The case of Arsalan Iftikhar and Malik Riaz not only exposes lack of journalistic ethics that prevails and the credibility of journalist but also the nature of the society we live in i.e. a society full of bigots; split personalities; extremism; conspiring mindsets where every single person has a price tag attached to them.
The way this scandal has come to limelight is hardly a surprise for anyone who keeps an eye on the politics of Pakistan. Yes it’s of no surprise that instead of discussing Federal Budget that was announced just days before this scandal came into media; PM Disqualification; NICL or Balochistan Missing Person’s Case isn’t any more the matter of importance for television industry rather we have got one more soap opera in the form of Arsalan Iftikhar and Malik Riaz case .
Yes! Let’s give a big round of applause to our senior journalists who were so sure about the authenticity of the information that was being shared to them by Malik Riaz that they didn’t even care to run that story in their own newspaper of which they are Group Editor of. Why? Perhaps they were afraid of financial penalties and legal action that would have followed had it been published.
It’s interesting to note here that how can journalist really be independent and do an objective reporting on this case when suddenly minutes long commercial of Bahria Town have started to appear on our television screens. Where are media industry ethics and why couldn’t they have refused to air these commercials when this case is sub judice. How can we place reliance on what media is reporting is with full independence and objectivity when it itself has a financial interest attached with one of the party involved in this case?
Mindset of our society can be judged from the fact that we are not really bothered about that a person is claiming to have spent his money on Arsalan Iftikhar in order to get his cases quashed in the court of Chief Justice of Pakistan i.e. a person himself admitting to have used his money to influence judges of Apex Court of Pakistan and when I say judges: that does not only involve Chief Justice but rest of the judges as well who would have sit on the bench where Malik Riaz cases were being heard. Is Malik Riaz confessing that an act was done not only to bribe Chief Justice but all other judges who were part of the bench that were hearing cases against Malik Riaz ?
The relevance of Arsalan Iftikhar in this case is only that of a middlemen who allegedly promised to deliver some favor in return for sum of money to Malik Riaz . But real question is did any of the money reached to any of the Honorable Judges of Supreme Court of Pakistan? Does any journalist have enough corroborative evidence regarding that or just because a person named Arsalan father is Chief Justice of Pakistan ; we will run vilification campaign by using Chief Justice name in this case and will end up destroying the institution which people of Pakistan holds in great esteem .
It’s not only Arsalan Iftikhar or Malik Riaz who is in the dock rather its journalist and the kind of journalism they do itself is in question. “
Pakistan falls into the cateogory what the cslptaiiat politcal language calls them as failed state , police state , and indded some how rogued state . currently it has descented into total chaos { this word i prefer than only chaos}.Gradually the group which calls every shot has succeded to control every aspect of the people living within its terriotoy. Media , government (its all pillars ; legislature , executive , judiciary) , manufactured public opinion which revoles around a manufactured idelogy , propganda all work together to strengthen ultra totalitarian regime.all means of suppresion and exploitation are used to maintain the status quo. violence is its favorite mean.Balochistan is in grip of insurgency for quite few years. killing , torture , disapperance of poilitical activists , intellectual and journalists , artist and poet , teachers and also children and women are routine there , even in daylight. students are murdered cold blood.Asaap , a daily paper , was closed down because Forntier Corps (F.C) put a seige around it and its worker were tortured and threatened.Where has been Media for 7 years ? As one of baloch poet put it in this way By killings our bodies , You cant kill our thoughts ; can you stoped the flowers giving out its fragrance ; if you want to kill me , then kill my soul , and hang my hopes ; if i m dead u will die too. { Atta shad}