We will persevere

A quarter of a century ago, Pakistan was still recovering from the ravages of brutal military rule, had few daily English-language newspapers and only two terrestrial television channels. Today, when any newspaper in the world is just a click away and cable television has left us, if anything, with too many news channels, it can be hard to imagine just how revolutionary the founding of The News was. A team of mainly young journalists played a key role in launching Jang Group’s daring project, expected by many to fail. But a quarter of a century from that day they have been proved wrong. The News International, with editions coming out from Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi/Islamabad, has carved out a significant place for itself in English language journalism and continues to break new grounds. The publication was the first to put in place state-of-the-art technology breaking past moulds. Since then others have followed where The News led. The technology used allowed it to bring out separate editions from three different cities representing on the pages their diverse nature but also a sense of unity. The nature of each edition, though, was based on that of its editorial team and this diversity breathed a new kind of life into a print media that had for too long followed old paths. The newspaper has played a pioneering role in developing investigative journalism in the country, acting as a nursery for reporters who have since gone on to become big names in the media. One of the major features of The News was the promptness with which it broke news again and again. An extremely dedicated team of journalist and other workers has often placed stories on its pages even hours before the print run. The paper deserves equal credit too for putting out a diversity of opinion. This has been reflected consistently on its editorial pages which draw in writers from every school of thought, as well as in its pithy editorials. The policy allows readers to think and decide where they stand, encouraging that important flow of ideas we so badly need in our country.

There have been problems; there always are when it comes to journalism worth its name. There were several periods of acute conflicts with various governments. As we celebrate our 25th anniversary, allow us a moment to congratulate ourselves in having survived through challenges to our existence for afflicting the powerful and exposing misdeeds. At the worst of times efforts were made by governments to stop the supply of the newsprint to the paper or to take over the content it chose to print. Later, The News was at the forefront of the media revolt against a military dictator and his emergency rule. Standing up for the freedom of the media, we received even more threats. Yet we persevered. As an institution The News is trusted because of the individuals who have put their lives on the line to protect your right to know. Recall young Wali Khan Babar, murdered in the prime of his life because he had the temerity to report on Karachi’s politics without fear or favour. Recall, too, how the newspaper and its parent company were nearly brought to their knees after the attempted assassination of Hamid Mir. Our staffers were harassed and threatened, unscrupulous politics rallied against us daily and cable channels refused to put us on the air. Yet we persevered. The Pakistan of today is very different to that of 1991, but it is no safer to practise journalism today as it was back then. What also will not change is our fearlessness and commitment to truth no matter where it may lead us. We will persevere.