There are no appropriate words to describe the tragedy that has befallen the family of Sadaf Naeem, a TV reporter covering the PTI’s long march who was tragically crushed to death by a PTI container apparently after having fallen while attempting to board the heavy vehicle. Various versions of what happened are coming forward as they do in such cases. The main point though, is that reporters, camerapersons and all media professionals that work on the ground need far more protection while on duty. Their fate cannot be left to chance and to possible mishap due to the events taking place around them. This has happened too often, and resulted again and again in grievous injuries or death. Only recently, the Committee to Protect Journalists has released a safety checklist for journalists covering the US midterm elections. The list is instructive for editors and reporters in any country. It is unfortunate that most journalists in Pakistan have inadequate – or none at all – training regarding their personal safety while on duty. Journalists covering rallies and marches are particularly vulnerable to accidents, working without protective gear and also the confidence or the right to make decisions about when to let go of an opportunity for coverage if it puts their own lives in danger.
Sadaf Naeem’s tragic death should serve as a wakeup call for all in the media community in the country. One of the lessons is that no coverage is more important than a life. Reporters and camerapersons are all hard-working professionals and deserve better working conditions and capacity development for field work. There should be standard operating procedures in place with all the dos and don’ts clearly explained Checklists like the one issued by the CPJ can work as a great starting point in our newsrooms. This is a question of human lives and must not be taken lightly; one hopes that the long process of desensitization that has numbed our senses does not result in the usual apathy that we witness in such tragedies.
It is good that the prime minister and the chief minister of Punjab have announced financial aid for her family. There should also be a thorough inquiry into the incident and if somebody is found responsible for pushing her or any other negligence on the spot, the law must take its course. It is also the responsibility of those who organize such events and marches to be extra vigilant about the safety of the public and especially of journalists covering the event. The journalistic community itself also needs to act to set out rules. Our journalists must be able to work without the threat of death hanging over them every time they go out into the field.