Head of PPP Media Cell
Who will not question the poor foresight of the government’s leadership after All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS), Council of Pakistan Newspapers Editors (CPNE), Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA), Association of Electronic Media Editors and News Directors, and Pakistan Federal Union of Journalist (PFUJ), have unanimously rejected the (PMDA) Ordinance for being draconian in nature fabricated to control media and suppress the voice of dissent. The International Press Institute, a global network of editors, media executives and leading journalists for press freedom in over 100 countries, has urged the withdrawal of the Ordinance while expressing its extreme concern. The proposed Ordinance is indeed bitter reminder of the military dictator, General Ayub Khan’s notorious Press and Publication Ordinance (1962) that strangulated the media on purpose to suit the military ruler to perpetuate his illegitimate rule. General Ziaul Haq was on the same trajectory with vengeance to grind down media who shamefully flogged the dissident journalists only to earn the badge of condemnation and contempt of the people while his victims were judged as heroes of the press freedom.
PPP had been living up to its repute with conviction throughout as freedom of media was one of the fundamentals of the party’s ideology. The party always played pro-active role side by side with the journalist community for the freedom of media. Chairman Bilawal Bhutto’s categorical rejection of PMDA ordinance and the opposition of filing of petitions against two journalists Hamid Mir and Asad Toor by the government spoke volumes of the level of commitment of the party leadership.
PMDA like ordinance was least expected even in the quasi-democratic dispensation. Ironically, PMDA ordinance stipulates almost the same kind of legal obligations to be fulfilled by media outlets as were contained in the Press and Publication Ordinance (1962--- like coercive media censorship, arrest of recalcitrant journalists, arbitrary interventions leading to suspension, termination and renewal of the licenses of newspapers. The right of appeal has also been curtailed because PMDA’s decision shall not be challenged in any court of law except in the Supreme Court. The PMDA Ordinance is indeed an integrated legal framework to grind down media in uniformity like in the third degree dictatorship regimes around the world. Does the leadership want to reduce Pakistan’s stature to the same level? It will not work here, and the government may have to bite the dust at the end of the day because Pakistan’s civil society is not silent and dumb to be led to abettors. They are quite capable of disarming the other side with arguments and unwavering sense of purpose. However, the intentions of the ruling party and its supporters might have been laid bare as what kind of logic defying decision making process was in vogue in the country that clearly discounted the likes and dislikes of the people.
Not a single voice is heard from any side, except the government’s spokesmen, in favour of the government’s plan to promulgate an Ordinance titled “Pakistan Media regulatory Authority (PMDA). It is being viewed as a thinly-veiled prescription to control media arbitrarily and unilaterally—mission impossible regardless of the official wild juggernaut. The strong and swift reaction of the Opposition political leadership, the journalistic representative organisations, Pakistan Bar Council, Pakistan Human Rights Commission and international media monitoring outfits, rejecting the move by calling it as another assault on the freedom of media and speech--- the byword this ‘highbred’ system is known for. PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto during his media talk last Friday in Islamabad rejected the Ordinance, stating it was an attempt to control media like General Ziaul Haq did during his military rule. It may be recalled that there was complete freedom of media during the previous PPP government led by Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani. It may certainly sound unique distinction of the then PPP government as there was not a single political prisoner either. On the other hand, today’s PTI government is heavily relying on the politics of witch-hunting without knowing it may surely amount to cutting ground underneath from its own feet at the end of the day.
The big ‘NO’ to PMDA Ordinance by the representative media organisations in a display advertisement last week in the newspapers clearly suggested how strongly they felt against it as they pronounced the Ordinance as a ‘war against independent journalism’. It was a startling indictment of government’s anti-media policies. It also implied tough resistance against the Ordinance might be forthcoming from the media stakeholders to expose and fight out this government’s unabated contemplations to stifle media. Undoubtedly, the media in the country had been gasping for air in the absence of enabling environment due to government’s step-motherly treatment. The official disrespect to the fourth pillar of democracy was expected in the face of track record of the incumbent government, but going that far was not in the wildest imagination of the stakeholders who were evidently deeply stunned over the formal move to silence media. The official intent to enforce PMDA Ordinance might surely erode the prospects of giving the government the benefit of doubt either because government‘s resolve to fix the media on its terms seemed to be so evident.
The Ordinance indeed also raised serious question of the government leadership’s ability of prior evaluation of the impact of the enforcement of public policy. This was dangerous tendency having direct bearings on the people and their lives for being at the receiving end.
How embarrassing for Pakistan that it is 5th most dangerous country of the world form the bottom for the working journalists, according the International Media Network, a credible International Watch dog that monitors freedom of media globally? ‘Journalist Beyond Boarders’ in its statement has assailed the action against well-known TV anchor person as a ‘a step towards autocracy’. It is not a small indictment. The Human Rights Organisations, Amnesty International and Freedom of Media Network, have been highlighting the cases of murder, intimidation of the journalists time and again urging the government of Pakistan to take remedial measures for the protection of journalists. But to no avail so far.
Regretfully, the intimidation and harassment of the journalists have not taken the backseat yet notwithstanding the strong reaction of the Free World’ and the journalists organisations within the country and internationally. There is no doubt that the civilised world gives lot of weightage to this factor in the establishment and promotion of its relations with other states. The government’s anti-media policies have tarnished the image of the country to the irretrievable scale that needs to be urgently addressed. The EU’s recent resolution bears witness to the losing ground entailing the dire economic consequences, if implemented, notwithstanding the bedeviling of the image of the country as collateral.
The journalist community has been protesting against the draconian measures like censorship, intimidation and their harassment, ruining of revenue stream of the non-compliant media houses leading to job losses of media persons. But, the government seems totally tone deaf and PMDA Ordinance squarely reflects the mindset that may not be prone to course-correction and damage control exercises.
The journalists’ representative body, Pakistan Federal Union of Journalist (PFUJ) had strongly condemned the punitive action against Hamid Mir, well-respected TV anchor. It might give impetus to their struggle to reclaim the freedom of press that had been under attack since this government was thrust upon in 2018. The journalist community had declared they would hold protest right across the country against the government incessant campaign against the journalist community and against the freedom of press. Their determination to defend their turf this time seemed unwavering for which they were determined to go to any extent.
The journalists those raised dissent voice were targeted with impunity. They either lost their jobs or were sidelined under pressure excreted on the owners who generally had no stomach to resist such pressure. Their preference to the survival strategy over the standards of journalism usually took precedence. The industrialist owners of the media outlets had generally no appetite whatsoever to ward off such pressure because of their industry related interests that could be easily jeopardised through government agencies like FBR, FIA or NAB. But, this time they were united and stood up to the PMDA ordinance with courage suggestive of enough was enough and no more.
The murder of three journalists this year so far had not deterred the perpetrators as the intimidation and harassment of the journalists were continuing. The culprits were hardly apprehended, so bringing them to justice remained a far-fetched cry. Ibsar Alam survived gun-shot while Asad Toor was beaten at his residence, a familiar modus operandi to silence the voice of dissent. The cases had been registered against the unknown perpetrators but they might not face the glare of law like other many similar cases in the past. The EU’s recent resolution questioning the country’s human rights record, growing religious intolerance and shrinking of freedom of media and speech could not be brushed under the carpet.
The resolution called for review of the GPS+ facility accorded to Pakistan in 2014. It would be fatal blow to the textile sector in particular, country’s major contributor of foreign exchange earnings. Above all, the withdrawal of GPS+ facility would bilked the image of the country to the limits as the decision of EU might surely be treated as lead story by media in this part of the region in particular. Time for introspection at the governmental level for improving the media environment as per the imperatives of Article 19 of the Constitution that guarantees the freedom of media within reasonable limits. The promulgation of PMDA may surely create a face-off situation between the government and the civil society to the collective chagrin.
muhammadshaheediyahoo.com