Media, political freedom interlinked: Babar

ISLAMABAD: President PPP Human Rights Cell Farhatullah Babar Thursday said the independence of the media was linked with independence of politics and political parties which in turn depended on free and fair elections in a level playing field for all parties. 

“If politics, peoples’ mandate and electoral choices of the people continue to be manipulated at the time of elections early next year as in the past, there will be no hope for a free and independent media.” He said while addressing a moot at the National Press Club here.

The moot was organized by the Rawalpindi Islamabad Union of Journalists on the international day to end impunity of crimes against journalists on Nov 2.

Babar said the day this year was being observed just when the Supreme Court had started hearing in the Nov 2017 Faizabad dharna case to find out who were the elements behind it that seemed designed to chase out an elected government.

“The court at that time had pointed towards ‘nebulous tactics’ to manipulate the media,” he said, adding that exposing elements behind the “nebulous tactics” will serve as a deterrent for potential manipulators and urged journalists and the civil society to assist the apex court in exposing those elements.

He said Pakistan was among the top ten countries in the world declared most dangerous for journalists. Between 2012 and 2022 as many as 53 journalists were killed but in only two cases convictions were awarded. It means that 96% of cases the victims did not get justice.

He said Pakistan signed and ratified the UN Plan of Action in 2013 to end impunity.

He said Pakistan had also committed to submit to the UN Voluntary National Report every year containing data on crimes against journalists.

He said the 2021 legislation on safety and security of journalists had not yet been operationalized, as the commission under it had not been set up yet and demanded that it be set up without delay.