Freedom in a realm of fear

"When I pulled the curtains apart early in the morning, the scene across the French window was quite gloomy. The far mountains were shrouded in dark clouds and I could hear the muffled sounds of thunder. A light rain fell. I saw these signs as ominous because we had to go out in a short time and stage a rally.”
What was the encounter that I have described? That is, in fact, how I began my column published in this space on May 10, 2009. I thought of going back to it for two reasons. One, the day on which my column is being published – May 3 – is the World Press Freedom Day. Two, the reference here is not just to the World Press Freedom Day six years ago but it also kindles my memories of Kathmandu, the city that has been devastated by a severe earthquake.
In spite of eruptions on the national front that seem ceaseless, Nepal’s earthquake is the lead story in the international media and its human dimension is overwhelming. I keep remembering my previous visits to monuments that no longer exist. Our media, though, has preserved its tradition of not being able to cover in depth large events that take place in our neighbouring countries.
Anyhow, I was one of the participants in the regional conference for South Asia held on May 3, 2009 in Kathmandu. The proceedings were to begin with a short rally to an auditorium where the inaugural session was held. We did walk in the rain. The gloom that is reflected in the intro was certified by presentations on the state of the media in South Asia.
Another reference to that conference is that it became a red-letter day. Nepal’s prominent journalist Kanak Dixit was presenting his keynote address on press freedom in South Asia when he paused and gave breaking news. Nepal’s Maoist prime minister had just sacked the army chief. Kanak told the gathered news persons: “You are in the right place at the right time”.
Are we, in Pakistan, at the right place at the right time to deliberate on the state of the media in terms of the freedom that it may exercise? Well, the latest development is that the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has asked the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) to not allow the live broadcast of ‘hate speech’.
This was one of the aftershocks of the speech made by MQM chief Altaf Hussain during the night of Thursday-Friday. One measure of what it meant is evident in tweets by the chief military spokesperson Maj-Gen Asim Saleem Bajwa. Here was an unprecedented reaction on the part of the Pakistan Army and it came in the wee hours of Friday. One tweet: “Altaf Hussain’s speech on TV tonight containing remarks about the army and its leadership were uncalled for and disgusting”. One headline published on Saturday: “Army to take legal action against Altaf”.
Without going into this sordid matter any further, the point I want to make is that on this World Press Freedom Day, we need to look closely at the content of the media, particularly the electronic media, in Pakistan and see if it is free and independent in its coverage. Superficially, our news channels appear to be unrestrained by any limits on their freedom, including in a professional or ethical context. But the overall environment in which this game is being played is oppressive as well as restrictive.
Incidentally, I allude to media freedom in Pakistan to mark the day that has its own significance. This year Unesco, the UN agency mandated to promote and protect press freedom, is focusing on three themes. The first is the need for ‘quality journalism’. Reporting that is accurate and independent remains a constant concern in a media landscape that is changing due to technical and commercial concerns. The other two relate to gender imbalance in the media and ‘digital safety’.
However, my mind is still preoccupied by the murder of Sabeen Mehmud in Karachi 10 days ago. And I see ample justification for linking Sabeen’s murder with the freedom that is at the media’s disposal to explore the major predicaments of our society. After all, the freedom of the media is in essence the freedom of the people to express their views and to explore the reality of any situation.
In that sense, T2F, the café founded by Sabeen, was an extension of the media because it served as a space for dialogue and for social and cultural events. Sabeen was gunned down when she was headed home after a discussion on missing persons in Balochistan. Irrespective of how this murder can be explained, the truth is that Sabeen was on someone’s hit list because of what her beliefs and activities were as a social activist.
With Sabeen’s murder, we have been reminded that we live in a kingdom of fear, fortified by religious extremism and intolerance. Our fundamental human rights have also been undermined by the power exercised by our national security agencies during the ongoing military operation. In a meaningful way, working journalists and human rights defenders belong together. This kinship would surely be emphasised in a consultation being held by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) in Islamabad on May 7.
It has been noted by HRCP that while protection and promotion of human rights had never been a risk-free enterprise in Pakistan, the vulnerability and dangers for human rights defenders had never been greater than what they are today. The risks are not confined to any one region of the country and a number of activists, journalists, lawyers and political workers have paid with their lives for raising their voice for human rights.
It is pertinent to mention that May 7 will be the first death anniversary of Rashid Rehman, a human rights advocate who was also affiliated with HRCP. Rashid was gunned down in his office in Multan because he was defending a university teacher accused of blasphemy. Thursday’s consultation has particularly been prompted by the feeling that the assassination of Sabeen, Rashid and Parween Rahman (in Karachi in March 2013) present new risks and shrinking space for the work of human rights defenders.
The overall picture, thus, is not promising though Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is pleased with the results of the campaign against terrorism and extremism. What our leaders do not really understand is that defeating terrorism will not be enough if society does not flourish culturally, intellectually and socially in creative ways. For that, we need freedom of thought and of expression. And, crucially, freedom from fear.
The writer is a staff member.
Email: ghazi_salahuddin@hotmail.com