Senseless violence

The risks faced by television crew as they go about their professional duties have been increasing rapidly. We have created a culture in which it has become acceptable for security guards and other persons linked to powerful personalities to assault those whose line of work demands that they remain at the forefront of media coverage of any event. A cameraman for Samaa TV has become the latest victim, and has filed a case against three guards accompanying former prime minister Nawaz Sharif for assault. The cameraman was beaten up as he attempted to record images of Sharif outside parliament in Islamabad on Monday. One guard has been arrested and the PML-N promises the other one will be handed over as well.

But this is not really a matter of one incident or of specific individuals. There have been many other cases of violence directed against mediapersons. In many instances, such acts have gone unpunished. In effect it makes it impossible for media professionals to carry out routine work and creates an environment that is increasingly unsafe for them. This is all taking place in a situation when journalists already face various threats with Pakistan now ranked amongst the more dangerous countries in the world for journalists. This makes it imperative that more steps be put in place to protect all journalists and particularly those who are constantly at the front line of all action.

To achieve this, political figures must openly condemn violence directed against the media. Their guards and others working with them must be instructed accordingly. The pictures captured in Islamabad on Monday show how irrational and unnecessary the attack on the unfortunate cameraman was. The media deserves more respect and more protection. In any civilised society, its role is recognised and respected. The notion that it is somehow all right to rough up a member of the media needs to be checked. It has to be the duty of all people holding positions of influence to put this culture in place and by doing so prevent the kind of ugly incidents we have seen again and again in the recent past. They act only to add to the senseless violence already tearing our society apart.