Written by Ch. Faisal Mahmood
Media Freedom, made more free and crowded by Pakistan’s immediate past ‘dictator’, is of essence to the better development of our country’s economy, social wellbeing and its place in the comity of nations. Freedom of the Press should, at all times, be upheld and honored.
But for it to be honoured, it has to be responsible; not only to its financiers or chosen leaning or government, but to the State and to its readers/viewers.Certainly, it should not be out of tune with what the sciences of politics and mass communication call ‘The General Will’ of the people. Media persons must remember that the Pakistani people have a special love for their armed forces that they regard – very rightly – as the final source of dependable loyalty to and security of their State. The Pakistani people also have love and respect for PIA which is already under immense pressure and is being made a laughing stock by some unwise people on very minor things by projecting in the public whereas there are departments inside PIA where the issues can be reported or complaints can be made.
We say State, because we see that in day to day narratives, the word is confused with Government. While politicians in office conduct themselves as if they themselves are the State,the journalists, columnists and anchorpersons target the government without taking into account the consequences,of their words,to the State.
The way certain print, electronic and social media has projected the Chinese female passenger visit to the cockpit during a PIA flight from Tokyo to Beijing earlier this week is doing nothing more than earning a bad name for our national institution and for the tourism industry of Pakistan without realizing that the Chinese, once again lead the world in international outbound tourism spending. The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) showed Chinese tourists spending $261B, traveling to other nations in 2016. Not realizing the repercussions of such childish act, such things are very harmful for our national interests of travel, tourism & aviation industry.
Even in the most democratic states, anyone found casting aspersions on their national institutions, is hauled up for intense questioning for his loyalty and antecedents.
All the present fuss and blaming – on sheer hypothetics -with the power of a medium’s print and electronic reach, are totally out of tune with the General Will of Pakistan; the only people pleased with putting our national institutions on the defensive are our admittedly non-friendly decision makers. This is not what we, the Media worldwide, are free for.
