Tag Archives: Pakistan Press Foundation

Safety of reporters prerequisite for press freedom, moot told

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KARACHI: Pakistani journalists have been facing grave security threats, especially in conflict areas, and all stakeholders should take efforts to improve safety of reporters, a prerequisite for press freedom, said speakers on a consultative dialogue on “Conflict Sensitive Reporting in Print Media.

The moot was organized in Karachi by Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) with support of Search for Common Grounds (SFCG) and Danish International Development Agency (Danida).

The speakers said there is need of devising a carefully written standardized terminology for sensitive words to ensure safety of journalists covering sensitive topics and working in conflict areas. They said that media organizations such as Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) and Council of Pakistan Newspapers Editors (CPNE) should develop a standardized list of terminology for sensitive words that threaten the safety of journalists.

The speakers said journalists face intense pressure from different groups over the use of words such as shaheed, killed, murdered, etc. They said if a standardized terminology is developed, then these threats to journalists could be reduced.

They said that professional training of journalism can also reduce conflicts and threats and help forming a peaceful society. They said that critical situation in Balochistan and other conflict areas have made reporting next to impossible because of the pressure from different sides such as law enforcement agencies, militants, local administration and political groups.

Ramzan Chandio, staff reporter of Daily The Nation from Karachi said that media is biased towards reporting the issues of Balochistan, adding that to avoid conflicts or pressure from different groups, journalists should highlight the suffering of the people living in Balochistan on humanitarian grounds.

Haroon Siraj, staff reporter of Daily The Nation from Swat said that he faced many problems at local level due to reporting on Malala Yousufzai incident, adding that some elements sitting in media organizations do not encourage reporting on stories based on social issues. He told the audience that his father, Sirajuddin, who was associated with Nawa-i-Waqt and The Nation, was killed by Taliban for reporting the facts.

Another journalist Safdar Ali, reporter of Daily Sahab from Sahiwal said that his arm and leg were broken for reporting against drug mafia.

During discussion, the journalists said that besides safety and security issues, they are also facing other issues including non-payment of salaries, non-availability of internet and fax facility, footage sending issues, etc.  They also highlighted the issue of lack of support by media organizations to their reporters in case of any conflict or filing of cases against them.

Gonila Gill, reporter of Dunya News from Lahore said that journalists are facing difficulties while reporting as in some cases, real stories are killed due to consideration at the management level.

Secretary General PPF, Owais Aslam Ali said that basic purpose of this consultation is to increase tolerance and promote solution-oriented mindsets in our society. He said that safety is the main issue for journalists working in conflict zones.  He said that those who attack or threaten journalists should be given punishment to end the culture of impunity in Pakistan. In this connection, United Nations General Assembly has passed a resolution on the safety of journalists and the issue of impunity and declared 2 November as International Day to End Impunity.   He said that a Coalition for Media Safety in Pakistan has been formed to combat impunity.

Trainer and senior journalist, Faysal Aziz Khan, said that there is an ‘understanding issue’ between the desk and out-station reporters (OSRs), which can be improved through proper communication on part of the OSR before starting work on any story. He added that one has to follow the policies of the organizations, and understanding the laws and policies will give clear guidelines for work.

Fiza Hussain of SFCG said that collective efforts will be continued for promoting greater tolerance and creating space for dialogue for peaceful Pakistan.

Civil Society Organizations hiding their identity for fear of militants in Balochistan

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Quetta, Balochistan (April 30, 2013 – AsiaNet-Pakistan) — A grave situation prevails in Balochistan where the civil society organizations have removed boards and name plates from their office buildings, their staff and officials do not carry ID cards or any other document while travelling for the fear of militants. According to them the NGO people are the main target of militants and other criminals who kidnap them for ransom.

Almost all the representatives of NGOs attending the consultative workshop on “Working with Media on Human Rights” organized by Pakistan Press Foundation here told that militants consider them lucrative, as they believe that NGOs are heavily funded by international organizations. Quoting certain incidents of kidnapping of NGO officials in Balochistan, the participants informed that ransom demanded by kidnappers, ranges up to twenty million Pakistani rupees.

The NGO people also receive threats from tribesmen. In such a situation, the organizations have restricted their work. “For example, we do not spread our work to more than one village and keep on working silently in a village so that we are not exposed to other people,” Ahmed Nawaz, CEO, National Capacity Building Program, told.

He said, ”We avoid releasing news to the media and instead prefer to post it on website, Twitter and other social media so that the kidnappers and militants do not know about our activities.”

The situation deteriorated since 2008 when the NGO officials were kidnapped for ransom or killed for non-payment of ransom. The threats to NGO people are now order of the day.

The participants also had complaints against media persons. They contended that newspapers and TV channels do not support NGOs working for human rights. They leveled serious allegations of corruption against the journalists. Some of the participants told that journalists used to cover their events in the past but now they avoid it as the journalists too receive threats from militants. A representative from Loralai area told that journalists have stopped covering NGO activities after receiving threats.

Some participants informed that whenever they issue any press release, the newspapers publish it after some days and for that also the journalists expect payments by NGOs. The newspapers demand advertisements from NGOs and do not respond otherwise.

During the discussion the participants however agreed that there exists wide gap between the NGOs and the print and electronic media because of lack of coordination.

Some of the participants informed that their organizations purchased airtime of local FM radios for creating awareness among the masses.

During the panel discussion Mr. Raza-ur-Rehman, resident editor, Urdu Daily Express and Bureau Chief, Express TV, who is also the current president of Quetta Press Club, presented the viewpoint of journalists saying that they too were performing duty under stress. “Like NGOs, the journalists too are receiving threats of dire consequences. We are asked by militants and tribal heads not to publish any news against them. Life threats are also extended in case we do not publish their statements,” he said.

He agreed that some journalists could be involved in unethical practices however said that the attitude of newspapers and TV channels was in the process of change, although slowly.

Raza-ur-Rehman advised the NGO people to come closer to the media and offered his help in this regard.

Mr. Javed Akhtar, Bureau Chief Pakistan Press International (PPI) also expressed similar views and offered NGOs to keep in touch with them for releasing their news on work being done by them in the field of human rights.

It also came to the fore that the newspapers are not allowed to be delivered in the interior of Balochistan while the news channels too have been closed in different areas.

During the interaction with participants it transpired that none of the NGO had any Public Relations section or Media Cell to deal with newspapers and electronic media. Any of the officials of NGO is assigned to come into contact with media when needed. The participants were explained how they can setup a proper section for the purpose. They however urged to conduct further workshops in this regard, as despite holding master’s degrees in different subjects they were lacking such knowledge and training.

In view of security concerns, the participants suggested holding security trainings for the persons working in NGO sector. They said the situation in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtoonkhaw was totally different from Sindh and Punjab and should be addressed differently.

The participants welcomed the PPF move of inviting senior journalists to the workshop and termed it ‘ice-breaking’ and urged to arrange more sessions with journalists for closer cooperation in highlighting the work being done in the fields of different human rights. Currently different organizations are working on street children, gender equality, rescue and relief in disaster-hit areas, education, health, child labor and many other issues.

Contact for further information:
Nasir Aijaz
Senior Coordinator
Pakistan Press Foundation
E-mail: nasiraijazpk@yahoo.com
Web: http://www.pakistanpressfoundation.org

Politicians using media for electioneering instead of visiting constituencies

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Bahawalpur, Pakistan (Asianet-Pakistan / April 4, 2013) — The speakers at a panel discussion held during a workshop on ‘Role of Media in Current Political Scenario’ viewed that the political parties and their candidates were using the media for their election campaign instead of visiting their respective constituencies for canvassing.

Workshop Participants of Pakistan Press Foundation Workshop

“The candidates used to visit their constituencies and conduct electioneering through corner meetings and door to door contacts but contrary to this traditional practice, the politicians are contesting polls through media,” writer, poet, intellectual and former MPA of 1970s Tabish Alvari said. The workshop was organized by Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF).

“The fifty percent electioneering is based on media campaign,” he noted remarking that media in Pakistan needed to be cautious as it is not mature yet. “The media should avoid being misused by the politicians.

He also stressed on devising a code of ethics for the journalists as well as the owners of media houses and called for strictly observing it.

Tabish Alvari also deplored the poor working conditions of journalists especially in rural areas.

Professor Dr. Rasheed Qazi, Head, Department of Social Work, Islamia University, Bahawalpur, opined that most of the media reports were not based on facts. “The media publishes/broadcasts reports without verifying the facts, which is against the ethics. It must play the role with full sense of responsibility.

According to him, the media in Pakistan was neither free nor neutral as different lobbies prevail over it.

Participants of Pakistan Press Foundation Workshop

Earlier, Professor Dr. Javed Chandio, an intellectual, author of many books, former journalist and Head, Department of Siraiki Language, Islamia University, Bahawalpur, in his address said that electronic media in Pakistan was a 10-year child and needed to be guided for playing a responsible role for betterment of society. “About a dozen anchors of TV channels are spreading poison in the society. This is against the norms of freedom of media,” he viewed and urged for Code of Ethics for media persons as well as the owners of media houses.

During the 3-day workshop, attended by print, radio and TV professionals, it was observed that the majority of voters were unaware of their rights and most of them, especially the women in rural areas, even were not aware if they were registered as voters. “The people used to cast votes under the personal influence of politicians or being influenced by the Community,” the participants told.

“No politician or candidate talks of human rights or resolving the issues faced by the poor. They even do not implement the party manifesto,” they noted.

The participants that also included six local females working for radio and TV channels said centuries’ old system still prevails in Bahawalpur Division with the result that always same faces are elected in the elections.

Pointing out the low turnout during the polling, the participants said around sixty five percent people do not cast votes. “This silent majority can bring a positive change if they are motivated to use the right of vote.

Certificate Distribution at Pakistan Press Foundation Workshop

It further transpired during the discussion that the newspapers have no reach to vast area of Cholistan Desert and other rural areas of Bahawalpur. Even the TV channels are not viewed in remote areas due to non-availability of electricity. “Owing to this the awareness programs telecast by TV and the Election Commission’s drive in this regard have left no effects. Only the radio has outreach and could be used for creating awareness among the people in Cholistan Desert and other rural areas.

The participants also analyzed the contents of half a dozen newspapers during which it was noted that political news dominated the pages. Most of the news reports were based on statements of politicians. It was followed by crime reports while there were few reports on health and education and zero report regarding human rights.

They also highlighted the pressures including political one on the rural journalists.

The participants represented Geo TV, Rohi TV, Din TV, News One, Aaj TV, Metro News, Daily Pakistan, Jang, Awaz FM 105 radio and others.

About PPF:
Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) is an independent media research, documentation and training centre working to promote and defend freedom of press. PPF is recognised internationally as a credible organization working to improve the standards of journalism and defending freedom of expression.

For further information please visit:
Nasir Aijaz
Phone: 021-32628447
Cell: 0333-3028977
Email: nasiraijazpk@yahoo.com
Web: www.pakistanpressfoundation.org