Daily Times

While no one can do anything to bring back promising reporter Sadaf Naeem, whose life was brought to an abrupt end, by a truck carrying former prime minister Imran Khan, the announcement to halt the “long march” comes as a faint silver lining: humanity is not entirely lost in politics.

For now, messages of condolences have started to trickle in from leading offices but as always, the ghastly loss is bound to lose attention after a news cycle or two. The bereaved, however, have been doomed to brave the terrible tragedy and all its implications for a long, long time. Mother-of-two, Ms Naseem’s family are now in a double whammy as it was her daughter who spotted her crushed under a container on television.

That a dynamic journalist is fully aware of threats upon threats as they fight from the line of fire does not need to be said out loud, especially in a country like Pakistan. One might learn to stomach what went down on Sunday as a tragedy written in the stars or a dire consequence of standing in the line of duty but there remains a string of others seemingly unaware of the crimes they were punished for.

Had renowned journalist Arshad Sharif, for instance, known that his willingness to go all guns blazing would only kickstart a chain of events that culminated in his boxed shroud landing on his motherland? According to data compiled by Committee to Protect Journalists, as many as 96 members of the press have been killed in the last two decades only because they dared side with the integrity of their profession against the whims of the mighty.

The Damoclean sword hanging over almost all newsrooms when they try to juggle the principled oath taken by their pen (or, mic) with the terrifying ground realities is a testament to the constant dangers braved by those tasked as the fourth pillar of the state. Such frequent have been these brushes with death that veteran journalists cannot help but teach the novices about measures to prioritise safety; turn a corner if things appear too risky and think about family before ideals. It is high time that authorities look in our corner and realise that an institution committed to pulling covers and ensuring accountability on limited resources cannot be expected to make offerings of its blood forever. The good, secure times should roll in, or at least appear in sight sometime soon. *