Daily Times

This year’s press freedom rankings came as a surprising respite from all the gloom and doom talk enveloping Pakistan. Moving up seven places in a list of 180 countries, “changes in government” are said to have loosened constraints on the media. That a society is only as free as its journalists are cannot be stressed enough because while the writing on the wall may call for some celebration, some restraint is still needed. As very appropriately summarised by Reporter without Borders, the perception of press freedom changes drastically the minute political parties come to power. Last year, firebrand anchorpersons were the first to be assaulted in the wake of a no-confidence motion against the then prime minister Imran Khan. No matter what the index may proclaim, the profession is greatly imperilled at the hands of vaguely-worded laws that appear forever ready to censor any criticism under the guise of paternalistic protection. So much so that an act passed for the sake of journalists is contingent on them following a “certain conduct.”

With at least 140 cases of threats in just last year, Pakistan has become at least 60 per cent riskier to practice freedom of speech. The safety laws heralded as a game-changer across Asia, have sadly proved to be toothless against those who cannot stand the discomforting line of questioning. Sandwiched between crippling pay delays, job uncertainty and menacing threats, journalists often find themselves with the short end of the stick. Neither can they do their job nor provide for their loved ones.

Quite interestingly, the situation has flipped beyond damage control in the neighbourhood. Thanks to “media takeovers by oligarchs” close to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, press freedom remains exasperated and the slightest of criticisms can culminate in death threats and vicious trolling campaigns. However, it would be a futile exercise to pop balloons over the misery of others when our own backyard is shambolic, to say the least. Five media professionals were killed, another 10 survived assassination attempts and many, many more bearing the brunt of vile attacks on social media. There is a lot that the state can do to help ensure a thriving press, which in turn can stand guard for a prospering democracy. But as always, ain’t nobody’s got time for that! *