Daily Times

The recent assassination of India’s courageous journalist Gauri Lankesh outside her home in Bangalore sparked widespread indignation in India. Editor of the independent Kannada language newspaper Lankesh Patrike, Lankesh was an ardent campaigner for India’s minorities and a vociferous critic of far-right nationalist groups. Hours before being killed, she had posted a message on Facebook condemning the planned deportation of Rohingya refugees by the Indian government. She drew the ire of the Modi government for speaking out against the ruling BJP. Undeterred, she continued to champion the cause of India’s vulnerable communities in spite of receiving regular death threats from hardline elements.

On both sides of the border, the ascendancy of fundamentalist groups must be addressed not only to protect those speaking truth to power, but also for both countries to retain their democratic credentials

In the wake of her murder, the Press Club of India stated that Lankesh was ‘a fearless and independent journalist who gave voice to many causes and always stood up for justice has been shot dead in the most brutal manner in order to silence her voice.’

This is a reality that Pakistan understands all too well. A recent report from the Committee to Protect Journalists puts India ninth on the 20 deadliest countries list as far as journalists’ killings are concerned. Pakistan stands at the sixth place. Geo journalist Wali Babar, Haji Abdul Razzak Baloch, Saleem Shahzad and Taimoor Khan from Samaa TV are just a few of the journalists who have lost their lives in the course of their work.

In May this year, International Freedom of Expression Exchange Executive Director Annie Game recommended Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to respond to the UNESCO director general’s 2017 request seeking information on the status of judicial inquiries into the killings of 55 journalists in Pakistan from 2006 to 2016.

A truly democratic system must guarantee the protection of free speech in recognition of the fact that criticism, scrutiny and a plurality of views are an essential part of democracy. This is enshrined in Article 19 of the Pakistan Constitution yet members of the press still routinely face death threats and intimidation.

Such is the importance of freedom of expression that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states: “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression, this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.” France’s Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen (1789) states that free speech is ‘one of the most precious rights of man.’

The rising tide of religious extremism and intolerance in Pakistan has created a toxic environment where journalists fear for their lives. The assassination of this newspaper’s founder, the late Salmaan Taseer, who so courageously championed the rights of vulnerable minorities, is indicative of the malaise that has taken hold within the country.

On both sides of the border, the ascendancy of fundamentalist groups must be addressed not only to protect those speaking truth to power, but also so that both countries can credibly claim to be real democracies.

The writer is the founding editor of Blue Chip magazine. She tweets @MashaalGauhar

Published in Daily Times, September 12^th 2017.