Daily Times

In a chilling echo of modern media entanglements, Voice of America (VOA) has emerged as a rogue player in Pakistan’s already fraught information landscape, prioritising sensationalism over journalistic integrity. Once a staunch advocate of free and fair journalism, the agency is now viewed as a provocateur, peddling controversies and divisive narratives that would be unequivocally condemned if any domestic news outlet were to engage in similar practices within the United States.

It is deeply concerning that VOA operates from residential properties in Islamabad, contradicting the very spirit of international journalism. This blatant disregard for Pakistan’s laws not only raises questions about VOA’s compliance but also suggests a troubling arrogance on the part of a foreign broadcaster. Who gave VOA the right to undermine the sovereignty of a nation while masquerading as an agent of information? Such practices are not merely irresponsible. They further perpetuate an already diminishing trust of the local populace in the system; forcing them to worry about their safety and security on every step amid the troubling atmosphere of suspicion and division that VOA seems determined to cultivate.

What’s worse is VOA’s increasing inclination to amplify separatist narratives and anti-state rhetoric. This kind of one-sided reporting distorts factual information and fuels societal rifts, all while masquerading as objective journalism. If the United States really holds its domestic news outlets to a rigorous standard of accountability, expecting them to report with nuance and responsibility, why is it that these organisations are free to treat the rest of the world as their sandbox, sovereign country’s rules and regulations as twistable dolls? Nothing else. VOA’s tactics in Pakistan demonstrate a disturbing double standard; what is intolerable for US-based agencies appears to be business as usual for this international brand.

For 65 years, VOA adhered to strict policies prohibiting it from targeting American citizens to prevent state-sponsored propaganda-a commendable framework that mires in contradiction when we consider its operations abroad. Perhaps, the Hill would be in a better position to answer why mainstream platforms, including Meta, effectively barred foreign outlets like RT from their platforms, citing national security concerns around “foreign interference.”

In another hypocritical twist of fate, Chinese media outlets are forced to comply as “foreign agents” under Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) regulations within the US. At the same time, Voice of America operates with impunity in Pakistan, shamelessly ignoring the very protocols it would never dare breach on US soil.

It is high time for Pakistan to demand accountability. A recent report saw Voice of America cover a protest camp set up in Turbat, Kech district, against the alleged extrajudicial killing of Zareef Baloch.

With misleading headlines and little to no attention paid to journalistic objectivity, the outlet went all guns blazing against the state and military machinery, convincing their audience that Baloch had, indeed, (not allegedly) been abducted and killed by the Pakistani armed forces. No one is against the package but the forces that seem intent on using media as a tool to sow the seeds of discord, not inform, like the plain old times. Had it been a routine feature, the reporter or the editor would have used a comment from the Balochistan government or the law enforcement agencies. Government spokesperson Shahid Rind has gone on record, that too in a VOA interview, that organizations raising the case of missing persons should knock on the appropriate platform with proof. The relevant commission holds monthly meetings to address such cases, and evidence needs to be presented to assist in locating missing individuals.

More worryingly, it did not take any time for the news to spread like wildfire on social media. Through artificial boosting, the post is being retweeted and posted in a bid to amplify its reach and create a sensational trend. Would the US be willing to sit back and let any foreign entity strike up a confrontation with its state agencies? The double standards could not be any more glaring.

As Pakistani citizens grapple with the ramifications of deceptive reporting, the question remains: Who will step up to protect the integrity of journalism and the national dignity that has been so callously undermined?

Pakistan deserves better: journalism that enlightens rather than inflames, one that informs ground realities rather than distorts them.