Daily Times

As the week draws to a close, the news is in that yet another journalist has been targeted: Marvi Sirmed. The Daily Times special correspondent and columnist was not hurt but her home was turned upside-down. Police have registered a First Information Report (FIR).

And while this could be a case of an ordinary run-of-the-mill robbery, we, nevertheless, call on the caretaker government to investigate the matter fully. Nothing less will do. For such is the climate of fear that hangs over the fourth estate here in this country; exacerbated by the apparent culture of impunity when it comes to attacks on journalists. Indeed, Sirmed is the third media worker to be singled out during this month alone. Earlier, analyst Gul Bukhari was temporarily abducted; while broadcast journalist Asad Kharal was physically assaulted in Lahore.

Many experts see a link between an increase in such incidents and the upcoming elections. In fact, this week started with a reminder to the civilian set-up of the escalating curbs faced by Pakistan’s fourth estate. With global media watchdog the International Press Institute (IPI) writing an open letter to the custodians of the Pakistani state. Addressees include the caretaker Prime Minister, the Chief Justice, Leader of the Opposition as well as well as the Chief Election Commissioner and those heading the three major political parties.

Among the concerns expressed by the IPI are reports that both print and electronic news outlets have been targeted in terms of disruptions to distribution and blocked transmissions. This has led to a certain degree of self-censorship among editors. None of which is good for either country or citizenry. Because the simple truth is that democracy can never flourish on the ashes of a media under fire.

Civilian regimes are the due custodians of both. As such, the time for prioritising safeguards against media curbs and the fragile security situation faced by journalists has long arrived. Meaning the time has come to take constructive action. For, bluntly put, there is little point in celebrating 10 years of uninterrupted democracy when those whose function it is to affect a system of checks-and-balances as part of a self-correcting system are not allowed to do their job. Or, else they are too afraid to do it as it is meant to be done. Which is one and the same thing. For when one cog in the wheel is removed, the entire system risks collapse.

Democracy, as we are wont to repeat, must name the process by which it comes into being. Yet elections are worth nothing if the citizenry remains uninformed. A point that should be suitably noted by those civilian leaders who have been known to scoff whenever Pakistan — a parliamentary democracy — is compared to the autocracies of the Middle East. Sadly, from where we are standing the differences are less than one might care to admit.  *

Published in Daily Times, June 23^rd 2018.