When PTI announced its cabinet upon coming into power, it came as no surprise that you, Mr Fawad Chaudhry, had been named Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting. Throughout the Panamagate hearings you stood at the frontline, simultaneously battling PML-N supporters and news reporters outside Supreme Court. It was you who translated the lengthy JIT report into flowcharts for the common man on national television. Every day you sold the party’s narrative like hot cakes, because you knew exactly how to tug at the people’s heartstrings; anything could be said but every word was carefully chosen.
Now PTI’s strength has always been its bold and blunt statements against political leaders who previously had the opportunity to serve, but landed Pakistan in the circumstances we currently face. Today many individuals give PTI the credit for encouraging the people to demand change, irrespective of whether the party succeeds in building a Naya (new) Pakistan or not. However, this evocative narrative was built when most party members, including yourself, sat outside the National Assembly. Now the rules of the game have changed.
The recent allegations you leveled against opposition members on the floor of the house, calling them ‘thieves’ who ‘destroyed every institution in the country’, caused much uproar. Your language was deemed ‘un-parliamentary’ and thus frowned upon by both politicians and media persons alike. Eventually you apologized and the federal government proposed that a committee be formed to prepare a code of conduct for members of the National Assembly.
While little can be done without proof, the present condition of Pakistan speaks in your favor.In a country where poor stall vendors are unaware of being millionaires and millionaires areeasily evading taxes, something surely was done wrong by all those who previouslyheld the reins.If past prime ministers and dictators had done right by Pakistan, we would not be drowning in debt this very minute. So your allegations were not unexpected. And your vocabulary was (as always) blunt to the point of making headlines.
But while building new narratives lies at the very core of bringing about change, an everlasting Naya Pakistan cannot emerge simply through provocative statements. Neither can it be achieved by censoring those who speak against PTI’s policies. In our increasingly polarized society dialogue is the need of the hour.
‘To create an informed society, promote national cohesion and media development’ is the vision of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting-as per the government’s official website. This entails exposing fake news being spread to malign PTI. To tackle the issue you aptly set up a ‘Fake News Buster’ account on Twitter. While the initiative should be applauded, it is also pertinent to note that of the 35 million active social media users in Pakistan, only 1.5 percent use Twitter according to data gathered by the digital media agency Alpha Pro. On the other hand, a whopping 92 percent active social media users have Facebook accounts. Consequently, most individuals encounter information primarily through Facebook, Whatsapp or television channels.
Today the low cost camera phone and access to social media has turned almost every third person into a journalist. Even television channels now use social media as a source for making tickers and headlines. But in an age where information spreads faster than flu, trying to counter fake news, be it through a Twitter account or a Facebook page, is not a long term solution. An effective policy must address the underlying cause of this social media quagmire.
The exponential growth and reliance on social media in Pakistan is driven by the people’s desire to be heard. And platforms such as Facebook offer them a space to do this. The people don’t just want to listen. The government’s recent decision to launch a public contact campaign is a good opportunity for creating national unity; a government for the people, by the people, finally meets the people. However, the campaign must entail more than public gatherings addressed by the prime minister and other MNAs. Only highlighting PTI’s achievements will not do the trick. It is time to think beyond the party. It is time to think of Pakistan as a whole and acknowledge the differences which exist within it.
Change cannot be forced upon the people. It is a process which entails proposals, rejections and persuasions. You, other MNAs, and representatives from your ministry need to enter public spaces on equal footing with the common man. Have round table conversations where individuals are able to offer you opposing perspectives. Sit inside schools and outside mosques. Sit amongst your people. Sit down to listen because constructive criticism is healthy. Changing mindsets is a time consuming task but one which will ease policy implementation for PTI, expedite the arrival of Naya Pakistan and ensure you party sweeps the next general elections.
The writer has a master’s in media with a distinction from the London School of Economics. She tweets @mawish_m
Published in Daily Times, November 20th 2018.