pakistan media are indepandent

Pakistan Media are Independent

Media of any country is the reflection of its culture, history and religion.

Pakistan is an Islamic Republic country founded on the ideology of Islam. Quaid-e-Azam stated, “We do not demand Pakistan simply to have a piece of land but we want a laboratory where we could experiment on Islamic principles.”(In 1946, Quaid-e-Azam Islamia College Peshawar).

With the independence of the state many other struggles for independence started within the country one of which was the "struggle for the independence of media in Pakistan."

Historically, the media of Pakistan is always under pressure sometimes by their own government and sometimes by the foreign forces. For a good period of Pakistan television and Radio Pakistan were the only source of news for the people, and  the most adverse one in which the news as well as entertainment media was also implemented with restrictions as well as severe punishment in case of disobedience. But the daring journalist didn't take the given path and keep on writing the truth and punished.

The struggle continued for few decades then in 2000 and after, a new era begins for the media and a number of news as well as entertainment channels got license. A few land marks which are very recent like Musharaf dismissal from government, restoration of chudary Iftikhar Muhammad as the Chief Justice of Pakistan marked the independence of news media. On the entertainment side this independence was marked by the broadcast of Indian content on Pakistani channels.

This independence goes so far that one Indian leader said we have invaded Pakistan culturally. He is not wrong in saying that now when Indian channels are banned in Pakistan most of the Pakistani channels are displaying the Indian Dramas, reality shows and talk shows with pride. The music channels of our country constantly play Indian song, the private cable channel plays Indian films freely and even those films and songs are played which are restricted to the adult only are freely running on the television screens without any check. These channels are all those who complained about the content and pressurize the Pakistan Media Regulatory Authority to put ban on Indian Channels.

The influence of this is very grave especially on the youth and children who are becoming violent and morally reprehensible.

Now when media is said to have independence it held some responsibilities from micro to macro level and its most important responsibility is to educate the youth with the Islamic Ethics and principles for their betterment as well as the better future on the country.

By Nimra Hashmi