Being a journalist is not that easy

Yesterday (May 3) was World Journalism Day. If the previous and current years are combined, 2023 and 24 will be the bloodiest year for journalists.

The biggest reason is the humanitarian tragedy in Gaza. Since October 7, there have been one hundred and twenty-six martyrdoms related to the media, and one hundred and five of them are Palestinian journalists and bloggers. The number of those who were injured or had to leave the area is different

According to UNESCO, in just 10 weeks after October 7, Israel killed the number of people associated with the media in the 40 km long and 6 to 12 km wide strip of Gaza, more than any country in any one year. This series will continue as long as the genocide in Gaza continues. It is feared that the year 2024 may be the bloodiest year in history in terms of the safety of journalists.

Reporters Without Borders (MSF) concluded five months before the Gaza crisis last year that there are only fifty-two countries out of one hundred and eighty in the world where freedom of expression and journalists are protected. In other words. In seven out of ten countries, the state of freedom of expression and journalism is included in the worst to worst category and this category is increasing year by year.

If we talk about the largest democracy in the world, India has gone down by seven points in the MSF index (2023) and now in the global ranking of media degradation, it is at the 161st place, less than 100 points. has fallen

While in Bangladesh, the atmosphere of intolerance for alternative expression of the state narrative is shrinking the fastest among the South Asian countries and it has come down to the 166th place in the global ranking, especially last year. Under the Cyber ​​Security Act enacted, heavy powers have been assigned to government institutions and agencies to stifle dissenting voices. Journalistic conditions in Sri Lanka are not ideal either.

As far as Pakistan is concerned, its ranking has undoubtedly improved and by getting seven points out of 2022, it has come to the 150th place, far above India and Bangladesh in terms of press freedom.

However, the temporary satisfaction is lost after hearing the news that Pakistan is on the eleventh place in the list of the top twelve countries in the ranking of threats to the protection of journalists. Another leading international organization, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) Pakistan is on the 11th position in the list of the perpetrators of the murder.

According to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, ninety-seven Pakistani journalists and activists have been killed in the three decades from nineteen ninety-three to two thousand twenty-three. More members have been caught up in the epidemic of enforced disappearance or abduction.

According to a recent report by a Pakistani NGO, Freedom Network, between May 2023 and April 2024, pressure from state and non-state actors has increased instead of decreasing. Four journalists were martyred during this period.

About two hundred journalists and bloggers were tried to be harassed by issuing legal notices. Twenty of them received threats of abduction and death or were tortured. Many were summoned to the JIT. But most of the journalists were granted bail by the courts or the indictment filed against them was rejected.

During this period, social media platforms were suspended several times. The Twitter X platform was suspended from February 18 till today. The report expressed concern over the two proposed laws “E-Safety Bill” and “Personal Data Protection Bill”. Both of these legal drafts were approved by the former government of Shehbaz Sharif. If these bills become legal, then separate authorities will be established to control social media.

These authorities can also take disciplinary action to silence alternative views and voices of the state narrative. Although the PICA Act is already in place for this purpose, not by an unelected government, but by the PML-N’s third democratic government. It was implemented. And then the Muslim League itself also came under the influence of this law.

In recent years, another element has also been introduced as a weapon of sanctions. That is, verbal instructions are given to the senior editorial staff of channels and newspapers over the phone about which politician’s name should not be mentioned and which rally for media coverage. Reporting on which rally is permissible and which is forbidden. Even the publication of court proceedings is discouraged.

This growing trend of regular censors giving verbal instructions instead of issuing written orders is aimed at ensuring that even the snake dies and the stick does not break and there is no evidence to challenge any such verbal order in any court or forum. be left

But these situations are not new for the media. It is a constant struggle whose forms have changed over time. The fight for freedom of expression is a never-ending one. So, congratulations to the media workers on World Journalism Day based on where it is and how it is.

(Click on bbcurdu.com and Tweeter @WusatUllahKhan to read other columns and articles of Wasatullah Khan)