JournalismPakistan.com | Published 8 years ago
Join our WhatsApp channel
ISLAMABAD – Journalist Kamal Siddiqi (pictured) said Monday Pakistani journalism students now had their own example of Watergate Scandal in the shape of Panama Papers that led to the unseating of the prime minister.
“I am happy to now say that we don’t have to rely on Watergate as an example….but that we have our own example in the form of the Panama Papers and how our prime minister was unseated,” Siddiqi wrote in his column titled Media misdemeanors in The Express Tribune.
The Watergate Scandal in the 1970s saw the most powerful man in the world resign as a result of investigative journalism conducted by a crack investigative team of the Washington Post.
Siddiqi, a former editor at The Express Tribune and currently the director of the Center for Excellence in Journalism, praised the excellent role played by a group of dedicated journalists that exposed the financial transactions and wealth of world leaders including that of the Sharif family.
He wrote that much of the Panama Papers coverage was done correctly by the Pakistani media. “This is because the judiciary is very clear on ensuring that it is not misreported and its proceedings are accurately chronicled. Possibly one of the most careful reporters in the field are court reporters.”
But Siddiqi lamented that the media could not help itself when it came to reporting from outside the courtroom. “The manner in which it not only reported speculations and rumours but also misquoted and misreported on important parts of the case leaves a lot to be desired.”
He commented that the manner in which the media reported the events left many wondering what the media’s role really is. “We are taught in journalism that we are bystanders, not participants. But in the present scenario, we seem to be everything but bystanders. We are in the thick of things – giving opinions and issuing edicts. More to blame is the broadcast media….there were talk shows in which participants even suggested going against the judiciary’s verdict,” he wrote.
He called on the Pakistani media to examine its role in such situations, especially now that “we are heading towards a general election in the coming year and we need to set up some code of ethics that can be enforced by all concerned.”
Siddiqi said that political reporters may need to be as disciplined as court reporters. “We cannot allow vested interests to dictate the agenda. Much of what is being misreported comes as a result of certain powers trying to manage the media. The rest comes from the lack of experience and competence on part of the reporters themselves.”
Image courtesy: YouTube
November 05, 2025: Digital platform Nukta lays off 37 employees in Pakistan, including journalists and producers, highlighting the financial struggles facing new media ventures in a shrinking job market.
November 04, 2025: Talat Hussain denies airing the viral clip showing Sher Afzal Marwat’s vulgar remark, saying it was not part of his Samaa TV show.
November 03, 2025: PFUJ recalls November 3, 2007, as Pakistan’s darkest day under Musharraf, urging protection for journalists and the abolition of laws threatening press freedom.
November 02, 2025: PFUJ urges Pakistan’s federal and provincial governments to end Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists and ensure their safety and press freedom.
November 02, 2025: Impunity for crimes against journalists deepens worldwide as Pakistan reports a 60 percent surge in attacks and weak enforcement of safety laws.
November 01, 2025: Pakistan Press Foundation reports 137 attacks on journalists in 2025, highlighting rising threats, legal harassment, and censorship on the International Day to End Impunity.
November 01, 2025: A viral Samaa TV clip featuring MNA Sher Afzal Marwat’s crude remarks and Talat Hussain’s laughter raises questions about the declining ethics of Pakistani television.
October 31, 2025: Police foiled a plot to kill DawnNewsTV journalist Tahir Naseer in Rawalpindi after arresting suspects hired for Rs200,000. Naseer says threats followed his reporting.
November 05, 2025 The Pulitzer Center is offering global reporting grants for journalists worldwide, funding high-impact projects on underreported issues with rolling applications in 2025.
November 04, 2025 Journalist Rana Ayyub receives death threats over calls demanding a column on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots as CPJ urges swift action to protect journalists in India.
November 04, 2025 TV8 journalist Mariana Rata in Moldova receives a death threat after interviewing politician Renato Usatii on-air, raising concerns about journalist safety.
November 03, 2025 Global journalist unions condemn the Indonesian agriculture minister’s lawsuit against Tempo, calling it a threat to press freedom and demanding that the case be withdrawn.
November 02, 2025 Independent outlet All About Macau to halt print and online operations amid rising pressure, financial strain, and legal threats, sparking press freedom concerns in the city.