JournalismPakistan.com | Published May 14, 2012 | Rashid Ali
Join our WhatsApp channel
ISLAMABAD: Most journalists who accompanied Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani to England have now returned home amid continuing criticism for having compromised professionally by undertaking the week-long trip.
At the outset the journalists chosen for the junket drew flak even from within the media fraternity. What angered many was that the list had several big names including editors, television anchors and senior correspondents.
It was contended that being journalists, going with a prime minister convicted by the Supreme Court for contempt, was ethically and morally wrong.
On this particular sojourn, there were at least 19 journalists representing top national dailies and television anchors.
Journalists are routinely a part of such delegations but instead of their respective organizations covering their expenses, the government pays for their trips, meaning public money.
Media houses have seldom given any thought to, or formed any policy, on who would accompany the president, the prime minister or any other minister - and that too on the expense of the newspaper or the TV channel.
Who should cover the foreign tours and in what capacity is never discussed. It is mostly the reporter’s ‘initiative’ that takes them to the foreign shores on public expense. The touring party is almost always put up in luxury hotels, paid daily allowances and pampered no end.
If a newspaper or a channel sends anyone to cover a high profile visit on its own expense, it will be looking for ‘news’, instead of reports that it was a ‘successful’ visit to ‘cement bilateral ties’.
(Rashid Ali is a guest writer for JournalismPakistan.com)
July 08, 2025: As Pakistani authorities move to block YouTube channels of journalists, censorship tightens. Yet, social media has emerged as a defiant force, keeping the spirit of free speech alive despite increasing state control.
July 08, 2025: The Supreme Court of Pakistan has acquitted a murder accused, ruling that confessions made to the media while in police custody are inadmissible. Justice Athar Minallah emphasized due process and transparency in legal proceedings.
July 08, 2025: The Pakistan government has approached a court seeking the removal of several YouTube channels operated by prominent journalists, accusing them of spreading false information and provoking unrest against state institutions.
June 11, 2025: Pakistan celebrated a narrow win over Bangladesh, but beneath the jubilation lies a deeper crisis—from sidelined veterans to a collapsing domestic structure—signaling an urgent need for cricket reform.
June 11, 2025: Journalists walked out of the post-budget press conference in Islamabad to protest the absence of a technical briefing and the government's dismissive behavior, calling it unacceptable and intolerable.
May 31, 2025: Dr. Nauman Niaz has issued a defamation notice to Shoaib Akhtar over derogatory remarks made during a recent broadcast, reigniting a longstanding media feud between the two prominent figures in Pakistan.
May 30, 2025: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has demanded the full repeal of PECA, citing its vague language, coercive powers, and threats to free speech and digital rights in Pakistan.
May 30, 2025: The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has condemned the murder of journalist Syed Mohammed Shah in Jacobabad, calling for urgent justice and improved safety for media professionals in Sindh.
May 19, 2025 PJS reports 219 Palestinian journalists killed in Israeli attacks since October 7, with 30 women among the victims. Over 430 were injured and 685 family members were killed. Read more on the systematic targeting of media in Gaza.
May 15, 2025 Discover the legacy of Samiullah Khan, Pakistan’s legendary "Flying Horse," whose breathtaking speed and artistry redefined hockey. From Olympic glory to World Cup triumphs, his story is one of myth, movement, and magic.
May 04, 2025 Algerian authorities suspend Echorouk News TV for 10 days after it used a racist slur against African migrants. ANIRA demands an apology, calling it a violation of human dignity.
May 04, 2025 NCHR and MMfD launch a journalism fellowship to train reporters on digital rights & gender inclusion in Pakistan. Supported by UNESCO, this initiative aims to bridge the gender digital divide. Apply by May 15, 2025!
April 23, 2025 Discover Dr. Nauman Niaz’s In A Different Realm: Story of Quadruple & Triple Centuries 1876–2025, a profound exploration of cricket's most monumental innings, blending historical analysis with poetic narrative.