Journalism Pakistan
Journalism Pakistan
Freedom of expression shrinks in Pakistan as PECA Amendments take toll: report اظہارِ رائے کی آزادی محدود، پیکا میں ترامیم سے میڈیا کو شدید دھچکا: رپورٹDawn urges Indian media to abandon war rhetoric ڈان کی بھارتی میڈیا سے جنگی بیانیہ ترک کرنے کی اپیلIndia bans 16 Pakistani YouTube channels following Pahalgan attack پہلگام حملے کے بعد بھارت نے پاکستان کے 16 یوٹیوب چینلز پر پابندی لگا دی'In A Different Realm' offers a philosophical take on cricket's greatest innings ان اے ڈیفرنٹ ریلم کرکٹ کی عظیم ترین اننگز پر ایک فکری نقطۂ نظر پیش کرتی ہےCoordinated or coincidence? Identical tweets by Pakistani journalists raise eyebrows ہم آہنگی یا محض اتفاق؟ پاکستانی صحافیوں کے ایک جیسے ٹویٹس نے سوالات اٹھا دیےThe PSL paradox: pageantry or progress? پی ایس ایل کا تضاد: دکھاوا یا ترقی؟Sher Afzal Marwat launches personal attacks on journalists after PTI expulsion پی ٹی آئی سے نکالے جانے کے بعد شیر افضل مروت کے صحافیوں پر ذاتی حملےJournalist Sanaullah Khan alleges FIA blocking accounts of YouTubers and families صحافی ثناء اللہ خان کا انکشاف: ایف آئی اے یوٹیوبرز اور ان کے خاندانوں کے اکاؤنٹس بلاک کر رہی ہےA launch in style: Dr. Nauman Niaz unveils 'In A Different Realm' ان اے ڈفرنٹ ریلم کی رونمائی: ڈاکٹر نعمان نیاز کی کتاب Sindhi journalist AD Shar brutally murdered, PFUJ declares three-day mourning سندھی صحافی اے ڈی شر کا بہیمانہ قتل، پی ایف یو جے نے تین روزہ سوگ کا اعلان کر دیاAJK government registers case against newspaper and staff آزاد کشمیر حکومت کا اخبار اور عملے کے خلاف مقدمہJournalist Arzoo Kazmi alleges FIA threats, possible arrest over reporting صحافی آرزو کاظمی کا دعویٰ: ایف آئی اے کی دھمکیاں، رپورٹنگ پر ممکنہ گرفتاری

It's like there's no tomorrow

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published November 07, 2019 |  Z.B. Saigol

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It's like there's no tomorrow

Despite security being tight because of the JUI-F sit-in, there is an air of uncertainty and fear that hangs like a dark cloud over Islamabad. What is even more unsettling is the media coverage of the whole situation. There is a seemingly endless glut of irresponsible, sensational reporting from the electronic and print media.

Professionalism has been chucked out the window, and caution thrown to the wind. Anything and everything does!

That is the attitude going around.

I was not even going to start on social media where the most ridiculous, ungrounded, baseless, irresponsible, and dim-witted posts, comments, and mimes are making the rounds. It's like a bunch of adults let loose in a children's playground with nobody supervising or watching over them.

One Facebook post, though, was brought to my notice and has floored me. My disgust at this shocking YouTube video that has gone viral got the better of me and, since I’m only human, I have submitted to the unrelenting urge to mention it.

Damn!

Just in case you have not seen it, please search up Hamid Mir/kiss/JUI, and you’ll know what provoked me to vent my horror at what my eyes and ears unfortunately experienced. In the video, Hamid Mir is surrounded by a sea of JUI workers and is telling the world at exactly how happy he is to be there. He has smug smirk on his face, and with supreme confidence he notes there is a big difference between the 2014 PTI dharna and this.

“This dharna is different from the dharna of 2014. At that dharna the air was filled with expensive scents and perfumes. There was too much lipstick around. But at this dharna the smell of itr is everywhere.”

Then he pulls towards himself a bearded lout who immediately proceeds to plant a slobbering kiss on Hamid’s forehead and refuses to let him go. Then another guy starts to kiss and hug Hamid.

Do you get my gist?

Well, I’m not going to question his sexual orientation, but for sure I’m going to point out his incredibly sexist remarks. Come on… what’s wrong with lipstick, perfumes, and scent. Or does this guy like women to smell of kitchen and sweat?

Does he realize that half of the country’s population are women, his mother, sisters, aunts, nieces, etc. are women?

Exhale Zeebie, exhale.

It was never my intention to go there, even though I have noted many other so-called 'senior' reporters, producers, and 'journalists' venting their political opinions and not always in the most logical or civilized way. It seems when it comes to politics, they cease to think or function like media persons. Animal emotions take over.

Meanwhile, the talking heads on either side of the divide are trying to shout each other down while trying to get their respective points across, making for ugly viewing. It's a commotion that gets louder and more incoherent with each passing day.

Nobody tries to make sense of the situation or to break it down, rationalize, and analyze it. All they want to do is put forward strange, disconnected theories, controversies and conspiracies in any way they can. It's like there is no tomorrow.

The lines are drawn. The daggers are out.

The question is, what are all those editors, directors, senior journalists, decision-makers in various television networks and publications doing?

It seems like the mantra of the day is: "Get whatever you can. No need to verify, quantify or qualify it. No need to make sense of it. Just get it out there and let the populace decide for itself. The onus is on them. If they're dumb and stupid, so be it."

Sadly, it has come to this.

Somebody has to take some responsibility. Somebody has to put the truth out there. Somebody has to do the job the way it’s supposed to be done.

My biggest worry is that the people that would and could do this have long gone. 

I hope somebody will prove me wrong.

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