Hillary floors media persons yet again...

Hillary was prepared while our journalists weren't...

The difference was so obvious. Our guys and galls neither asked the right questions nor countered an argument however poorly replied. This is the second time she has done it. Earlier when she was here she nailed Talat Hussain this time almost all were floored particularly Meher of Dunya TV.

When spoken about water she took out her notes and countered it with most inefficient use of water in Pakistan and our people had not done their home work to tell her madam how efficient we are or not does not allow India to abrogate The Indus River Water Treaty. We just don't talk on right lines.

On Kashmir she was very categorical and adopted the Indian point of view. Our media gurus did not tell her, madam on one side you talk of war on terror and on the other side you ignore the basic issues that become the cause of it. You do not remind her of the atrocities that the army does on innocent unarmed people in Kashmir. Our journalists seemed to have been too enamored by her. They were treating her like a boss.

They did not tell her US and India talk so much of democracy why then a democratic solution is not on the card for the poor Kashmiris. Let them decide their own fate.

On Civil Nuclear Deal we again did not frame our questions right. Only Abbas asked one unrelated to Pakistan but a good question on 9/11 but she gave a very bad reply. She was not countered by saying when you drive people back to the walls for 50 years and when they want a democratic solution you use 7o vetoes to defend the tormentor.

This is in no way defending the accused who has been the cause of so much of misery in the Muslim world.

Rest later, time permitting.

Pakistan media responsible for the current state of affairs... tolerance to gun toting.

Irresponsible journalism has brought us to this state of affairs... Musa Khan's murder should open eyes.
My journalist fraternity may not like it but this is what it is. Sorry. When the anchors, journalists and guests ensconsed in the comfort of their studios say any thing they want to quite thoughtlessly and regardless of the effect it is having on masses, the results are obvious.

When The media was just lambasting whatever the State was doing and siding with terrorists quite unwittingly and unawares this is what happens. Starting with 9/11 the analysis in the media in Pakistan was all misleading and one way or the other condoning the accused without going into the facts but dwelling on imagination and conjecture. They would not answer a question but raise more questions only. For instance they would not tell you who did 9/11 but say "how could we do it, we didn't have the means". We? Who? Are you one with the accused?

The one you are defending does not even consider you a Muslim. We have been so much on the receiving end for so long that we now suffer from a feeling of victimisation and unable to understand the real issues indulge in conspiracy theories. Conspiracy theory is like taking crutches when one is lame. We stray so much from the real issues that we start defending the terrorists. And this trend transcends itself in our national issues too.

When it was Lal Masjid we did not totally condemn it but by asking irrelevant easy questions caste doubts in public mind and quite inadvertantly sided with the terrorists. The reporters, anchors, guests and writers did not ask what was the business of weapons and bombs in a Masjid and a Madrassah? All this adds up to public opinion for or against.

On top of it I heard from those who have a soft corner for the terrorists that the State Machinery put those weapons and publicised. And even if someone gave you as you say, why did you accept it? The sad part was media did not show responsibility and restraint. They kept on bombarding the State instead of telling the audience and build a concensus against illegal weapons and their stand. They never talked of the Government restraint for months but said they should have done this and that. The reporting was so one sided. Sad.

Army takes action, some collateral damage takes place, the media instead of highlighting the benefits of action are critical of action and in some way glorify the terrorists. Then they bring some of the so called religious parties guys who will for hours give their point of view critical of State actions without any restraint from the channel. People don't know and swallow the information as news not as a point of view of a person. The TV Channels serve as free propaganda media for terrorists.

A guy comes on TV and advocates adnauseum to bring in Sharia and every thing will be just fine. He is never moderated and the anchor does not tell him that Pakistan law is already based on Sharia and who are these bunch of guys to tell us what to do? We have a democratic constitution, let's take people's views and decide. Media never takes the lead in being positive.

Instead of demonising the terrorists they demonise the State and the army. This is what is causing the problem and I think the media is aiding and abetting the crime by silence on issues they should otherwise be beating a drum about.

Sustained such trend has lead people to believe that The State and army is always wrong and bad and these gun toting illiterates supposedly wanting Sharia are good. Media did not communicate forcefully that they are traitors to take up arms against the State. This should have been brought home with utmost emphasis.

Musa Khan Khel has paid a heavy price and so have other brave journalists. Even now the media is not strongly condemning the terrorists and I did not see guys like Qazi Hussain Ahmed coming forward and condemning the killer in no uncertain terms. This is the saddest possible day for Pakistan in general and Pakistan media in particular. Not a corner must be given to the terrorists whether they be Taliban, AlQaeda, the residents of Lal Masjid or any one toting a gun.

Weapons must be with the State and State alone, only then can we expect rule of law. And if people want to change things they should take the democratic educated route. If it comes to that let's have a referendum and go by public opinion. But for Allah's sake surrender your guns and bombs first.

Pakistan succumbs to US threats of aid withdrawal...

Pakistan missed an opportunity to highlight Kashmir issue and simply played into Indian hands!
India makes mistakes and yet remains stubborn for 6 decades. Pakistan despite having a UN resolution in its favour cannot bring relief to the divided people due to the incompetence of the Heads of States, Diplomats and Media. Now from the blue this Bombay incident takes place and what we do: succumb. We could not make a lemonade out of lemon. There was no need for Pakistan to succumb to Indian demands as they have done today.

Here some people died. It was sad and condemned in no uncertain terms. Some non-State persons may have done it. It is quite possible given the injustice meted out to millions of people by India and governance against the wishes of the people. While every effort may be made to bring the terrorists to justice the world community must be made to look seriously into the root causes of the problem and eliminate the cause of the disease.

We did not ask from India the details of other terrorists. We did not even call for the DNA, finger prints etc. of Kasab and others or if we have, India has not so far obliged. The way Pakistan is buckling under the US and Indian pressure is really mind boggling. Why do we not ask of the hundreds of Indian army invasions on its people where thousands have died, just because India does not allow journalists or Human Rights activists to go and report atrocities from Kashmir.

I would call it the failure of Pakistani media first not to highlight the issues. If it did, pressure would build on The Government of Pakistan to do something which otherwise is ever so lethargic. If media does not play a role in shaping the policies of the country who will? Who will reflect the aspirations of the common man? Enmity with India will lead us no where. But when India makes capital out of a tragedy I see no reason why let go India free.

Just a few days back some RAW agents were apprehended but we made no issue out of it. We could have easily made a drama out of it. We did nothing. Our media is so weak that people do remember the name of Kashmir Singh the Indian spy who we released but no one remembers the names of dead bodies of persons who had gone to see a cricket match to India. Give our media to lambaste our own leaders who they do not fear, they make a great case out of it. They even get the guy ousted. Why don't they show the same commitment to our enemies?

Yes bringing the culprit to book and justice is fine but just don't be swayed by India. India has to account for death of hundreds of thousands of people in India. How many Muslims they have killed that has gone un-noticed and un-reported. She has killed people by thousands in Kashmir by The State sponsored Terrorism by a strong army of 700,000. Why isn't this army in UP or Bihar? They have a problem there, hence the forces. We must force a solution otherwise India won't do it.

Politicians and Media forget people's issues

There is more than just the issue of uniform and politics in Pakistan...
Why don't they talk about the problems we face daily?
Problems are really many. It is the job of the media to have a nose for them and report, comment and build a public opinion for public good. All they have done so far is to choose just a couple of issues that help politicians get to power. They have simply targeted the incumbent aimlessly. They have spoken for democracy without addressing the issues of the obstacles to democracy.

It is hardly debatable that feudalism is the biggest impediment in the way of achieving viable democracy. At best it may be called feudocracy because one way or the other issues of the poor are never considered but of only of the rich.

They never similarly talked about the number of problems people face in all walks of life from morning to evening. They have no idea of what are the macro issues that need to be addressed nor the micro. Who will do this? It is the job of the media to point out and the job of the politicians to addresses the issues in right earnestness.

Ours is classic case of indifferent and irresponsible journalism. What freedom of the press you talk about? Media is free. When I can see Tammy Haq (last week of Nov 07) calling three lawyers to the forum and they keep blasting away to glory ad infinitum The President of a country who is in power, what more freedom do they want? Although this is misuse of the freedom given to them by the same guy who they are targeting.

The lady was so unprepared and so ill informed and so timid that she could not rebut or ask any relevant questions. She was just incapable of handling them. Just putting up an accent is not good enough as you see so many speaking English with twisted tongues in Dawn News. In what hands is our media? The entire exercise is on re-active journalism instead of pro-active.

Private institutions are wasting the children's ages... just to earn more.
She as a journalist did not raise a single people's issue. Now let's try to see what are the issues and take them one by one. One such issue is the age the private institutions waste of our kids so that they can collect fees for two more years. This is most irresponsible and shameful. I would very strongly urge the media - press and electronic to take up this issue and correct the problem. Hundreds of thousands of our kids will benefit and so will the country.

What can be done in 2.5 - 3 years why should it take four. Something that can be done in one year why should it be done in two. Just to collect extra fees? Children's those two years are far more important than the extra fees they collect.

You as a reader I want to you to comment on these articles for or against and bring up issues here and we will see that the media, politicians and the government solve the people's problems.
http://thinker-thinkingoutofthebox.blogspot.com/

Media in Pakistan is doing free publicity for the Oppositon - Irresponsible journalism! Don't take sides.

Free publicity for the Opposition...
I usually see the electronic media in Pakistan. It is fantastic the way the present Government has given freedom to the media. Media never enjoyed this freedom for the past 60 years. And mind you this kind of freedom is not there in USA, Europe or even India. Media in the pretext of the freedom of the press does not promote a party against the other. It does not even take a stand against the defined Government policy in national interest.

For instance can one talk in India against the Government stand on Kashmir? Never. Can they raise the voice of some Indians who happen to be Muslims? Never. It is all suppressed with an iron hand. Take for instance Urdu TV from India - the policy is all government propaganda. Can they reflect the mass opinions? Never. One word against the government policy, they are in trouble. So many restrictions will be employed for one reason or the other.

Pakistan media has totally gone out of control. Kamran Khan for instance in Geo, look at him, the way he beams on talking to Benazir and promoting her and the same with Kashif Abbasi of ARY. Aaj's Talat Hussein is not that partisan, although as a channel it is. They start off by saying "The Government has failed in every possible way etc." They are conducting the media trials and passing judgments on the Government and The President in particular all the time. And this is without giving the accused a chance to defend themselves.

If they are critising the Government objectively it is fine. But they are taking sides. While their issue is only the president and his uniform and re-election they do not talk about the utter mis-management and rampant corruption that prevailed at the time of Benazir's and Nawaz Sharif's governance. They don't even raise the critical issues of the people. On the contrary with the help of the audience they have they are building opinion against a party. Can media take sides to this extent?

Media is building opinions with biased views and without regard to national interests and peoples' interests. Poor are completely forgotten. Media does not talk of the pressing issues of the people and poor in particular. I think it is about time media showed maturity, sensibility and responsibility and did not take sides lest you help the corrupt and proven failures each twice. The opposition is also not spending money but getting free publicity from the irresponsible media that is not serving the people in all integrity but some vested interested.

Don't take sides.