6-7 November 2010, Islamabad

6-7 November 2010, Islamabad

INTERACTION WITH THE PRESIDENT Pakistani media in 2010 36Sadaf Arshad

Media cannot be government friendly 2M Ziauddin A SAFMA guide for TV anchors 38

Let's help each other 3 PFUJ Resolution 40President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari Shams-ul-Islam Naz, Secretary General, PFUJ

INTERACTION WITH PAKISTAN MUSLIM LEAGUE-N QUAID SESSION II: MEDIA AND GOOD GOVERNANCE

SAFMA recommendations 8 Session Report 43SAFMA Secretary General Imtiaz Alam

We are answerable to society 47Time for a national agenda 9 Maulana Fazlur RehmanMian Nawaz Sharif

The requisites of good governance in Pakistan 48I. A. Rehman

SESSION I: MEDIA AND DEMOCRACY

Is media promoting good governance? 52Session Report 16 Khaled Ahmed

Media, Democracy and Governance 24Imtiaz Alam, Secretary General, SAFMA INTERACTION WITH PRIME MINISTER

Democracy and media sink or float together 29 SAFMA's proposed national agenda 60Dr Hasan-Askari Rizvi Imtiaz Alam

Media, democracy, governance are linked 33 People not media judge of govt, parties 62Robert Kvile, Ambassador of Norway Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani

Consider our limitations 34Qamar Zaman Kaira, Minister for Information & Broadcasting

SESSION III: SETTING A NATIONAL AGENDA The imperatives of governance and accountability 92Tariq Mehmood

Session Report 68The state of education and the future 94Abbas RashidTerrorism and national security 72

Talat MasoodAmending media laws 98I. A. RehmanOnly a house in order can yield a good foreign policy 74

Inam-ul-HaqDiversity of opinion solves problems 105Asma JahangirIndia-centrism, strategic depth and terrorism 77

Khaled AhmedResolution for Balochistan 107

Perpetuating backwardness 80Adieu Barna 109Siddiq Baluch

Pakistan's economy: the way out 82Dr Akmal Hussain DECLARATION

No to Undemocratic and Unconstitutional Change 111Towards a new development approach 85Nadeem ul Haque Move Jointly Towards Setting a National Agenda

Benefits of liberalizing trade with India 88 SAFMA Pakistan National Executive Body 115An economist

Citizens for Democracy (CD) 120Energy crisis in Pakistan: 89 No to Undemocratic and Unconstitutional ChangeChallenges and their solutionsDr. Muhammad Asif Delegates List 121

EDITOR: Waqar Mustafa RAPPORTEURS: Mehmal Sarfraz, Kiran Hasan, Loren John, Javaid Saleem

PUBLISHER: Free Media FoundationDESIGNER: Muhammad Adeel

INTERACTION WITH THE PRESIDENT

STANDING UP FOR THE NATIONAL ANTHEM: SAFMA-Pakistan President Nusrat Javeed, SAFMA Secretary General Imtiaz Alam, Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari,

former SAFMA-Pakistan President M Ziauddin and Awami Awaz Editor Dr Jabbar Khattak

1

outh Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA), a mainstream media body (SAJ), South Asian Media Net (SAMN), Annual Media Monitor Report, South

of the region formed in July 2000 with eight national chapters and Media Asian Media School (SAMS) and South Asian Free Media Production House. SCenters/offices in member countries of SAARC, is an associated body of SAFMA would also request you to kindly support SAFMA in creating South

SAARC. The man behind the SAFMA spread is Mr Imtiaz Alam, the Asian Free Media Endowment Fund through SAARC Development Fund.

organisation's secretary general. Everything which we have achieved today is We also seek your push to bring the drafts of the Information Act and the because of this man. PEMRA law proposed by the SAFMA and Media Commission-Pakistan,

SAFMA/FMF has requested the SAARC and its member countries to provide approved by the information ministry, to the parliament for approval.

funds from SAARC Development Fund or pool resources to create a South Asia And let me make it clear that there is no such thing as government-friendly Free Media Endowment Fund to run and maintain its activities relying on itself. media. There will always be a confrontation between the media and the It will enable Free Media Foundation, the implementing arm of SAFMA, SAWM government. We are the watchdogs. The question is who is going to watch the and SAMC to bear the expenditures required to perform the functions of watchdogs!SAFMA, SAWM and SAMC as well as its regular projects of South Asian Journal

Media cannot be government

friendly

2

M Ziauddin presenting introductory remarks

s Pakistan Peoples' Party, the largest I am definitely looking at the future of Pakistan.

political force in the country, giving us I don't mind being told that 34 people have got Ihope? Yes Sir, it is giving us hope. Our infected by dengue fever. What I do consider a

bone of contention with the media is not that bit impolite is that you do not mention the 1.2

they talk about the negatives or the weaknesses million children immunized during these

of the system. Whatever weaknesses we have crises. Whatever crisis the Peoples Party, or I as

belong to the nation. These are national an individual, have ever faced, has been turned

weaknesses, not individual ones, and they around. All weaknesses have been turned into

collectively become a burden or an asset. To strengths and used for the betterment and for

give you an example, we had submitted a the good of the people of Pakistan.

national power policy when we were last in Mohtrama Shaheed knew that her life was in government. If I remember, the same danger when she came. In spite of that she 'Einsteins' who are talking today, had in those came out. She wanted to lift the nation out of days condemned us for the policy. But without fear. In Rawalpindi where she lost her life, she that you wouldn't have even the electricity you warned against the removal of Pakistani flag have today. from the Swat rooftops. It did happen and who

Mohtarama Benazir Bhutto Shaheed had took it back? A parliament run with consensus.

managed to sign deals for 40,000 megawatts of A government of reconciliation. Reconciliation

electricity. Literally, people were picked up and is not for today alone. It is a path we cannot

asked to leave the country. Then our afford to leave. Many a time the party has been

government changed the policy which had tempted to withdraw from a government that

proven a success in the world after having been half sits in the opposition. But better sense has

experimented in Pakistan. Evolved in Pakistan, always prevailed. Now let's support the

it was given to the World Bank, which democratic systems we have given our lives for.

acknowledged and accepted it. 74 banks got Journalists may have given their pen for it but I

together over one project called Hubco, which have given my sweat and blood for it. Why do

was the first pioneer project ever to be done in you think they kept me for 25 days in a rest

the public sector in the history of the world. But house (after the removal of the PPP

unfortunately, once our government was government by President Farooq Leghari in the

undemocratically removed, nobody stood up to 90s)? Not because they were being kind to me,

take the ownership of the power policy. It was a but because they wanted to negotiate with me.

pyramid structure; it was top heavy. The first Obviously, when I didn't accept their demands,

thing the next government did was to change cases were registered against me and I faced

the structure and make it bottom heavy so that them.

the future generation, rather than themselves, And if you remember, or you can search for it, would have to pay more. They could not see the newspapers had carried a statement by a future, and the high oil prices therein. general that if Mr. Zardari wants the same kind

Let's help each other

President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari

3

of deal he is welcome. But we chose the difficult path. We chose the difficult part international community should also understand and appreciate our th determination to fight militancy. and always took the beacon of democracy a bit forward. The 18 amendment will

be a huge thing for democracy. It is for you to understand it and give it And it is a great thing to say that we have helped the Americans during the

ownership. Who has ever given up power, especially when he has the tools and Afghan war etc… yes those points need to be made, but we stopped the Soviet

means not to do so? [General Pervez] Musharraf had to leave because we had Union on our border, again because we didn't want to be cultureless, we did not

managed to organise all forces against him and he knew that he had to lose. I want to be landless, no matter how little or how much we owned. The concept of

could have managed to form a consensus among the ruling party so that we collectiveness and growth in collectiveness has failed communism. That proves

would not have to give up these powers. But one lives on to live in history. This is that our forefathers did not make a mistake. Liaquat Ali Khan did not make a

a lesson which your sister, my late wife and my leader taught me, and the hard mistake when he took his first trip to the United States rather than to Russia.

way. We did not, I did not, the party did not give away power because we didn't Maybe the Baloch representatives of the old times do not agree with me but that

like it. We gave away power because we are answerable in the democratic history is their prerogative.

of Pakistan and to the coming generations.

Our growth is stemmed by lack of clarity, lack of vision and lack of ownership for I didn't want to be known as the President who had the chance but chose not to

policies. To give you another example of 1988, we started a policy of edible oil. give powers back to the parliament. What else can I do to give you transparency?

[Then Indian prime minister] Rajiv Ghandhi was here. Ghulam Ishaq Khan was I have my best friend, leader of the opposition, Chaudhry Nisar [Ali Khan] as the

the President of Pakistan. Rajiv and I had a talk on edible oil, as he was not an chairman of the Public Accounts committee. Has it ever happened before? Has a

agriculturist and I came from that field. He understood we could grow edible oil president, who is also the head of a political party, ever given up powers?

instead of importing it. He went back and he put a policy in place. The policy

continued and today India exports edible oil and we are still importing 600 to Our boycott of television shows is a form of showing our displeasure at the

800 million dollars worth of oil. It's a pity. combined political propaganda which has gone on for three years. We took no

notice of it at first but when it began to create religious and ethnic divides, the We are open to dialogue. We have spoken to everybody. We do not want to lose

party, not I, decided to take this course. To me, participation was a better way. on political consensus building.

Enough was enough, the least we could do was to use our political choice. Never

have we wanted a dormant press. We want you to evolve. We want you to become How good is democracy? It is as good as you are. It is as good as I am. What we stronger. are trying to bring in is modern technology. For example, the BB card. We have

made it transparent. You cannot find fault in it or in the payments to the IDPs. We may have weaknesses like any government or any nation. But a lot of effort, a

That doesn't mean everything has changed. lot of work goes behind correcting them.

I want growth to go up to double digit because the population is 200 million How many people could have expected that we would take political ownership of

people, 65% of it young people. We have to think today how much it will cost us the war on terror? If we differentiate yesterday and today, you were the bad guys

to survive in the future. I go to China every three months to learn from them, fighting the good guys. Today everybody across the country knows we are right.

learn how they have progressed so fast and managed to make themselves into It is Pakistan's war. We are not soldiers for hire. We are not mercenaries. We are

such a prosperous nation. We are answerable to our coming generations. So, we fighting to save our way of life.

have always maintained that anything that does not have a tomorrow does not

exist today. Pakistan will never allow a handful of terrorists and extremists to impose their

extremist ideological agenda on the people through force. We will not let What was destroyed when Ayub Khan was in power? What got destroyed when

Pakistani soil to be used by the terrorists against any country. The blame game Zia-ul-Haq was in power? What was destroyed when Musharaf was in power?

will not serve the cause of the war against militancy and emphasized that the Whenever a dictator takes over, the first thing he does is try to re-invent the

4

wheel and lose most of his energy and the goodwill that he creates in the Humanity does come across them. We have to suck our breath in and walk

beginning. It's ridiculous: the speech writer is the same; all he does is change the ahead and we have done exactly that.

references. And we sit back as a nation and we take all the abuse till some It is not that development is not taking place. Yes you write about the lathi political force finds the way out. Do you think Yahya Khan would have left if we charge at one Watan Card center but at the same time you should tell us how had won in East Pakistan? And does anybody remember that Yahya Khan was many Watan cards have been issued. How many people are the recipients of that offered the same deal by Mujeeb-ur-Rehman to take off his uniform and be the money? And it was not money that was budgeted for. So obviously one has taken President of Pakistan? One dictator rules and everything runs by command, the it away from some other appropriation and re-appropriate it for the people, for system deteriorates. And in ten years everything deteriorates. We come back the needs of the hour, and that itself is no mean task for any government to and rebuild. I remember standing in the same position with BB in 88, much accomplish. The government is vigorously working to address the issue of younger then. poverty through Benazir Income Support Program, which is not merely a

I don't see any research in the media. I see a lot of emphasis on selling negativity. poverty alleviation program but also a women emancipation and empowerment

The media has become a commercial enterprise today and it is selling negativity program.

as a commodity. Ours is a principled stand against that negativity being sold as a I don't want to increase the price of electricity. I don't want to increase the price commodity. We are hurt, we are in pain, we have war on our borders, we have of fuel. I know what it will do to a popular government if the price of bread is non-state actors, self nurtured or otherwise, who want to change the world three times what it was before. But if I hadn't raised the price of wheat, how order and spread anarchy. They want to push Pakistan and the world back to the would prosperity have come to 67% of the population? How long can you Stone Age. subsidize? You cannot subsidize always. We are not engaged in any political

Simply by giving world market rates, we have brought a change to the farmers' scheming, we are taking these difficult decisions. We went to the IMF, they

earnings and lifestyle. The floods have damaged us but that's a natural disaster. didn't come to us. We went because I could see there was a recession in the world

5The audience

and a meltdown coming. There were people, economists, who said we should tomorrow what will 24 billion-dollar exports mean for a country of two hundred

declare ourselves a defaulter state. But I chose not to. We chose to go to the IMF million-people? It's peanuts. Even Vietnam, which was liberated much later

in a re-structuring program which would limit our ability to support our voters. than us and faced a war as well, has managed to go up to $80 billion and has a

So we are prepared for the good and the bad. much smaller population than ours. So let's have a reality check and debate what

is important for us all. More than anybody else, we value democracy. There is no political prisoner

today. I was the one to apologize to the Baloch. No columnist ever told me to, but The terrorists don't want only to kill you. They want to kill your way of life.

I did. When I took over I said the provinces needed a new social contract with Travel to Swat and talk to the people there. The operation was going on when a

Islamabad. Think about the need of the hour and then conclude whether we are delegation came to see me. Its members told me that their brothers, their

on the right track or not. children or their relatives were there in Swat and caught up in the crossfire. They

asked me not to stop the operation there. They wanted to get rid of terrorism. Pakistan stands for peace in the region and the world and wants an early Unfortunately, that is the lesson of the day for the journalists. Let's not cut our resumption of the composite dialogue process with India. The democratic civil nose to spite our face. Let's help each other.government went out of the way in our peace overtures towards India. It would

have been most helpful if our initiatives had been welcomed and responded to in Our political system may have flaws but you have to strengthen it. In our defeat

a positive manner. The Mumbai attack has undermined efforts for peace. lies the defeat of the nation. There is a lot to be done, a lot to be said and we

Pakistan is cooperating in unearthing and bringing to justice the perpetrators of intend to do it. We have brought in reconciliation. We have come this far. We

militant acts. We want to implement Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto's have brought in a change and for the better and not for the worse. Everybody will

vision of a peaceful South Asia through economic integration adding we are for have to meet the benchmarks which we have put in today.

strengthening SAARC and are ready to relax tariff and non-tariff barriers on a I appreciate the stand taken by SAFMA and the Citizens for Democracy to reciprocal basis. oppose any undemocratic and unconstitutional change. The PPP is committed

The first thing I talk to Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh about is water. to a progressive, democratic and liberal polity that empowers the working

This is our major issue. people and the poor of the country. The setting up of coalition governments,

both at the center and in the provinces, is a measure of our policy of Countries have decided not to take immigrations from countries like ours. At reconciliation. We, therefore, welcome when SAFMA also seeks national the moment we have 2 – 3 million people abroad. No more is that an option. consensus on major national policy issues. I welcome SAFMA's efforts to evolve Tourism is not an option for you. You are not an industrialized country. You did a national consensus on the major challenges facing the country and not barter with America or the West. India bartered with Soviet Union and congratulate SAFMA for holding its 4th National Conference in Islamabad and developed low tech cottage industries. You bought everything with either aid or also welcome SAFMA proposal to hold 3rd Indo-Pak Parliamentary Conference loans. Even today ,the GDP ratio to debt is not that bad; it's our local debt that is in Islamabad soon. The PPP-led democratic Government fully believes in a problem. And the local debt is the subsidy a dictator opted for because he was freedom of the media and wholeheartedly welcomes constructive and positive in an election year. He did not pass on the cost of oil, which had gone to 170 criticism as it helps fine-tuning the policies of any government. I acknowledge dollars a barrel, lest he or his party lose the elections. the sacrifices you have all been making and the adverse circumstances that you

have to live in and work in. Remember, however: so do we. So think of the glass as half full. Think of what we have achieved till now. Yes we stneed to do more. Even in 1 world countries there are complaints. There are I accept all your demands my friends. I shall recommend to the government and

problems that have not been solved by a super power, which has the ability to I will send you a copy of the DO letter that I send to the prime minister. That give a trillion dollar stimulus to its economy. I do not have the luxury of giving much I can do. More than that, you will say that I haven't given power up as yet. you a stimulus. I am giving you a non-stimulus. I am giving you IMF

Pakistan Paaindabadconditionalities. Because if I don't take these difficult decisions today,

6

INTERACTIONWITH PAKISTAN MUSLIM LEAGUE-N QUAID MIAN MUHAMMAD NAWAZ SHARIF

The PML-N Quaid exchanging notes with anchors Hina Khawja Bayat and Iftikhar Ahmed

7

radically revised and the composite dialogue process with India

1) A national agenda, as also proposed by the Citizens for Democracy should be revived while stopping cross-border terrorism and

and SAFMA's National Conference IV, should be evolved on major morally and diplomatically supporting the Kashmiri intifada

policy issues and a process of consensus building be initiated among without the courtesy of the jihadis.

the major stakeholders across the civil society in all the federating

units. 4) Some extraordinary initiative should be taken to overcome the

alienation of the Baloch people.

2) Civil-military relations should be redefined in accordance with the

letter and spirit of the Constitution. 5) The government must take austerity measures and evolve a

structural and institutional system of transparency and all-sided

3) The foreign and security policies regarding neighbors need to be and even-headed accountability.

SAFMA recommendations

SAFMA Secretary General Imtiaz Alam presenting SAFMA recommendations at the interaction

8

he country is passing through benefit of a few, and when everyone is

a c r i t i c a l s t a g e . W h i l e equal before law. A change when all Tdemocratic dispensation has have equal opportunities to progress

been restored after a decade of and prosper. A change when every one

military rule, the collapse of state can live with honour, dignity and

institutions and threats to security are pride. But a few questions have to be

posing a grave danger to the fiber of asked and some answers have to be

the state necessitating a new social given.

contract for the nation.

Is this the land which was a dream of

There comes a time in the lives of the poet-philosopher Iqbal? Is this the

people when, looking ruefully at their p r o g r e s s i v e , e g a l i t a r i a n a n d

past, they yearn for a change. A change democratic Pakistan for the creation

for the better. A change when they can of which Quaid-e-Azam took on the

break the shackles of an unjust combined might of the British

system. A change when they are not imperialists and Indian hegemonists?

exploited by the privileged class. A Is this the democratic Pakistan where

change when laws are not made for the every citizen has freedom for fair play?

Time for a nationalagendaFormer prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Quaid

Mian Nawaz Sharif

9

Is this the Pakistan where writ of the state is the same for everyone, years ago, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto and I took stock of these traumatic

irrespective of one's colour, creed or ethnicity? Is this the Pakistan where experiences through which our nation had passed, and solemnly agreed

access to justice is the same for the poor as for the rich; where retribution on the Charter of Democracy as a blueprint for the restoration of genuine

of laws is the same for the strong as for the weak? Is it not a colossal democracy rooted in the will of the people, and based on constitutional

national tragedy that we have deviated from the sublime ideals on which supremacy, independence of judiciary, rule of law and transparent

the very foundation of our state was laid! governance. Subsequently, all these objectives were reiterated with equal

emphasis in the 15-point declaration adopted by All Parties Conference in

For any state in the contemporary world, its constitution is its solemn and London in July, 2007.

inviolable social contract guaranteeing fundamental rights to its citizens.

It also defines the role and responsibilities of the government, and The general election on February 18, 2008 was a vote of no-confidence

provides a legal base for its institutional structures. against the military dictator and the system he represented. On March 15,

2009 people came out in the historic Long March for the unconditional

Where do we stand today as a nation 63 years after independence? restoration of those honourable judges of the Superior Courts who had

History is witness to Pakistan's traumatic experience under long periods refused to take oath under a dictator's illegal Provisional Constitutional

of military rule which distorted the political process and constitutional Order of November 03, 2007. Now we have to look forward.

institutions, leading to political chaos and instability. We have paid a

heavy price during these dictatorships in the form of avoidable costly Given our country's socio-economic and political environment and the

wars, territorial setbacks and institutional paralysis. legacies we have inherited, what we need is a revolutionary change.

These are painful questions which need equally bold soul searching. Four Unless we all join hands to overcome these deficiencies, and consolidate

The audience: Prominent in the front row are (L to R) Ambassador of Finland Osmo Lipponen, Lt-Gen Talat Masood (retired),

Norwegian Ambassador to Pakistan Robert Kvile, Ambassador of Netherlands Joost Reintjes,

South Asia Media School Director Khaled Ahmed, senior journalist Ghazi Salhuddin

10

ourselves politically, economically and socially, we will not be able to face the l Rule of law, independence of judiciary and good governance.

internal and external threats. No state can justify or sustain its existence unless it l Strengthening the federation, while simultaneously ensuring provincial

has trust and confidence of its masses. autonomy and harmony.

l Freeing the society of hatred, violence, fear and frustration by ensuring fair

What is needed is a serious and purposeful national effort, chartering a play and mutual respect for each other.

comprehensive review and meaningful discourse on the part of all major stake- l People-centered development through sustainable economic growth and

holders and key segment of civil society which is vital for evolving a National poverty alleviation.

Recovery Plan. To my mind the following are some of the salient dimensions of l Freedom of press and media.

this national effort encompassing a common political, legislative and l Zero tolerance of militancy under any name or on any pretext.

administrative change as well as a socio-economic roadmap: l Full civil rights for the citizens of all tribal areas and administrative reforms

to provide good governance, justice and civic amenities to citizens of

l Preservation of Pakistan's sovereign independence and territorial integrity. Federally Administered Tribal Areas and all other tribal areas.

l Genuine democracy rooted in the will of the people. l Self reliance through revival of country's economy.

l Supremacy of the Constitution, primacy of the Parliament and sanctity of l A national consensus to formulate and implement a viable hydel generation

the principles of separation of powers between the legislature, the executive policy and exploitation of thermal energy resources.

and the judiciary. l Achieving universal education and a comprehensive programme to

L to R: SAFMA Secretary General Imtiaz Alam, PML-N Quaid Nawaz Sharif, PML-N central leader Zafar Iqbal Jhagra, MNA Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Geo

anchor Iftikhar Ahmed, PML-N MNA Tehmina Daultana and South Asian Women in Media General Secretary Bushra Sultana

11

l generate employment opportunities. I would invite all segments of society, in particular the political leadership, the

l Resolution of Kashmir issue by seeking its final solution through peaceful intelligentsia, the religious scholars, the lawyers, the jurists, the journalists, the

means, in conformity with the spirit of Lahore Declaration of 1999. labour leaders, the educationists, the media, enlightened women and youth – in

l Peaceful environment in South Asia and good neighborly relations with all fact the entire segment of civil society to come forward and evolve a new social

countries. contract or misak for the nation, Misak-e-Pakistan.

We have to eliminate economic and social unevenness. We have to fight the Now is the time for that. We can hear the tidings. We can seize the moment.

scourge of intolerance and sectarianism and bring about religious harmony. We Despondency has to give way to hope. But there will be hope if there is

have to root out the causes of ethnic cleavage and integrate all segments of our commitment. This consciousness, this desire, this belief and this resolve must be

population in the national mainstream. We have to ensure that elitism gives way transformed into a national will and a determination to act. I hope that all

to egalitarianism. We have to ensure rule of law, enforced by transparent patriotic Pakistanis will come forward and play their part for a better Pakistan.

governance. Above all, we have to make a pledge before the nation that to

achieve these noble goals we will transcend individual self-interests and make

Pakistan a vibrant and dynamic country.

In the front row (L to R): Khurshid Haider, Amar Sindhu, Irfana Mallah, Amara Javed and journalists from Sindh

12

How do you like the food?: The host with the guests at the Punjab House

THE QUESTION-ANSWER SESSION

WITH PML-N QUAID

NAWAZ SHARIF

GREETINGS: PML-N Quaid

Nawaz Sharif welcomes (L to R)

Ambassador of Finland

Osmo Lipponen,

Lt-Gen Talat Masood (retired),

Norwegian Ambassador

to Pakistan Robert Kvile,

Ambassador of Netherlands

Joost Reintjes to the interaction

at the Punjab House, Islamabad

13

REGISTRATION OF DELEGATES350 delegates, including the representatives of 50 press clubs, register for the National Conference

SESSION I

S A F M A P a k i s t a n G e n e r a l

S e c r e t a r y S i r m e d M a n z o o r

welcomed the conference delegates.

“This is our fourth SAFMA national

conference. Its agenda is to look into

media, democracy and good governance.

After a very long time democracy has

been reinstated and it faces a lot of

dangers. With free judiciary and

democracy, we will try to come up with

an agenda-setting which ensures he conference provided space to comprehensive views from many democracy.”stakeholders including journalists, TV anchors, analysts, government Tfunctionaries, opposition members, politicians, academia, foreign Imtiaz Alam

policy experts, economists and NGOs. I am happy to see here 250 delegates,

representing 50 press clubs of the Four interactive sessions spread country. These are the times for over two days were organized in celebrating the freedom that we have got addition to three more interactive through a protracted struggle for civil sessions with the President, the and human rights and for the restoration P r i m e M i n i s t e r a n d t h e of democracy and constitutional rule mainstream opposition leader, that was successively interrupted. These Nawaz Sharif. free times and democratic virtues are all

However, the lively sessions did thanks to and due to democracy—nothing else—that we all must preserve and

not truly generate hope for defend as an essential component of the constitutional and democratic

friendly relations between the framework underwritten by fundamental rights, freedom of expression and an

media and the government. independent judiciary. Those violating all norms while provoking the

countdowns for undemocratic change every other week or month must realize The subject of ethics was also hotly that a free media, an independent judiciary, rule of law, respect for civil and debated during the sessions, human rights are all sine qua non of democracy and not otherwise. If you dig the mainly by representatives of the grave for democracy, you will be inviting your own demise. Indeed, we are for journalist community. accountability of all but, of course, without excluding ourselves.

Sama television's anchor Asma Hassan Askari 's paper presented by Kiran HassanS h i r a z i c o n d u c t e d t h e Democracy and media are closely linked with each other. The deficit of one has proceedings. “Freedom of speech negative implications for the other. It is natural that they reinforce each other. is important and nobody can deny However, like democracy whose quality is crucial for sustaining it, the media us this right,” she said. cannot perform their role effectively without maintaining high professional

standards and performing their critical role with responsibility and non-

partisan disposition.

Media and democracy

SESSION REPORT

16

Asma Shirazi

Sirmed Manzoor

of corporate America. The democratic government has to tolerate this immature Discussantsmedia. Three things politicians have to tolerate: free judiciary, free media and

civil society. If political leadership supports all these factors, good governance Sajjad Mir, a senior journalist and News 1 anchor

will be stronger and so will your government and democracy. What are we questioning here? Do we have any doubts of what the role of the

media should be in a democracy? Or what is the role of good governance in a Mujeeb-ur-Rehaman Shami, Chief Editor, Daily Pakistan:democracy? If there is democracy, the media will play its role accordingly. In the We can have different viewpoints.

Armed struggle has become very unfashionable. It was introduced in East absence of good governance democracy will become a joke giving the army Pakistan by India. Chuen Li had said they that sow the wind shall reap the another opportunity to take over. Our solutions lie in a sustainable democracy whirlwind. In our country it was introduced during the dictatorships. Had there although various arguments suggest that China has also developed without been democracy here, people would have gone for other options. democracy. Or there is the Southeast Asian model in which economic

development came first and democracy followed. We have suffered because of Feroz Khan Noon, then the prime minister, once heard speeches for war by his

the lack of democracy. Military ruler Ayub Khan might have fostered fellow parliamentarians. In response, he said: “You should look for another

development, but we lost half of Pakistan after he left. Another military ruler prime minister if you want war.” The wars of 1965 and 1971 occurred because

Zia-ul-Haq is and has always been there was no democracy in the country.

unpopular. We still have a soft

corner for Pervez Musharraf. The Pakistan's existence is linked to democracy. And democracy's future is linked to current problems that we face are the media. Media need democracy. So partly because of him. Balochistan much energy has been wasted on was stable for 12 years but serious getting freedom. issues emerged there during

The consensus lost in 1958 has been Musharraf's time. The problem in regained. We should strengthen the Karachi is mainly because of Zia. To system now. No one is above put everything in a nutshell, only accountability. democracy can save this country.

Democracy does not deliver if it is The Express Tribune appointing an

not supported by good governance. ombudsman is appreciable. Other

By good governance we mean, as media should follow suit. Governance

Imtiaz Alam very rightly said, is democracy government for the

creating a system which works. In people. Time should not be wasted. The

order for democracy to work, good media should think beyond rating.

governance is an absolute must.

There can be lots of examples of bad There is no tax culture in the country. governance and I don't want to Agriculture tax should be introduced mention them but I stress that we all an enforced. Tax laws are not being know what good governance is. You implemented. There is a need for can call us inexperienced and institutional changes. The days of immature but democracy cannot martial law should be over. We have survive without free media like that nothing to give now. People's right to

17

Sajjad Mir Mujeeb-ur-Rehaman ShamiMujeeb-ur-Rehaman Shami

rule should not be usurped. The population is bulging. Illiterate and jobless media are giving. 95% of their staff remains unpaid, is not on a regular payroll

youth can ignite a fire. The media should address real issues and find out their and doesn't have any job security, doesn't have job descriptions, is not paid even

solution. at the lowest rates. And you think such people will uphold the standards of

authentic and objective information. In such times constantly asking the ruling Robert Kevile, the Norwegian ambassador: political party, the president and the prime minister to provide good It's a great privilege for me to be invited to this conference. My intervention

governance, the media should first look within itself. Which religion, which would be slightly shorter and less passionate than those I have heard earlier this

political party, which value, which education asks you to lie? Who asks the army morning. We have an agenda in Pakistan and we are not part of any conspiracy.

to get together and who sits in the navy boats and says that government is Our agenda is not hidden. It is very straightforward. We want to contribute to a

absent? Why do we project the army and why do we only say that the army is more stable, a more just and a more stable Pakistan.

doing a good job? Why do we separate our army with our government? Why do

we say that the judiciary is independent? Why do we promote these ideologies, The media is rightly called the fourth state because of its crucial role as a these imaginations? I consider myself a student of media and I still do not democratic watchdog and SAFMA has helped the media take on this very consider myself a journalist. important role in South Asia. But SAFMA does more than this. It unites

journalists for all SAARC countries promoting tolerance and peace across the All the journalists are supposed to adhere to five W's what, when, who to, who

borders. I salute you for the work you do and the role that you play. from and why. We don't follow these rules of journalism. Journalists have

become fortunetellers. These fortunetellers have succeeded in getting rid of Shams-ul-Islam Naz, Secretary General, Pakistan Federal Union of governments. We don't accept black laws, we don't accept Martial laws, we have Journalists (PFUJ)

The Secretary General of Pakistan all stood against Zia, and we don't accept lawlessness. It is good governance that

Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), we stand against all such things. Good governance is individualistic and we must

Shamsul Islam Naz bemoaned the lack start good governance from ourselves. In order to bring good governance we

of conducive conditions in which need to change ourselves. Good governance will not come in isolation. We are a

journalists could perform their duties part and parcel of it. If media want to bring good governance, they must refer to

without assurances of job security, and the declaration of code of conduct and abide by it. The media do not pay PEMRA

the absence of institutionalized any tax, why do the media not show that? Why don't we write about it? You talk

appointments and compensation, about accountability. No labour inspector can enter a media house. Media also

while newspapers and TV channels support the privileged. There are insurances for the cameras but there is no

wallow in advertisements. insurance for the camera person.

We need to go deeper in our analysis. If Civil society is also scared of the media. The civil society does not raise a voice

good governance is a bi-product of against the media because the media in turn would deny coverage to the civil

democracy and media, it is important society. Everybody talks about the sovereignty of the parliament, everybody

to question whether media are not talks about providing justice, in our own case we don't even provide notice

creating a mess or hampering the before sacking a journalist. If anybody wants good governance, the media should

progress of good governance. be put straight. If you want good governance, start from your own self. If you

want good governance, provide basic rights to people. When we talk about tax evasions and

accountabilities, do the media hold We don't know investigative journalism. There are so many books about laws

themselves accountable? In the tax and regulations but we don't consult them. Good governance faces a dilemma in

evasion, we must see how much tax the our society. When somebody respects you, you treat the very person with

18

Shams-ul-Islam Naz

disrespect. In most countries people don't even know the names of their chief Democracy cannot survive in the absence of rule of law and good governance. In

justices, but here the situation is different. That is also a cause for concern. Let's the absence of rule of law, power lies with a handful of people. Where is rule of

not become part of the system which becomes questionable and promotes fears law today? No rules apply to the influential. Over the past two and a half years

and slavery. Let's all say goodbye to has anybody tried to change the rule of law? Increased corruption is not

fears and embrace good governance. supporting democracy. If we don't rectify a corrupt lawless system, then

democracy may not survive. We keep options for ourselves for either a military Zahid Hussain: rule or a civilian rule. That should be not an option. Shams-ul-Islam has rightly said that

media houses and journalists have We must focus on how democracy works. The military plays a role in many started thinking of themselves as things. The best thing about the 2008 elections was that there was a consensus unaccountable. But this reflects the among all political parties. All these parties had learned from their experience country's situation. In a country which that they might have different political visions but they would not allow another lacks good governance and rule of law, army intervention. Today when many suspect that there is going to be an army media cannot be looked at in isolation. intervention, I perceive it as a weakness of our democratic system. Our generals Is anyone held accountable in this should not be encouraged to intervene in our civilian matters. If they do, it is a country? failure of on the part of our political parties. People should be made aware that

democracy has to be supported by them in order to survive. Elections are just a part of the process

of democracy. Winning elections is not Democracy can survive by institutional backing. Media should be held democracy. Did we all play any role in accountable on some accounts, but they like our democratic institutions are s trengthening the process o f young. With all their mistakes, they need to be supported. Democracy is also democracy? That is a big question. threatened if we lose our economic sovereignty. We need to change our Democratic rule is better than the mindsets. Unless we do so, we cannot hope to have good governance, economic military one. We are not trying to strength and democracy.strengthen the democratic rule.

Democracy faces two kinds of dangers.

Iftikhar Ahmed: o w n i n t e r e s t s a n d t h e i r o w n We are trying to hold the government determination. And if this trend is not accountable for a lot of things. Who is curtailed, we will be to blame for the going to hold us accountable? How can havoc it will create. the media groups, which cannot bring

G N Mughal: order to their own small institutions, In democracy India may be ahead of us bring reform on a large scale? These but in struggle we are ahead of it. People media groups want democracy who faced incarceration and torture or according to their own agenda, their

Open House

Tanzeela Mazhar and Iftikhar Ahmed

19

Zahid Hussain

were flogged should be paid tribute to. No personal agenda, we should have a Democracy means giving one direction to diversity. Secularism is not being

higher agenda. We should promote self criticism. irreligious. It should get its original meaning back. Pakistan should get away

from ideologies. Khalid Chaudhary: Working journalists were the ones to give sacrifices. Owners always M Ziauddin: compromised with dictators. They don't want democracy to run. In future, As newspapers continue to struggle with maintaining ethical standards and

only we will be there to defend media rights. raising their esteem in the eyes of the public, the role of a News Ombudsman

becomes increasingly important. News Ombudsmen uphold journalistic Imtiaz Alam: integrity and fairness at their publications. They serve as advocates for the We should focus on major issues. We are defending citizen's rights.

readers, hearing their complaints and concerns, as well as crafting responses Javed Qazi:

G N Mughal with his input Khalid Chaudhary's comment

Javed Qazi (right) M Ziauddin

20

and suggesting courses of action to newspaper management. News Voting people mostly live in

Ombudsmen ensure accuracy and accountability on the part of rural areas, but it's not they who

newspapers as they have a responsibility to their readers. News get preference. It's non-voting

Ombudsmen demonstrate to the public that the newspaper is attuned to people who reap the fruits of

their concerns. We have Mr Fakhruddin G Ebrahim, a known jurist and progress and development.

constitutional expert, as our News Ombudsman who has a reputation for Democracy should have a

being scrupulously fair and ethical. democratic culture. With time it

should grow. People, not the Jabbar Khattak: media, should have the right to We should have no great expectations from a corporate media. The All

t h e g o v e r n m e n t ' s Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) and Council of Pakistan Newspaper

accountability. How far is media Editors (CPNE) should be groomed. They lack the capacity to handle

democratic? The media are only things. Media cannot run without ads. PEMRA is not aware of the media

city specific. The survival of future. Information technology is making progress by leaps and bounds.

Pakistan rests on democracy. People should have the Right to Know. People will be empowered. Media

will be free because it will cost less.

Irfana Mallah:

Jabbar Khattak (C)

Irfana Mallah

Farzana Ali

21

Farzana Ali:Aaj TV Bureau Chief pointed out that while a minute-to-minute

day long commentary was given about the funeral of a political leader, the

story of 68 people who died a day earlier in terrorist attacks was

underplayed. She also talked about the dangers media people faced in

covering the conflict zones from the warring parties. The media shirk

from theirh responsibility of showing the facts. The media keeps on

changing its language about the warring parties.

Siddique Baloch: Media are weak in Balochistan. Ours is a conflict zone for the last 170

years. Life is very tough. There is no writ of the state. People are killed in

custody.

Shahzada Zulfiqar, Pakistan Today: The owner of a newspaper was attacked and had to flee the country. Imtiaz Alam: Siddique Baloch's newspaper offices were under surveillance. The media [Winding up the debate] We have spoken about employees' conditions;

are under pressure there from the parties to the conflict. We are between no insurance, no security for journalists in the conflict regions. There is no

two guns. Anchors don't get first-hand knowledge of the situation. freedom of the media in the conflict regions. They can't report the conflict

Journalists should visit Balochistan and so should the minister for objectively. Newspapers and television channels do not reflect the real

information and broadcasting. situation. Press council and code of ethics should be there, not for the

government but for ourselves. The adversarial relationship between the

government and the media will remain. Media should only serve the

public interest and should defend people's privacy.

Federal Information Minister Qamar Zaman KairaHe promised he would soon push through the Parliament the draft of the

Freedom of Information Bill that SAFMA had submitted long ago, though

the government for some reason had remained silent on it.

Touching on the importance of free media, he stressed that in the absence

of free media, no government could improve its performance. Working

journalists ought to perform their duties in a responsible manner.

The minister pledged “to support media as an industry and journalists

rights' as workers” whose families deserved health and education

benefits.

Referring to the performance of the government, Kaira said that 28 out of

Peshawar

Babar Ayaz and Siddique Baloch

Shahzada Zulfiqar and other journalists from Balochistan

22

32 points of the Charter of Democracy had been implemented but media such institutional behaviour, which are like human habits, sometimes

rarely appreciated the positive action and continued to criticize. interfere in political matters and that practice could be undone with the

democratic process,” Kaira said.“Media have every right to criticize the government, as no genuine

democracy can flourish without free media but they should also suggest “Traditions of media in Pakistan are older than the political traditions and

practical steps to the government.” journalists' community, being representative of those traditions, is older

than me, the representative of political traditions, so media have more He said tough economic decisions causing price-hike in the country were responsibility to protect democracy and help the government in evolving being made in national interest. good governance,” he said.

“We are not fools. We know certain economic decisions will cause price-hike He said the PPP had always supported and respected media freedom.and may make us unpopular among the masses. But we are making such

decisions in the national interest, as the country cannot afford huge He announced that the government would soon name the chairman of the

subsidies. If we continue subsidising, the country will collapse,” Kaira said. Press Council, which could play an important role in resolution of the media-

related issues.“There is no threat to democracy from the army but institutions, owing to

Asma Shirazi, Mujeeb-ur-Rehaman Shami, Imtriaz Alam, Qamar Zakan Kaira, Zahid Hussain, M Ziauddin, Irfana Mallah, Farzana Ali

23

hese are the times for celebrating the freedom that we have got through a protracted

struggle for civil and human rights and for the restoration of democracy and Tconstitutional rule that was successively interrupted by the usurpers-in-khaki.

Pakistan can now be distinguished as the only country in the Muslim world to have a

ferociously free media and an authoritatively independent judiciary—the new vibrant

components of our democracy-in-transition. Fortunately enough, we have a parliament

that has earned the distinction of having passed the 18th Amendment with an absolute

consensus, removing the stigma of most infamous 8th Amendment (if not most rabidly

reactionary parts of it) and 17th Amendment and allowing greater autonomy to the

federating units—a highly welcome improvement. Thanks to the Charter of Democracy

and a policy of reconciliation, we are witnessing a democratic culture of accommodation,

adjustment and understanding among various political elements with an opposition

playing by the book setting healthy democratic conventions.

As democracy allows greater space to civil society and civilian institutions, we witness a

greater assertion of vocal elements of civil society, the media and the bars, the judiciary--

revived under democracy by democratic means-- and the federating units-- by virtue of

NFC Award-- to expand their spheres and spaces scuttled during the military dictatorships.

We also see a Presidency bowing to the parliamentary spirit of the 1973 Constitution, rather

than remaining an instrument of powers that be to scuttle the mandate of the people. Most

vibrant and inclusive is the politics of coalition making at the Centre and the provinces. We

see unprecedented accountability of the elected representatives by the media—often

bordering ridicule. On the top of it, a very pro-active judiciary is not letting any omission of

the civil executive go unpunished to a point where on occasions the poor executive looks

traumatized and squeezed.

Every public complaint or outcry finds its fullest and loudest expression on 24/7 news

broadcasts and the daily newspapers. The instant and minute-by-minute “breaking news”

stream and unending repetitive talk-shows have captured the political and social

landscape while frantically pursuing the misleading ratings by the self-serving monitors of

Media, Democracy and Governance

Imtiaz Alam, Secretary General, SAFMA

24

aggressive commercial bosses. These free times and democratic virtues are all is that the ongoing tug of war among the civilian institutions and civilian forces

thanks to and due to democracy—nothing else—that we all must preserve and to grab greater space at the cost of the other is, ironically, eroding the very

defend as an essential component of constitutional and democratic framework foundation on which stands the whole edifice of democracy. Even the meek

underwritten by fundamental rights, freedom of expression and an independent efforts at taming the untamed and bringing powerful apparatuses of the

judiciary. Those violating all norms while provoking the countdowns for establishment under civilian and constitutional purview were frustrated—not as

undemocratic change every other week or month must realize that a free media, much by those who thrive beyond the law and accountability but by the same

an independent judiciary, rule of law, respect for civil and human rights are all custodians of our freedom and lawful protection who can't otherwise survive

sine qua non of democracy and not otherwise. If you dig the grave for democracy, without democracy. The depth and scope of democracy is, unfortunately, being

you will be inviting your own demise. Indeed, we are for accountability of all but, undermined by those who were supposed to deepen and expand it. Resultantly,

of course, without excluding ourselves. the sphere of the elected government has been reduced to less than a sovereign's

job, consigning most strategic foreign and internal affairs back into the lap of This is the noise of democracy that we relish and must protect. Indeed there are unaccountable masters of our destiny—regardless of the will of the people and those, deluded by their new-found power, who are insulting the sanctity of the intent of the US Congress, albeit Kerry-Lugar-Burman Bill. freedom and legitimacy of their authority while crossing ethical and

institutional limits for their parochial and vested interests. They must be But the real life beyond the show of power among the pigmies is full of

checked from within amid growing public scepticism. The irony of the situation challenges, obstacles and uncertainties. The Challenges have to be tackled

25

instead of making the politicians scapegoats who have always been wrongly or effort in every sphere of economy from the revitalization of high valued

rightly blamed for decades. Sensing the undemocratic and unconstitutional adding manufacturing, agricultural and servicing sectors, conservation,

threats to democracy that we have again brought back with a lot of sacrifices, exploration and development of energy and water resources, human

SAFMA along with some leading journalists, intellectuals and civil society resource development and poverty eradication, withdrawal of subsidies and

leaders, from the platform of Citizens for Democracy, called upon all the expansion of revenues by taxing both rural and urban rich, reprioritization

institutions and stakeholders to say no to any undemocratic and of allocation of resources from military security to human security, drastic

unconstitutional change while emphasizing the urgency to evolve a National reformation or disposing of public sector corporations to get rid of financial

Agenda to tackle an all-sided crises of the sate. Some of the challenges, that pose haemorrhage, inclusion of the dispossessed peoples and the deprived

a real threat to our existence as a people and a land, that is sacred to us, are as backward regions into the mainstream of development and empowerment

follow: and opening up our eastern and western borders to revive traditional trade

routes to become a hub of trans-regional trade and investment across South,

Central and Western Asia. Breaking with client-patron and dependency

relationship in a globalised world that calls for regional integration, through

SAARC, Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), and cooperation with

Regional Cooperation for Development (RCD) countries.It requires a new paradigm of inclusive and sustainable growth and all out

(1) A low-growth-high-poverty equilibrium with lowest tax-GDP,

saving-GDP, investment-GDP and per-capita investment on the

people with lowest social indicators in the developing world.

26

(2) A parasitic national security state failing to enforce its writ and

maintain peace within and without.

(4) A flawed foreign and security paradigm promoting conflict in the

neighbourhood.

(3) Marginalization of the Will and the Sovereignty of the People.

(5) Crises of Governance.

limits frustrating all machinations and efforts to destabilize democratic

setup and rejecting any change through undemocratic and unconstitutional

means.It must enforce its writ across every nook and corner of our land while keeping its monopoly over coercive means by completely eradicating non-

state violent actors/militias threatening our existence/sovereignty and

jeopardizing our relations with our neighbours and international There is an urgent need to critically reappraise our foreign and national community. The menace of terrorism has to be eradicated by all means and security polices that are beyond our national resources, repudiate peace in every sphere that reproduce it. It calls for radical reversion of our failed both within and without, frustrate economic growth and prosperity and security paradigms that nourished these grave-diggers of Pakistan's keep our people in the shackles of poverty, backwardness, illness and otherwise moderate, tolerant and egalitarian and pluralist society.hunger. It requires, in particular, radical revision of our “India-centric”, “strategic-depth” (vis a vis Afghanistan) and “strategic-assets” (of our

jihadis who are of nobody's) types of strategic assumptions. The militaristic All organs of the state and all stakeholders must submit to the will and version of the national security, that failed to provide us internal and sovereignty of the people exercised by the elected representatives of the external security, must be replaced with an overarching vision of human people, responsible to the final arbiters-- the peoples of all federating units. security, thus, eradicating the causes behind the growth of suicide-Civil-military relations must be redefined strictly in accordance with the bombers, violence and religious extremism; and a rational, smart and cost-letter and spirit of the 1973 Constitution and everything about the security effective defence backed by a credible deterrence.establishment must be brought under the purview of our sovereign parliament. All institutions and organs of the state must keep in their lawful

Pakistan is faced with deep-rooted crises of

governance from civilian administration to military

establishment, financial sectors to fiscal spheres,

generating revenues to transparent and accountable

expenditure, delivery of cheap and easy justice and

honest and law-abiding policing, respecting citizens'

fundamental rights regardless of gender, creed or

ethnicity and empowering people, rewarding merit,

entrepreneurship, innovation and competition while

precluding unethical privileges, rent-seeking, bribery

and fraud, respecting dissent and granting women and

minorities equal privileges of equal citizens and

devolving and de-concentrating power to the lower tiers

of governance, a l l -s ided and even-handed

accountability of all through due process of law, access

to and free flow of information and a transparent,

accountable and efficient governance. It can't be

achieved by totalitarian or fascist regimes and barbaric Delegates from Sindh, Punjab and Khyber Pukhtoonkhwa

27

help bring the composite dialogue process back on rail. Similarly, Pak-Afghan parliamentary conference-II will be convened in Kabul.

Looking forward to our interactions with Mian Nawaz Sharif, the PML-N chief, Prime Minister of Pakistan Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani, President Asif Ali Zardari

South Asian Media School deserves the support of the democratic government and the leaders of ANP, JUI-F and MQM, we call upon all democratic forces and vide the Trust for South Asian Media School to teach and train young journalists representatives of civil society to initiate a process of dialogue on a National from the region. Agenda to secure our future as a people. Benefiting from the presence of the

Minister for Information Mr. Kaira, we demand that SAFMA's and Media Lastly, let's all join together to support the collective effort to rehabilitate the Commission Pakistan's proposed draft of the Information Act, approved by his people affected and ruined by the devastating floods and contribute our part for ministry, and draft PEMRA law must be brought to the parliament for approval a more sustainable reconstruction of our mainland. and we, in turn assure him to evolve an agreed media code of ethics among ourselves to be implemented by a Press Council for which we have also proposed a draft law for your consideration. SAFMA would also request you to kindly request the Prime Minister to support SAFMA in creating South Asian Free Media Endowment Fund through SAARC Development Fund. Moreover, our

Ambassador of Finland Osmo Lipponen and other delegates

28

how the media have managed their hard earned freedom against the backdrop of emocracy and media are closely linked with each other. The deficit of their rapid expansion since 2002. one has negative implications for the other. It is natural that they Dreinforce each other. However, like democracy whose quality is crucial Imperatives of Democracy: Democracy is the most cherished political

for sustaining it, the media cannot perform their role effectively without system. Even dictatorial regimes adopt some semblance of democracy to

maintaining high professional standards and performing their critical role with strengthen their political legitimacy. The military governments selectively adopt

responsibility and non-partisan disposition.the democratic course of action as a part of civilianization of military rule.The other approach is to condemn democracy as a western implant and suggest This paper first examines the notion of democracy along with its various ways and means to create an 'indigenous' political order to genuinely involve the dimensions and then gets into the relationship between democracy and media people in policymaking and enhance the representative credentials of and how and why they sink or float together. It also makes critical analysis of

governance and political management.

No matter how one brands democracy or employs it to serve

partisan interest, it is universally accepted as a synonym to

popular sovereignty. The ultimate source of power and authority

in a political system are the people who exercise this power

through their representatives elected by an open, competitive, fair

and free electoral process. It is representative and participatory

governance that reflects the aspirations of the people and

responds to their concerns and problems.

The minimalist notion of democracy focuses on representative

democracy, open and competitive elections and universal adult

franchise. This is a limited notion of democracy. The maximalist

concept of democracy views the holding of fair and free elections

as the first but not the only condition of democracy. It also

includes constitutionalism, the rule of law, protection of

individual rights and liberties against the threats from the

government, powerful individuals and groups, religious and

cultural pluralism, socio-economic justice and independent

judiciary.

Democracy and media sink or float together

Dr Hasan-Askari Rizvi

Representatives of press clubs

29

to enriched substance of democracy. However, this transition is not necessarily One of the main principles is the rule by majority but this “rule” should not be uni-dimensional. There can be reverses to the democratic process or it can freeze turned into the “tyranny of the majority” by denying the legitimate rights and at one point.interests of the electoral minority. They should have enough opportunities of

Democracy and Media: One important criterion to judge democracy is to staying in the political mainstream so that they have a stake in the continuation review the state of the media. No democracy is viewed worth anything if the of the political system. media do not enjoy freedom within the framework of a democratic constitution

The government must exercise powers within the limits of the constitution and to review the working of the government, keep the people informed about the law and its action can be challenged in the court of law on the pretext of crossing domestic socio-political affairs and global environment, help them to make the limits set out by the constitution and law. At times, individual rights and informed political choices and serve as a channel of two-way communication freedoms are denied by powerful individual and groups through intimidation between the people and the government. and coercion. The democratic state must protect the rights of individuals against

The media also contribute to articulation of political, social and economic issues such excesses. and their aggregation in broad categories of demands. They also mobilize

Democracy cannot function smoothly if the citizens while claiming their rights support for an issue or cause. forget about their obligations. Unless there is a widespread commitment to the

However, if democracy cannot exist without a free media, the latter also need principles and values of democracy and respect for constitutional rule, democracy to flourish and play their rightful rule. There is a relationship of democracy will falter; its quality will deteriorate. Democracy presupposes a interdependence between democracy and media. Both need each other. democratic culture which involves human interaction with each other and the

society and the state. Unless the citizens imbibe the habits of religious and Free media can exist only under democratic and constitutional rule that

cultural tolerance, respect each other's rights and take a stand against recognizes civil and political rights. When the democratic political order falters,

corruption, mismanagement and excesses, democracy will not take strong roots. the media find it extremely difficult to sustain their freedom. Invariably the non-

The people and the society are the best guarantee of working of a democratic democratic rulers attempt to control or suffocate media so as to sustain their

political order. personalized and authoritarian rule.

In order to evaluate the working of democracy one has to draw a distinction It is in the media's interest that democracy and constitutionalism flourish in

between its formal structure and substance. The formal structure means the letter and spirit because it helps to boost their role and increase their clout in the

institutions and processes of democracy. It also means that the legal and society. When the media work towards strengthening democracy they are

institutional requirements of democracy have been fulfilled, i.e., a constitution, actually securing their own future.

elections, elected parliament, basic rights of citizens written down in the

constitution and a formal structure of independent judiciary. The substance The media must therefore join other pro-democracy elements in the society to means how the institutions and processes actually work and how far the cope with the threats to democracy and constitutional rule. Such threat can commitments made in the constitution and law are actually available to the come from three major sources: the government, powerful individuals and citizenry. intolerant and violent groups. If the government exceeds its constitutional and

legal limits, the media must keep the people informed of the excesses and Most political systems fall between these two positions, i.e. minimalist or

restrain the government to its legitimate role. At times, powerful individuals maximalist notion of democracy. The effort is to move towards the maximalist

attempt to deny the rights of others. The media should expose such activities in view of democracy by improving its quality. Thus, democracy should be viewed

order to discourage these tendencies. Similarly, the media must use their clout as a process. This is a movement from less to more democracy; minimalist to

and the capacity for political mobilization to discourage religious and cultural maximalist position, depending how a country moves from the formal structure

intolerance in the society. They should promote the culture of tolerance, socio-

30

political pluralism and resolution of differences on societal issues through create unnecessary pressures on the nascent democracy, weakening the people's

dialogue and accommodation. confidence in democratic institutions and processes.

Democracy is a delicate system of government and it can be destroyed by It is true that Pakistan's fast expanding electronic media are also very young.

democratic means. For example, democracy is a rule by majority but the However, this does not mean that they should not pay attention to the quality of

“tyranny” of the majority over the electoral minority can undermine democracy. their content. The print and electronic media courses are being taught in many

Similarly, the media have an obligation to democracy, the society and the state and private universities which are expected to give them useful academic

nation-state. If the media does not perform its role with responsibility it can background and training. This can be strengthened by 'on-the-job' experience.

weaken democracy which will in turn weaken and undermine the media. A large number of the media people are finding it difficult to maintain non-

Professionalism and Responsibility: The media's responsibility for partisan professional orientations. They appear to be swept away by the

securing democracy has increased in Pakistan for two major reasons. First, polarized political environment and cannot get out of a partisan political

modern technology in communications has expanded the role of the media discourse. They need to rediscover professional objectivity and provide the

manifold. It can reach more people in a short time and influence their political people with basic information and multiple perspectives to enable them to be

choices. Further, the availability of multiple sources of communication and fully informed of different dimensions of the issues.

information has made people more vulnerable. Second, Pakistan's democracy is It is not advisable to release half-baked information and news in a bid to be the not well-established. It is passing through a transition and thus it has limited first to release news without checking and rechecking the reliability of its source and untested capacity for crisis management. The media have to be more and without processing it through a tough editorial control. A lot of information-cautious in reviewing, analyzing and interpreting news and other information. news and visuals come to the print and electronic media for onward Raw and unsubstantiated news and information without editorial caution can

Representatives of press clubs and journalists

31

transmission. There is a need to use professional editorial judgment to decide sovereignty are disregarded by the US and other western countries. (ii) A strong

what will be released and in what manner with a focus on their impact on the anti-PPP slant with an anti-Asif Ali Zardari focus. (iii) Sermons on high morality

society. This becomes extremely important for the release of photographs and and Islam. The selective use of Islamic history to prove that the present rulers

footage. For example, the live coverage of a terrorist attack has to be undertaken are very corrupt and extravagant. (iv) A dismissive attitude towards the political

cautiously. The over-exposure of a terrorist incident while it is still unfolding leaders as being corrupt, egotist who control the party from the top and do not

may inadvertently pass on some useful information to the terrorists and other pay taxes. (v) The present political arrangements are beyond rescue. (vi) The

criminals. The showing of dead and mutilated bodies from a terrorist incident is hidden foreign hands or the Hindus, Jews and Christians are hatching

another important subject for editorial supervision. The repeated footage of conspiracies against the Muslim world in general and Pakistan in particular.

dead or mutilated bodies or their parts can have highly injurious impact on (vii) Direct and indirect support to or sympathy for Islamic orthodoxy and

children. militancy, especially the Taliban (viii) Embroil the political leaders on a talk

show into harsh and polemical exchanges and trading of charges and counter Every media outlet goes for the breaking news. This task should be undertaken charges.with caution. An accident between a donkey cart and a tractor on a roadside does

not qualify for the breaking news slot. The key question is the authenticity of the The media may support a cause relating to societal welfare or a consensus-based

news. A media network will lose credibility if a good number of its news items issue; they may also help to build such a consensus. However, they should not

have to be followed up with rectification or refutation. appear to engage in positive or negative political propaganda with reference to a

political party, leader or political ideology. They should serve as a forum for all Take the example of the unconfirmed news issued by some private sector TV kinds of views and ideas within the limits set out by the constitution and the channels in mid-October 2010 about the government's decision to withdraw the principles and spirit of democracy. notification of reinstatement of the judges removed by Pervez Musharraf. This

became a self-fulfilling prophecy when the Chief Justice and all judges of the It would be better if anchorpersons study contemporary political history and

Supreme Court rushed to their office in the middle of the night and warned the especially how different political systems have been functioning for the last 50-

government against taking such a step. Later, the Supreme Court declared such 60 years. This would help them to pursue their discourses in a more comparative

an action as high treason under article 6 of the Constitution. This unchecked context. This would also help them to better understand that some of the

news nearly caused a clash between the Supreme Court and the federal problems of governance and political management are not unique to Pakistan.

government. Had the federal government not moved in quickly to reject the These are similar to the problems faced by a large number of other countries.

news, Pakistan's recently revived democracy would have been plunged into a This is likely to tone down a highly pessimistic or alarmist or moralist view of

crisis. what has been happening in Pakistan for some decades.

Some TV anchors and a large number of Urdu columnists present their views in a It is a challenge for all of us to maintain a positive relationship between

highly personalized or partisan manner, occasionally bordering on propaganda. democracy and media. Both need each other because they are interdependent.

Their programmes and columns are less knowledge-based and more belief and However, the media need to perform their task with greater professionalism and

opinion based. Some TV anchors often support or oppose a particular political less sensationalism, avoid premature release of news and inject more stability

party or leader persistently and often blatantly, which negates professional and soberness in political talk shows.

ethos of the media. The media have helped the people understand their problems. They have

The following themes are quite common in the opening and closing discourses promoted the cause of democracy but there is a lot of room for professionalism,

and occasional comments of TV anchors in the talk shows which are made either knowledge based presentations and a realization that rights are always linked

as a matter of policy or to raise controversies for getting a better rating for the with responsibilities. Quality is no less important than ratings.

programme. (i) Anti-Americanism and how Pakistan's self-respect and

32

We give children in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa an opportunity to go to school in areas

where there were no education facilities. We help reduce mortality among young

mothers and children in Sindh. We help preserve and strengthen the cultural

heritage of Pakistan and we help promote contemporary expressions of art. And

we support a number of organizations working to improve democracy and

governance in your country. SAFMA is one of them. We have been working with

SAFMA since 2002. This year we have put in place a basis for continued support

and cooperation.

I do not need to lecture you about governance in Pakistan. We all know the

problems. And just like you, we - your foreign friends - would like to see things

move ahead with some more force and speed. Important decisions have been

taken in the political area, the 18th amendment perhaps being the most crucial. Now we would like to see similar achievements in the economic area, steps and

reforms that would curb corruption and broaden your tax base.

The title of your conference is Media, Democracy and Good Governance. There

is a strong link between these concepts. There will be no good governance

without democracy and there will be no democracy without a free and vigilant

media.

The media is rightly called the fourth estate because of its crucial role as

democratic watchdog. SAFMA helps the media take on this very important role

in South Asia. But you do more than this. You unite journalists in all eight

SAARC countries in promoting tolerance, peace and cooperation across the orway has an agenda in Pakistan. It is not hidden and it is very straight borders. forward: We want to contribute to a more stable, more just and more

I salute you for the work you do and the role you play. democratic Pakistan. Our contribution is modest and not comparable Nto what you do yourself or what your bigger partners do. But I believe that we

I wish you good luck with your conference. make a difference in the areas where we work.

Media, democracy, governance are linked

33

Robert Kvile, Ambassador of Norway

would like to thank SAFMA for inviting me to this important session. Being I don't consider democracy as an ideal system. Democracy is not the only system

a government's spokesman, I have to be careful. Yet there were some new in the world, but out of all the other systems, with all its shortcomings, it is the Idevelopments today which are quiet healthy. Criticizing the government is best system. We tend to rightfully expect a lot from democracy and democratic

the absolute right of the media and the government doesn't do its job properly if governments. Political parties volunteer to offer democracy and to improve

the media doesn't play its watchdog role. There is no society in the world where governance. During dictatorships, the public only demands democracy, but in

people have voluntarily brought reform for themselves. In some cases it was the the case of democratic governments, the public focuses on demanding rights.

state pressure and in more cases it was the people's pressure which brought Undoubtedly, the political leadership has to deliver at various fronts. But I

about societal changes. I believe that we are not afraid of Allah, but we are afraid would like to stress on a point that in order to run a smooth and transparent

of public opinion. No ruling party will be ready to surrender its privileges. government, the people are as much responsible as the government itself. Are

Consider our limitations Qamar Zaman Kaira, Minister for Information & Broadcasting

34

societies not part of governance? While in Pakistan you are expecting the social

discourse of America. Is it possible? Is it possible that in one jump you reach your

destination?

I am accountable to you and so are my government and party. But my

accountability is not only objective but subjective also. I have some constraints.

You have laws but such laws should leave a space for democratic

experimentation. Things will change only when people stand for their rights. It's

not an easy process because a lot of sacrifices are required. We have made a lot of

sacrifices. Benazir Bhutto introduced the concept of dialogue for the first time

amongst various political forces. We have to focus our own constituencies and

ensure better governance there. We tend to have laws for others and not for

ourselves. In today's' political climate, when the judiciary is independent, the

media is vibrant and the opposition in the parliament is robust, the present

government's limitations should be considered. You must also acknowledge that

Pakistan was weak when given to PPP and the government was also weak. The

weak government could only survive through coalitions. Institutions have

certain patterns and behavior. We have a resistant institutional behavior which

retards the democratic process. I am a part of that institutional behavior as well.

I admit that we made some mistakes, but you must consider that we came with an extremely weak government and when the Pakistani state was shrinking,

terrorism was on the rise. At that time, the judiciary was in the jail, media was

protesting, we were protesting.

A section of the media has always supported military. A large part of the media

has also fought for democracy because if there is democracy, there is media

freedom. Media freedom is linked to democracy. We are weak and we have

flaws but even with this weak democracy, we have achieved 18 amendments,

we have NFC, and we have talked about the fundamental issues of Pakistan. In

order to streamline the system, make your demands keeping in perspective

with what can be offered by me and my government. Shamsul Islam has said

the things that I wanted to point out. His points become weightier because he

himself comes from the journalistic community. Print and electronic media

houses have created parallel organizations which are questionably corrupt. I

am interested in reforms of the media. I will support reforms within the media.

We have to have certain rules and regulations for our Journalist Victims Fund.

Journalists can also have a group insurance. The rights we have provided to

the Pakistani worker, we would like to provide similar rights to the Pakistani

journalist.

Khaled Ahmed and Hina Khawaja Bayat

Hussain Naqi, Afzal Khan and Ayaz Naich

35

ost devastating floods in the following a bomb blast on Al Quds rally in

history of Pakistan have changed Quetta. Mthe status of one-fifth of the The rise in killings constitutes a serious threat population from citizens to refugees. On this to fundamental human rights including occasion, we pay tribute to the flood victims freedom of speech and right to know. In a which also include one woman journalist democratic system any violation of Asma Anwar of Nowshera. It is worthy to journalists' rights and press freedom raise mention the loss of our colleagues in floods serious questions regarding the threats of and we extend our support to those 213 violent forces. The year has witnessed some journalists whose houses have been u n d e m o c r a t i c m o v e s b y e l e c t e d damaged. representatives in sheer violation of press

Pakistan, with the killing of eight journalists freedom. The incidents of forced occupation

and one media worker, has certainly secured of Ghotki press club allegedly by a provincial

one of the top positions on the list of “most minister, Jam Mehtab Mahar; kicking and

dangerous countries” for journalists. Target punching of journalists allegedly by PML-N

killing has been seen as a popular mode of workers before a press conference; and

killing in at least four cases of Ashiq Ali thrashing of Abdul Rehman Afridi, editor of

Mangi, reporter of Mehran TV; Faiz Daily Sitara, allegedly by PPP workers, show

Mohammad Khan Sasoli, correspondent of inc re as ing imp at ie nc e w i t h me d ia

Independent News of Pakistan; Haji Misri professionals.

Khan Orakzai, a Hangu-based journalist; and The resolution passed by the Punjab Mujeebur Rehman Saddique, correspondent Assembly against media for maligning the of Daily Pakistan. Among the other four, politicians came as a rude shock to media suicide bombing in Kohat and Quetta has community. Besides that, the issue has taken lives of Arif Malik, cameraman, and opened another debate on professional Azmat Ali Bangash, reporter of Samaa TV, responsibility of media and the need to have a when they were performing their duties. Ijaz-voluntary code of conduct for media, TV in ul-Haq, a satellite technician, was shot dead particular. The mushroomed growth of TV when a bullet hit him during an armed attack channels has thrown a tough competition for on the Mosque of Ahmadi community. Ejaz channels to succumb to the “breaking news Ahmed Raisani, news cameraman of Samaa syndrome” which undermined the need of TV along with Mohammad Sarwar, media training for tv journalists. crew driver of Aaj TV, died in gunfire erupted

Pakistani media in 2010

Sadaf Arshad

36

The incident of burning copies of The News and Jang in various parts of Sindh another journalist in Bajaur escaped abduction by armed militants. Asad

allegedly by PPP workers reflects the anger growing at the grassroots against a Qureshi, documentary film producer, was held by militants and had to appeal to

smear campaign against politicians, especially the PPP higher-ups. The kind of the world for ransom. It could not be determined whether his release was the

vociferous campaign being led by a section of media calls for our attention to result of any deal.

behave and not to cross our professional and ethical limits. Such a role played by Kidnapping of journalists for ransom or any deal has emerged as a lethal trick the channels does not meet the criterion of unbiased, fair and impartial which in most of the cases is used against journalists belonging to any foreign reporting as it carried an obvious bias against one party and its leader. media. But the risk for local journalists is greater in such kidnapping who often

Rise in extremism, terrorism and suicide bombing indicate a growing fail to fulfill the demands of militants.

intolerance towards difference of opinion and concepts of rights and freedoms. Death threats and restrictions on freedom of movement and freedom of press Assaults on media persons, media houses and media products from different have shifted tribal areas into “no go areas” which forced many journalists to flee sections of the society come as a threatening gesture to media which ought to leaving handful of journalists behind to report under fear and insecurity. Radio serve public interest, nothing else. Pakistan had to stop retransmission of Pashto language programmes aired by

In various incidents, lawyers, teachers, doctors, police and protestors have Voice of America in February. The trigger behind this move of Radio Pakistan

assaulted journalists while they were performing their duties. This calls for was the threat made by the militants to blow up the building if it continues airing

greater patience and respect for privacy and decency. Otherwise, the media will “American propaganda.”

continue to face such ugly reactions. But media must continue to play its role In recent months, the agencies of this country have geared up their efforts to fairly and fearlessly. intimidate journalists who file reports on their activities frequently. In case of

When the journalists come in contact with Taliban who warn of attacks on Umar Cheema, a reporter of The News, the agencies could not accept his bold

journalists and media houses if media dare avoiding their viewpoint, they tend reporting and adopted criminal procedures against a civilian who chose to be

to practice either self-censorship or succumb to their pressure. Taliban in some with truth.

cases have executed their threats when the house of Rehman Buneri, They have harassed another journalist, Sirmed Manzoor, and have stolen correspondent of Voice Of America (VOA) was looted and bombed; similarly, passports and data from his house. He is the chief coordinator of SAFMA ancestral house of Geo correspondent of Peshawar was set on fire. Pakistan. This intimidation in both the cases still continues and calls for inquiry

The security forces have frequently misread journalists' allegiance to their into the matter have been ignored by the authorities.

profession and suspected them for having links to Taliban or others. Incidents of A conflict ridden country with a crippling economy cannot choose anything kidnapping of journalists by militants and security forces in tribal areas have except transparency and free flow of information. Every year the number of been rampant to restricting the flow of information from tribal areas. The killed journalists is getting high. The democratic government must realize its sensitivity involved in the ongoing operations in South Waziristan and the need for a free and responsible media for good governance. nature of terrorism in the region suggests both the parties in conflict to keep

media at arms length. We rejoice our freedom that we got after a long struggle. We must protect it by

observing high professional standards and ethics. We must serve public interest Mohammad Rasheed, a freelance journalist, was kidnapped by Taliban, but fell and be objective instead of becoming a tool for any vested interest groups. prey to army's suspicions and investigations after his release. He was kept

incommunicado for 70 days suspecting him as an informant of Taliban before

his release. The world is yet to receive a formal explanation from them for

detaining a professional journalist and risking his life further. Imran Khan

37

xpansion of TV channels in Pakistan has been phenomenal. Because of

this rapid growth, training has lagged behind. Since the TV channels are Emostly in Urdu, anchors and reporters have been taken from the Urdu

newspapers. The character of the Urdu press has therefore invaded the culture

of the TV channels. The only aspect that can be called new and different from the

Urdu press is the business programme.

journalism as the watchdog of democracy. The incumbent of the public Urdu is still to find a new idiom for TV, especially in the reporting domain where office needs to be exposed to searching inquiry but on the principle of 'fair trite speech-habits that normally get edited out of print journalism are affecting hearing'. A guest doesn't have to be insulted simply because he is a part of the speech patterns of the citizen. As for the TV anchor, he has been taken by and the government. Discomfiture inflicted politely is the yardstick of quality.large from among the columnists. As the channels proliferated the first-ruing

columnists were soon exhausted: second and third-rung columnists were taken l Because the TV anchors largely come from the Urdu press they have a Fox on board by channels that came later and could not afford to 'lure' the good

News-like rightwing conservative orientation. There is no need to be anchors away from the channels already on line.aggressive although the rightwing style all over the world is generally more

The quality of the TV anchor is questionable across the board. Those who are aggressive than the liberal style. Be more pointedly courteous to the guest competent in terms of the level of understanding of the subjects they discuss you are going to corner. If you bring people on to insult them, you will run often lack the niceties of style which is not yet fixed and standardised in out of guests, as has actually happened with most devil-may-care channels.Pakistan, allowing individuality within a prescribed framework. Often the

viewer comes away feeling bad in the mouth, not because the content of the l Keep your opinion to yourself. You can bounce the prevalent opinion off the discussion was bad but because of the way the discussion was conducted. This of guest but it must come across as your effort to sample the variant point of course leaves out the partisan viewer who rejoices in the discomfiture of view. Never put forth something accusatory unless you have proof. You can someone in public life he doesn't like. More dangerously, defects of style breed always sound him on 'rumour' but it should be done politely because the an entire generation of viewers with a savage taste for low talk. Here are some guest may not yet be convicted on the charge.guidelines for the TV anchor trying to make a successful career in Pakistan:

l Avoid being 'populist', joining the public trend in abominating a person or a l Beware the accepted definition of 'accountability' in Pakistan by

party. You must not appear a partisan of this movement or that. If a differentiating it from victimisation. Beware equally the definition of

A SAFMA guide for TV anchors

38

l movement is rightfully in your interest try your best to be objective. If two partisan attitude. It is better to drop the theme than to hold a discussion in

opinions clash try to avoid giving time-weightage to the opinion you are a which everybody agrees to lambaste the party you don't like. Resist the

partisan of. You can make your cause win even by appearing to be even- temptation of inviting the supremely bad-mouthing guest just to spice up

handed. your programme.

l In Pakistan, the intellectual level of a programme falls if politicians take part l If a TV anchor is under threat from the terrorists he should apply the

in discussions. Unfortunately, the trend is to put together two opposed principle of exemption to all. This is a very fine point and something that our

parties in the expectation that they will start fighting. In this the anchor TV channels suffer from most grievously. Instead of being quiet the anchor

becomes agent provocateur. This must not be done in the interest of actually takes the side of the terrorist who can kill him on the basis of his

retaining the intellectual content of the programme. Today political parties opposition to a policy whose custodian can't kill him. The same exemption is

have lost prestige because of the sorry spectacle they make on talk shows. also in evidence in respect of the state intelligence agencies.

l Always worry about the level of discussion in your show. For this an The bias on the TV channels has its origin in the state of the Pakistani society,

intellectual must be made to mediate the sharp but low rhetoric of the which lives under many kinds of intimidation. Publications belonging to banned

partisans. Politicians are forced to attend talk shows because of their need jihadi organisations publish lists of journalists who have earned disapproval of

for public exposure. Intellectuals are under no such obligation. With the the Islamist non-state-actors. This is taken as a clear and present threat, as was

passage of time, the intellectual has gone missing and with it the level of seen in the case of the Pakistani intellectual and writer, Ayesha Siddiqa, recently.

discussion. The TV channels must find a way of paying the specialist to Most TV anchors stay clear of any adverse comment on these elements and those

attend discussions. One is informed that some experts have asked for fee. associated with them. Energy thus saved is expended on the elected

This would be money well spent. government, which criticism can be fair only if it is balanced with criticism of the

jihadi elements opposed to it. This of course is not possible under the given

l Good manners are of the essence. Don't speak while the guest is in the circumstances.

middle of his sentence. As a lady anchor does all the time, drop the bad habit

of repeating the last words of the guests as a gesture of attentiveness. Don't The biggest flaw is the sameness of the message from the TV channels and the

shout at your guests. On one channel an anchor calling himself doctor spectacle of the anchors mouthing more or less the same insult to the party

actually shouts till the sound distorts. Another doctor actually adopts an under aspersion, the country under attack, and the policy under criticism. Many

insulting manner as he piles accusations on the politicians of the ruling years from now, once the ethic of TV journalism is firmly in place, most of us will

party. look at today's footage with a blush of embarrassment. Hence, when individuals

here and there complain of bad taste in the mouth, the TV anchors should take

l Don't invite fellow column writers of the same stripe as yourself on your them seriously. The truth is that all is not well with our TV anchors.

programme because you have lost the others owing to your own blatantly

39

xpressing solidarity with Pakistan Federal and proper insurance cover for the families of

Union of Journalists (PFUJ) a gathering, journalists murdered performing their duties. It Eorganised by South Asian Free Media urges the government to ensure fool-proof security

Association (SAFMA), demands sure and and financial benefits, under the rules, to all

immediate implementation of the 7th Wage Board working journalists.

Award for employees in the media industry, while The participants strongly condemn sackings, staunchly supporting the long-standing and retrenchments, non-payment of salaries, the foremost demand by working journalists across the absence of job security etc. in violation of rules and country on the issue.the labour laws. They demand a pragmatic

The meeting regrets that journalists are still under- approach and tangible measures on the part of the

paid in the sense that they continue to be paid federal government in this connection.

wages as fixed back in 1996. The participants of the The gathering also demands practical steps for the meeting demand the government now constitute training of journalists to enhance their capabilities the 8th Wage Board Award, which they believe, and proficiency and to improve their professional should have been set up in year 2005.skills in response to the emerging changes and

The meeting deplores however that it was just crying needs.

because of the negative attitude of newspapers' The participants underline the need for a really owners that the next Wage Board Award could not highly responsible journalistic approach towards be constituted even after a lapse of more than a promotion of democracy and good governance. decade. “As a principle, the 9th Wage Board Award “For this very purpose a code of ethics and its strict should have been constituted by now.” adherence in practical terms, on the part of the

The meeting expresses its concern at lack of stakeholders, is direly needed.”

security for journalists performing their The gathering warmly welcomes the setting up of professional duties in the wake of terror threats, ombudsman's institution by the Express Group for saying the past decade had witnessed the killing of the redress of complaints and grievances by 163 journalists due to the cold shoulder and sheer readers and viewers and hopes that other media callousness of the concerned media authorities. groups would follow this example and also set up “Sadly enough, no compensation or insurance dues similar institutions to remove complaints. were paid off to the bereaved families”.

The gathering demands generous compensation

PFU

J RESOLUTION

40

Shams-ul-Islam Naz, Secretary General,

Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ)

Representatives of press clubs and journalists

Sajjad Mir, Gharida Farooqi and Rehana Hakim in the front rowDelegates from Islamabad

41

SESSION II

I A Rehman: on the basis of social status, sex, religion. That will happen only if you have Democracy starts from equality of human beings. How do I say that the rich and genuine participation. the poor are equal, the women and the men are equal, the religious minorities

Good governance begins at the local level. It is institutional, not individualistic. and the Muslims are equal? All over the world people are discussing what good We say that the British system was very just but institutionally it was evil. When governance is. It is about participation, accountability, effectiveness. we talk of accountability, we must emphasise institutional corruption and not

Governance should be legitimate. The will of the people is not sovereign here. individual corruption. Institutional corruption corrupts the whole state. That Without land reforms Pakistan cannot make any progress. Where is the will of way our system of transparency should be achieved. Ordinary people do not the people? Throughout the history of the human kind, democracy is the least have the right to work, education; women do not have the right to speak on harmful system that people have invented. Man-made ideologies can be family matters, all people have to be treated equally. changed/re-invented. The construction of the 1973 Constitution gave them

Khaled Ahmed: some concessions as if they were doing a favour to them. Without sovereignty of When we talk about the media, the world tells us that it is the fourth pillar of the the people, the rule of law does not mean anything. Hitler had laws, Mussolini estate. The basic obligation is to give information to the people. When the Asian too had laws but the rule of law means justly made laws that do not discriminate Development Bank (ADB) saw that the Third World Countries' corruption had

Media andgood governance

SESSION REPORT

43

I A Rehman presents his paper while Pervaiz Shaukat, Iftikhar Ahmed, Maulana Fazlur Rehman,

Haji Muhammad Adeel, M Ziauddin, Khushnood Ali Khan, Mariana Baabar listen in

reached a point where it was very high, they gave it the name of 'governance'. A anything even before it came to power.

journalist should not say that the IMF is bad because we are its members and we Baitullah Mehsud forbade television

take loans, not donations/aid. Call it Washington Consensus or Beijing, without channels from showing his picture.

these terms we cannot survive. If you subsidise, the history of free market Iftikhar Ahmed: conditions shows us that no one will bring the prices down willingly. A Pakistani people think that asking

government does not have long hands and the institutions (like the police, etc) questions is a rude thing. The

are not doing good work either. politicians should also come prepared

in talk shows and not just us anchors. Accountability process can be completed by the media. The judiciary and We have to listen to politicians all day parliament have their limits. We need public interest litigation (PIL). Judicial long on television channels. It is almost activism in India and Bangladesh is different from that of ours; our media as if we are having jalsas in our houses. should have a look at it and see why it is so. Based on information, the media can

do accountability. Whatever is happening in Pakistan is not happening Khushnood Ali Khan:

anywhere else. Media all over the world have problems: 1) journalism should I had a heart attack two days ago. I do have freedom, which even the judiciary or parliament do not have 2) there will be my show and my guests hardly know wrongs committed, we will have to bear it and pay the price till the time that anything. I think SAFMA has done all media remedies itself. that what CPNE should have done.

Almost 85 percent of government ads Our media, in comparison to India: 80 percent content in India is that of are given to only 3-4 media houses. entertainment. When private channels started in Pakistan, they were mostly T h e y h a v e a m o n o p o l y o v e r based on political talk. Our literacy rate is very low and the people who read government ads. Nobody has given us newspapers are not many. After the boom of the electronic media, people have freedom of press on a silver platter. now found out about constitution, our rights. Our most famous channels are People like Husain Naqi, Abbas Athar news channels because of political discussions. Anchors have now become the are those who have gotten lashed, been judge and the jury. If TV anchors do not know much about something (like to jails and it is because of them that economy and IMF conditionalities), then how can they do justice to the subject? today we have this freedom. We can TV anchors should not say things that politicians say in anger. Anchors should make our own Press Complaint not become rude and should not use derogatory terms. They should not only call Commission. You sit and you decide, politicians to their talk shows, an expert must also be called for his/her opinion. this government is not going to do this In comparison to India, we have more political awareness because of political for you. SAFMA has all the success it talk shows. Small channels start with a bias and end with a bias. If all channels deserves. become Fox News, it is not good and would lead to disadvantages. Some anchors

just give their own judgement. Pervaiz Shaukat: This is not a PFUJ programme but I

Media is successful the way it scrutinises the state. In the whole of South Asia, want to answer Khushnood Ali Khan. It

our state is under the most scrutiny and accountability by the media. In our is a very interesting topic. Yes

country, the army, intelligence agencies and jihadi organisations are all Khushnood sahib, we did not get this

unaccountable. This is not a normal state (Pakistan). Our state is weak. We have freedom in a platter. PFUJ's members

this principle that when governance is not good, the army comes in and takes fought for this freedom since not one of

over. General Aslam Beg did not allow Benazir Bhutto's government to do

44

Iftikhar Ahmed

Khushnood Ali Khan

the owners of newspapers went to jail. The 18th Amendment could not have been passed

PFUJ never surrendered. It is because of without a strong parliament) and the weakest

individual efforts that we have whatever executive in Pakistan's history. Instruments of

freedom we have. Anchors get messages on governments have collapsed or gotten corrupt.

their phones from owners to give some spice Corruption can be minimised, not eradicated,

(masala) to the programme. What good if democracy keeps working. Without

governance are you talking about when a reforming the FBR, our economy cannot be

journalist who has a heart attack is terminated stabilised.

because of his leaves, when a woman's salary Iftikhar Ahmed: gets cut during her iddat, when journalists are Civil servants are the real rulers, rest of the

stopped by security guards from entering their rulers are guests.

office? We want democracy to work, even if it is

not good. Some media houses do not give Haji Muhammad Adeel: salaries for six months to their workers. They Some people cannot become president and

are thieves and tax evaders. Our media should prime minister due to their religion. It is our

also be accountable. The black sheep in our misfortune that the person who we say is the

journalist community are the blue-eyed boys of founder of Pakistan, his speech on August 11,

the owners of media groups. We can get our heads cut off, but we will not bow 1947, is being ignored. The Awami National

down before anyone. Party (ANP) tried to make Quiad-e-Azam's

speech the constitution's basic framework. Nobody supported us when we

suggested this for the 18th Amendment. Are the people of Pakistan's property, Husain Naqi:

lives, etc, safe? The judgement on the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) Pakistan has ratified the UN Charter of Human by the Supreme Court is good and so is the judgement on loan-write offs. Those Rights. There are seven points relating to good who got plots at throwaway prices – like judges, lawyers, journalists – should be governance in the UN Charter. If the members asked to give back those plots. I admit that there are many weaknesses in a of the national assembly go to their assembly democracy. All governments make a lot of mistakes after coming to power, library, they will learn a lot. No preventive parliament sometimes make mistakes, but what better system than democracy measures were taken during floods even though is there? If we think anything other than democracy will solve our problems, we some provinces got it done, but that was a bit

late. We need devolution of power.

M Ziauddin: Instruments of governance are the police,

judiciary, intelligence agencies and the army.

Mr I A Rehman talked about local bodies. If

there is no system of delivery, then nothing can

take place. Today the judiciary appears to be

independent, the media appears to be fearlessly

independent, for the first time we have a very

strong parliament (you may disagree but the Amer Mahmood, Dr Jabbar Khattak and Aizaz Syed

45

Husain Naqi

Pervaiz Shaukat

Haji Muhammad Adeel

are wrong. I would like to ask my media

friends to let this democracy run. Let it

continue. We politicians are the targets. As

for Transparency International's corruption

report, we are in a conflict zone where it is

natural for corruption to increase.

Mariana Baabar: Are there any answers beyond parliamentary

democracy? House is empty, policies are

made elsewhere. Why do you take current

affairs programmes so seriously? Switch the

channel if you do not want to see it.

Haji Muhammad Adeel: Elected representatives must sit together,

democracy needs elected representation. If

people want to give any suggestion, it will be Zulfikar Ali (AAJ TV, Lahore): The missing link is known – we are not

well received. trained. We do not have any capacity.

Iftikhar Ahmed: I request SAFMA to make six CDs of today's proceedings and Khurshid Ahmed, Gilgit-Baltistan Press Club president: send them media channels' owners. They need to know what people think. We Nobody is talking about Gilgit-Baltistan. My request is that PFUJ and SAFMA

need refresher courses and training. should also highlight the problems we face in Gilgit-Baltistan because there is a

lot of corruption by media owners there.

46

Mariana Baabar

Khurshid Ahmed (standing) Huma Ahmad, Kiran Hasan

Zulfikar Ali

are wrong. I would like to ask my media

friends to let this democracy run. Let it

continue. We politicians are the targets. As

for Transparency International's corruption

report, we are in a conflict zone where it is

natural for corruption to increase.

Mariana Baabar: Are there any answers beyond parliamentary

democracy? House is empty, policies are

made elsewhere. Why do you take current

affairs programmes so seriously? Switch the

channel if you do not want to see it.

Haji Muhammad Adeel: Elected representatives must sit together,

democracy needs elected representation. If

people want to give any suggestion, it will be Zulfikar Ali (AAJ TV, Lahore): The missing link is known – we are not

well received. trained. We do not have any capacity.

Iftikhar Ahmed: I request SAFMA to make six CDs of today's proceedings and Khurshid Ahmed, Gilgit-Baltistan Press Club president: send them media channels' owners. They need to know what people think. We Nobody is talking about Gilgit-Baltistan. My request is that PFUJ and SAFMA

need refresher courses and training. should also highlight the problems we face in Gilgit-Baltistan because there is a

lot of corruption by media owners there.

46

Mariana Baabar

Khurshid Ahmed (standing) Huma Ahmad, Kiran Hasan

Zulfikar Ali

commend SAFMA for its activities. Any normal We need education, human rights, justice, tolerance,

person wants a peaceful and good environment. peace. People should question us politicians and we IWe want to give our manifesto for country's should be answerable to them. In Pakistan, we have

welfare, humanity's welfare. But when in politics we said in our constitution that sovereignty lies with

spend time giving our defence/justification and Allah Almighty.

criticising others, we get confused because of the Our country has two types of politics: one is macro and micro scene. ideological, second is only politics for power. After

Society wants change. We have to be answerable to 9/11, two types of politics emerged: politics of fear

society. On media's role, Khaled Ahmed's speech is and politics of hope. Politics of fear makes us violate

worth pondering over. Journalism is something like human rights. Let's do politics on UN Declaration of

an amaanat (trust). Some people come to power Human Rights! We need to be an independent

after they get votes. The bureau office of governance nation. We are not independent despite 63 years; we

is the bureaucracy. A country is not run by an get frightened to talk about some aspects of this

individual; it is run by a joint effort. Politics and independence lest we be declared infidels. If I

democracy are at a very weak stage. We talk very become a nuclear power, why curbs/sanctions on

ideally when we are on television shows. Is me? Why the same with Iran when you [the West] do

totalitarianism more powerful or the democratic not stop Israel? Iraq's WMDs was based on

process? Intelligence agencies are needed, but they falsehood.

go and give advice to the government. They are the Terrorism is a crime. How have UN charter/Geneva ones who decide which politician to bring forward /etc defined terrorism? Secular people are my and make popular; you media people do not. The friends. I talk about my own views at every forum. Do agencies do. Just because of a news report, you take we want to do ideological politics or power politics? people to trial (media trial). After that he/she is not Feudals thrive in Pakistan because of the PPP and able to live in a society even if proved not guilty. More PML-N. How can we live with dignity in this global than a provider of news, our media adopt a role of a society if we are taking loans from everyone? We missionary. have to get out of this slavery.

As for PEMRA, my view is that the government Objectives Resolution is our basic structure. Why should not but the media people should make a code have we put Islam on the defensive? When schools of conduct. It will be acceptable to all. Who are we to are bombed, I will condemn it ten times. Why are guide? Democracy is the name of political attitudes. news not given of bombings by the military of What is politics? All ulema define politics as a innocent people? We lost Bangladesh because of our mumlakti nizaam ki aisi tadbeer-o-intizaam ke jis military might, and now Balochistan is in the same se muashray ke har shaksh ko sakoon milay dunya position. The JUI-F refuses armed militancy. We mei aur aakhrat mei maafi (a national system that need to take a constitutional route. Why is this not would help society in such a way that every person highlighted when the ulema say this? I just wanted to can get peace in this life and forgiveness in the show you the other side of the coin. Jazak'Allah.hereafter).

We are answerable to society

Maulana Fazlur Rehman

47

ood governance is an ideal that has been increasingly referred to in The UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)

public discourse over the past many years. It has been defined in diverse offers a somewhat more comprehensive definition of good governance, that Gways, depending upon a choice between considerations of development includes: participation, rule of law, transparency, responsiveness, consensus-

and the imperatives of participatory democracy. oriented functioning, equity and inclusiveness, effectiveness and efficiency, and

accountability.For instance, the Asian Development Bank (ADB), in its study on Sound

Development Management, identifies four elements of good governance: The ESCAP definition closely follows the OECD concept of good governance,

accountability, participation, predictability, and transparency. that is also endorsed by UNESCO, and according to which good governance has

The requisites of

good governance in Pakistan

48

I. A. Rehman

eight major characteristics. It is participatory, consensus-oriented, accountable, Hence, in their case the first requisite feature of good governance has to be

transparent, responsive, effective and efficient, equitable and inclusive, and legitimacy of the state structure.

follows the rule of law. By way of elaboration it is said that under good thDuring the 20 century debates on the colonised people's demands for national governance corruption is minimised, the views of minorities are taken into

independence the colonial powers often argued that the natives were incapable account and the voices of the most vulnerable in society are heard in decision-of establishing or working effective state institutions the alien rulers had making.developed and the answer used to be that self-government was the best possible

It is easy to see that the definitions of good governance quoted above are based form of governance. The argument was rooted in the belief that once the

on shared assumptions. The only distinctions in different-looking formulas are imperialist rule ended the people of the colonies were going to achieve the ideal

that some experts are content with broad general themes while some others wish of democratic governance through forced marches. Such hopes have not

to divide these themes into specific features of governance. More importantly materialized in most of the former colonies, if not in all of them, and the

these descriptions of good governance pre-suppose national and international foremost objective in these societies is establishment of rule by legitimate

consensuses on democratic management of public affairs developed by post- authority.

feudal and post-theocratic societies. It has been possible for such societies to By legitimate authority based on democratic principles we mean a state anchor good governance in a robust and functional democracy. A large number structure that, in Laski's words, most truly represents the entire body of citizens. of states that gained independence after the Second World War, including It should also he accepted as completely sovereign as a genuine representative of Pakistan, did not have opportunities of going through these historical processes.

the people's will. In Pakistan, and some other similarly place

states, the legitimacy of the state has been compromised by

two factors.

First, the dominant assumptions about the ideological

foundations of a state. No ideological state can accommodate

the concept of popular sovereignty because the people's will

cannot be allowed to supersede ideology. However, man-

made ideologies can be amended and even abandoned by

people claiming representative status who may also the

prepared to allow the populace to endorse or reject a change

in ideology even if they cannot be made participants in

determining the change.

The situation is far more difficult in societies such as Pakistan

that proclaim a higher sovereign than the people and the right

to interpret the will of that higher sovereign is limited to a

select group. In such cases the legitimacy of the state

structure based on secular assumptions becomes

controversial, to put it mildly.

Pakistan offers a classic example of the state's adherence to

the concept of two sovereignties becoming a major Tasneem Rizvi, Rahimullah Yousafzai and other delegates

49

obstruction to the establishment of legitimate and good scheme of governance. Pakistan. Since elections have nearly always been manipulated by state agencies

The Objectives Resolution, arbitrarily made a substantive part of the the people cannot believe that they are ruled by their legitimate representatives.

constitution by a self-appointed and absolute ruler, rejects the notion of people's Even if adequate guarantees were available that a general election can be free

sovereignty, on which the whole edifice of democracy is founded, as, according and fair large sections of the population – women, minorities and less affluent

to it, sovereignty belongs to Allah alone and the authority to be exercised by the people (peasants, workers, etc) – cannot enter the electoral contest, and the

people of Pakistan must respect the limits prescribed by Him. Thus, since March legislatures will not reflect the pluralist nature of the population.

23, 1956, when the first indigenously produced constitution of Pakistan came Further, the people cannot accept a polity as democratic or as their own if they into force, a body of ulema, parliaments and the judiciary have been busy trying are not the sole agents of change of government. The biggest damage done by the to bring governance in harmony with the Divine will. And the process has not military usurpers of power and their civilian accomplices is that they have ended because the clergy that claims monopoly over the right to ascertain the strengthened the people's perception that they have no role in the formation, limits of Allah's will are manifestly not satisfied that the task has been continuance or termination of any government. In their eyes all governments accomplished. Indeed the process of securing for the state's actions the sanction fail the legitimacy test, some by wider margins than others.of the ultimate sovereign in unlikely to end ever for the simple reason that the

large number of sects claiming to be the sole agents qualified to interpret His will Since active citizens do not acknowledge governments as wholly legitimate they make the emergence of a consensus-based ideology nearly impossible. find arguments to rationalize their non-cooperation with or even defiance of

authority. Lack of respect for laws, repudiation of duties/responsibilities as That this situation impedes Pakistan's progress towards good governance can citizens, and a tendency to gain through corruption what cannot be legally easily be explained.acquired become dominant traits of people's behaviour. Good governance is

The state has a set of laws, system of justice, institutions of governance and hardly possible in such circumstances. Thus, creation of an electoral system that

principles for regulating public affairs. The advocates of a theocratic state do not guarantees free, fair and democratic choice of people's representatives,

accept this system; they deny the parliament the right to make laws, reject the inclusion of all elements of society in all state organs, and safeguards against any

electoral process and the role of opposition parties, and contest the system of extra-constitutional change of government are basic conditions for good

justice. Those who wish to escape the constitutional system invoke the governance in Pakistan.

alternative of divinely ordained code and challenge the legitimacy of the The question of legitimacy of the state apparatus has been compounded by the constitutional order. This affects their adherence to the constitutional scheme fact that the Westminister type of parliamentary democracy was imposed upon a and alienates them from democratic structures. The constitutionalists' society whose social order and culture were incompatible with this system. More argument that the constitution and laws have been purged of elements and than six decades after independence large segments of the population are still in concepts repugnant to the injunctions of Islam has no effect on them. So long as the grip of feudal or tribal ideals, practices and norms. Thus, one of the tests of Pakistan insists on preserving its status as a religious state it will never be able to good governance in Pakistan is the contribution it can make to the removal of guarantee equity and inclusive governance for neither women nor minority socio-cultural roadblocks on the path to democratisation and to the generation communities will ever have full entitlement to their basic human rights.of a social force that will defend the democratic order against any onslaught.

The first pre-requisite to good governance is the construction of a polity in which Participation, an essential attribute of good governance in all the formulas decisions are not based on belief.mentioned earlier, has a special significance in Pakistan. Public participation in

Secondly, Pakistan has rightly chosen the democratic state model as it is the best the process of electing custodians of power has already been discussed. It will be

vehicle for good governance so far known to humankind. But in order to necessary to strengthen a genuine local government system because at that level

establish the legitimacy of government it is essential to convince the citizens of possibilities of securing people's participation are greater than at the federal or

their ownership of the state apparatus. This condition has rarely been met in provincial level. No less important is people's participation in decision-making.

50

On the one hand the task involves a sustained movement from majoritarian rule respect for the constitutional order, the principles of federalism, a dynamic

to participatory democracy. This will demand greater accommodation of justice system, unqualified respect for human rights, and special measures to

opposition and independent members of legislatures in parliamentary ensure that laws are duly enforced. The need to fight corruption and establish

committees and making key decisions subject to national consensus. On the mechanisms to ensure transparency and accountability also fall under the rubric

other hand the space for interaction between state institutions and civil society of rule of law. Two points however need to be made. There can be no

organizations needs to be increased and duly protected. There is much to be said transparency without effective compliance with the people's right to know and

for the system of circulating legislative proposal for eliciting public opinion obliging the government to make all its actions and procedures public. And no

which has fallen into disuse and its revival should promote good governance. system of accountability will inspire public confidence unless is not only

immune to official manipulation but also seems to be inviolable.Similarly, responsiveness as a characteristic of good governance requires special

emphasis in Pakistan. A state that is all the time perceived to be trying to increase Finally, the following statement on the attributes of good governance drafted by

its resources or its own coercive power cannot retain the allegiance of the people. a UN committee in 1992, and commentaries/elaborations on it, should be made

For the past several decades authority in Pakistan has been shedding its part of the compulsory course in universities, judicial academies and

benevolent functions and relying increasingly on its coercive powers. This is institutions created for the training of legislators and civil servants, police

undermining good governance and alienating the people from the state. personnel and the defence forces:

However, rule of law must be interpreted broadly. It should include absolute 1. Territorial and ethno-cultural representation, mechanisms for conflict

resolution and for peaceful regime change and institutional renewal;

2. Checks on executive power, effective and informed legislatures, clear lines

of accountability from political leaders down through the bureaucracy;

3. An open political system of law which encourages an active and vigilant civil

society whose interests are represented within accountable government

structures and which ensures that public offices are based on law and

consent;

4. An impartial system of law, criminal justice and public order which upholds

fundamental civil and political rights, protects personal security and

provides a context of consistent, transparent rules for transactions that are

necessary for modern economic and social development;

5. A professionally competent, capable and honest public service which

operates within an accountable, rule governed framework and in which the

principles of merit and the public interest are paramount;

6. The capacity to undertake sound fiscal planning, expenditure and economic

management and system of financial accountability and evaluation of

public-sector activities; and

7. Attention not only to central government institutions and processes but also

to the attributes and capacities of sub-national and local government

authorities and to the issues of political devolution and administrative

decentralisation.

Ghazi Salahuddin and Imtiaz Gul

51

Burke said there were Three Estates in Parliament; but, in read the newspaper, you are misinformed. - Author unknown,

the Reporters' gallery yonder, there sat a Fourth Estate commonly attributed to Mark Twain or Thomas Jefferson_______________more important far than they all. - Thomas Carlyle, Heroes

and Hero-WorshipThe media, if it is allowed to be free, is a people's watchdog over the state. It holds

public office to accountability, reveals facts that compel the government to be an A good newspaper, I suppose, is a nation talking to itself. - open government. It plays an “adversarial” role in addition to the elected Arthur Milleropposition in a democratic system in order to help the common man assess the

Television has a real problem. They have no page two. working of his government. Its criterion of judgement is the constitution and the Consequently every big story gets the same play and comes rule of law. There are reasons for it being called the fourth pillar of the state, at across to the viewer as a really big, scary one. - Art Buchwald, times more powerful than the other three: legislature, judiciary and the 1969 executive.

If you don't read the newspaper, you are uninformed. If you do Parliament is where the concept of “open government” unfolds through the

Is media promoting

good governance?

Khaled Ahmed

52

questioning of the conduct of the executive by the elected opposition. The recent date and the proliferation of TV channels is rapid, some flaws were

judiciary tests this conduct in light of the constitution and the laws in force. But considered incidental, to be removed gradually through a monitoring of the

both institutions exercise their authority under certain constraints. The elected public response and professional critique. If there is a mushroom growth of

opposition may not possess the investigative outreach needed to arrive at facts news channels with chat shows competing with one another in aggression, TV

other than the ones furnished by the executive on demand. The judiciary may be anchors are bound to be shown as deficient in training and subject to all the 1bound by the conditionality of a petition or its own inherent restraint vis-à-vis negative effects of “learning on the job”. This has definitely happened.

the executive ruling on the basis of a party's representation in the legislature.Out of the 32 channels that give out news and comment through chat shows

The media is not bound by any constraints. Its ability to investigate the conduct many allow anchors who are clearly not fit for the job either because of lack of

of the government is limited only by its voluntary expertise. This ability is prized broadcasting ethic or lack of professionalism because of prejudice. The channels

in the democratic world to an extent that the traditional “secrecy laws” have are chasing a thin resource of advertising revenue and most are running in loss,

either been removed from the statute book or are ignored. The function of indicating that parties funding the channels have politics rather than commerce 2“informing” the public is paramount and it is through “information” that on their minds. Some channels are highly politicised and are being run by

“accountability” is achieved. All governments must develop tolerance of this owners who use them as campaign tools for the furtherance of their own 3function of “revealing” governance through information. It is also accepted agenda.

generally in all societies which benefit from the freedom of the press that some Critical comment on the conduct of the channels has not been sparse. A number transgressions of the journalist must be borne with patience to prevent of columnists have expressed themselves dissatisfied or even disgusted by the draconian gag laws from coming into force that may undermine the concept of way the channels disseminate information. The news is presented in such a way an open society.that it reveals bias on the part of the channel and anchors who guide discussions

What is the state of the media in Pakistan? Because the freedom of the media is of are discovered to be without much knowledge about the subject being 4discussed. The most common plaint relates to the

effort made by the anchor to make the discussants

fight among themselves, a condition that has become

a criterion of ratings in programmes. Most channels

compete in putting together rival discussants who

are most expected to quarrel and transform the

discussion into a kind of verbal wrestling match in

which some speakers may even threaten to come to

blows.

Accountability is crucial to the running of open

government. The parliament performs the primary

function of scrutinising governance through the

opposition members in sessions which are open to

the media. It is a measure of the dominance of the

media in Pakistan that now for many years most of

the questions asked by our opposition politicians in

parliament are derived from media reports. The

second institution scrutinising governance is the Fozia Shaheen, Sanobar Gull and other delegates from Sindh

53

higher judiciary. Parties with plaints approach the appellate courts with toppling its government before its term. This is not to say that the TV coverage of

petitions challenging the acts of omissions or commission on the part of the the government's dysfunction and corruption is false or that those who perceive

government on point of law. The judiciary holds the government to the law and this hostility as being real are opposed to the TV channels. In fact, a section of the

the constitution, but it is normally limited to hearing plaints that are brought to viewers wants that the one-sidedness of the media should continue and that the

it by the citizenry. PPP should be ousted from power sooner rather than later. However, this

spectacle of anti-PPP environment has not found favour with other opinion that However, the higher judiciary also relies on public interest litigation (PIL) the party is being victimised.through the device of suo motu initiation of cases to increase its outreach to the

citizen who cannot approach the court for one reason or another. For this kind of This kind of perception is already taking hold in the case of the confrontation

justice, the courts rely on reports appearing in the media. The higher judiciary taking place between the judiciary and the PPP. Can the media correct this trend

has overwhelmingly leaned on the media in their exercise of the suo motu of negative coverage in excess of the allowed accountability through 5 “information”, especially when reporters are in some cases allowed front-page provision. This surely is an extraordinary situation in which the media despite

display more in the style of comment than reporting? An effort was made to its shortcomings – as described above – provides the only source of actionable

expose some “hostile” anchors to media accountability by a channel, but the information. The media here would be both print and electronic as most of the

anchors brought in the dock spoiled their case by being unexpectedly hostile and TV anchors are also columnists for the various newspapers. But is the “coverage” 9provided by the channels of the required standard? In 2005, coverage of the insulting.

earthquake turned out to be too negative as an “accountability” process; in 2010, Media functions in a free environment. The political system must protect the

this excessively negative attitude has remained the same – if not more journalist from forces that cause harm to him in order to prevent him from 6intensified – as observed by some media experts. reporting on certain activities. The media itself must remain conscious of the

demands of an even playing field when it comes to reporting: that his targeted There is no doubt that a large part of the public thinks that the media in general institution must receive his attention in measure with other institutions. If the and the TV channels in particular are targeting the PPP government excessively

7 country is subsisting in certain very special conditions of partial freedom and in the name of accountability. There are however those who think it is wrong partial territorial sovereignty, then his targeting becomes controversial. The and those who think that it is right and the government deserves to be subjected media managers in Pakistan must become conscious of this relativism of to criticism. What is also noticeable is that viewers tend to believe that the PPP is coverage. The channels have been quite legitimately attacking the government being targeted more than the other parties, and more than the judges in the on its governance, but they have not been able to report as effectively on the judiciary-PPP saga of hostility unfolding in the country.terrorists belonging to Tehreek-e-Taliban. The first photograph of Baitullah

It is this lopsidedness that encourages adverse comment against the media. If Mehsud was shown on TV only after his death because he had ordered that his the PPP government falls as a result of its own “misgovernance” many will pictures should not be publicised.continue to think that this premature fall was brought about by a partisan media.

Fear of coverage also extended in some measure to the powerful clerics whose Thus politically, the PPP, far from morally defeated, will gain politically as the seminarians could use violence to punish the channel or its reporter. Indeed, “wronged” party – wronged this time, not by the army, but by the media. The reporters have suffered loss of life and injury at the hands of the terrorists in media committed this mistake on the affair of Lal Masjid and will live to see the Malakand and FATA and are under a constant embargo of coverage. This has a historian criticise the TV channels and the print media for not telling the whole

8 direct effect on the chat shows in which realistic discussions are simply not truth during that crisis. possible. In TV debates, any secular comment on the tenets adopted as “true

The intensity of TV coverage, supplemented in substance by some TV anchors Islam” by the clergy is simply not possible; and this applies to anchors as well writing columns in Urdu newspapers has persuaded the general public that the whose acidity of comment is reserved only for the politicians opposed by the

10media is opposed to the ruling PPP and is part of the general campaign of clergy. This relativism extends to a large area of topics relating to the minorities

54

as well. Governance is a relative term and subject to many qualifications. Outsiders can

exercise careful relativism while judging a third world country on its level of The media revolution in Pakistan was based on two factors, Musharraf's liberal governance. (For instance, governance in Pakistan and India relative to licensing policy and the lift-off in the private sector of the economy making it governance in the US and the UK.) This applies to corruption too because of the possible for the new electronic and print outlets to survive by picking up more third world equation of honesty with obstruction and a conflation of work ethic ads. The proliferation of the media meant more reporting (skill) and even more with religious ritual. The media has run into difficulties while making its discussion (expertise) of governance. Since Musharraf was winning on foreign perceived biased assault on the government for its bad governance. Discussions policy and economic fronts, discussion was good for him. He had to disarm the are increasingly becoming one-sided for lack of discussants, especially in respect common man caught in the clerical crosshairs and aroused to honour-through- of experts who are used by the TV channels all over the world to balance the non-foreign-policy by the Urdu press over decades. The electronic media provided intellectual discourse of the politicians. The “blood-on-floor” approach to him the sound bites for this very important “weaning” of the honour-based increase ratings is yielding place to extreme tedium as the below-par guests fail society in favour of state “opportunism”. to raise the level of debate.

It is not appropriate for a TV anchor to project power and sermonise on what he The media is focused on governance but the media's conduct is not under any thinks is the right opinion to hold, not even on foreign policy where “national adequate focus of assessment. Does the media need a code of ethic based on the interest” is erroneously held to be fixed forever. It is also not appropriate for an flaws pointed out by the citizens writing in the press and expressing their anchor to appear enraged about an act of government which he thinks a majority dissatisfaction about the way certain channels are performing? So far codes of the public could not have liked, like the unwise visit to the UK by President formulated by the journalists seem not to take account of the complaints that Zardari in the midst of the flood in Pakistan. The task of the media is to provide have come to the fore from people reacting to TV journalism. Would the information and the task of the talk-show anchor is to manage discussions in following points gleaned from this critique find consensus among the which a balanced panel of speakers help the TV viewers arrive at an opinion of professionals who plan the channel programmes and the anchors who their choosing. spearhead TV discussions?

l Beware the accepted definition of

' a c c o u n t a b i l i t y ' i n P a k i s t a n b y

differentiating it from victimisation. Beware

equally the definition of journalism as the

watchdog of democracy. The incumbent of

the public office needs to be exposed to

searching inquiry but on the principle of

“fair hearing”. A guest doesn't have to be

insulted simply because he is a part of the

government. Discomfiture inflicted politely

is the yardstick of quality.

l Because the TV anchors largely come from

the Urdu press they have a Fox News-like

rightwing conservative orientation. There is

no need to be aggressive although the

rightwing style is generally more aggressive Saleem Shahid, Khalid Farooqi and other delegates

55

as well. Governance is a relative term and subject to many qualifications. Outsiders can

exercise careful relativism while judging a third world country on its level of The media revolution in Pakistan was based on two factors, Musharraf's liberal governance. (For instance, governance in Pakistan and India relative to licensing policy and the lift-off in the private sector of the economy making it governance in the US and the UK.) This applies to corruption too because of the possible for the new electronic and print outlets to survive by picking up more third world equation of honesty with obstruction and a conflation of work ethic ads. The proliferation of the media meant more reporting (skill) and even more with religious ritual. The media has run into difficulties while making its discussion (expertise) of governance. Since Musharraf was winning on foreign perceived biased assault on the government for its bad governance. Discussions policy and economic fronts, discussion was good for him. He had to disarm the are increasingly becoming one-sided for lack of discussants, especially in respect common man caught in the clerical crosshairs and aroused to honour-through- of experts who are used by the TV channels all over the world to balance the non-foreign-policy by the Urdu press over decades. The electronic media provided intellectual discourse of the politicians. The “blood-on-floor” approach to him the sound bites for this very important “weaning” of the honour-based increase ratings is yielding place to extreme tedium as the below-par guests fail society in favour of state “opportunism”. to raise the level of debate.

It is not appropriate for a TV anchor to project power and sermonise on what he The media is focused on governance but the media's conduct is not under any thinks is the right opinion to hold, not even on foreign policy where “national adequate focus of assessment. Does the media need a code of ethic based on the interest” is erroneously held to be fixed forever. It is also not appropriate for an flaws pointed out by the citizens writing in the press and expressing their anchor to appear enraged about an act of government which he thinks a majority dissatisfaction about the way certain channels are performing? So far codes of the public could not have liked, like the unwise visit to the UK by President formulated by the journalists seem not to take account of the complaints that Zardari in the midst of the flood in Pakistan. The task of the media is to provide have come to the fore from people reacting to TV journalism. Would the information and the task of the talk-show anchor is to manage discussions in following points gleaned from this critique find consensus among the which a balanced panel of speakers help the TV viewers arrive at an opinion of professionals who plan the channel programmes and the anchors who their choosing. spearhead TV discussions?

l Beware the accepted definition of

' a c c o u n t a b i l i t y ' i n P a k i s t a n b y

differentiating it from victimisation. Beware

equally the definition of journalism as the

watchdog of democracy. The incumbent of

the public office needs to be exposed to

searching inquiry but on the principle of

“fair hearing”. A guest doesn't have to be

insulted simply because he is a part of the

government. Discomfiture inflicted politely

is the yardstick of quality.

l Because the TV anchors largely come from

the Urdu press they have a Fox News-like

rightwing conservative orientation. There is

no need to be aggressive although the

rightwing style is generally more aggressive Saleem Shahid, Khalid Farooqi and other delegates

55

l than the liberal style. Be more pointedly to the guest you think you are going temptation of inviting the supremely bad-mouthing guest just to spice up

to corner. If you bring people on to insult them, you will run out of guests, as your programme.

has actually happened with most devil-may-care channels. l If a TV anchor is under threat from the terrorists he should apply the

l Keep your opinion to yourself. You can bounce the prevalent opinion off the principle of exemption to all. This is a very fine point and something that our

guest but it must come across as your effort to put across the variant point of TV channels suffer from most grievously. Instead of being quiet the anchor

view. Never put forth something accusatory unless you have proof. You can actually takes the side of the terrorist – “this is not Pakistan's war” - who can

always sound him on “rumour” but it should be done politely because the kill him on the basis of his opposition to a policy whose custodian can't kill

guest may not yet be convicted on the charge. him. The same exemption is also in evidence in respect of the state

l Avoid being “populist”, joining the public trend in abominating a person or intelligence agencies.

a party. You must not appear a partisan of this movement or that. If a The above caveats are being listed because the TV anchor has arisen as the movement is rightfully in your interest try your best to be objective. If two mascot of the free media in Pakistan. This in turn has happened because of the opinions clash, try to avoid giving time-weightage to the opinion you are a extraordinary interest shown by Pakistani viewers in political programming by partisan of. You can make your cause win even by appearing to be even-the channels. An analysis of this phenomenon reveals that the common viewer handed.has replaced his normal entertainment – meant for relaxation and removal of l In Pakistan, the intellectual level of a programme falls if politicians take part tensions of partisanship and prejudice – with the spectacle of sensational in discussions. Unfortunately, the trend is to put together two opposed political “encounters”. In some ways the chat shows may have also dented the parties in the expectation that they will start fighting. If they don't fight the “low theatre” in Lahore to which many decent citizens have serious objections. anchor becomes agent provocateur. This must not be done in the interest of The result is the sharpness in the expression of opinion by citizens who retaining the intellectual content of the programme. Today political parties increasingly repeat the content of the discussions they have seen the previous have lost prestige because of the sorry spectacle they make on talk shows.night. The media may have ended up introducing an extremism of views among l Always worry about the level of discussion in your show. For this an the public.intellectual must be made to mediate the sharp but low rhetoric of the

partisans. Politicians are forced to attend talk shows because of their need Conclusion

for public exposure. Intellectuals are under no such obligation. With the Despite the notice taken of the flaws of style and substance in the media in passage of time, the intellectual has gone missing and with it the level of Pakistan, one has to come to one undeniable conclusion about "media impact" in discussion. The TV channels must find a way of paying the specialist to the country. Despite cases of misreporting or incompetent coverage, the attend discussions. There is truth in the information that some experts have situation created is that of "revelation" rather than "concealment". The extent of asked for fee. This would be money well spent. governance opened to public scrutiny in the current scene is unprecedented in

l Good manners are of the essence. Don't speak while the guest is in the the history of the country. In the matrix of "third world" governance norms, middle of his sentence. As a lady anchor does all the time, drop the bad habit Pakistan stands as the most "scrutinised" state as far as the function of the of repeating the last words of the guests as a gesture of attentiveness. Don't government is concerned. Compared to the other states of South Asia, Pakistan's shout at your guests. On one channel an anchor calling himself doctor governance is the most investigated and criticised. Also, public interest is more actually shouts till the sound distorts. Another doctor actually adopts an engaged in this media function in Pakistan than in other states of the region; and insulting manner as he piles accusations on the politicians of the ruling the credit for that goes to the relentless focus the media has maintained on party. governance.

l Don't invite fellow column writers of the same stripe as yourself on your Some observable factors will make this conclusion clear. The judiciary is programme because you have lost the others owing to your own blatantly compelled to take notice of the "revelations" of bad governance made by the partisan attitude. It is better to drop the theme than to hold a discussion in media. The government is compelled again and again to roll back examples of which everybody agrees to lambaste the party you don't like. Resist the

56

and tone of reporting in general is rather tabloid. Talk shows are televised on three bad governance for fear of negative coverage. The opposition in parliament has time slots during prime time, starting from 8pm and ending at midnight. The format been forced to take due account of the aspects of governance revealed in the and content of the shows is largely uniform, repetitive and monotonous. Their media and raise related matters in the house. The bureaucracy which went substance tends to be based on speculation by the participants and anchors”.

unchallenged in the past is relentlessly challenged by the media and in many 2. Sada-e-Jamhoor (August-September 2010) has Sweden-based researcher Riazul

cases made to retreat from illegal favours received from the government. It is no Hasan writing about the “mysterious” financing of the media in Pakistan. In his view,

longer possible for a bureaucrat to benefit from graft from the government an average TV channel costs Rs 4 crore a month, but the average earning from the without expecting a backlash in the media. Above all, the private citizen in advertising pool in the economy is no more than Rs 1.70 crore a month per channel.Pakistan has more knowledge about his rights under the Constitution - and 3. One channel which shall remain unnamed has its owner campaigning in the districts,

conversely the obligations of the state towards him - than ever before. An making his local cameramen cover his campaign, promising the opening of more

branch offices with capital raised from his business ventures. Most of the showing otherwise ill-educated and unskilled population has been made sensitive to time is taken up by his campaigns. His anchors are blatantly partisan and present flaws of governance thanks to the activism of the media. highly skewed discussions.

4. Mahreen Aziz Khan, Mindless media-ocrity, Express-Tribune, July 08, 2010: With Endnotesover 80 channels, the majority being so called “news” channels, the Pakistani viewers 1. Manzoor Ali Memon, Promoting media literacy, Dawn, 9 June 2010: “The should be spoilt for choice. Except they are not. Far from it. Most of the “news” unprecedented growth of the broadcast media during the past decade and the latest channels are miserably short on original content and high on opinion masquerading communications technologies have ushered in a new era in Pakistan. They have as reporting, bias dressed as analysis, and rabble rousing substituting for brought about a paradigm shift in terms of media monopoly and the cartelisation of impassioned debate. The multiple political talk shows resemble clones of each other, news gathering, packaging and distribution from the state- to privately owned media with standardised sets and unoriginal formats for nightly shouting matches between channels. This repositioning became more visible when cross-media ownership laws the political egos that appear as guests. There are of course a couple of notable were relaxed and enabled owners of the print media and advertising agencies to exceptions where solid research and in depth analysis are presented in an acquire broadcast media licences. Resultantly, the media and their power became informative and intelligent manner. But, by in large, what is offered is an ungainly concentrated in a few hands that were already in the business. The news channels are assortment of “anchors” browbeating their guests, who themselves are regulars, credited with exposing the wrongdoings of the ruling elite and revealing the socio-often appearing simultaneously on multiple channels thanks to pre-recording. The economic issues of the citizenry. However, the channels are also criticised for end game is to encourage, cajole or instigate by any means necessary, a cat fight promoting violence and fuelling despondency and political uncertainty. The trend

amongst the handful of politicians offered up for the evening. With

the majority of anchors gunning for the government of the day, the

result is a shouting match — the television equivalent of a

neighbourhood backyard argument laced with scurrilous

allegations, name calling and low blows.

5. Famous editor Khushnood Ali Khan wrote an editorial and the

Supreme Court took suo motu notice on its basis to start a case

against rental power projects (RPPs). According to Jinnah (24 Oct

2010) chief justice said during hearing that if one power project

was awarded to a relative of the prime minister it did not mean

anything unless some irregularity had taken place in the process of

the award. Two contracts were allegedly awarded to Raja Ali

Zulqarnain who is a brother-in-law (ham-zulf) of Prime Minister

Gilani. The chief editor routinely boasts of the number of suo motu

cases initiated by the Supreme Court on the basis of the stories

published or columns written by him in his own paper.

6. Waqar Gillani, The role of the gatekeeper, The News 3 Oct Abbas Rasheed and Murtaza Solangi among the delegates

57

2010: Dr Mehdi Hasan, head of the School of Journalism at a reputed private university hostile to the PPP government: Hamid Mir, Muhammad Malik and Kashif Abbasi.

and also the chairman of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), says the Out of the three Mir and Malik belonged to Geo TV against whom the government

media, especially the electronic media, has exploited its role of the gatekeeper: "In had taken such hostile steps as not allowing any of its members to appear in

Communication's theory of social responsibility, a gatekeeper is a filter that controls discussions. The PPP as party was represented by its media spokesperson Ms Fauzia

information coming into and going out of the organisation; it's a very responsible Wahab who brought up the case of over a billion rupees of tax arrears receivable from

role". He contends that the present-day media is too negative to be able to perform Geo which it had avoided paying by taking a stay order from the Sindh High Court.

this role. Evaluating the job of the anchorpersons, Dr Hasan says: "They have every She also accused the TV channels of running a rumour about the “de-notification” of

right to criticise the government, but many a time they do it without proper research the Supreme Court judges as news. The exchange was bitter and verging on the

or evidence and without realising how their 'declarations' will be received by the abusive with Hamid Mir calling her “a liar” repeatedly. Malik too was harsh in his

general public." He makes a fine distinction between the electronic and the print criticism of the government. The encounter clearly showed the level of hostility

media, saying that the latter is more inclined towards "statement journalism" where reached between the two sides. What was remarkable was the combative aggression

"you are mostly quoting different stakeholders and don't have a fair access to of the two anchors who could have effectively rebutted the PPP accusations without

information. "The role of TV became increasingly more subjective after the 2007 being insulting. The audience in the programme was not all on the side of the anchors

removal of the Chief Justice of Pakistan by Pervez Musharraf followed by the although the government's image among the public was largely negative. The debate

promulgation of emergency". Dr Hasan also believes the electronic media has which was an effort to 'place the anchors in the dock' simply showed that the anchors

assumed the role of "the opposition [party] in the parliament. …It [the media] ends had adopted an insulting manner towards the government representatives as a

up giving free publicity to different stakeholders and their party agendas, which is technique, which in turn conveyed the impression that the TV channel was actually

wrong." He stresses upon the need for a constructive and objective self-analysis on targeting the PPP for a fall before the closure of its tenure.

the part of the media. "There should be a neutrality, authenticity and fact-checking of 10. Babar Ayaz, Responsibilities of unchained media, Daily Times, 15 June 2010: “Let us

the news items before these are aired." To illustrate his point, Dr Hasan speaks of take a few recent incidents that have made people think about whether the media

how the coverage of the recent floods was "disappointing, to say the least. The TV should not be prudent about what it says and prints. And that objectivity, which is the

channels almost reduced the common victims to the stature of beggars and painted a fundamental requirement of journalism, is missing in most news reports and talk

very bleak picture for them". shows. For instance, opposition leader Mian Nawaz Sharif expressed his concern

7. TV anchor Mubashir Lucman told Jinnah (14 Jan 2010) that some TV channels against the killings of about 100 Ahmedis in Lahore. As he considers all the

thought they could topple the government. They abided by no rules although even Pakistanis his brothers and sisters, and rightly so, he addressed them in the same

third world media have rules to go by. The TV anchors of Pakistan were camels manner. But then some religious extremist declared him apostate just because he

without bridle (shutr-e-bemahar). Where the channels have benefited the people, called the Ahmedis his brothers and sisters. Some channels and most Urdu

their damage has been more serious. He said that TV channels did more damage newspapers printed statements against him in which the religious parties asked him

because of the raw unedited views and incidents covered by TV. In the print media to apologise or be excommunicated from the realm of Islam. Now the question is,

the poison of unfair comment was drawn by news editors, but TV was a bruising should such statements be given coverage where one sect declares a person or a sect

medium without ethics. If you want peace and tranquillity in the country, switch off non-Muslim or an apostate? This question becomes more relevant as we have seen

the TV channels for two days, he said. that many killings were incited by the intolerance built by extremist mullahs and

8. Anwar Syed, A manner of speaking, Dawn 16 May 2010: Five presumably well- tele-bigots. Both the persons who issue and print such statements can be sued for

informed individuals being interviewed on a television channel were asked to speak defamation”.

on the Lal Masjid episode of July 2007 in Islamabad. None of them wanted to tell the

viewers what exactly had happened. The ugliness of the encounter between the Writing in Jang (30 March 2010) Saleem Safi stated that after some simple folk write

managers of the mosque and the agents of the Musharraf regime was attributed to praising letters to a TV anchor and some equally innocent folk get their autographs

the machinations of imperialist powers, particularly the United States. The rise of on the road, the TV anchors become aql-e-kul (know-all) and starts striking the pose

fundamentalist militancy in Pakistan was interpreted as a reaction to the western of a mufti. Instead of purveying news he starts creating news and starts giving

powers' dominance and impoverishment of the Muslim world. They evaded the dictation.

subject sought to be discussed on the reasoning that one had to understand its

background in order to understand the issue.

9. Samaa TV (24 Oct 2010) staged a debate between three anchors considered most

58

INTERACTION WITH PRIME MINISTERSTANDING UP FOR THE NATIONAL ANTHEM: Information and Broadcasting Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira, SAFMA Secretary General Imtiaz Alam,

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, SAFMA-Pakistan President Nusrat Javeed and Norwegian Ambassador to Pakistan Robert Kvile

ensing the undemocratic and unconstitutional threats to democracy, and development of energy and water resources, human resource development

which we have brought back with a lot of sacrifices, SAFMA along with and poverty eradication, withdrawal of subsidies and expansion of revenues by Ssome leading journalists, intellectuals and civil society leaders from the taxing both rural and urban rich, reprioritization of allocation of resources from

platform of Citizens for Democracy, called upon all the institutions and military security to human security, drastic reformation or disposing of public

stakeholders to say no to any undemocratic and unconstitutional change while sector corporations to get rid of financial hemorrhage, inclusion of the

emphasizing the urgency to evolve a National Agenda to tackle an all-sided dispossessed people and the deprived backward regions into the mainstream of

crises of the state. Some of the challenges that pose a real threat to our existence development and empowerment and opening up our eastern and western

as a people and a land that is sacred to us are: borders to revive traditional trade routes to become a hub of trans-regional trade

and investment across South, Central and Western Asia. It also needs breaking (1) A low-growth-high-poverty equilibrium with lowest tax-GDP, with client-patron and dependency relationship in a globalised world that calls saving-GDP, investment-GDP and per-capita investment on the for regional integration, through SAARC, Shanghai Cooperation Organization people with lowest social indicators in the developing world. (SCO), and cooperation with Regional Cooperation for Development (RCD) It requires a new paradigm of inclusive and sustainable growth and an all-out

countries.effort in every sphere of economy from the revitalization of high value adding

manufacturing, agricultural and servicing sectors, conservation, exploration (2) A parasitic national security state failing to enforce its writ and

SAFMA's proposed national agenda

Imtiaz Alam

60

maintain peace within and without. fundamental rights regardless of gender, creed or ethnicity and empowering The state must enforce its writ across every nook and corner of our land while people, rewarding merit, entrepreneurship, innovation and competition while keeping its monopoly over coercive means by eradicating non-state violent precluding unethical privileges, rent-seeking, bribery and fraud, respecting actors/militias threatening our existence/sovereignty and jeopardizing our dissent and granting women and minorities equal privileges of equal citizens relations with our neighbors and international community. The menace of and devolving and de-concentrating power to the lower tiers of governance, all-terrorism has to be eradicated by all means and in every sphere that reproduce it. sided and even-handed accountability of all through due process of law, access It calls for radical reversion of our failed security paradigms that nourished to and free flow of information and a transparent, accountable and efficient these grave-diggers of Pakistan's otherwise moderate, tolerant and egalitarian governance. It can't be achieved by totalitarian or fascist regimes and barbaric and pluralist society. means or by chasing the ghosts and shadows of the past corruption which

flourished due to loopholes in the mechanisms of governance that need to be (3) Marginalization of the will and the sovereignty of the people.

plugged to disallow future mega corruption.All organs of the state and all stakeholders must submit to the will and

sovereignty of the people exercised by the elected representatives of the people, (6) Ethnic and sectarian tensions:responsible to the final arbiters-- the peoples of all federating units. Civil- Despite granting provincial autonomy and some concessions to the smaller military relations must be redefined strictly in accordance with the letter and provinces, the federating units continue to suffer from alienation and nurse spirit of the 1973 Constitution and everything about the security establishment frustrations, such as Baluchistan. While progressively and radically devolving must be brought under the purview of our sovereign parliament. All institutions power from the Centre to the provinces and onward to the districts and and organs of the state must keep in their lawful limits frustrating all ultimately to the grassroots level to empower our people, the poor in particular, machinations and efforts to destabilize democratic setup and rejecting any the federation and its powerful arms take affirmative steps to remove the change through undemocratic and unconstitutional means. grievances of smaller provinces, Balochistan in particular. Balochistan needs

extraordinary accommodation and amelioration. There are ethnic tensions (4) A flawed foreign and security paradigm promoting conflict in the

within the provinces that also need to be addressed by respecting pluralism at all neighborhood.

levels to strengthen unity-in-diversity. On the other hand, sectarian cleavages There is an urgent need to critically reappraise our foreign and national security are touring apart our social fabric that has been increasingly taking a violent turn policies that are beyond our national resources, repudiate peace both within and since General Zia's so-called “Islamization” and induction of jihadi and without, frustrate economic growth and prosperity and keep our people in the klashnikove culture. All sectarian and violent militias, their cover-up bodies, shackles of poverty, backwardness, illness and hunger. It requires, in particular, charities, sectarian seminaries preaching violence and producing hate materials radical revision of our “India-centric”, “strategic-depth” (vis a vis Afghanistan) must be prosecuted and banned. Instead of becoming a source of national unity, and “strategic-assets” (of our jihadis who are of nobody's) types of strategic the sectarian forces that pollute the spiritual space have turned religion into a assumptions. The militaristic version of the national security, that failed to source of discord and disunity. A distinction has to be made between the state provide us internal and external security, must be replaced with an overarching and religion and theology and education while respecting the beliefs of the vision of human security, thus, eradicating the causes behind the growth of people that don't hurt others' beliefs and religious practices.suicide-bombers, violence and religious extremism; and a rational, smart and

cost-effective defence backed by a credible deterrence.

(5) Crises of Governance.Pakistan is faced with deep-rooted crises of governance from civilian

administration to military establishment, financial sectors to fiscal spheres,

generating revenues to transparent and accountable expenditure, delivery of

cheap and easy justice and honest and law-abiding policing, respecting citizens'

61

t is a matter of great pleasure for me to address the participants of the 4th I am of the considered opinion that such constructive interactions between

National Conference organized by South Asia Free Media Association. I political leadership, journalistic community, and civil society organizations are Icongratulate the organizers for holding this Conference. Welcoming the acutely needed for building bridges and exploring commonalities for durable rd peace in South Asia, a region which has, unfortunately, been condemned to proposal by SAFMA to hold 3 Indo-Pak Parliamentary Conference in

poverty, conflict and backwardness. At a time when I speak to you today, the Islamabad in the near future, my government assures you of our cooperation. By

world has undergone tremendous changes. Resultantly numerous challenges proposing the process to initiate dialogue on national issues, I appreciate the

have cropped up warranting an urgent and holistic response. In order to stand taken by SAFMA and Citizens for Democracy to oppose any undemocratic

successfully cope with these daunting challenges, we need to equip ourselves and unconstitutional change. We will look forward to the findings of your

with 'out of box' ideas and fresh insights. national conference on what you think should be the national agenda.

People not media judge of govt, partiesPeace process should be delinked from terror incidents

62

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani

These are not the normal times we are living in. As a people of this region, it is our with common man's desire for economic and social empowerment has rendered

moment of truth. There are two paths open to us. One, either we allow ourselves the old methods of governance obsolete. Moreover, governance is a shared

to be defeated by the forces of change that are fast sweeping through all walks of responsibility and the goal of good governance cannot be achieved as long as all

national and international life or we can take on these formidable challenges in a organs of the state at all levels do not duly contribute their share to making it

way that represents a fresh beginning, a new dawn as they say. possible. You would agree with me that governance has become a very complex We live in a multi-faceted society where its core components have diversified

phenomenon. This is precisely because of the fast-paced changes and background, languages, local cultures and traditions. The efforts to impose a

evolutionary processes that have come to characterize the functioning of a uniform system without being alive to these realities have failed miserably in the

modern nation-state. The emergence of new centres of power such as robust past. It resulted in the isolation of common man thereby rendering the whole

private sector, media and civil society organizations has given birth to new system non-functional. imperatives of governance. To cap it all, globalisation has served to make Pakistan being a federal state demands a system of governance which caters to nations interdependent requiring corresponding policy response and effective the aspirations of its federating units. Such a system should be aimed at creating governance tools for mutual benefit. Globalisation can both be a plus and minus harmony and fostering unity within the diverse elements of national power. depending upon how we respond to it. Enhanced access to information coupled

Prime Minister having a chat with the delegates

63

Let me mention that all the milestones achieved by the government owe democratic and welfare Pakistan, which reflects the aspirations of its people.

themselves to the visionary policy of reconciliation espoused by our Shaheed Look what democracy has achieved in two and half years. All may not be well but

leader Mohtrama Benazir Bhutto. The parameters of the proposal of the we have made a good beginning by fixing the structural problems of governance,

national agenda given by Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif would be discussed which eluded solution for decades on end. when its details are shared with us. However, it might require taking all the I recall a quote of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali wherein he said and I quote, stakeholders on board to develop consensus on the ideas and policies in the “democracy is in our blood. It is in our marrow. When the fruit of democracy is larger interest of the people of Pakistan. within our reach, shall we now fail to grasp it?” Unquote.

You would be glad to know that upon taking over, the present government Our government believes in free and independent media and regards it as fourth embarked on a tough agenda of structural reforms within the system to make it pillar of the state. A free media is also important for successful functioning of compatible with the challenges of time. The most important of these reforms

th democracy and ensuring good governance. Media enjoys great freedom during relates to the historic passage of the 18 Constitutional Amendment and the

the tenure of my government. In playing its role of a watchdog, media should thadoption of the 7 consensus-based National Finance Commission Award. The make sure that it does not undermine democratic system and national

political, administrative and economic empowerment of provinces would go a institutions.

long way in eliminating the feelings of deprivations and isolation thereby

thstrengthening the federation. Under the 7 NFC Award, Federal government has The primary and basic role of the media is to provide news and information to cut down its share from 52.5% to 44% of the divisible pool, which gave an the people in a fair and objective manner. Its professionalism gets hugely increase of 8.5% in the share of the provinces. compromised when it resorts to speculations that create fear and panic among

the public. It should not try to become a creator of news and act as a judge. People thBy the time the process of political devolution is complete under the 18 are the best and ultimate judge who have the requisite credentials and qualities

Amendment, Pakistan would be ready for a take-off on a path to progress and to pass a final verdict and hold any individual, party and government

prosperity. accountable for their actions. The trend of being the kingmaker, which is manifestly present in a section of press, should end. The government is aware of the fact that without comprehensive economic reforms, neither can economic growth be achieved nor poverty and All of us need to learn and respect each other's defined responsibilities. This is

unemployment can be cut down. how institutions grow through evolution. We should give democracy chance to develop into a sustainable system capable of addressing people's problems. In the interest of country and for benefit of the people, the elected government's Speculations and self-styled analyses impact negatively upon economy by reforms include political ownership to war on terror, creation of national creating an impression of political instability. Does the cause of democracy and consensus against terrorism and militancy, empowerment of parliament, institution-building gets advanced when a section of press becomes a party and Aagaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan Empowerment & Self-keeps giving deadline about the ouster of government? It is about time we rise Governance Act and Benazir Income Support Programme. All of these initiatives above our parochial agendas and think in larger national interest. of the present government constitute a beginning, which need to be built on through sustained policy commitment and engagement. Pakistan stands for peaceful coexistence and friendly relations with the countries of South Asian region as well as the entire world. My government is for I have a firm belief that given the diversified nature of our federation, remedy to normalizing relations with India. We believe that terrorism and extremism our national ills lies in democracy. Democracy would stand strengthened if it is constitute the major challenge for not only Pakistan and India but also all considered as a process. Our impatience with democratic dispensations proved peoples of South Asia. We want the resumption of the composite dialogue very destructive in the past with long-term implications for our state and society. process with India who must reciprocate our good intentions. I call upon India to Let us not repeat our mistakes. Let us chart our way forward towards a modern,

64

appreciate our efforts in curbing terrorism that poses the biggest internal threat interaction and giving me an opportunity to share with you my thoughts. to our national interests, ethos and values. Pakistan and India should resolve In the end, I would conclude my speech by recalling the words of Shaheed their disputes especially on Kashmir through peaceful means and productive Zulfikar Ali Bhutto which he said in his address on April 14, 1972.dialogue. We should de-link peace process from incidents of terrorism to make

composite dialogue a sustainable proposition. Benefitting from our geo- He said, and I quote, “History beckons us, and our people are ready to march strategic location Pakistan is keen in reviving our traditional trade routes to the forward. Do we, the members of this distinguished Assembly, have the courage benefit of the people of the adjoining regions. We will continue to strengthen and wisdom to lead our people towards their cherished goal that is SAARC and are ready to take measures on mutually beneficial basis. DEMOCRACY? The entire South Asian region is blessed with rare gifts of nature. Let us resolve I wish you all the best in your endeavours.to use our natural resources to overcome the sufferings of our teeming millions. Let us not allow despair to defeat hope. Pakistan Piandabad! I thank Secretary General SAFMA, Imtiaz Alam, and SAFMA Pakistan

President, Nusrat Javed, and all other journalist friends for inviting me to this

Prime Minister having a chat with the delegates

65

Q & A

66

SESSION III

dealing with internal and external threats and evolve a comprehensive security

policy.

Inam-ul-Haq: If we do not resolve our internal problems, we cannot have an

effective foreign policy. A stable Pakistan is in the interest of the entire region.

India's long-term prosperity will be possible only if it resolves its issues with its

neighbours. If India struts in its neighbourhood, it can hardly aspire to have a

smooth ride on the world stage. Pakistan wishes to normalize its relations with

India on the basis of sovereign equality. We would like to resolve the issue of

Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan is not ready to accept threats and coercion.

Khaled Ahmed: We have had a retired general who has advised us to make

fundamental changes. He has stressed the need for changing the mindset. He

says Pakistan should revisit its foreign policy as it survives in isolation.

Senator Dr Abdul Malik Baloch,

President of the National Party and a

member of the Implementation

Commission on 18th Amendment: Use

of force cannot deliver anything other than

generate more hatred. Those who said there

was no war in Balochistan were deceiving

themselves. The Balochs are fighting for their

identity and rights. The Baloch people would

neither compromise on their rights nor

would lose their identity. Unfortunately,

nationalist parties are not acceptable to the

establishment. They want puppets in Talat Masood: For Pakistan, it is vital to contain and neutralize the menace of Balochistan for implementation of their insurgency and terrorism. The fallout of acts of terrorism has seriously affected policies. The establishment would have to the economy and the overall law and order situation. The current scene demands change its attitude towards Balochistan. that the political and military leadership revisit the traditional security policy in Otherwise, the Baloch leaders would have to

Setting a national agenda

SESSION REPORT

68

Sharing smiles: Imtiaz Alam and Talat Masood

Ashfaq Saleem Mirza, Talat Masood, Inam-ul-Haq and Asma Jahangir

Senator Dr Abdul Malik Baloch

organise the masses for achieving their rights. justice and rights of minorities.

The contradictions in foreign and domestic policies should be revisited. We need “Our policies must be inclusive as there is need for revisiting our national

integrated policies. security,” she said. Asma Jehangir hoped that things would improve with the devolution of powers

The 18th Amendment has made Pakistan a more federal state. Abolition of the to the provinces through 18th Amendment. She stressed the need for extending concurrent list is a step forward towards provincial autonomy. However, there the Political Parties Act and the judiciary access to FATA and bringing these are still some challenges in the implementation of 18th Amendment. The federal areas into mainstream politics.government is willing to give rights to provinces but there is a dire need for

She said: “We have to change rhetoric that Baloch nationalists are enemy of the change in the mindset of federal bureaucracy. country. We have to listen to the Baloch and the Pashtun.”

The media should highlight issue of this conflict-hit province.Siddique Baloch: Two parties that want to remain with Pakistan are receiving Election within parties is also part of good governance. Good governance is

policies for welfare of people.

OPEN HOUSE

Shoaib Adil: Could anyone here say things similar to

what Indian intellectual Arundhati Roy said in India

and get away?

Inam-ul-Haq: I have already said: “Put house in

order.”

Khaled Ahmed: There is a big gap between internal

and external policies. It is very dangerous.

Iftikhar Ahmad: Who are the people impeding the thimplementation of the 18 amendment?

Dr Malik: Agencies elect our representatives. They

are not pro-people. The establishment wants touts bodies. The British did not develop infrastructure in Balochistan. Whatever was installed in Balochistan. You should empower the people to elect their set up was set up in cantonments. They wanted to keep us backward. We are representatives. I have been opposing target killing. I have lost my ideologue – following the same policies after 1947. late Mir Maula Baksh Dashti -- because of that.

Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA)'s President Asma Jehangir Amar Sindhu: We are facing the crisis of missing identities. Democratic said that respect and tolerance for divergent opinion is must for evolving a process is the only way out. pluralistic domestic society.

Khurshid Ahmed, Gilgit Baltistan: Nobody is talking about solution. “We believe in diversity of opinion because it leads to solutions to problems. We Resolve the issues and unite the country. must evolve consensus on rule of law, which also includes economic and social Talat Masood: There is a need for change in the Kashmir policy for the benefit

Siddique Baloch, Khaled Ahmed, Amar Sindhu and G N Mughal

69

of Kashmiri people, Pakistan and regional peace. There should

be success in our policies. The Army and the intelligence

agencies have great impact on our foreign policy. These

policies should be discussed in Parliament.

Dr Akmal Hussain, economist: Central to Pakistan's

national integrity and national security is the challenge of

placing Pakistan on a new trajectory of sustained high growth

with equity.

Sustained high growth requires transiting from the

institutional structure of a Limited Access Social Order to the

institutional structure of an Open Access Social Order.

Sustained high growth can only be achieved through an

institutional structure of economic and political democracy.

Nadeem ul Haque, economist: Pakistan's future Dr Muhammad Asif, a Lecturer at Glasgow Caledonian University: For long-

prosperity hinges on enhanced productivity, strengthened internal markets and term energy prosperity, Pakistan's best hope is with the indigenous energy

innovative, community-led urban development. resources such as coal, hydropower and renewable energy. However, to bring

any positive change in the national energy scene, the fundamental issues such as

political interference, nepotism, and financial and

administrative irregularities are absolutely imperative to be

addressed.

Tariq Mehmood, a former judge: If Pakistan is to move

towards a democracy based on the rule of law, it must build

and nurture, without delay, independent institutions of

accountability. The executive functionaries must strictly

adhere to the public procurement rules and regulations and

governance should be open, transparent, participatory and

inclusive and that the process of decision-making should be

open to public scrutiny.

Abbas Rashid, educationist: The inadequate

involvement of genuine political institutions in matters

related to educational reform continues to impede the much

needed progress in education reforms. According to the State

Bank of Pakistan Annual Report 2009, the literacy rate is

57% (as compared 56% the previous year). Further Nadeem-ul-Haque replying to a question

Shakeel Ahmad, Agha Nasir, Afzal Khan, Lala Rehman Samon, Anjum Rashid, M Ziauddin

70

aggravating the situation are provincial, gender-wise as well as rural-urban welfare state was superseded by efforts to liberate Kashmir. We joined Cento,

disparities in literacy. Ceato. We got arms at cheap rates or for free. Kharian Cantt was made for free.

That meant that defence expenditure did not trouble us. Then we used to get Siddique Baloch: In Balochistan, there is no basic infrastructure, no wheat free. We would sell wheat in the market and with its proceeds we would development, and poverty runs rampant in all the five ecological zones of run the country. The ruler thought they didn't need to collect taxes. No tax Balochistan. culture was developed resultantly. That resulted in whatever we are facing now.

G N Mughal: Discussions on electronic media represent only the elite class in Afzal Khan: There is a fad of increasing GDP. Bhutan has Gross National Lahore or Karachi. The rest of the people in the provinces feel left out. This will Happiness (GNH) as their benchmark. Successive governments only produced a be counterproductive for the media, democracy and the national unity. few rich families. Now growth is very low. Ayub Khan had consumer culture. Democracy should continue. Bhutto had introduced nationalization. We are subsidizing corruption and

incompetence. Agriculture is our mainstay. Agriculture should be subsidized. Federating units should be autonomous. All is not well in Sindh. A cyclone is You may levy agri tax. brewing there. People are feeling alienated. They want democracy but they want

federal system too. GN Mughal: Reservoirs don't suit us. You don't have enough water to reserve.

Thatta and Badin mass evacuations because of rising sea water. People were Nadeem-ul-Haq: Governance is better organistaion for productivity. displaced in Sindh.

M Ziauddin: 1947 to 1965 Jinnah's objective of making Pakistan a social Javed Qazi: Thar has huge coal reserves that could serve the energy needs.

Political democracy is the solution

to all problems.

Imtiaz Alam: In your analysis you

have forgotten the people. Also, no

economist touches upon defence

budget.

Nadeem-ul-Haq: Mine is the

most inclusive growth agenda.

Growth is not the ultimate end.

Economists agree that happiness is

the ultimate end. But you have to

have something in your kitty before

you are happy. We have to think

differently.

Javed Qazi makes a point

71

ver since independence the military threat emanating form India has

dominated the thinking of Pakistan's planners. And in the last few years' Einternal threat from militancy and terrorism and non-military

dimensions of security have become even more potent. The country for years'

has also suffered from political instability, inequitable economic growth and

sectarian and ethnic conflict. Insurgency in the tribal belt appears to be an

ominous menace that some characterize as existential in nature.

It is unfortunate that despite these difficulties the leadership has failed to

develop a national consensus and narrow parochial regional and ethno-

linguistic prejudices dictate policy. The problem is further compounded as the

civilian institutions remain weak and the military leadership dominates both

policy as well as politics. Large areas of the tribal belt especially North

Waziristan, parts of South Waziristan, Orakzai are not in control of the

government and insurgent groups have taken sanctuary in these areas. All these

border lands are being used by Tehrik Taliban, Afghan Taliban; splinter Jihadi

elements of Lashkar Janghvi and Lashkar-e-Tayaba to advance their terrorist

agenda in both Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The army to some extent has been successful in pushing back the expanding launching an operation.frontiers of Taliban influence but the insurgency is far from over. The insurgents

The ongoing tensions between two nuclear armed neighbors further complicate and terrorists Pakistan army is fighting are mostly TTP and elements of Al the security situation. Relations with India after the Mumbai attack by Lashkar-Qaeda. US priority of targets is different and they are focusing on the Afghan e-Tayaba took a turn for the worse when India refused to continue with the Taliban and Al Qaeda. Of late pressure is building up on Pakistan from the US to composite dialogue. The turbulent and unpredictable situation in Afghanistan mount an operation in North Waziristan with the object of eliminating or and growing influence of New Delhi in Afghanistan add to Pakistan's capturing Haqqani group and other militant organizations that are launching insecurities. US military engagement in Afghanistan and its heavy presence in attacks in Afghanistan. Pakistan military has different priorities and is hesitant Central Asia and South Asia have altered the geo-strategic balance in the region. to undertake this operation as it finds itself overstretched and would like to first

consolidate the gains that it has already made. There is also the danger that a The constant threat from India (and the US) that a terrorist attack on their soil

major operation in North Waziristan would trigger a wave of terrorist attacks. To from Pakistan based militants will invite a robust military response adds to the

avoid this would also require taking elaborate preventive measures before

Terrorism and national security

Talat Masood

72

fragility of the security situation. In view of the deteriorating and unpredictable The fallout of acts of terrorism has seriously affected the economy and the

relationship with India, Pakistan is unable to fully focus on the domestic overall law and order situation. The problem is worsening economic conditions

insurgency and other acute economic and social problems. Resumption of and further fueling militancy. Already we are witnessing that some of the non-

India-Pakistan dialogue on a structured basis followed by progress on some state actors are paying the militants more than what the government has to offer

issues would give space to Pakistan to focus on serious internal challenges. to the state militia. In fact terrorists join militant or criminal outfits more for

monetary than ideological reasons. Due to high unemployment and serious Pakistan faces a serious strategic dilemma. To countervail the asymmetric economic deprivation it is not difficult for TTP to find recruits in FATA. Another power of India it developed a doctrine that had four distinct elements. It created motivating factor is that it provides a sense of identity to the terrorist. strong conventional forces developed a nuclear capability, used militant Jihadi

groups for asymmetric warfare and Taliban for support in Afghanistan. The There has been a sharp increase in the defense budget in recent years. Pakistan's

alliance with US during the Cold War, Afghan jihad and after 9/11 was also a part defense budget surpasses development expenditure constitutes a substantial

of the same policy. Many of the militant groups have now become autonomous component of its meager resources. The armed forces have to maintain a

and turned their guns inwards and also involved in terrorist attacks abroad credible conventional and strategic deterrence against India and concurrently

causing serious security problems. engage in counterinsurgency operations. The heavy burden of the defense

budget on national exchequer is crowding out development funds and For Pakistan it is vital to contain and neutralize the menace of insurgency and undermining physical and human infra structural development with long term terrorism. It is only by establishing the writ of the state in the insurgent adverse consequences. Development indicators suggest that Pakistan is lagging controlled areas and by neutralizing the other Jihadi organizations that Pakistan behind even South Asian low standards. The global recession has further would be able to preserve its sovereignty and prevent acts of terrorism within accentuated Pakistan's economic plight. Democratic institutions remain fragile and outside the country. There is a military policy on insurgency but no clear cut and intra-party in-fighting and lack of democratic culture within parties makes political policy. The weakness in the political process can negate the gains made it difficult for political leadership to address security and major national by pushing back the insurgents. problems.

The current scene demands

that the political and military

l e a d e r s h i p r e v i s i t t h e

traditional security policy in

dealing with internal and

external threats and devise a

comprehensive secur i ty

policy.

Representatives of press clubs and other delegates

73

et us put our own house in order and the foreign policy will take care of problems and isolation of Pakistan. Such policies would run counter to our

itself. If we do not resolve our internal problems, we cannot have an national interest and make us more vulnerable in political, military, diplomatic Leffective foreign policy. Because foreign policy is a reflection of the and economic terms.

respect a country enjoys in the world and unfortunately that is a scarce I am not an advocate of change in the direction of our policy but there are areas commodity for Pakistan these days. My topic will be Pakistan and its neighbors where we require more clarity about what Pakistan expects from this and I will be talking of only three countries. First I will talk about the United relationship. It should not be a relationship of a donor and a client, where the States by virtue of its presence in Afghanistan and Pakistan. I will speak briefly donor has to do everything which the donor state demands. about Afghanistan and then I will come to India.

I would also like to draw attention to some inherent contradictions in the policy The United States: perspectives in Afghanistan. There are many areas in Pakistan where we feel that Pakistan should continue its policy of friendly relations with the United States, the US is not pursuing a policy which has done well for Pakistan. Or perhaps US notwithstanding the complaints we have and there are many. We must not policies are creating greater problems for Pakistan than anything else. My harbour a hostile and confrontational attitude towards the United States, which intention is not to inscribe blame but to examine the issue as dispassionately as is the sole super power. A confrontation with the United States will only result in

Only a house in order can yield a good

foreign policy

74

Inam-ul-Haq, former foreign secretary

possible from a Pakistani perspective. Let us assume that the Afghan Taliban do have safe havens in Pakistan. Such

havens would not serve any purpose of the borders between the countries were First of all, the US shows a lack of trust in Pakistan because it believes that to be sealed because then there would not be any possibility for the Afghan Pakistan is playing both sides of a coin particularly in Afghanistan. In Pakistan, Talban to cross over. Protecting borders is a shared responsibility of both sides. the people, more than its government, show a lack of trust in American However, the entire responsibility is conveniently placed on Pakistan to ensure intentions towards this country and towards this region. Pakistan is accused of that the border remains sealed. When Pakistan proposed the construction of a providing safe havens to the Afghan Taliban and allowing them to cross from fence, it was Afghan President Mr Hamid Karzai who vociferously opposed it. and into Afghanistan. The NATO forces and the US claim that the Afghan The open border with Pakistan keeps the possibility that people will keep Taliban cannot be eliminated from Afghanistan till Pakistan stops providing crossing those borders. The US and the NATO forces have 140 thousand troops those safe havens. The support for the Taliban continues till Pakistan provides a but add to that 100 thousand security contractors. There are also 200 thousand space for their safe havens. In my opinion, such blames are disingenuous, they trained, armed and funded afghan forces. This comes to half a million troops. are self-serving and they seek to shift the blame for the failures of the US and The US, as we know, is spending one hundred billion dollars on its military coalition policies to Pakistan. efforts. All this money, and all these weapons and all these armies have not been

able to pacify Afghanistan. The question remains that if the US and NATO have It is clear that the Taliban are operating hundreds of miles inside Afghanistan not been able to control the situation in Afghanistan and the insurgency has and if they can operate in the north of the country without being indicated, then gained ground over the years how is it expected that an economically strapped they don't need sanctuaries in Pakistan. Afghan Taliban is firmly embedded in state can defeat a deeply embedded insurgency and benefit an inside onslaught the local population. And they have established relationships with the local of extremism, and terrorism can do more that it is doing already. The US and population which provides them with sanctuaries.

NATO forces are fighting on

their own national agendas. If

the US and NATO forces are

spi l l ing their blood on

Afghanistan, so is Pakistan.

In fact more Pakistani soldiers

and civilians have been killed

by this war and let's not forget

the continuing killing of the

Iraqi people. While we are

fighting the Taliban, the

K a r z a i g o v e r n m e n t i s

negotiating with the Taliban.

If we take this policy line, then

we will be going for long term

conflict with Afghanistan

since the Northern Alliance is

already anti-Pakistan. If the

US wants to succeed in this

war then where will it end? Sajjad Mir (C) makes a point

75

What were we to make of all this? Some facts about India and Pakistan:India has become one of the largest importers of weapons. All these weapons are

The US is going out of its way to making India as its new strategic partner. The aimed at Pakistan, only one is aimed at China.US needs Iran in Iraq and it needs Iran in Afghanistan, yet it also threatens Iran

When India talks of a nuclear war, it doesn't have China in mind.over aggression and regime change. An attack on Iran will be unhealthy to the

world economy and a threat to the world security. The mixed signals sent from When the current Indian army chief talks about threats from other countries, he

the U.S are encouraging the insurgents and confusing its friends. It is time the is talking about Pakistan and China.

US reviewed its strategy in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran and on a larger

canvas vis-a-vis India and china in order for this region to be peaceful. India opposes weapons being sold to Pakistan. Pakistan has never made any

protest against India buying weapons.What should be Pakistan's policy towards Afghanistan?Pakistan would like to see Afghanistan as a united, sovereign, peaceful India has been hard at declaring Pakistan as a terrorist state for the past two prosperous and friendly neighbour. decades.

Pakistan must interact with Afghanistan based on a relationship of equality and In our view, a stable Pakistan is in the interest of the entire region. It is not clear if mutual respect. It is necessary to accept that Afghanistan is an independent India has come to the same conclusion. We recognize that India is the most state. Pakistan should not make decisions on behalf of Pakistan. powerful country in the region, but in my opinion, India's long-term prosperity

will only result when it has resolved its issues with its neighbors. It should not We must understand that Afghanistan does not like to be dominated by any seek to impose its will on its much smaller neighbours if it wants to emerge from other country.its confines. If India struts in its neighbourhood, it can hardly aspire to have a

Finally, we must be aware of our own limitations. We don't have the capacity of smooth ride on the world stage. Pakistan wishes to normalize its relations with

controlling or influencing Afghanistan. The concept of strategic depth is India on the basis of sovereign equality. We would like to resolve issues of

outdated and must be expelled from our narrative because it raises concerns Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan is not ready to accept threats and coercion.

about Pakistan's intentions towards Afghanistan. Pakistan aspires to resume the dialogue on the entire spectrum on all its

outstanding issues.The two countries must co-operate in defeating violent extremism.

If the people are occupied, suppressed and humiliated, do they have a right to We should not dictate Afghanistan's relationship with any other country resist? India must realize that nothing can be achieved with brutal suppression. including India. The Mumbai attacks were a condemnable act of terrorism, so was the attack on

Samjhota Express. These attacks made these countries use their own India:mechanisms for terrorism. Two years down the event the issue is nowhere near Is Pakistan's policy India centric? The answer is simple to a large extent, yes. But closure and the two countries remain in suspended animation. it must be remembered that the Indian policies have also been Pakistan centric.

It's not a one way street. It works both ways. Perhaps it cannot be otherwise. The I leave this thought with you. Is this how mature and wise nations with nuclear

two countries have been neighbours with a history of conflict. The dialogue weapons should conduct their bilateral relations?

remains unfortunately suspended and mutual suspicions remain high. We all

wish for peace but the problem begins when we try to resolve the existing issues.

Unfortunately, India likes to settle its disputes on its own terms. Indians think of

Pakistan as an obdurate but it is always the right of the smaller country to feel

more apprehensive.

76

akistan's security policy has been designed to protect the country against

India. Yet “danger from India” is a consequence of Pakistan's hostile Previsionist nationalism against India based on recovery of territory

unfairly acquired by India. After the cold war, the world no longer finds

Pakistani nationalism credible and advises it to “normalise” relations with India

to offset the danger it feels from India. However, efforts at normalisation have

met with non-success. Here too international opinion sides with India blaming

Pakistan's use of non state actors as a device to interrupt normalisation.

Three Pakistani doctrines have emerged from the above formulation of national

security doctrine: India-centrism, Strategic Depth, and Terrorism.

India-Centrism Although pejorative in nature and coined by foreign analysts to criticise

Pakistan's security-thinking, the phrase India-centric has been adopted by

General Kayani on the basis of his increased weight within the military

establishments of the US and NATO. “Being obsessed with India” - that is the

literal meaning of India-centrism - was not a popular label in Pakistan under India. Pakistani nationalism was based soon after 1947 on the designation of Musharraf but is being owned as a philosophy by the Pakistan Army now to India as the enemy that was opposed to the existence of Pakistan. This signal two trends: its defiance of Western insistence that Pakistan undertake nationalism was not “defensive” but “revisionist” aimed at united a pluralist normalisation with India, indicating Pakistan's extent of leverage in the war Pakistan under the monistic slogan of “danger from outside”. This gave primacy against terrorism; and the distance of General Kayani from the more flexible to military preparedness and required an underdeveloped Pakistan to make approach employed by Musharraf after the failure of the Kargil Operation of sacrifices to fund an army that was strategically incapable of defeating India and 1999 and the incident of 9/11. holding it as conquered territory. Army's supremacy emanated from

nationalism which dictated national indoctrination through textbooks. Pakistan's economic and social backwardness is owed to its obsession with

Unrealistic funding of the army and a highly fictionalised presentation of India

India-centrism, strategic depth and terrorism

Khaled Ahmed

77

as enemy in the textbooks has led to economic and social backwardness of “depth” against the Indian army fills the international community with fears

Pakistan. about Pakistan's expansionist intent. An ex-foreign secretary of Pakistan has

this to say about “strategic depth” in his forthcoming book: The biggest disadvantage of the anti-India ideology of Pakistan is its lack of

support internationally. After being economically devastated, Pakistan is faced “Political analysts often point out that two considerations preoccupied Pakistan

with reluctance of the donor states to contribute to its economic uplift for fear army's strategic thinking relating to its support to various Afghan Mujahedin

that Pakistan will fund its defence budget against India instead of providing groups: first, a view of Afghanistan as providing strategic depth to Pakistan, and

relief to the poor. India-centrism is not viable economically; it has lost its secondly, an interest in having a friendly government in Afghanistan. While the

nationalistic appeal after the scattering of its internal cohesion, defeating the concept of a friendly government was flawed, the aspiration of strategic depth in

proposition that the Indian bogey will keep Pakistan united. Afghanistan defied reason from the point of view of the traditional

interpretation of the concept. Friendly government is a highly subjective Strategic depth concept that encourages patronage and interference and spawns suspicion and The idea of strategic depth is a direct offshoot of Pakistan's India-centrism and

provocation. Loose talk that Pakistan's sacrifices had earned it the right to have a points to Pakistan's strategic disadvantage of lack of territorial depth in any

friendly government in Afghanistan was resented by Afghan intellectuals and projected war with India. Its linkage with Afghanistan as an imagined area of

elite, who saw it as a Pakistani justification to impose its diktat on Afghanistan.

78

Inam-ul-Haq, Senator Dr Abdul Malik BalochAsma Jahangir, Siddique Baloch and

when the first army of non-state actors, culled mostly from FATA, was sent into “The idea of Pakistan seeking strategic depth on its western border, by any Kashmir. measure, made little sense when its threat perception was almost entirely linked

In 1965, the sending of non state actors into Kashmir by Pakistan triggered to India. Pakistan's major cities and communication corridors remain close to India's invasion of Pakistan. Although today the 1965 war is being interpreted as India and a friendly Afghanistan could not put a distance between the two Pakistan's defeat, it has been made to stand as a triumph of Pakistan's revisionist hostile neighbours. At times, the concept was defended in terms of shifting nationalism. In 1971, the uprising in East Pakistan was interpreted in West strategic assets to safety, which at best reflected naivete. Assets in times of Pakistan as the result of India's sinister propaganda and is used even today as an tension or conflict are meant for use not for safe keeping. Parking of assets excuse to intensify the national designation of India as a permanent enemy. One anywhere also requires sophisticated infrastructure, and Pakistan has locations of the reasons behind the uprising was West Pakistan's security doctrine that at greater distances from its eastern border than Kabul. Later a more benign and posited defence of East Pakistan through enhanced military capacity in West plausible interpretation was constructed to suggest that the concept only meant Pakistan. The parallel with Afghanistan is quite pointed: only the Afghans are that Pakistan should feel secure along its western border in times of tension with willing to listen that Pakistan's designs on Afghanistan have been provoked by India. Even this apology for a fallacious concept does not hold since Pakistan an Indian conspiracy to “encircle” Pakistan. never faced a conventional military threat from Afghanistan, as had been

evident during the 1965 and 1971 conflicts with India. Furthermore, if the Pakistan decided to start a low intensity conflict in Kashmir based on the

purpose is simply a legitimate interest in a friendly border, instead of talking experience gained from the deniable war in Afghanistan it had pursued in the

about 'seeking strategic depth', reference should be made to Pakistan's desire to 1980s together with the United States against the Soviet Union. The non state

pursue normal friendly relations with Afghanistan”. actors who spearheaded the war against the Soviet Union infected its “handlers”

inside the Pakistan army and laid the foundation of a “revolt of the mercenaries” The truth is that preoccupation with the eastern border under an India-centric later on when these private militias became powerful inside Pakistan civil strategy has resulted in the neglect of Pakistan's western territories and borders. society to the detriment of the “internal sovereignty” of the state. After Al Qaeda The military doctrine is so inflexible and impervious to political reinterpretation became a force to reckon with in Pakistan, the state was undecided to attack it. by public representatives that to safeguard it against realistic change the This was caused by its reluctance to attack also the militias it had prepared for Pakistan army retains control of the country's foreign policy. The allegation that proxy war against India. Al Qaeda's control over the Taliban Movement has India was interfering in Balochistan has remained officially unproven because made the decision to attack terrorism even more difficult. The terrorists who kill the truth about Balochistan's neglect in the past is by far the most persuasive innocent Pakistanis with the help of their Punjabi associates' may be the “assets” argument internationally. The conditions in the Federally Administered Areas Pakistan army will use against India.(FATA) are also owed to this military preoccupation with the eastern border and

the retention of the tribal borderlands as nurseries of non state actors. Terrorism is Pakistan's creation through covert jihad against India. The jihadi

militias have created multiple centres of power inside Pakistan, challenging the Terrorism When states use aggression it is called war; when non state actors use aggression state in its monopoly of violence. The war against terrorism is Pakistan's war and

it is called terrorism. This definition is disputed in the UN General Assembly but is rendered complicated because it still needs the killers of Pakistani citizens as

the UN Security Council takes action on the basis of this definition. Pakistan has proxy soldiers against India. The resurgence of Indian-centrism may actually

been accusing India of “state terrorism” in Kashmir while waging a deniable war increase the importance of these terrorists and thus curtail further Pakistan's

of non state actors across the Line of Control that divides Indian Administered capacity to handle terrorism on its territory.

Kashmir from Pakistan administered Kashmir. This covert war started in 1947

79

Government. There are 65 MPAs and alochistan has been placed in a according a simple calculation reveals the perversely distinct position in B total allocation to be Rs 9.75 billion, a Pakistan, a position where sizable share from the public exchequer backwardness is safeguarded and going. It is worth mentioning that the secured religiously, ensuring that the MPAs' schemes remained a total failure in people of Balochistan will remain Balochistan and a huge waste of resources illiterate and extremely poor. It in the and money. For the past quarter of a interest of the State that Balochistan century, not a single MPA scheme has should remain perpetually backward. proven beneficial to the people. Backwardness is rampant not only in

all sectors of the economy, but in every There are dozens of huge projects or Mega

walk of life to the advantage of the Projects which were all built by the Federal

rulers at the expense of the ruled. Government. This includes Gwadar Port,

Balochistan receives money and Mirani Dam, Coastal Highway, RCD

resources through state transfers and Highway, Bolan Medical College, Pat

the allocation of funds in the annual F e e d e r , K a c h h i C a n a l ( u n d e r

budget, besides a score of friendly construction), village electrification,

countries and international finance Saindak Project. Not a single project has

and deve lopment inst i tut ions been undertaken by the Provincial

pumping in resources. Nevertheless, Government through i ts Annual

the economy is stagnant and Development Programme (ADP) for sixty

registering negative economic growth. years.

The resources and funds are not for the

people, who suffer from poverty, The State institutions had failed to create hunger and diseases. The resources are job opportunities or make regional for Ministers, the MPAs, MNAs, economies sustainable in far flung regions Senators and key officials in the of Balochistan. There were two textile Balochistan administration. mills built with financial assistance from

Iran in the 1980s. The mills were The government of Zia-ul Haq and

established in Quetta and Uthal with Mohammad Khan Junejo did the

50,000 spindles each. Each of the mills greatest disservice to the people of

had the capacity to employ more than nine Pakistan by introducing exclusive

thousand people by operating three shifts. Astoundingly, the mills were closed at funds for the Members of Parliament and the Provincial Assemblies. Initially, it

a time when Balochistan was producing the finest cotton, matching the famous was a small amount of Rs five million a year or during a single fiscal year. It was

Egyptian cotton in quality. The well kept machinery was disposed of to please introduced in 1985 when he formed his party and government without having a

the powerful Textile Mafia of this country. Following this decision, hardly any single supporter at the Centre or in the provinces. To the surprise of many, this

industrial unit was established in any other part of Balochistan.fiscal year, the Balochistan Government had allocated Rs 150 million to each

MPA, all Provincial Ministers, barring a very few who are not part of the Secondly, Hub Industrial Township was enjoying a tax holiday where tens of

Perpetuating backwardness

Siddiq Baluch

80

thousands of people were working in those units. The Federal Government Kachhi Canal, RCD Highway, village electrification, Reko Dik Project and a

withdrew the tax holiday and duty free facility for imported machinery forcing score of other mega projects took decades to complete. Even a small youth hostel

the closure of hundreds of industrial units ensuring mass unemployment and project with a cost of mere Rs 24 millions took more than eight years to

guaranteeing poverty and backwardness for decades to come. The only source of complete. On the other hand, the Motorway project linking Lahore with

employment opportunities is the Provincial Government. After a lapse of many Islamabad was completed in less than eight months and the Government spent

years, the Provincial Government created some jobs. The present jobs of Rs 34 billions. Now the Kachhi canal, currently under construction, will cost

teachers announced under the Aghaz-i-Huqooq-i-Balochistan remained vacant more than Rs 100 billion merely because of the delays in its implementation. It

for the past many years for strategic reasons. Now, the Provincial Government was supposed to cost merely Rs 34 billion irrigating around one million acres of

jobs have been offered to 5000 teachers and the Federal Government will pay highly fertile land.

their salaries for some initial years. The political credit must go to the Federal In Balochistan, there is no basic infrastructure, no development, and poverty Government for compelling the Provincial Government to fill the vacancies. runs rampant in all the five ecological zones of Balochistan. It is not a vicious There are 10,000 or more jobs available in the Police, Levies, Balochistan cycle as some economists -unaware about the ground realities in Balochistan- Constabulary and other provincial Government departments for the past many believe. It was the deliberate policy of the British colonial rulers who hated the years and they are unfilled to this date merely because the bureaucracy wanted Baloch resistance to the colonial rule for over a century. What we see today is the to keep the people poor and its economy backward. continuation of the British colonial policy meant to perpetuate backwardness

All the large projects of the Federal Government were deliberately delayed. and ensure rampant poverty.

Bolan Medical College, Pat Feeder, Coastal Highway, Hub Dam, Mirani Dam.

Representatives of press clubs and journalists

81

asset that is greater than the opportunity cost he structure of Pakistan's economy remains incapable, even after 63 of that asset. A Limited Access Social Order years of independence, of providing the minimum conditions of civilized T exhibits systematic rent creation, market life to the majority of the people: Over 77 percent of the population is power, privileges and differences between food insecure, the majority does not have access over safe drinking water, elites and others. It is therefore characterized quality health care, quality education, access over justice and the opportunity to by:take part as active subjects in the process of growth and governance.

Rent generation and rent seeking by a small The principal feature of Pakistan's economic history is the failure to achieve a coalition of elites.sustained high growth in·per capita incomes.

Restricted competition, hence inefficiency.Average Annual GDP Growth Rates in Various Regimes (Approximate)

Selection is usually not based on merit, hence

inefficiency.

Lack of incentives for hard work.

Lack of innovation, hence restricted prospects

of long term productivity growth.

VI. Consequence of (i) to (v) above is the

failure to achieve long term growth in per

capita incomes.

An Open Access Social Order exhibits

systematic competition, free entry and· PAKISTAN'S ECONOMIC GROWTH 1972-2010 mobility, and hence fosters thriving markets

Pakistan's average annual real GDP Growth in the period 1972 to 2010 is about and long term economic· devel9pment. It is 5.2 percent by contrast the average annual real GDP growth in the period 1980 to characterized by: 2008 was 9.9 percent for China and 6.4 percent for India.

i. A high degree of competition, hence The institutional structure of a society determines the kinds of organizations efficiency. that can be created and sustained. Social orders are composed of constituent ii. Selection is based on merit, hence

systems, such as the economic, political, military and religious systems. efficiency.” iii. Incentives for hard work.

The countries of the contemporary world fall into one or the other of two kinds of iv. Systematic innovation, hence continuous

social orders: (i) A Limited Access Social Order (ii) An Open Access Social Order. growth in productivity. Rents are unearned incomes. Rents are defined as a rate of return on a particular Sustained long term growth in per capita

Pakistan's economy: the way out

82

Dr Akmal Hussain

Incomes. (ii) It is time now to consider shifting away from the IMF approach of economic

contraction to a new policy of economic stimulation that aims to revive Central to Pakistan's national integrity and national security is the challenge of economic growth. Pakistan's GDP growth has declined sharply to 2 percent placing Pakistan on a new trajectory of sustained high growth with equity. this year and the per capita income growth has become negative. This has

not only sharply increased poverty and unemployment, but will also result Sustained high growth requires transiting from the institutional structure of a in a slowdown in the growth of government revenues. The former will place Limited Access Social Order to the institutional structure of an Open Access further stresses on the fragile democratic structure and the latter will Social Order. Sustained high growth can only be achieved through an increase the budget deficit. The earlier attempts to cut down the budget institutional structure of economic and political democracy. deficit (6.3 percent of GDP this year) through expenditure reduction have

Floods have left over 20 million people affected, homes destroyed, livelihoods failed, and in the years ahead the only viable policy of controlling the budget

lost, canals, barrages, water courses, tube wells and electricity stations deficit is by increasing revenues through accelerated GDP growth.

damaged, roads and bridges wiped out. My own rough estimate of the Infrastructure projects in the flood affected areas provide an opportunity of

reconstruction cost is about USD 18 billion. doing so.

(iii) Just before the flood the food insecure population had been estimated at The scale of the required reconstruction effort, while it presents a formidable about 77 percent, it may now have reached over 85 percent. There is clearly challenge also provides a great opportunity. The opportunity is to undertake the an urgent need to provide food security to the people of Pakistan in general structural reforms necessary to place Pakistan's economy on a new path of and in the flood affected areas of the country in particular, where food sustained and equitable growth. Such a growth process if achieved could give a insecurity is most intense. In this context the coverage of the social stake in the economy to all of the people rather than a small elite and thereby lay protection measures needs to be enlarged, and the identity and locations of the basis of what in my recent work I have called economic democracy. In this the flood affected population quickly established so that ATM cards under context, I will indicate some of the short term policy imperatives and then the the Benazir Income Support Programme can be issued as soon as possible. outline a medium term strategy for achieving sustained growth through equity. (iv) At the same time an Employment Guarantee Scheme in the form of a cash-

for-work programme ought to be launched in the flood affected areas in the I. Short Term Policy Imperatives. Three immediate economic policy first instance, followed by the rest of the country.measures may be considered in the context of the reconstruction effort: (i) If

the winter (Rabbi) crop is to be planted and a serious food deficit next II. Reconstruction for Economic Democracy. Pakistan's growth pattern is

summer averted, immediate measures must be undertaken to provide characterized by spurts of growth followed by stagnation which is symptomatic

farmers in the flood affected areas, good quality seed, fertilizer and of an underlying institutional structure that is unable to generate sustained

pesticides together with timely provision of tube well water to enable the growth. This is because Pakistan's institutional structure is designed to

planting of wheat in the month ahead.systematically exclude the majority of the population from the growth process. It

Representatives of press clubs and journalists

83

is on the basis of this exclusion that rents are generated and appropriated by a the Elite Farmer Strategy of the last four decades to a new Small Farmer

small elite. This “limited access social order”, enriches a small elite but deprives Strategy. Small farmers could thus become the subjects of a new trajectory

the majority of the people of the minimum conditions of civilized life, in terms of of a faster and more equitable agriculture growth.

food security, safe drinking water, sanitation, quality health care and education.(ii) Inclusive Growth through Equity Stakes for the Poor. The poor can be

Such a social order that induces endemic poverty and economic deprivation can included in the process of investment and economic growth not merely

be a breeding ground for extremism, but cannot be the basis of sustaining through micro enterprises, but can be engaged into the mainstream

democracy. I would propose therefore that the post flood reconstruction corporate sector as well. The idea here is to establish large corporations,

provides an opportunity to initiate the reconstruction of our social order for owned by the poor and managed by professionals, in a number of strategic

Economic Democracy. sectors such as milk and milk products, livestock, telecommunications,

Information technology services, construction and automotive parts The institutional structure for economic democracy would provide production. These corporations could be set up through loans to the poor for opportunities to all of the citizens of Pakistan rather than a few, to have access purchasing equity stakes in these corporations, and the loans could be over productive assets. By bringing the middle classes and the poor into the returned through dividends earned.process of investment there would be a much broader base of investment,

competition, efficiency increase, innovation and thereby a sustained and more (iii) Inclusive Growth through Small Scale Manufacturing Enterprises. The

equitable GDP growth could be achieved. Three policy initiatives could be small scale manufacturing industries require lower capital investment and

considered for initiating a process of sustained economic growth on the basis of generate higher employment per unit of output and also have shorter

economic democracy: gestation periods compared to the large scale manufacturing sector.

Therefore an increased share of investment in this sector could enable both (i) Land for the Tiller: A Small Farmer Based Agriculture Growth Strategy. The a higher GDP growth for given levels of investment as well as higher

government has 2.6 million acres of cultivable state land. It is proposed that employment generation for given levels of growth. At the same time if the this land be distributed amongst current landless tenant farmers, in institutional conditions could be created for enabling small scale industries packages of 5 acres each. This land for the tiller policy would need to be to move into high value added components for both import substitution in backed up by establishing what I have called a Small Farmer Development the domestic market and for exports, Pakistan's balance of payments Corporation (SFDC) which would provide small farmers with facilities for pressures could be eased. The key strategic issue in accelerating the growth land development, access over new agriculture technologies (such as tunnel of SSEs is to enable them to shift to the high value added, high growth end of farming, drip irrigation etc.), provide extension services for developing high the product market. These SSEs include high value added units in light value crops, livestock development and production of milk and milk engineering, automotive parts, moulds, dyes, machine tools and electronics products. The SFDC ought to be owned by small farmers who could buy and computer software.equity in this corporation through government loans, but would be

managed by high quality professionals. These initiatives for Economic Democracy constitute a strategy for higher GDP

growth through equity. The people would thus become both the subjects as well The proposed Land for the Tiller Policy with institutional support of the as the beneficiaries of GDP growth. It would be Economic Democracy because it SFDC would provide small farmers with both the incentive and the ability to would enable growth for the people and by the people. Such an economy could increase agriculture productivity. The small farm sector (farms below 25 become the basis of sustaining Pakistan's political democracy for which the acres) constitutes a substantial part of the agrarian economy and possesses people have struggled so long and for which Mohtarama Shaheed Benazir the greatest potential for productivity increase. Small farms constitute 94 Bhutto gave her life. The best homage to her memory would be to strengthen the percent of the total number of farms and 60 percent of the total farm area. foundations of democracy by giving a stake in the country to the poor.Therefore, the proposed Land for the Tiller Policy could enable a shift from

84

Pakistan's future prosperity hinges on enhanced productivity, What constrains Pakistan's growth? Pakistan's economic growth has been a

strengthened internal markets and innovative, community-led story of boom-bust cycles where foreign investments led to sharp upward

urban development spikes; however, because the resources were not channelled into high-impact

investments, the GDP would plummet to a low equilibrium, where it stayed until An unintended consequence of our policies has been the stifling of internal the next round of foreign injection. The average real GDP growth rate from 1972 markets, cities and communities, which play a critical role in fostering - 2010 is about 5.2 percent. In comparison, China and India had an average real productivity, innovation and entrepreneurship and ultimately promote growth, GDP growth rate of around 9.9 and 6.4 percent, respectively, from 1980 to 2008.prosperity and development. One of the key determinants of growth in conventional planning was the accumulation of capital. Given that markets were not well-developed to direct In the new development framework, private sector should be the growth-driver

savings into productive investments with sustained payoffs, the investment to in open market environment that rewards efficiency, innovation and

GDP ratio in Pakistan remained at a low average of 18 percent between 1960 and entrepreneurship, while the government is facilitator that protects public

2010. The investment to GDP ratio for China and India in the medium-term has interests and rights, provides public goods, enforces laws, punishes exploitative

averaged around 45 and 27 percent, respectively.practices, and operates with transparency and accountability.

This current strategy has led to PSDP being skewed towards brick and mortar

Towards a new development approach Nadeem ul Haque

Nadeem ul Haque presenting his paper

85

projects, where the government is involved in building assets that could have Productivity-led growth: Pakistan's economic history has witnessed many

been furnished by the private sector, more efficiently. The government ended up episodes of high growth but these could not be sustained for longer periods due

occupying land and dedicating it to a single use for many years, which could have to the absence of the software of growth. Productivity takes central place in the

been used for multi-purpose domestic commerce by the private sector. The high New Development Approach (NDA) which is ensured through innovative and

share of civil works in PSDP (almost 50 percent) leaves little space for training entrepreneurial practices. Creative Ideas translate into innovations while,

and retaining human capital in productive and social sectors. Our current entrepreneurship blends innovative ideas and the risk-taking streak to increase

throw-forward (accumulated backlog of approved projects where investment is productivity and in turn enhance the growth of an economy. Innovation and

lagging) is approximately Rs 3 trillion, comprising about 2000 projects and ideas drive growth and not just infrastructure development and investment

schemes, which suffer from cost and time overruns. There exist substantial promotion.

incentives for project initiation and delayed completion.Small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) comprise 85% of entrepreneurial

There is a tremendous need to review Pakistan's development planning process. businesses in Pakistan. They employ approximately 78% of the non-agricultural

The current narrative of growth that focuses on 'my project' and 'my allocation' labor force and contribute over 30% to Pakistan's GDP and 25% of the country's

combined with distortive incentives (subsidies and protectionism) for exports of manufactured goods (S.P. Coy et al. 2007). Pakistan, despite having a

industrialization needs to be shifted to a new narrative that drives us beyond huge market size, has very weak market efficiency indicators, indicating very low

excessive focus on building infrastructure and overly diversified public level of innovation.

investment, and towards the pillars of 'new growth theory' – i.e., towards Despite the low cost of doing business in comparison to the regional economies, productivity (improving returns/yields) of assets and all factors of production Pakistan ranked 103 out of 125 countries in the global innovation index. and efficiency (producing goods and services cost-effectively). Pakistani exports have long suffered due to a lack of product and regional

It is now time to argue that Pakistan stands reasonably sound as regards the diversification. Manufacturing supply chain is skewed towards production and

hardware of growth (physical infrastructure). We now need to reorient our assembly of goods that use imported inputs, intensively. Components of the

narrative towards the software of growth (innovation, entrepreneurship and supply chain, such as: research and development, design, distribution and

markets). marketing, have long been ignored. Reforms for Productivity: First, competitive

markets are the starting point towards sustained economic growth. Free and New Development Approach (NDA): The two key factors that have flexible markets should allow businesses, which have run their course, to exit determined economic growth in the past are external resource inflow and public and be replaced by more efficient firms. Instead of providing incentives and sector projects. The latter used to be mainly financed by the former. In the old subsidies to different sectors, markets should be allowed to determine optimal model, Pakistan has excessively focused on public sector investment and allocation of resources. Second, it is imperative that there are deep reforms, producing labour with low-end technical skills. The NDA should now be based which limit the effectiveness of rent-seeking mechanisms. Third, a sound on endogenous growth, where the quantity of investment should be judicial system that ensures property rights and contract enforcement can go a complemented by efforts to improve the quality of investments – i.e., their long way in sustaining inclusive growth. Fourth, the triple helix system of productivity and efficiency. The private sector must drive economic growth with promoting innovation should require universities, industry and government to timely implementation of market reforms, which should promote collaborate for the promotion of new and marketable ideas. Finally, competitiveness. Pakistani cities presently are configured as suburban clusters entrepreneurship should be incorporated in school curriculums at all levels of instead of as creative cities which are locomotives of growth. education. Institutions having practical facilities for young entrepreneurs need

to be strengthened.It is essential for Pakistan to step up its efforts to produce high-end human

capital. Promoting innovation and entrepreneurship should be the cornerstone Reforming internal markets: Pakistan's growth strategy has traditionally of our government's facilitation to private sector. followed a mercantilist approach with a skewed focus on import substitution

86

and at times export promotion. Our policies have supported this approach Focus on improving transport efficiency, while prioritizing freight transport through high tariff walls for consumer goods imports and by giving subsidies to efficiency considering its role in linking up the entire supply chain network.chosen sectors for export promotion. With our focus on choosing sectors to

promote, be it agriculture or industry, one area has remained ignored Secure legal rights and strengthen regulatory environment for bringing

throughout: domestic commerce. This is despite having a share of over 30% in transparency to property rights and concretizing intellectual property

Pakistan's GDP and employing about 20% of the country's work force (especially, brand names) protection. These promote innovation-led

(Economic Survey of Pakistan, 2009-10). Domestic commerce includes productivity.

wholesale and retail trade, warehousing and transport.

Promote openness and competition, e.g. bringing goods of international quality Desired Reforms for Internal Markets

to consumers will promote innovation. Furthermore, competition in value chain Demand-driven approach for internal markets, starting with consumers and development needs to be promoted. Free entry and exit of participants in the working back to link into supply systems with the producer by improving the market (without special privileges or licenses) as well as a more liberal policy quality and quantity of retail outlets. allows for mobility with greater fairness and competition for wholesalers thus,

Urban management and land use reforms for encouraging the development of encouraging private investment.

mixed use areas, city centers and commercial development. Government land in Creative cities as engines of growth: Cities provide facilities and encourage prime city center areas should be privatized and made available for mega interactions amongst people of various age and ethnic groups. These are the commercial projects.hubs of knowledge, innovation, creativity and institutions. Cities such as Paris,

Taxes, legislation and regulations should not penalize commercial development London and New York have been the birthplace of modernization and inspiring

as is currently the case. Clarity in zoning and building regulations needs to be vision. Creative cities enhance individual and collective productivity through

provided to allow for more and bigger warehouses and cold chain services. the exchange of ideas and easy access to information. Such cities are culturally

rich and offer a range of learning experiences for people to

grow as individuals. Cities that prosper economically have a

mix of three T's; talent, technology and tolerance. Cities not

only have the hardware (e.g., infrastructure) but also

require the software (e.g., talent and technology).

Current state of cities in Pakistan is abysmal. Pakistan's

population has increased rapidly over the last 5 decades

with urban population escalating at a rapid rate of 3

percent.City-dwellers and city administrators do not have

much say in running a city. But, a great deal of involvement

by government agencies is apparent in managerial and

administrative decisions. There is confusion regarding how

the cities are governed and controlled. Lack of availability

of land/space and convoluted commercial laws have

hindered the growth of our cities.

Dr Nadeem ul Haque is the Deputy Chairman, Planning

Commission of PakistanSobia Cheema, Gharida Farooqi and other delegates

87

contribute to political instability.

Farmers will benefit from exchanges on technical know-how. In several crops

such as cotton, wheat, rice, sugarcane as well as fruits and vegetables, India has

made good technical progress whose benefits are easily conveyed across our

long common border provided it is opened up for trade in goods and services.

This will help boost farm productivity and will help in lowering costs of

production for Pakistani manufacturers and make them more competitive A robust India-Pakistan trade relationship will create important pro-Pakistan internationally. Furthermore, rural incomes will rise that will help lower rural lobbies in India (at the moment there are none) that will strengthen poverty and ameliorate political tensions in the rural areas. Pakistan's case in many contentious areas vis-a-vis India. This is similar to pro-

China lobbies in the US consisting of those who benefit from trading with (and Our small manufacturers also have much to gain. They will benefit from

investing in) China, and who strongly and effectively argue China's case in the many potential sub-contracting arrangements with larger Indian

US. manufacturers. This will help them improve the quality of their products and

move up the technological ladder. Our industrial clusters of small India's GDP growth rate at 8 percent is more than twice ours. If this trend manufacturers in Sialkot, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Faisalabad and Hyderabad will continues, in ten years, one percent of GDP spent on defense by India will buy a be the chief beneficiaries of this. They will enjoy the scale advantages of lot more weaponry than 1 percent of our much smaller GDP. A liberalized producing for a much larger South Asia-wide market. economic relationship with India will help boost our GDP growth (see the

economic benefits listed below) and bring it closer to India's thus allowing Some large-scale manufacturers, enjoying monopoly power in the

parity across many dimensions including defence. Pakistani market and subsidized by the government will be adversely affected in

the short run, but the more dynamic ones will become more competitive which The economic benefits are many: will boost Pakistan's exports in the international market. Pakistani consumers will be unequivocally better off. Seasonal price hikes The government will be better off because legalized trade will generate tax will be brought under control via access to a much larger market. Costs of most revenues now lost to smuggling. consumer products will be lowered given the scale advantage of Indian

manufacturers. Consumers will also have access to a larger variety of products. Pakistan's investment climate would get a boost if domestic and foreign

This will help moderate inflation that affects the poor disproportionately and investors can factor in the potential of exporting to the lucrative Indian

market. If we remove our restrictions on trade with India, we will

become partners with many other international players putting

pressure on India to remove the barrier it places on entry into the

Indian market.

Liberalizing trade with India will create up-country points of

economic growth. In time, Lahore will re-emerge as the centre of

commerce and finance serving many cities across the border. A soft

border in Kashmir will create another growth centre in the North-east

heralding an era of peace and prosperity that Kashmiris so badly need.

Peshawar will regain its old eminence as a commercial hub between

Central and Southern Asia. The new income earning opportunities

thus created will be an important factor in countering militancy and

stabilizing restive areas.

Benefits of liberalizing trade with India by an economist

Delegates from Sindh

88

akistan is facing the worst energy crisis of its history which has driven the

country into a modern stone-age. The crisis is intense and multi-layered Pand is having enormous economic, socio-political and strategic

ramifications. The inconvenient truth is that the crisis is a self-infected problem

that has been fostered by bankrupt polices over the last three decades. The

energy challenges, no matter how big they are, can surely be addressed as long as

there is clear intent, right strategy and due commitment on the part of the policy

and decision makers. With pragmatism and resolve the challenges can actually

be converted into opportunities. By running the installed power plants on full

throttle, controlling T&D losses and other system leaks and by employing energy

conservation and management measures the issue of load shedding can be

tackled fairly quickly. For long-term energy prosperity, Pakistan's best hope is

with the indigenous energy resources such as coal, hydropower and renewable

energy. However, to bring any positive change in the national energy scenario,

the fundamental issues such as political interference, nepotism, and financial

and administrative irregularities are absolutely imperative to be addressed.

The Energy Challenges for PakistanThe rampant energy crisis has made life extremely hard for the hapless

Pakistanis. The year 2010 dawned upon them as they faced up to 20 hours of

electricity and gas load-shedding along with frequent disruptions in

transportation fuel. The intense shortfall of electricity - crossing the 6,000MW

mark and recording an over 40% deficit in the demand and supply equation - has

left them struggling even to meet the fundamental needs like lighting, water,

cooking and protection against extreme weather conditions. The resulting

sleepless nights, disfigured daily routines and exacerbated financial conditions

(also depriving over four hundred thousand from their jobs) have made life all

Energy crisis in Pakistan:

Challenges and their solutions

Dr. Muhammad Asif

89

but a set of continuous physical, financial and psychological torture for them. fortunate to have the necessary ingredients – healthy and diverse energy

This is indeed not the reward the conscious citizens deserve in lieu of the taxes resources and capable manpower - required for achieving energy sustainability.

that they pay to the government. In terms of energy resources, the best hopes for Pakistan rest with hydropower,

coal and renewable energy like solar energy and wind power. Meaningful The reason behind the electricity and gas load shedding - gap between the exploitation of these resources can provide sufficient and affordable energy to demand and supply – is only one aspect of the bigger problem. The real problem indigenously meet the national requirements on a long-term basis.is a lot more complicated and intense. There is a whole matrix of issues that have Given the intensity and dimensions of the energy crisis, solutions are required converged to shape up the current crisis as indicated in the Figure 1. The crisis, both on the short-term and medium-to-long basis. A set of appropriate solutions from its early days, has come down very hard and has been inflicting enormous to tackle the problem in a robust and cost effective manner is given as followings. economical, socio-political and strategic implications. The socio-economic

Short term solutionsramifications of the problem, for example, can be gauged from the · The first and most important thing to do is to have the right people in the

right place- energy offices must be run by qualified, competent and

dedicated professionals and specialists. All key appointments must be made

on merit rather on personal likes and dislikes.· The existing power generation capacity needs to be fully capitalized. The

current crisis has largely exacerbated by underutilization of thermal power

plants. Estimates suggest that during the summers of 2008 and 2009

thermal power plants underperformed by over 4,000MW making the

electricity shortfall acute. Only by having the installed thermal power plants

run on full throttle, the current deficit could be lessened by over 70%. · The circular debt that has greatly skewed the financial capability of thermal

power plants to run on full throttle needs to be sorted out. Unless this

problem is addressed, the existing power plants would find hard to operate

on full throttle.· More than 3,000MW of power generation can be added by revamping

WAPDA's old thermal power plants such as Shahdara, Faisalabad, Multan,

Jamshoro and Guddu power stations. · The losses in the power sector are required to be curtailed. System losses

that ideally should be 6-7% are nearly 23% in WAPDA and over 40% in

KESC. In some of WAPDA's controlled areas the losses are also over 35%. A

major chunk of these losses come from electricity thefts that can be

relatively easily controlled. Around 1,500-2,500MW of electricity can be

additionally made available by controlling thefts that occur through kunda

culture, meter tempering and other forms of illegal connections. · Over 20% of the national energy can be saved by implementing meaningful

energy conservation and management program. Existing energy

consumption practices are extremely inefficient.Solutions to Energy Challenges · Public consoling and education is extremely important to address the Despite the current dismal state of the energy sector, there are some valid energy crisis in a robust manner, especially in terms of making the energy grounds to be optimistic about the energy future of Pakistan. The country is

official

reports that suggest that over 400,000 industrial workers have lost their jobs

and the industrial sector is facing an annual monetary loss of over Rs240bn.

These figures only give a wee reflection of the true scale of the destructive impact

of the crisis.

Economic implications

Social implications

Threats to national security

Load-shedding

Unaffordableenergy prices

Growing dependence on imports

Energy insecurity

Energy crisis in Pakistan

Figure 1: Key dimensions and implications of the energy crisis

90

conservation programs effective and overcoming the issue of violent protests management.

against raging load-shedding. In this respect, the policy and decision Concluding remarksmakers have to lead by example. To live the present and dream the future, the past has to be healed - the distorted

policies that have led the energy sector to this crisis need to be rectified. The Medium-to-long term solutions· Coal is one of the most promising candidates that can substantially help concerned policy and decision makers must exhibit pragmatism and

Pakistan overcome its energy challenges. The fact that coal accounts for less professionalism. The traditional tactic of shying away from the real issues and

than 1% of the total electricity generation implies that coal reserves in the presenting non-issues as issues has to be abandoned. To head to a sustainable

country are virtually untapped. Coal can offer huge strategic and economic energy future it is imperative to do the housekeeping first. As Albert Einstein

benefits to Pakistan. It can not only help the country meet its electricity and once famously said, we cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we

gas needs with ease but can also make a considerable contribution towards used when we created them; the attitude needs to be corrected in first place in

meeting its oil requirements. By providing large amount of indigenous and order to make the efforts of addressing the energy problems effective. It is

cheap energy, it would improve the energy security of the country. imperative to have a stringent check and balance system in place. In order to · Hydropower is one of the most important sources of energy for Pakistan. It prevent the relevant authorities from toying with the energy sector any more, the

is by far the most economical source of electricity. According to WAPDA way they have been doing thus far, it is essential to establish the deterrent of statistics the average annual electricity production cost from hydropower is meaningful accountability. Irrespective of how influential one is in the system, less than 8% of that from thermal power. Despite such a distinctive financial he/she must be answerable for his/her actions in order to minimize possibilities edge over other forms of electricity sources, Pakistan has done a great of misconduct. The higher the office the greater must be the degree of injustice with this vital resource - only 15 % of the available potential accountability. A culture of honesty, discipline and commitment needs to be resource has been exploited so far. As a matter of fact, there are at least 7 firmly established.potential hydropower projects with capacity in multi-giggawatts (GW). It is

Dr. Muhammad Asif is a Lecturer at Glasgow Caledonian University.absolutely crucial for the country to strengthen its hydropower base by

building a number of large as well as small dams without any further

delay. · Pakistan also needs to tap its rich renewable energy resources such as

solar energy, wind power and biomass in order to generate abundant,

environmentally friendly and cheap energy.· Reliance on imports of energy systems is another costly affair that

needs to be addressed. Presently, in the absence of a local relevant

technological base all types of energy systems i.e. thermal power

plants, nuclear power plants or hydropower facilities have to be

largely imported. In the case of renewable energy technologies the

state of affairs is further unsatisfactory. · Pakistan also lacks in terms of qualified human resource. To ensure a

sustainable energy future, a strong human resource base is

imperative. Universities have a great role to play producing competent

and qualified engineers and professionals with expertise in a diverse

range of energy areas. They should produce experts in the areas of

both conventional and non-conventional energy systems, energy

policy, energy security, energy trading, and energy conservation and Representatives of foreign embassies and journalists

91

o Abraham Lincoln democracy meant “government of the people for the

people and by the people”. When he said “by the people” he really meant Tthe institutions of governance that were elected or set up by the people.

All modern democracies, as well as our own Constitution, conceptualize

democratic governance 'for the people by the people and of the people' by

envisaging a system of governance based on the separation of powers between

three institutions of the State; the Legislature, the Executive and the Judiciary.

The United Nations Economic & Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific

defines “governance” as the process of decision making and the process by which

decisions are either implemented or not implemented. According to the United

Nations' report, good governance has eight major characteristics.

It is participatory, consensus oriented, accountable, transparent, responsive,

effective and efficient, equitable and inclusive and follows the rule of law. It

assures that corruption is minimized, the views of minorities are taken into

account and that the voices of the most vulnerable members of society are heard

in decision-making. It is also responsive to the present and future needs of

society.

Since the State resources are limited, good governance axiomatically involves development and marginalizes them, making those sections feel excluded from

the equitable prioritization and distribution of resources. In a system of bad the mainstream of national development and society. In a government of the

governance, the ruling elite appropriates for itself an undue share of the people for the people and by the people, good governance must be tested on the

resources of the State. This misappropriation may take the form of outright touchstone of accountability so that the people can exercise their right of

corruption, bribery and nepotism in the awarding of public contracts or more franchise based on the performance of their elected representatives. This creates

subversively, through the domination of powerful actors with vested interests. political accountability, but comprehensive accountability goes much farther. It

Such decision making denies to the most vulnerable sections a stake in national

The imperatives of governance and accountability

Tariq Mehmood

92

is tied to the Rule of law and the principle that no one is above the law. Public the decision making process is not secretive but open and that decisions are

officials and representatives act as trustees in a government by the people and as made on the basis of known rules and regulations. It includes the grant of access

such are answerable not only politically but to the law. Often the judicial element to information to propel robust, informed and intelligent debate before

has been so intertwined with the political element that the whole process of decisions are taken or implemented. .Experience has shown that corruption is

accountability has lost credibility. On the one hand it is argued that directly proportionate to the lack of transparency and that the strength of

accountability is a garb for political victimization and conversely it is canvassed democracy turns on the level of trust that citizens have in the decision making

that the failure to bring errant public officials and representatives to justice process. Transparency fosters and promotes civic engagement and encourages

weakens the very fabric of democratic processes. It is, therefore, imperative that all State and non-State actors to participate in the process of governance.

the accountability institutions should be independent, credible, competent and If Pakistan is to move towards a democracy based on the rule of law it must build separate from the legislative and executive branches of government.and nurture, without delay, independent institutions of accountability. The

Linked to the concept of accountability is the notion of transparency. It is executive functionaries must strictly adhere to the public procurement rules and

perhaps for this reason that Article 19-A of the Constitution enshrines the regulations and governance should be open, transparent, participatory and

fundamental right to information. Every citizen has the right to have access to inclusive and that the process of decision making should be open to public

information in all matters of public importance subject to regulations and scrutiny.

reasonable instructions imposed by law. Transparency essentially means that

M Ziauddin, Nadeem-ul-Haque and G N Mughal

93

Introduction also be a key site for disseminating the values of There is no dearth of ideas, innovations, and pluralism and tolerance. As matters stand, this is models of good schooling in Pakistan. Yet, there certainly not the case. From textbooks to teacher is insufficient recognition of education as an training there is no coherent strategy to help issue of our national survival as a democratic pursue this objective. The crisis of quality state. The inadequate involvement of genuine education is borne out by the evidence, however political institutions in matters related to scarce, on student achievement accumulated by educational reform continues to impede the the National Education Assessment System much needed progress in education reforms. (NEAS) that conducts tests across the country Article 25-A of the recently introduced 18th for Class 4 and 8 on a sample basis, and the constitutional amendment declares, “Education Punjab Examination Commission (PEe) that free and compulsory for all children of the age of conducts tests for the province. Results show 5-16 years.” It is now a fundamental right. that the majority of school-going children are Pakistan is also a signatory to the UN performing well below their expected grade Millennium Declaration which aims at universal level. It should be kept in mind that the PEC test primary education. And the latest education results include students of many private schools policy seeks to universalize elementary as well.education. However, according to the State Bank

Over the last decade and a half private schools of Pakistan Annual Report 2009, the literacy have grown rapidly and over 30% of school-rate is 57% (as compared 56% the previous year). going children in the country now go to private Further aggravating the situation are provincial, schools. While there may be some merit in the gender-wise as well as rural-urban disparities in claim of those who contend that private school literacy. performance is somewhat better than those of

The Education Crisis public sector schools, the problem of delivering Pakistan's education is in a state of crisis which education, conforming to minimum standards, can be seen as unfolding in terms of the on scale, is not one that the private sector interrelated dimensions of access and quality: appears to be resolving. The 2009 LEAPS The crisis of access entails that a large number of report, among other research supports the view children of school-going age, between 25-30%, that students in private sector schools perform remain out of school. As if this was not bad better than their counterparts in public sector enough, more than 30% of those who do go to schools. However, it concedes that rote learning school do not complete grade 5, in other words is 'rife' in private schools. Possibly, they look drop out before finishing the primary cycle. better than they are simply because government

schools establish such a low baseline for quality. The crisis of quality entails that there is little

evidence that those who are retained by our The private school market has its limits too. The school system acquire the knowledge and skills LEAPS report, for instance, admits to the needed to become productive citizens in a difficulty of attracting the private sector to large rapidly globalizing economy. The school should

The state of education and the futureSociety for the Advancement of Education (SAHE)

Campaign for Quality Education (CQE)

94

Abbas Rasheed presenting the SAHE, CQE paper

regions of the country such as Balochistan, rural Sindh and southern Punjab graduate. It is instructive to note that improving the situation at the crucial

characterized by a.high incidence of poverty. Another recent report prepared by college level was not a part of the mandate of the much debated Higher

the Pakistan Education Task Force, while lauding the performance of the private Education Commission (HEC). Over the last few years there have been a number

sector, notes that the 'vast majority of school places across Pakistan will remain of the usual donor-funded interventions to support teachers through training

in the traditional public schools for the foreseeable future.' Dianne Ravitch, a programs. But again, a number of studies show that training has made little

widely respected US educationist, recently attributed a shift in her views to difference to student outcomes. Often the focus of the training has been more on

strong support for a key public sector role in US school education to lessons pedagogy rather than content, which is as much, if not a greater requirement.

learnt from Pakistan's school education experience. Since the training is tied to a project mode, it simply cannot meet the imperatives

of continuous professional development. Even in the rare cases where the When we talk of the 'crisis of education,' we often lose sight of the fact that this is teacher gains significantly from the training, the school setting s/he returns to is indeed a national security crisis far greater in proportion and consequence than often one in which there is a comprehensive lack of alignment between what any external threat that we are faced with. The meagre efforts to reform s/he may have learnt and the demands of the curriculum and testing system. education are by themselves evidence enough that we do not appreciate the Meanwhile, recent reform efforts have focused on creating fouryear teacher grave implications of keeping children of school-going age out of school. And, of education programs to be delivered through professional colleges of teacher not imparting education conforming even to minimum standards to those who training. What we should be offering, instead, are additional courses in do go to school. pedagogy in general college education, which is the norm in rather than the

exception. Locating Failure

Inadequate Contextualization of Educational Reform Solutions A Lack of Systemic Perspective Let us now turn our attention to the issue of international support for the work of The reasons for the low level of enrolment as well as low levels of achievement of fixing education in Pakistan. We must recognize that the international donor those enrolled and retained can be many. But they are all systemic. That is, it is input into education in the last two decades or so, no matter how well not just one part of the system that fails, but that the system fails our children as intentioned and significant in terms of its size, has not helped Pakistan move a whole. For example, the financial systems fail to spend the meagre funds even marginally toward the goal of achieving 'quality education for all'. This is already allocated for education. Those who keep calling for more funds fail to see not to take a position against donors input, but to highlight that educational the fact that increments in budgets alone will not resolve educational issues. Or reform is, and ought to be, primarily the concern of the government and people for example, those educators who focus on teacher education alone often find of Pakistan. If our institutions are not prepared adequately to absorb donor that even after multiple rounds of trainings, the quality of teaching in the input, the much touted educational reform will be, and has been in the past, classrooms largely remains of a very low quality. These educators, while well rendered nothing more than a set of what some scholars of comparative intentioned in their emphasis on teacher education, fail to see that the positive education now term as 'travelling reforms.' Travelling reforms are ideas that effects of teacher professional development depend on an enabling travel with fiscal support in education. The World Bank, for example, does not environment, which is not produced by professional development per se. So, it is just support education projects with money, it also lends ideas. These ideas have not just the infrastructure, or the teacher, or curriculum, or assessment, or their origin in contexts which are quite different from the local realities for which anyone aspect of the educational process that needs attention. It is the overall they are intended as part of the reform packages. functioning of the system and the coordination between its parts that must be

fixed for educational reforms to succeed. Consider as an example the case of decentralized school management by the

entities that have come to be known as School Management Committees For instance, we may have numerous teacher training programs, but they (SMCs). Today, nearly every public sector school in Pakistan has some form of cannot remedy the content knowledge deficit amongst teachers that exists due school management committee associated with it, though they are largely to the sad state of our universities and even more so of colleges from where they

95

proven to be ineffective formal mechanisms. The purpose behind the concept of In thinking about large scale educational reform the trouble is not that we do not

SMCs is simple-let the representatives of the communities served by the schools have a supply of good interventions. The Pakistani educational system may be a

manage the schools. The assumption behind the concept is that such potpourri of good interventions but constantly shows the potential of becoming

participation will improve the lot of schools, and as a consequence more children a morass at a macroscopic level. Why, one may ask, when we have so many good

will be enrolled and retained. Sounds good, but in practice, as we can infer from ideas in circulation and so many small scale interventions that appear to be

our falling position on nearly all educational indices, the concept and doing quite well, do we continue to remain at the bottom of the scale in terms of

assumptions behind it have not stood ground. SMCs are an exemplar of what we providing better education to a majority of our children?

have referred above as a 'travelling reform.' All travelling reforms that travel There are scores of individuals and organizations outside of the formal system of with donor funds are not necessarily good or bad. However, their potential education who have developed some really effective solutions in education. In efficacy needs to be determined through an informed analysis. Between donors, fact, some recent case studies have found that islands of success exist in nearly the government, and civil society organizations this critical work seems to have all forms of schooling (foundations, NGOs, low-cost for-profit private schools) fallen through the cracks. This has resulted in a bandwagon policy in which the now available to Pakistani children, including of course, the public sector choices about reform alternatives are inadequately contextualized. schools. These models are quite successful within the context in which they have

The Trouble with Up-scaling Small-scale Achievements been developed. However, there is a need to recognize that buck stops here.

The audience

96

There is a tendency to perceive the models successful in one context as Radio and TV have to be innovatively used to that end. This can help

potentially successful everywhere and as a solution to the problem of providing reduce the yawning population-education gap and has significant

quality education to all children. As a result, we have been unable to maximize implications for out-of-school children at the primary level and in the

the benefits and take to scale the lessons learnt from successful schools and context of early childhood development. The extensive use of the media

interventions. may be seen as an interim strategy to increase access to education while

the number and quality of traditional schools gets under way over the Absence of Information Where it is Most Needed medium and long term. The history of reforms suggests that freedom of information plays a central role vi. Not least there is the issue of the language of instruction. The emphasis in any social reform including education. However, we have not yet taken this on English is well taken. It is the global lingua franca. But what cannot aspect of reforms seriously. For the most part, we cannot recall from the history be ignored is the evidence of extensive research in different parts of the of educational reforms in Pakistan any evidence-based analysis of the policies world that identifies the mother tongue or first language as a 'cognitive and commissions put in place to reform education. We cannot move on from one resource,' rather than simply one language among many. Along with reform to the other without an evidence-based debate on why the earlier reforms other subjects, our students stand to learn English better in the later failed. years, if early schooling aids their cognition through the use of their

mother tongue. As a first step perhaps the mother tongue can be The Way Forward introduced as a subject at the initial stages of the primary level in all i. If we want better teaching in the classroom, we have to address the issue provinces.of subject knowledge deficit among teachers and not focus exclusively

on pedagogical methods by way of teacher training. As such, it should Note: This document is meant to serve as a point of departure for further

be college education that is the focus of reform. analysis and debate and not as a definitive prescription. It was prepared by ii. At the school level, continuous teacher professional development Abbas Rashid, Irfan Muzaffar and Ayesha Awan for SAHE/CQE. For further should be the task of well-resourced high schools serving as Cluster details please visit www.cqe.net.pk.Resource Centres (CRS) for primary and middle schools within a given

radius. In Punjab, for instance, the idea of Centres of Excellence can be References taken a step forward and the chosen high schools given the role of the 1. Andrabi, T., Das, J., Khwaja, A 1., Vishwanath, T., & Zajonc, T. (2007). Learning and

Educational Achievements in Punjab Schools (LEAPS): Insights to Inform the CRS. Policy Debate. Washington, DC: World Bank. iii. Public expenditure on education in Pakistan has been 2% of GDP or less

2. Barber, M. (2010). Education Reform in Pakistan: This Time its Going to be over the last few years. This is close to the lowest in South Asia and half Different. Islamabad: Pakistan Education Task Force.

the minimum of 4% of GDP recommended by UNESCO. While the 3. Campaign for Quality Education (CQE). (2007). Education in Pakistan: What

deficit in terms of governance and management of public sector Works & Why. Lahore: CQE. education is equally important more funds must be allocateQ to 4. Coleman, H. (2010). Teaching and Learning in Pakistan: The Role of Language in

Education. Islamabad: British Council. education in a timely manner. 5. Rashid, A, & Awan, A (2007). Pakistan Education Crisis. South Asian Journal, iv. While the average salary in public sector schools is far higher than in

NO.17. private sector schools, the system provides few incentives for 6. Ravitch, D. (2010). The Death and Life of the Great American School System: How

outstanding performance and virtually no accountability for a dismal Testing and Choice Are Undermining Education. New York: Basic Books.

one. Both “aspects will have to be simultaneously addressed if we are to 7. State Bank of Pakistan. (2010). Annual Report 2009-2010. Islamabad: GoP.

break through the cycle of failure. On both counts, political will stands

out as being critical.v. Pakistan must focus on a serious attempt at quality and aGcessible

distance education, as opposed to what the current set up is delivering.

97

he sole purpose of a review of media designed to control, manipulate and harass

laws in Pakistan must be to purge media institutions and personnel attract Tthem of any unreasonable restriction censure for lack of parliamentary sanction

on the right to freedom of expression. behind them. The Pakistan Electronic Media

Regulatory Authority Ordinance, 2002; the The exercise needs to be carried out on three Freedom of Information Ordinance, 2002; planes. The Press, Newspapers, News Agencies and I. First, it is essential to bury the colonial- Books Registration Ordinance, 2002; The

authoritarian legacy of monopolizing / Press Council Ordinance, 2002; and the hegemonising key media services. This Defamation Ordinance, 2002 all of these calls for: measures derive their sanction from the will

1. Amending the Pakistan Broadcasting of an extra-constitutional ruler. They have Corporation Ordinance with a view to never been debated by any elected freeing it of the domination of the representatives, nor has the regime paid any officials of the Ministry of Information. heed to the media-people's protests against Official control of the national radio these oppressive regulations.service, still perhaps the medium that

reaches the largest number of the The Pakistan Electronic Media people, offends against the right to Regulatory Authority Ordinance, freedom of expression and information. 2002

2. For the same reason as stated above the Before anything else, the Pakistan

Pakistan TV Corporation Ordinance Electronic Media Regulatory Authority

must be amended and the organization (Amendment) Ordinance of Nov 3, 2007,

freed of official stranglehold. must be wholly repealed because it places an

3. The Associated Press of Pakistan should unconstitutional bar to criticism of the state

either be restored to the users' trust organs, restricts live coverage of events, and

from whom it was arbitrarily seized vide grants the Pemra powers to impose

the APP Take-over Ordinance of 1961 or unreasonable curbs on the media.

the Associated Press of Pakistan The other changes recommended are:Corporation Ordinance of 2002 should 1. Section 5 should be amended to cancel be amended so that the corporation

the federal government's power to issue becomes an independent news service, directives to Pemra that it must comply run and managed by experts and public with.representatives. Any flow of funds to the

2. Sec 6 should be amended to a) provide corporation should be regulated by for the appointment of the Pemra parliament.C h a i r m a n b y a p a r l i a m e n t a r y

committee comprising the ruling party II. Media control lawsand opposition members, and b) All the principal media laws, quite blatantly

Amending media laws I. A. Rehman

98

he sole purpose of a review of media designed to control, manipulate and harass

laws in Pakistan must be to purge media institutions and personnel attract Tthem of any unreasonable restriction censure for lack of parliamentary sanction

on the right to freedom of expression. behind them. The Pakistan Electronic Media

Regulatory Authority Ordinance, 2002; the The exercise needs to be carried out on three Freedom of Information Ordinance, 2002; planes. The Press, Newspapers, News Agencies and I. First, it is essential to bury the colonial- Books Registration Ordinance, 2002; The

authoritarian legacy of monopolizing / Press Council Ordinance, 2002; and the hegemonising key media services. This Defamation Ordinance, 2002 all of these calls for: measures derive their sanction from the will

1. Amending the Pakistan Broadcasting of an extra-constitutional ruler. They have Corporation Ordinance with a view to never been debated by any elected freeing it of the domination of the representatives, nor has the regime paid any officials of the Ministry of Information. heed to the media-people's protests against Official control of the national radio these oppressive regulations.service, still perhaps the medium that

reaches the largest number of the The Pakistan Electronic Media people, offends against the right to Regulatory Authority Ordinance, freedom of expression and information. 2002

2. For the same reason as stated above the Before anything else, the Pakistan

Pakistan TV Corporation Ordinance Electronic Media Regulatory Authority

must be amended and the organization (Amendment) Ordinance of Nov 3, 2007,

freed of official stranglehold. must be wholly repealed because it places an

3. The Associated Press of Pakistan should unconstitutional bar to criticism of the state

either be restored to the users' trust organs, restricts live coverage of events, and

from whom it was arbitrarily seized vide grants the Pemra powers to impose

the APP Take-over Ordinance of 1961 or unreasonable curbs on the media.

the Associated Press of Pakistan The other changes recommended are:Corporation Ordinance of 2002 should 1. Section 5 should be amended to cancel be amended so that the corporation

the federal government's power to issue becomes an independent news service, directives to Pemra that it must comply run and managed by experts and public with.representatives. Any flow of funds to the

2. Sec 6 should be amended to a) provide corporation should be regulated by for the appointment of the Pemra parliament.C h a i r m a n b y a p a r l i a m e n t a r y

committee comprising the ruling party II. Media control lawsand opposition members, and b) All the principal media laws, quite blatantly

Amending media laws I. A. Rehman

98

provide for non-official majority among the Authority's members. Some of the deficiencies of the measure are:The right to know as defined in international human rights instruments and also 3. Sec 12 needs to be amended to exempt the Authority's Chairman and guaranteed by the constitution of Pakistan is not recognized. The category of members from being deemed public servants.information that can be accessed is small and that of exempted information is 4. Sec 14 should be amended to provide for the initial funding to Pemra to abnormally large. The exemptions cannot be challenged. The law does not come from Parliament.provide for expeditious satisfaction of requests for information. The appeal 5. Sec 20 needs to be amended to remove conditions of licence liable to procedure is both flawed and inadequate. There is no protection for subjective interpretation.whistleblowers.6. Sec 27 should be amended to curtail Pemra powers to restrict telecasts

unreasonably.The following changes in the ordinance are necessary:

7. Sec 29-B needs to be amended to eliminate possibilities of arbitrary seizure i. The preamble: The people's right to know must be mentioned in the of equipment. preamble and the title of the law may be changed to Right to Information

8. Sec 29-C should be changed to reduce the amount of fines. Act.9. Sec 30 needs to be radically changed to eliminate chances of arbitrary award 2(a)The definition of “public body” in 2(h) should be expanded to include

of penalties. nationalized industries and public corporations, non-departmental bodies

or quangos (quasi non-governmental organizations), and private bodies The Freedom of Information Ordinance 2002

that carry out public functions.Ever since its promulgation in 2002 this ordinance has been assailed on the (b) The Federal Government should consider extending the scope of the ground that it does not meet the internationally accepted criteria for an FOI law,

Ordinance to provincial public bodies.which are(c) Section 7 should be deleted, the definition of record in Section 2(i) should be :

1. A freedom of information law should provide for maximum disclosure. amended in accordance with the above, and individuals should be given the

2. Public bodies must be obliged to publish key information. right to access all records held by public bodies. The process leading to final

3. Exceptions should be clearly and narrowly drawn and subject to strict orders must be included in public record.

“harm” and “public interest” tests. 3. Section 3(1) should be amended to delete the reference to sec 15.

4. Public bodies must actively promote open government. 4. Section 5 should be amended to require public bodies to publish a larger

5. Requests for information should be processed rapidly and fairly and variety of information, such as:

refusals should be appealable to independent tribunals. · information about how a public body functions, audited accounts,

6. Fees for disclosure should not be high as this will discourage the seekers of standards, achievements and so on;

information. · information on any requests, complaints or other direct actions which

7. Laws that are inconsistent with the principle of maximum disclosure should members of the public may take in relation to the public body;

be suitably amended or repealed. · guidance on processes by which members of the public may provide input

8. Individuals who release information on wrongdoing (whistleblowers) must into major policy or legislative proposals;

be protected. · the types of information which the body holds and the form in which this

9. The right to access record / information in the possession of public bodies / information is held; and

authorities should be acknowledged. · the content of any decision or policy affecting the public, along with reasons

10. The grounds on which information may be exempted from disclosure for the decision and background material of importance in framing the

should be reduced to the minimum. Even exempted information should be decision.

disclosed if public interest demands it. 5. (a) Section 8 should be amended so that there are no exclusions and all

exemptions are subject to a harm test.

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(b) Overlapping exceptions, such as sections 8(d), 8(g), and 17 regarding Registration (Amendment) Ordinance (Ordinance LXIV of 2007) of November

personal information, should be eliminated. 3, 2007, must be withdrawn, because the sec 5-A added to the Ordinance is an

(c) Sections 8(c), (f) and (i) should be repealed altogether. unacceptable attack on freedom of expression, the proviso to sec 19 gives

6. Section 10 and 11 should be amended to specify clearly the duties of the sweeping powers to DCOs/DCs to close down newspapers, and the amendment

designated official. to sec 44 is violative of provincial rights.

7. Section 12 should be amended so that all persons present in Pakistan benefit The following changes should be made in the ordinance of 2002.from the rights recognized by the Ordinance. The fee should be reasonable 1. Sec 2 (a) The words after section 6 (and authenticated or deemed to have

and the costs for personal and public interest requests must be minimal.been authenticated under sec 10) should be deleted.

8. Section 13 should be amended to state that notification of a refused 2. Sec 2 (q) [about page in-charge] may be deleted.

application must be accompanied by substantive written reasons, including 3. Sec 2 (v) may be replaced with the following “unauthorized press” means

the specific provision of the Ordinance under which the application has any press other than a press registered with the government.”

been rejected.4. Sec 2 (w) may the replaced with the following.

9. Section 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18 create an extraordinarily large area of (w) “Unauthorised news agency” means any news agency in respect of

exemptions which are couched in extremely general terms. While some which a declaration under section 6 has not been made and which is not, for

exemptions can be defended in public interest most others cannot be the time being, registered with the “Press Registrar”.

justified. International opinion has finalized concepts for exemptions, 5. Sec 4 may be replaced with the following:

which Pakistan need not ignore.4. (1) For printing publications, papers, books, printing press shall get

10. Section 19: Recourse to Mohtasib has been limited. He can be approached registered with the Press Registrar.

only if the designated official declines to give information on the ground that (2) Every “declaration” shall be considered as having been made if the same

the applicant is not entitled to receive that information. The condition

of entitlement is unjustified.

The creation of another forum, the head of the department, before an

aggrieved applicant can go to the Mohtasib is unnecessary. It will

cause delays and may frustrate the purpose before the applicant. No

time-frame has been mentioned for disposal of matters by the

ombudsman.

11. Section 20: Destruction of record in an unauthorized manner before

and after a complaint has been filed / disposed of should also be an

offence.

12. Section 22: Instead of the term 'in pursuance' the expression 'in

providing information to the public' should be used.

13. Section 23: The original draft of the 1997 ordinance provided that the

right to information law would override all other laws. This feature

has been dropped and this abridges the right to information.

The Press, Newspapers, News Agencies and Books Registration

Ordinance 2002

To begin with, the Press, Newspapers, News Agencies and Books Journalists Mujahid Barelvi, Waqar Gilani, Tariq Chaudhary and

Ahmad Waleed and other delegates

100

has been registered with the Registrar. authorizing such person to make and subscribe such declaration;

(3) The Press Registrar shall refuse to register a press if he / she it satisfied (iv) The declaration of news agency shall contain languages of

that: dissemination of news;

(a) The title of the printing press proposed to be kept or operated is the same (v) Submission of declaration shall be necessary before the publication of

as the title of any printing press already being operated at any place in the newspaper or dissemination of news by and news agency.

same province; 8. Section 8 (1)

(b) The printer was convicted of an offence involving moral turpitude The words 'District Coordination Officer' may be replaced with the Press

within two years before the date of his making the declaration; Registrar.

(4) The Press Registrar shall not pass an order under sub-section 3 without 9. Section 8 (2) may be omitted.

giving to the person, making the declaration, through a notice in writing an 10. Section 8 (3) may be deleted.

opportunity of being heard; 11. Section 9 the words 'District Coordination Officer' may be replaced with 'the

(5) In case the Press Registrar fails to register Press under sub-section (b) or Press Registrar.'

pass an order under sub-section (3) within a period of 15 days, the 12. Sec 10 (Authentication of the declaration) may be deleted.

declaration made by the printer shall be deemed to have been registered on 13. Sec 11 (4) and 11(5) may be deleted.

the expiry of the aforesaid period; 14. Sec 13 may be deleted.

(6) As often as the place where a printing press is kept is changed, the keeper 15. Sec 14 (2) may be deleted.

of the press shall, within fourteen days of such changes, inform the Press 16. Sec 16. The words 'the District Coordination Officer' may be replaced with

Registrar in writing of the change along with the new location. the 'Press registrar'.

6. Section 5 may be replaced with the following: 17. Sec 18 (1) The words 'The District Coordination Officer' may be replaced

5. Publication of newspapers: with 'the Press Registrar' and section 18 (2) may be deleted.

No newspaper shall be published except in conformity with the provisions 18. Section 19 may be deleted.

of this Ordinance and without prejudice to the provisions of section 3; every 19. Section 20 may be deleted.

copy of every such newspaper shall contain the name of the owner / 20. Section 21 may be replaced with the following.

publisher and editor thereof printed clearly on such copy along with the date Two copies of books printed and published shall be delivered gratis to

of its publication. Similarly, no news agency shall disseminate or defuse “Press Registrar” within one month of the date of publication.

news except in conformity with the provisions of this ordinance. 21. Section 24 may be replaced with the following:

7. Section 6 may be replaced with the following: Two copies of the newspapers shall be delivered gratis to the Press Registrar

6. Declaration of the publisher, printer and news agency: at such place as the Registrar may direct as soon as it is published.

(i) The publisher and printer of every newspaper or an owner of news 22. Section 25 may be replaced with the following:

agency shall appear in person or by agent authorized in this behalf before Penalty for contravention of section 3:

the Press Registrar or his subordinate nominee and shall make a declaration Whoever prints or publishes any book or paper or disseminates news in

in prescribed form who shall issue a receipt for the same and issue the contravention of the provisions of section (3) or publishes any paper that is

registration certificate along with the registration member; already registered with the Registrar shall be punishable with fine not

(ii) Every declaration shall specify the title of the newspaper, the language exceeding, twenty thousand rupees or with simple imprisonment for a term

in which it is to be published, and the periodicity of its publication and shall not exceeding six months or with both.

contain such other particulars as may be prescribed; 23. Section 26 may be replaced with the following:

(iii) Where the printer or publisher of a newspaper making a declaration is Printing of any publication, newspaper, book, without registration with the

not the owner thereof, the declaration shall specify the name of the owner Press Registrar or prints any paper already registered shall be punishable

and shall also be accompanied by an authority in writing from the owner with fine not exceeding five thousand rupees.

101

24. Section 27 may be replaces with the following: under Section (21) , he/she shall be punishable with fine not exceeding one

Any person who shall, in making a Declaration for registration make a thousand rupees.

statement which is false shall be punishable with fine not exceeding five 32. If any publisher of newspaper fails to supply two copies gratis to the

thousand rupees only. Press Registrar or the person authorized by him/her will be liable to fine of

25. Section 28 may be deleted. rupees one thousand only for each such default.

26. For sections 29, 30, 31, 32 and 33 the following may be substituted: 33. Any sum payable under section 31 and 32 may be recovered by the Press

29. If any person who has ceased to be a publisher or printer of any Registrar or his successor in office.

newspaper fails to get registration with the “Press Registrar” in compliance 27. Section 34 may be omitted.

with Section (16), he / she shall be punishable with a fine not exceeding 28. Sections 35 and 36 may be replaced with the following:

rupees five thousand. 35. Only such person by whose willful intention any material found

30. Dissemination, display, sale, distribution of unauthorized publication, unauthorized under this act shall be liable for the penalty.

news agency shall be punishable with fine not exceeding five thousand 36. No court inferior to the District Judge shall take cognizance of or try an

rupees. offence punishable under this Ordinance except on a complaint made in

31. If any publisher or printer fails to deliver copies of books as required writing by the “Press Registrar” or the Government or by officer so

Huma Ahmad, Kiran Hasan, Waqar Mustafa, Waqar Gilani, Jalees Hazir and Shamim Shahid and other delegates

102

authorized in this behalf, or by an aggrieved person. shall contest an office of the professional bodies;

29. Section 42 may be deleted. (iv) Vice Chairman Pakistan Bar Council;

(v) Chairperson or nominee of the Higher Education Commission;

The Press Council Ordinance 2002 (vi) One member nominated by the Leader of the House in the National While there is considerable support in Pakistan for a democratic Press Council Assembly;to deal with complaints against the media, this ordinance has been criticized on (vii) One member by the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly;the following grounds: (viii) One mass media educationist to be nominated by the Council;

(ix) One woman member to be nominated by the National Commission on The President will appoint the Council Chairman, the federal government will

the Status of Women in Pakistan;appoint the first Registrar, all members of the Council / its commissions are to

(x) One member nominated by Human Rights Commission of Pakistan;be deemed to be public servants, and the funds will be provided by the federal

(xi) Two members from among the minorities' members, nominated by the government. All this means the Council is not a voluntary association of the

Speaker of National Assembly and Chairman of the Senate from among the press corps but a government-dominated body. The press owners /

minorities' members;managements have more say than they can fairly justify. While the Council may

(xii) Two women Senators nominated by the Leader of the House and receive a complaint against a government / organizations (including political

Leader of the Opposition in the Senate.parties) it is not clear whether it can provide any relief (remedy). Working

(b) The members of the Council, excluding the Chairman, shall not be journalists will be excluded from the work of commissions. The council's power

entitled to any salary and shall function in honorary capacity, except out of to recommend suspension of a paper and cancellation of its declaration cannot

pocket allowances and privileges as may be prescribed.be defended.

2. Sec 7 (3). the following may be added to the clause: “and shall not accept an

office for two years in the service of Pakistan, after retiring from the The following changes are recommended:Council.”1. Sec 6 (composition of the Council) may be replaced with the following:

3. Sec 9 (1). The following proviso may be added:6. Composition of the Council:Provided that the vacancy shall not be allowed for more than 90 days; and (a) The Council shall consist of twenty four members, including a the Council shall co-opt any member to fill in that vacancy till the concerned Chairman. The Chairman shall be appointed by the President of Pakistan, organization designates its nominee.on the recommendation of Senate Standing Committee on Information and

4. Sec 9 (2). The clause may be replaced with the following:Broadcasting, representing the Treasury and the Opposition, after short-The Commission shall consist of three members to be appointed by the listing the candidates, fulfilling the qualification of a judge of the Supreme Council, consisting of the following;Court, and public hearing, and other members shall be nominated as (i) One retired High Court Judge or a person qualified to be the judge of the follows:High Court as Chairman;(i) Four members by the All Pakistan Newspapers Society, one from each (ii) One nominated by APNS and CPNE; andprovince;(iii) One nominated by PFUJ.(ii) Four members from among the working editors, not the owner-editors,

to be nominated by the Council of Pakistan newspapers Editors (CPNE), 5. The scheduleone from each province;

The Ethical Code of Practice given in the schedule should be replaced with a (iii) Four members by the professional bodies of journalists, PFUJ, one new text to be drafted by a committee comprising all stake-holders.from each province;

Provided that none of the organizations mentioned above shall nominate The Defamation Ordinance 2002any members from its office-bearers, nor any member of the Press Council The Defamation Ordinance of 2002 is an unusually harsh piece of legislation.

103

SAFMA is of the view that this ordinance is not meant to protect anybody's & 14,)

reputations; it is designed to hinder free speech and protect wrongdoers from 5. Punishment:

exposure. a. All references to imprisonment should be deleted. (clause-9)

b. Instead of minimum amount of Rs. 50,000 as general damages should be One of the most objectionable features of the ordinance is its criminalization of replaced by maximum amount of Rs. 50,000 as fine. (clause-9). defamation which must be treated as a civil offence. According to the UN Special c. The judge alone should decide about the amount of fine regardless of its Rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression, “criminal acceptability by the plaintiff. (clause-9)defamation is not a justifiable restriction on freedom of expression; all criminal 6. A person who lodges complaint under defamation law should not have the defamation laws should be abolished and replaced, as necessary, with right to lodge the same complaint under other laws. (Clause 11).appropriate civil defamation laws.” (E/CN.4/2003/67. Dec 30, 2002)

III. The 'normal' LawsSAFMA has called for the following changes in the Defamation Ordinance: On the third plane, the need to review and rationalize the so-called normal laws 1. Defamation: has bee overdue for long. a. The communication between two or more persons through the media other

The laws that have been used to victimize and intimidate media-people are:than newspaper, broadcast or Internet should not be treated as

defamation.(Sub-clause (2e) should be amended accordingly.) 1. The Official Secrets Act, 1926

b. The publishing of reported speeches and public statements made or issued 2. The Security of Pakistan Act, 1952

by political parties etc. should not be termed as 'defamation'. (A new sub-3. The Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) Ordinance , 1960.

clause (5i).4. The Ant-terrorism Act, 1997

2 Publisher:5. The Pakistan Penal Code, 1860

a. To make publisher liable for defamation is contrary to the demands of i. Sec 123-A ( abuse of ideology of Pakistan)

justice and logic besides denying the freedom of speech and expression. ii. Sec 124-A (sedition)

Therefore the publisher, printer, broadcaster or owner of any media should iii. Sec 153-B ( inciting students of take part in politics)

not be liable for defamation. (The sub-clauses 5a, 12a, 12b, 12c should be iv. Sec 292 ( exhibition / possession of obscene books )

deleted/amended accordingly.)v. Sec 295-C ( blasphemy)

b. The definition of Publisher should not be confined to print media only. It 6. The code of Criminal Procedure

should also cater the electronic media, so that the Govt. run PTV may not be i. Sec 99- A ( the provision commonly used to proscribe publications/

exempted. (Amendments in sub-clauses 2f, 4,5e 5f.)documents.

3 Editor:ii. Sec 99-B ( denial of right to appeal in case of publications printed abroad.

a. In the context of present-day complexity, advancement and modernization,

the job of editor does not confine to a single person only. There are a number These laws are archaic and deny parties the right to due process in various of editors responsible for different jobs in a present-day newspaper; hence degrees. However media-people are not the sole target of these laws. They suffer the word 'editor' should be re-defined properly. (Sub-clause 2c) under them along with the long-oppressed people of this country. The media

b. The law of qualified privilege should be extended to cover a greater range of community has a duty to itself and to the people at large to demand that these circumstances, especially the fair reporting of public comment, including laws must me revised and brought in harmony with the universally accepted third party statements. (A new clause as 5-i.) norms of justice.

4 Trial & Court:

a. The trial should be in the lower court, not in the district court and should be

in a routine way not expeditiously or extra-ordinarily. (Deletion of clause 13

104

mtiaz Alam doesn't give up and I am happy he doesn't. We have to change the rhetoric that Baloch nationalists are enemy of the

country, we have to listen to the Baloch and the settlers Pashtuns. I Unfortunately, neither the Balochistan government nor the federal government

makes polices for Balochistan. We should bring all our units into the Respect and tolerance for divergent opinion is must for evolving a pluralistic mainstream. Genuine representation is necessary for the success of democracy.domestic society. We believe in the diversity of opinion because it leads to Our policies must be inclusive as there is a need for revisiting our national solutions to problems. We must evolve consensus on rule of law, which also security. National security priorities should be revisited for economic include economic and social justice and rights of minorities. We have to set independence. Our thinking, our society need to be demilitarized. Militarized certain rules. Pakistan thinking should be reversed. Non-development expenditure is on the

Diversity

of opinion

solves

problemsAsma Jahangir

Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA)'s President

105

up.

th18 Amendment will augur well. I hope

things would improve with the

devolution of powers to the provinces

through 18th Amendment. There is a

need for extending the Political Parties

Act and the judiciary's access to

Federally Administered Tribal Areas

(FATA) and bringing these areas into

the mainstream politics. Local

governments should be genuinely

third-tier.

Challenges are too many. We don't see a

consensus on our desire for a

democrat ic , p lural is t ic society

controlled by a civilian government. We

should make people believe that our

prosperity lies in peace with India and

Iran. Good governance is required from

the executive. You are not here to rule

us. You are here to make our lives better.

There should be transparency in the

working of the judiciary. Petitions

should be taken up on merit. Election

within parties is also a part of good

governance. Good governance is

policies for welfare of people.

Accountability should be across the

board. We should go for social

accountability. Public accountability

through media should not take the

shape of witch hunting. The two should

not be mixed up. Workers and leaders

should be equally respected. The

government should plan programmes

around the poorest and the remotest.

We should not forget the Hindus and SOLIDARITY: Icons of human rights activism Minhaj Barna and Asma Jahangir

106

A meeting, organised by South Asian Fee Media Association disappearance of students and political workers at a

(SAFMA) expresses serious concern at ignoring the problems and massive scale in Balochistan, it demands missing persons

news related to the Balochistan province by the national print and be produced in courts of law in case of allegations against

electronic media. them.

l It demands the national media give due coverage to news l The meeting is also deeply concerned at the production of

on provincial issues in Balochistan. The electronic media mutilated bodies of political rivals, in the past three

should especially report problems facing Balochistan as months, in Balochistan and demand an impartial probe

well as some unpleasant occurrences and random into such incidents. It also demands measures for

incidents impartially and in an unbiased manner, and also provision of justice to the affected families. In this

depute reporters/correspondents in the affected areas so connection, Safma urges the Supreme Court of Pakistan to

both sides of the picture come up for the general public. act on its own without further delay.

l Moreover, the national print and electronic media l The meeting vehemently condemns incidents of

authorities should ensure fool-proof security for harassment of journalists and the general public by

journalists working in the riot-torn and tension-ridden security forces in Balochistan, saying security agencies

areas besides full insurance cover for them. change their attitude visibly for return of normalcy in the

province. The meeting calls for an end to humiliation of the l The meeting demands generous compensation for the common man.

bereaved families of reporters and photojournalists killed · Expressing concern over the deteriorating situation in during the performance of their official duties.

Balochistan, the meeting opposes use of power for

l It strongly condemns the targeted killing of innocent resolution of the Balochistan issue and instead urges

negotiations so all sections and political forces are taken people, including political opponents in Balochistan, and

into confidence for a durable solution to the problem and demand those involved in the targeted killing incidents be

for peace. Moreover, a mutually-agreed policy should be identified and punished so such cruel incidents are

adopted to resolve the problems confronted by people of checked on a permanent basis in future.

Balochistan, the meeting concludes.l Expressing deep concern and anguish at the

Resolution for

Balochistan

107

Minhaj Barna, veteran journalist and a

leading member of journalists' trade

unions reciting his poetry from his book

during the National Conference, his last

public appearance. Barna, a former

president of the Pakistan Federal Union of

Journalists (PFUJ) and All Pakistan

Newspaper Employees' Confederation

(APNEC), died on January 14, 2011, a little

more than two months later. His services for

the promotion of freedom of expression and

the economic rights of the journalists can

never be forgotten. Barna was also one of

the founder members of HRCP and

remained a steadfast defender of people's

basic rights all his life.

108

inaj Barna was born in 1925 in village Qaimpur of the Indian UP

province where he received his early education and later Mpursued higher studies at the famous Jamia Millia, New Dehli.

At the very outset of his college days he was deeply influenced by youth

movement for freedom of speech. He joined All India Youth Federation, a

student wing of the local Communist Movement against the oppressive

British Raaj. Groomed in an impassioned environment to win freedom,

Barna started his career as a reporter in a Mumbai-based the Urdu

newspaper Dehli Inqilab.

After 1947 partition of the Indian subcontinent, his parents settled in

Quetta but Burna shifted to Karachi where he joined Pakistan Times, then

a leading English language daily newspaper. He was the moving spirit

behind journalists' struggle against the infamous Press and Publication

Ordinance (PPO) promulgated by military dictator late Field Marshal

Ayub Khan. “The level of respect PFUJ and APNEC earned in late seventies

till early nineties was because of the sheer dedication, commitment and

remarkable leadership of Barna sahib and Nisar Usmani sahib, which

would never be regained,” remarked senior journalist M. Ziauddin.

The voice for the rights of working journalists, newspaper employees and

freedom of the press in Pakistan, has fallen silent, wrote I H Rashid,

himself a trade unionist.

Adieu Barna

Barna's greetings to Secretary General Imtiaz Alam on the foundation of SAFMA

109

A dirge of media freedom excerpted from Barna's book Marsia Chauthay Satoon Ka, which he read out at the conference

110

We, the media-persons from across the country, having met at by the common people, especially the people affected by the

South Asian Free Media Association's National Conference-IV floods and terrorism;

on 6-7 November, 2010, at Islamabad, resolve to safeguard the h) Disappointed over not changing the media laws, especially the

democratic and constitutional setup, including freedom of Information Law, PEMRA Law and Press Council Law;

expression and an independent judiciary, while respecting the i) Condemn killing, torture and victimization of working

will of the people and rejecting all kinds of machinations and journalists by various state and non-state actors, non-

conspiracies aimed at creating political chaos and bringing implementation of Seventh Wage Board Award, retrenchment

undemocratic and unconstitutional changes, are: of media-persons and a lack of protection and insurance

coverage for journalists reporting from conflict zones;

a) Concerned about an all-sided institutional, financial and j) Reiterate our full faith in constitutional, democratic and

societal crises in a terrorism-ridden country reeling under an representative system that ensures freedoms and fundamental

unprecedented havoc caused by the floods; rights, an independent judiciary, a free and responsible media

b) Alarmed at strategic and political uncertainty, reinforcing and above all sovereignty of our people reflected through federal

hopelessness and chaos, due to an ongoing power-struggle and provincial legislatures;

among various institutions of the state; k) Emphasize the need for evolving a broadest national consensus

c) Take serious exception to the conspiracies and sinister moves to among all stakeholders on major national issues, such as (a)

bring undemocratic and unconstitutional changes and terrorism, (b) economy (macro-economic policy, state

overstepping of various institutions of the state, including a corporations, taxation, non-development expenditure, energy,

section of sensational media, going beyond their legitimate rehabilitation and reconstruction of flood and terrorism

sphere, professional and ethical limits; affected), (c) foreign policy, (d) national security and neighbors;

d) Dismayed by the deteriorating quality of governance at various crisis of Baluchistan and (e) transparent and accountable

tiers of governance and across all institutions of the state; governance and across the board accountability;

e) Worried about a lack of consistency in eradicating terrorism

and appalled by the insistence on keeping sanctuaries of We are of the considered view:

terrorism as so-called “strategic assets” and not strictly stopping 1. The future of the federation and our nation-state lies in

terrorists outfits from operating in various disguised forms; democracy and continuation of constitutional, federal and

f) Disturbed over the alienation, deprivation and sufferings of the democratic setup while submitting to the will of the people

Baloch people; which is represented by the elected legislatures and

g) Perturbed over continuing inflation and hardships being faced governments responsible to them;

No to Undemocratic and Unconstitutional ChangeMove Jointly Towards Setting a National Agenda

111

2. The state must retain its writ across the land without in any way evolve a National Agenda on (a) Terrorism, (b) Economy

allowing state or non-state actors to undermine it, nor must it (macro-economic policy, state corporations, taxation, non-

allow any autonomous sanctuary undermining its sovereignty development expenditure, energy, rehabilitation and

and international obligations; reconstruction of flood and terrorism affected), (c) Foreign

3. All organs of the state and media must perform their functions Policy, (d) National Security and Neighbors; (e) Crisis of

in accordance with the letter and spirit of the 1973 Constitution, Balochistan, and (f) Transparent and Accountable Governance

democratic norms and avoid transgressing their institutional and Across the Board Accountability; (SAFMA's proposals are

limits while respecting the mandate of the people; attached)

4. Both the state and society can face up to the challenges of 3. All state and non-state actors, institutions, political parties, civil

natural calamities, terrorism, lawlessness, economic meltdown, society and above all federating units must join their forces to

poor-governance, human and physical security by reaching a take the country out of its current predicaments on short, mid,

national consensus on major policy issues. and long term bases for peace and prosperity within and

5. Promoting the ideals set by the Charter of Democracy and without. th 4. The state must extend its full writ to every nook corner of its building upon the good work done by the 18 Amendment, the

territory while keeping its monopoly over means of coercion and major political parties and the stakeholders must agree on a

letting any armed outfit operate from its soils against its own national agenda on, at least, six major issues mentioned earlier;

citizens and neighbors.6. A free media and an independent judiciary are sine qua non of

5. Pakistan and India, Pakistan and Afghanistan to resolve their democracy and they must safeguard it.

differences through negotiations and jointly fight against 7. Peace within Pakistan and its neighborhood is the essential

terrorism and stop interfering in each others internal matters. prerequisite of growth and prosperity and all inter-sate conflicts

Composite dialogue with India must start without need to be resolved through peaceful means and regional

preconditions and SAFTA be implemented in letter and spirit. cooperation must not be made hostage to bilateral disputes as

Visa regime must be liberalized to promote people to people envisaged by the SAARC process that should move towards a

contacts.South Asian Union.

6. The government to continue to respect media freedom and the

media should observe professional ethics, objectivity and We call upon:

neutrality while improving professional standards. The Draft 1. All organs of the state to work within the parameters of the

Information Act proposed by SAFMA in collaboration with constitution and frustrate any effort at change through

various stakeholders be adopted by the Parliament to empower undemocratic and unconstitutional means while remaining

people. The PEMRA Law be replaced by the Draft PEMRA Law within their limits, respecting each others' legitimate

and Press Council be formed as proposed by SAFMA. The constitutional space, people's mandate and ensuring

government agencies should avoid temptation of selective use of independence of judiciary, a free media and a transparent and

advertisements or other tactics to pressurize one or other accountable governance;

section of the media while discouraging monopolies. Clear 2. All major political parties and stakeholders must sit together to

112

social benchmarks may be set for awarding all advertisements under a sector corporations to get rid of financial hemorrhage, inclusion

corporate social responsibility law. of the dispossessed peoples and the deprived backward regions

7. The implementation of Seventh Wage Board Award and into the mainstream of development and empowerment and th th opening up our eastern and western borders to revive formation of 8 and 9 Wage Board Awards. An end to illegal

traditional trade routes to become a hub of trans-regional trade retrenchments of journalists. The murderers of journalists and

and investment across South, Central and Western Asia. those who harass the media persons must be brought to book.

The journalists working in the conflict regions should be

(2) A parasitic national security state failing to enforce its provided protection and insurance coverage. The

writ and maintain peace within and without. correspondents working in the districts be given respectable

It must enforce its writ across every nook and corner of our land wages and the press clubs capacity be built thought official

while keeping its monopoly over coercive means by completely grants from the district budgets.

eradicating non-state violent actors/militias threatening our

existence/ sovereignty and jeopardizing our relations with our Sensing the undemocratic and unconstitutional threats to democracy,

neighbors and international community. The menace of SAFMA along with some leading journalists, intellectuals and civil

terrorism has to be eradicated by all means and in every sphere society leaders, from the platform of Citizens for Democracy, called upon

that reproduce it. It calls for radical reversion of our failed all the institutions and stakeholders to say no to any undemocratic and

security paradigms that nourished these grave-diggers of unconstitutional change while emphasizing the urgency to evolve a

Pakistan's otherwise moderate, tolerant and egalitarian and National Agenda to tackle all-sided crises of the state. Some of the

pluralist society.challenges, that pose a real threat to our existence as a people and a land,

that is sacred to us, are as follow:

(3) Marginalization of the Will and the Sovereignty of the

People. (1) A low-growth-high-poverty equilibrium with lowest

All organs of the state and all stakeholders must submit to the tax-GDP, saving-GDP, investment-GDP and per-capita

will and sovereignty of the people exercised by the elected investment on the people with lowest social indicators

representatives of the people, responsible to the final arbiters-- in the developing world.

the peoples of all federating units. Civil-military relations must It requires a new paradigm of inclusive and sustainable growth

be redefined strictly in accordance with the letter and spirit of and all out effort in every sphere of economy from the

the 1973 Constitution and everything about the security revitalization of high valued adding manufacturing, agricultural

establishment must be brought under the purview of our and servicing sectors, conservation, exploration and

sovereign parliament. All institutions and organs of the state development of energy and water resources, human resource

must keep in their lawful limits frustrating all machinations and development and poverty eradication, withdrawal of subsidies

efforts to destabilize democratic setup and rejecting any change and expansion of revenues by taxing both rural and urban rich,

through undemocratic and unconstitutional means.reprioritization of allocation of resources from military security

to human security, drastic reformation or disposing of public

113

(4) A flawed foreign and security paradigm promoting shadows of the past corruption.

conflict in the neighborhood.

There is an urgent need to critically reappraise our foreign and (6) Ethnic and sectarian tensions:

national security polices that are beyond our national resources, Despite granting provincial autonomy and some concessions to

repudiate peace both within and without, frustrate economic the smaller provinces, the federating units continue to suffer

growth and prosperity and keep our people in the shackles of from alienation and nurse frustrations, such as Baluchistan.

poverty. It requires, in particular, radical revision of our “India- While progressively and radically devolving power from the

centric”, “strategic-depth” (vis a vis Afghanistan) and Centre to the provinces and onward to the districts and

“strategic-assets” (of our jihadis who are of nobody's) types of ultimately to the grassroots level to empower our people, the

strategic assumptions. The militaristic version of the national federation and its powerful arms take affirmative steps to

security, that failed to provide us internal and external security, remove the grievances of smaller provinces, Baluchistan in

must be replaced with an overarching vision of human security, particular. Baluchistan needs extraordinary accommodation

thus, eradicating the causes behind the growth of suicide- and amelioration. There are ethnic tensions within the

bombers, violence and religious extremism; and a rational, provinces that also need to be addressed by respecting pluralism

smart and cost-effective defense backed by a credible at all levels to strengthen unity-in-diversity. On the other hand,

deterrence. sectarian cleavages are touring apart our social fabric that has

been increasingly taking a violent turn since General Zia's so-

(5) Crises of Governance. called “Islamization” and induction of jihadi and klashnikov

Pakistan is faced with deep-rooted crises of governance from culture. All sectarian and violent militias, their cover-up bodies,

civilian administration to military establishment, financial charities, sectarian seminaries preaching violence and

sectors to fiscal spheres, generating revenues to transparent producing hate materials must be prosecuted and banned.

and accountable expenditure, delivery of cheap and easy justice Instead of becoming a source of national unity, the sectarian

and honest and law-abiding policing, respecting citizens' forces that pollute the spiritual space have turned religion into a

fundamental rights regardless of gender, creed or ethnicity and source of discord and disunity. A distinction has to be made

empowering people, rewarding merit, entrepreneurship, between the state and religion and theology and education while

innovation and competition while precluding unethical respective the beliefs of the people that don't hurt others' beliefs

privileges, rent-seeking, bribery and fraud, respecting dissent and religious practices.

and granting women and minorities equal privileges of equal

citizens and devolving and de-concentrating power to the lower SAFMA Pakistan undertakes to initiate a public discourse on the above

tiers of governance, all-sided and even-handed accountability of mentioned National Agenda and plans to convene a national conference

all through due process of law, access to and free flow of to facilitate a broader consensus among the forces of civil society from

information and a transparent, accountable and efficient the platform of Citizens for Democracy.

governance. It can't be achieved by totalitarian or fascist

regimes and barbaric means or by chasing the ghosts and

114

The National Executive Body Monday elected Nusrat Javeed as president and

Sirmed Manzoor as general secretary of South Asian Free Media Association

(SAFMA) Pakistan.

The Executive Body also chose senior media persons Zahid Hussain, Agha Nasir,

Iftikhar Ahmed, Babar Ayaz and Shahzada Zulfiqar as the vice presidents of the

Pakistan chapter of SAFMA, which is a South Asian association of media

persons. Shamim Shahid and Irfana Mallah will be the joint secretaries.

The SAFMA Pakistan Executive Body decided to hold a

Karachi . Another weeklong workshop was slated for Gilgit Baltistan

journalists. Peshawar will host a conference in collaboration with the

Peshawar clubs.

Media Commission-Pakistan will plan missions to know the situation of

media freedom in Balochistan and tribal areas.

SAFMA will form five groups of experts to research on economy, foreign

policy and security issues. The SAFMA-Pakistan resolved to defend the

one-day roundtable media freedom but said it would not side with anybody violating or

conference on Balochistan by the yearend. It will also arrange a conference in ignoring professional ethics.

SAFMA Pakistan National Executive Body

Balochistan: Sindh Including Karachi KPKSaleem Shahid Khalid Khokar Rahim ullah YousafzaiShahzada Zulfiqar Amer Sindh Syed Fakhar Kaka KhelIrfan Saeed Lala Asad Arshad Aziz MalikJehangeer Aslam Irfana Mallah Ibrahim Shirwani

Shadab YounisKarachi Lahore Shamim ShahidGhazi Salahuddin Anjum RasheedMujahid Brailwi Khalid Farooqi IslamabadFaysal Aziz Khan Sobia Cheema Tariq ChaudhryKhurshid Hyder Ahmed Waleed Asma shiraziJabbar Khattak Khalid Chaudhry Afzal KhanBabar Ayaz Shoaib Adil Mustanser JavedAmir Mehmood Saida fazal Rana QaiserGN Mughal Shireen Pasha Nusrat JaveedFayyaz Naich Sirmed Manzoor

Gilgit Balistan Agha NasirAJK Khushid Ahmed M. ZiauddinAmir Qureshi Zahid Hussain

Shamsul Islam Naz

THE NAT IONAL EXECUT IVE BODY

115

SAFMA Pakistan National Executive Body meeting

116

SAFMA interaction with press club representatives

117

118

119

Citizens for Democracy (CD)No to Undemocratic and Unconstitutional Change

We the Citizens for Democracy are:Concerned about an all-sided institutional, financial and societal destabilization in a terrorism-ridden country reeling under the unprecedented havoc caused by the floods; Alarmed at strategic and political uncertainty, reinforcing hopelessness and chaos, due to an ongoing power-struggle among various institutions of the state;Reiterate our full faith in constitutional, democratic and representative system that ensures freedoms and fundamental rights, an independent judiciary, a free and responsible media and above all sovereignty of our people reflected through federal and provincial legislatures;Emphasize the need for evolving a broadest national consensus among all stakeholders on major national issues, such as (a) terrorism, (b) economy (macro-economic policy, state corporations, taxation, non-development expenditure, energy, rehabilitation and reconstruction of flood and terrorism affected), (c) foreign policy, (d) national security and neighbors; and (e) transparent and accountable governance and across the board accountability;

We are of the considered view: a. The future of the federation and our nation-state lies in democracy and continuation of constitutional, federal and democratic setup while submitting to the will of the

people which is represented by the elected legislatures and governments responsible to them;b. The state must retain its writ across the land without in any way allowing state or non-state actors to undermine it, nor must it allow any autonomous sanctuary

undermining its sovereignty and international obligations;c. All organs of the state and media must perform their functions in accordance with the letter and spirit of the 1973 Constitution, democratic norms and avoid

transgressing their institutional limits while respecting the mandate of the people;d. Both the state and society can face up to the challenges of natural calamities, terrorism, lawlessness, economic meltdown, poor-governance, human and physical

security. the. Promoting the ideals set by the Charter of Democracy and building upon the good work done by the 18 Amendment, the major political parties and the stakeholders

must agree on a national agenda on, at least, five major issues mentioned earlier.

We call upon: 1. All organs of the state to work within the parameters of the constitution and frustrate any effort at change through undemocratic and unconstitutional means while

remaining within their limits, respecting each others' legitimate constitutional space, people's mandate and ensuring independence of judiciary, a free media and a transparent and accountable governance;

2. All major political parties and stakeholders must sit together to evolve a National Agenda on (a) Terrorism, (b) Economy (macro-economic policy, state corporations, taxation, non-development expenditure, energy, rehabilitation and reconstruction of flood and terrorism affected), (c) Foreign Policy, (d) National Security and Neighbors; and (e) Transparent and Accountable Governance and Across the Board Accountability;

3. All state and non-state actors, institutions, political parties, civil society and above all federating units must join their forces to take the country out of its current predicaments on short, mid, and long term bases for peace and prosperity within and without.

rdSigned By Citizens for Democracy on 23 September 2010:

Ali Ahmed Kurd, Former President Supreme Court Bar Association; Justice Tariq Mehmood, Former President Supreme Court Bar Association; I.A. Rehman, Director, HRCP, Hina Jillani,General Secretary HRCP; Imtiaz Alam, Secretary General, SAFMA; Najam Sethi, Editor, Friday Times, Secretary General South Asia Media Commission, Muhammad Ziauddin,

Executive Editor, Express Tribune, Arif Nizami, Senior Editor, Abbas Athar Editor Express; Amir Mehmood, General Secretary CPNE; Saida Fazal, Resident Editor Business Recorder; Rashid Rehman, Editor Daily Times; Mehmal Sarfraz, Deputy Editor Daily Times; Nusrat Javed, Director Dunya TV; Nazir Naji, Columnist Jang; S.M. Masood Advocate, Former Law Minister;

Justice Malik Saeed Hassan; Zahid Hussain, Senior Journalist Senior Editor Newline; Abbas Rasheed, Senior Journalist and SAHI; Iftikhar Ahmed, TV Anchor Geo; Gen. (Rtd) Talat Masood, Forer Defense Secretary; Babar Ayaz, Senior Journalist; Salman Raja, Advocate; Ghazi Salahuddin, Senior Columnist The News; Khawar Mumtaz, Women activist Shirtakgah; Dr. Nayyar,

Educationist; Dr. Hassan Askari Rizvi, Senior Analyst; Khalid Ahmed, Director SAMS; Beena Sarwar, The News; Dr. Jabbar Khattak, Editor Awami Awaz; Syeda Abida Hussain, Former MNA; Tariq Chaudhry, Controller Aaj TV; Agha Nasir, GEO TV; Afzal Khan, Senior Journalist; Anjum Rashid, Former Editor Jang Lahore; G. N. Moughal, Senior Journalist, Khalid Faruki, editor

Awaz Jang group, Nazir Leghari, Editor Awam Jang group, Khalid Chaudhry, Editor Aaj Kal

E-Mail: citizensfordemocracy2010@gmail.comAnjum Rashid, Coordinator CD: 0300-8446335

Citizens for Democracy: 177-A, Shadman-II, Lahore, Pakistan. Ph. 042-37555622/3, Fax: 042-37555629

120

l Mr Imtiaz Alam, Secretary General SAFMA l Mr. Murtaza Solangi, DG, PBC

l Mr. M. Ziauddin, Executive Editor, The Express Tribune l Ms. Rashida Sial, Special Correspondent Apna TV

l Mr. Nusrat Javeed, President SAFMA Pakistan l Chaudhry Nadeem Sarwar, Bureau Chief DPA

l Agha Nasir, Senior Broadcaster l Mr. Naveed Miraj, Director, ATV

l Mr. Sirmed Manzoor, Chief Coordinator SAFMA l Mr. Rasheed Khalid, Correspondent The News

l Mr. Mohsin Raza, Director News ARY TV l Mr. Minhaj Barna, Founder PFUJ Barna group

l Mr. Tariq Chaudhry, Director News Aaj TV l Syed Wajid Iqbal Bukhari, Editor , The Voice

l Mr. Mohammad Afzal Khan, Bureau Chief Khaleej Times l Mr. Abrar Haider, Journalist Dawn News Muzzafarabad

l Ms. Aasma Shirazi, Anchorperson SAMAA TV l Ms. Tanzeela Mazhar, Anchorperson PTV

l Mr. Faisal Hakim Mughal, Senior Reporter ARY l Ms. Nukhbat Malik, BBC

l Mr. Shaukat Piracha, Senior Correspondent Aaj TV l Ms. Farah Naz, Journalist/ member SAWM

l Mr. Rana Qaisar, Resident Editor, Pakistan Today l Mr. Khushnood Ali Khan, President CPNE

l Ms. Mariana Baabar, Diplomatic Correspondent, The News l Ms. Shafaq Iqbal, Reporter Nawa-e-Waqt

l Ms. Huma Khawar, Freelance Columnist l Mr. Shams-ul-Islam Naz, Secretary General, PFUJ

l Mr. Zahid Hussain, Senior Editor News line l Gen. (Retd) Talat Masood, Columnist

l Syed Saleem Shahzad, Bureau Chief Pakistan, Asia Times l Mr Anjum Rasheed

l Ms. Hayyam Qayum, Editor SPR l Mr Waqar Mustafa

l Ms. Fe'reeha Idrees, Bureau Chief, CNBC-Pakistan l Ms Sadaf Arshad

l Ms. Vidya Rana, Freelance l Mr. Siddiq Baloch

l Mr Ali Imran, Bureau Chief Daily Mashreeq Quetta l Mr Khaled Ahmed

l Mr. Pervez Shaukat, President PFUJ l Mr I.A. Rehman, Columnist DAWN

l Mr. Imtiaz Gul, Freelance Journalist l Mr Badar Alam, Herlad

l Mr. Ashfaq Saleem Mirza, Freelance Columnist l Mr Ahmed Waleed, DAWN News

l Mr. Mudassir Saeed, Freelance journalist l Mr Khalid Farooqi, Editor Awaz

l Mr. Aizaz Hussain Syed, Dawn News l Mr Jalees Hazir, Freelance

l Mr. Omar Farooq Azam Khan, Freelance journalist l Mr Mujeeb-ur-Rehman Shami, Editor-in-Chief Daily Pakistan

l Mr. Shahid Mahmood Nadeem, DMD PTV l Mr Khalid Chaudhry, Editor Aaj Kal

l Mr. Tariq Mahmood Malik, Senior Reporter ARY l Mr Muhammad Shoaib Adil, DEL

EGATE

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l Ms Sobia Cheema, Producer Express TV l Mr Aamie Mehmood, General Secretary CPNE

l Mr Iftikhar Ahmed, Senior Journalist/ Anchorperson Geo TV l Mr Faysal Aziz Khan, Bureau Chief Geo Tv

l Mr Sajjad Mir, Anchor person News One l Mr Javed Qazi

l Mr Pervaiz Bashir, Editor Reporting Jang l Ms Rehana Hakeem, Editor Newsline

l Mr Wajahat Masood, Deputy Editor Aaj Kal l Mr Ghulam Nabi Chandio

l Mr Hussain Naqi, Senior Columnist l Ms Gul Afreen Khuresani –News One Anchor

l Mr Abbas Rasheed, Freelance Columnist l Ms Nadira Mushtaque – Samma Anchor/Correspondent

l Mr Zulfiqar Mehtu, AAJ TV l Mr Wasim Badami—program Host ARY

l Mr Allama Siddiq Azhar, Columnist Daily waqt l Qazi Shah Muhammad, Editor-in Chief, Taameer-e-Sindh

l Mr Mian Shahbaz, Reporter Geo l Ms Gharida Farooqi, GEO TV

l Ms Farah Warraich, News Editor, Jang Lahore l Ms. Claire Galez, SAFMA Pakistan

l Ms Mehmal Sarfraz, Op-Ed Editor, Daily Times l Mr Rafiq Shaikh—Senior Assignment Editor ARY

l Ms Munizae Jehangir, Anchor person Express TV l Mr Rafique Bhutto – Senior Political Correspondent Dunya TV

l Ms Shehar Bano Khan, Dawn l Mr G. N. Mughal—senior Political Correspondent ARY

l Ms Nadia Bokhari, SWAM l Ms Nargis Baloch, Daily Intekhab

l Ms Bushra Sultana, Associate Editor South Asian Journal l Mr Mujahid Barlvi—Host CNBC

l Mr Rahimullha Yousafzai, Resident Editor, News l Ms Amar Sindhu aka Salma Baloch

l Mr Shameem Shahid, President Press Club Peshawar l Ms Arfana Mullah, KTN

l Ms Farzana Ali, AAJ TV l Mr Shahid Hussain, The News

l Mr Ziaulhaq, l Mr Abdul Wahab Munchhi – News One

l Mr Shahid Hameed l Ms Sanobar Gull Unnar IBRAT Group

l Mr Arshad Aziz l Ms Fauzia Shaheen, Editor Dastak

l Ms Shadab Yunous l Ms Hina Khwaja Bayat

l Mr Munawer Afridi l Mr Khalid Khokhar Daily Sindhu

l Mr Anwer Mehsood l Mr Mahesh Kumar daily Halchal

l Dr Jabbar Khattak, Ediot In Chief Awami Awaz l Mr Iqbal Mallah daily Awami Awaz

l Mr Ghazi Salahuddin , Columnist The news l Mr Ishaq Mangrio Gen. Sec Hyd. Press club

l Mr Babar Ayaz, Columnist Dawn l Mr Hameed Rehman Aaj news

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l Mr Lala Asad President Sukhar Press club l Mr Munir Chandhry, President Press Club, Okara

l Mr Mehmood Sultan Chandio President Mipur Khas Press club l Mr Khawaja Babar Saleem, President Press Club, Chakwal

l Mr Baboo Iqbal President Larkana Press club and Mrs l Mr Tariq Butt, President Press Club, Gujranwala

l Mr Sanaullah Memon President Press club Khairpur l Mr Muhammad Awan, President Press Club, Abbotabad

l Mr Rahim Mangi Gen.sec.Press club Qambar /Shahdadkot l Mr Tahir Naseem, President Press Club, Khanewal

l Mr Mohd Ismail DomkiGen sec Press club Nawabshah l Sadia Nasim, PTV news

l Imtiaz Faran, President Press Club of Karachi l Nazia Hameed, Member SAWM

l Mirza Rasheed Baig, President Quetta Press Club l Nazia Hameed, Freelance journalist

l Mr Abdul Khaliq President Balochistan Union of Journalist l Sadia Kamal, Ptv news

l Mr Rao Mohammad Iqbal Secretary BUJ l Sadia Haidari, Geo TV

l Mr Saleem Shahid, Bureau Chief Dawn l Huma Ahmed, Freelance journalist

l Mr Shahzada Zulfiqar l Fayyaz Naich, Anchor Sind TV

l Mr Raza Ur Rahman l Mr Tahir Rathor, Chief Reporter, Samaa TV, Islamabad

l Mr Akhtar Mirza l Shazia Seher, Reporter Apna tv

l Mr Irfan Saeed l Nazia Hameed, Reporter News One

l Dr. Aurangzaib Ehsas, President Press Club Zhob l Noshi Rahim, Reporter Azkaar

l Saleem Gashkori, President Press club Sibi l Shakeela Jalil, Reporter Azkaar

l Jahangir Aslam, President Press Club Turbat (Kechh) l Bushra Hameed, Reporter The Post

l Noor Zaman, President Press Club Chaman (Killa Abdullah l Maha Musaddiq, Reporter Express Tribune

district)l Mehnaz Ali, Producer Rohi TV

l Mr Amir Qureishi, Gen. Sec. Central Union of Journalists, l Shafaq Hira, News anchor PTV

Muzaffarabadl Ms Jaweria Siddique, Reporter SAMAA TV

l Mr Ibrar Hyder, Correspondent Dawn News. l Fouzia, Reporter NNI

l Mr Khurshid Ahmed, President Press Club, Gilgitl Adnan Amjad Khan, Reporter Dunya TV

l Mr Durdana Shah, Gizar Press Club, Aaj TVl Namood Muslim, Reporter PTV

l Mohammad Iqbal Aasi, Waqt TVl Javed Kalhorro, Reporter PTV

l Saifurrehman, Gilgit Press Club Din TV l Imtiaz Ahmed, Reporter PBC

l Mr Shahid Akthar Baloch, President press Club, Bhawalpurl Rahat Shah, Reporter

l Mr Haji Manzoor Anwar, Press Club Jhang

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