Journalists entirely over the world are targeted by governments, law enforcement agencies, and somewhere in the hands of terrorists and extremists. Journalists are assassinated when they report crimes of corruption, environmental crime, abuse of power, and report protests. Besides killing journalists, they are jailed due to reporting crimes by government personnel and sometimes influential persons who have good access to the police. Journalists fight to eliminate crimes and try to root out evils and crimes which are present in our society. The people should pay homage to the journalists because they are working for the betterment of the people and pull out masks on the hidden faces of the criminals. Contrary, the states realize their services, put them into jails, and sometimes they are murdered.
In Pakistan, it’s said,” journalism is the fourth pillar of state”. Three pillars are written and have authority in their relevant fields but the fourth pillar of the state has numerous problems in performing its duties. The journalists in Pakistan are facing multidimensional problems, firstly the government personals which are indulged in corruption and are not willing to do their duties without bribing money. If journalists report their corruption, they have to pay for this. Secondly, the journalists work for the betterment of society, the people do not appreciate the services which they deserved. Thirdly the journalists in Pakistan’s major problem is that the journalist who works for media houses and newspapers, do nothing for the journalists, they don’t give salary or any relief package to the reporters. Irony’s that they not pay but receive huge money from reporters in the form of” Ishtihar” thrice a year. The Government of Pakistan must make laws to check these cruel practices. The Government after knowing this to oblige the media house owners to neglect the media workers. The journalists who sacrifice their lives in serving their country have nothing to fulfill their families’ needs. When a journalist tries to meet the needs of his family, he is given the bad names, lifafa, blackmailer, and the bhatta- khur. The government of Pakistan must make laws and bind the media houses to pay the journalists who work for them and stop strictly the media houses and newspaper owners to gain money in the name of the business. If it is a business then it is a bloody business and Govt. must impose sanctions on this bloody, unlawful, and cruel business.
According to the report of reporters without border 2022, the country which is no.1 in ranking is Norway while Denmark on number 2 and Sweeden on number 3 Pakistan stood on 157 of 180 counties in the world while India stood number 150. Mexico and Haiti are declared the deadliest countries in the world.
Pakistan has proved most dangerous country in the world, according to Dawn report, 42 Journalists have been assassinated in 2022, among them were Sadaf Naeem, Muhammad Younas, Iftikhar Ahmad, and Arshad Sharif.
Arshad Sharif was a famous Journalist who worked on ARY channel as an anchor person who was assassinated in Nairobi, the Capital city of Kenya. The Kenya police say that Arshad was dead by the police not stopping his car. The inside story is different. An FIR was lodged in Pakistan to investigate the assassination plan of Arshad Sharif who was forced to go abroad, firstly Dubai and then Kenya where his death occurred. As a result, FIRs which was lodged against him, and death threats were given to him in Pakistan.
Due to fear of assassination some famous journalists, Saber Shaker and Moeed Pirzada are still abroad. A very bold young journalist Imran Riaz khan is facing the case bravely and he also received death threats. Recently an old man who is retired Lt. Gen. Amjad Shoaib is an analyst taken to police custody as the result of fake FIR.
Pakistan’s Government should make laws to save the lives of journalists and also to bind media houses for the pay of journalists so the journalists enjoy their rights of freedom of expression and work with liberty.
