Amidst Democracy

written by Afzaal Farooqui

I have been In the field of Media since a decade around. I have worked in advertising - Public Relation and now News Media. I have studied Communication Sciences and Social Sciences too. I have studied patterns of Human Nature and  self implemented many of those which I studied. The below article is totally my personal judgement and opinion. I am certainly not an expert of this topic but feel so uneasy with the current days drama that couldn't stop myself writing this.

There was a time when 8 pm drama hour was purely for families.  No matter daddy mummy or kids everybody used to sit together and watch our flag ship dramas and somehow there was always a positive outcome or lesson given to the society. 

Pakistan is a Democratic country. We have an elected government. The concerned government authorities should realize this as there utmost responsibility and work on a censorship policy. The said government should save our generations by banning in decent media content. Whether it is ,press media or television media,either movies or theaters, the framing of the culprits in the law should be strictly practiced. Pakistan is formed on the principles of Islam. Our media is running after the rating race and not fulfilling its real role. Being in the democratic society, one should understand the importance of real democracy and limits of organisations.

But on contrary to it, time has changed. The Drama has changed it self. The Bold issues are now openly discussed. The real cause of having mind fresh is now Romance on Television . The illegal relationships are known as Friend ship. Holding hands, giving in decent looks, shame full dances, under rated dialogues are the main charm of Pakistani Drama. Our 80 percent Drama industry is based on private productions. They are making money but crushing,destroying and dismantling our generations. In the era of Seventies, Indian Prime minister Indra Gandhi said that We will destroy Pakistan in the battle of Media War Fare. Her sayings are true to some extent. The Indian Media has manipulated our Culture and it has been mixed in our society. The VCR era that led towards Dish Antenna has now moved to Cable Time. Too many Private channels are only focusing on the corrupt side of society. 

The Govt and the private channel authority should be blamed on this. They are actually running after ratings. They are spoiling our generations. RAPE was not a common word in journalism even. The meaning of entertainment has been changed. Showing and watching these type of dramas in the name of entertainment is a direct source of disturbing mind set. Private channels along with dramas are also showing in decent crime scene shows.We are raised in the time of PTV where the only source of luxury on T V is a prime time DRAMA or late night movie. Those movies were also well censored. The real cause of private channels are brutally crushed. The person or the founder of this concept, Pervez Musharaf has been criticized. But he ordered for these channels because he wanted to give Pakistan a soft image. The band wagon of Turkish drama led a last nail in the coffin. Now in Pakistan, The upper middle class are even interested in these sort of in appropriate drama. The PEMRA should be responsible for this. There is no much solution to it , only ban on such sort of drama or restrict channels to show decent content only. I remember, in 1993, PTV banned a drama just because Girls were wearing JEANS. In twenty one years, every thing is changed.  

I had been discussing and criticizing the dramas of today and was attacked by the argument that people want to watch this type of content, that is why these drams are made.If we say that only these kind of content gets the highest rating then just rethink that drama DHUWAN, DHOOP KINARAY and many others caught the highest number of eye balls even when there was no concept of private tv channels , no cable etc. Such type of content will always be liked if the content creators try to give such positive messages to the society.  

What I feel is the negative content is being forced on our minds and to change our perception. Could you imagine a family sitting 5-10 years ago and discussing about these stupid Topics.  Even separation was considered to be most discouraged thing. But now its so sad that it is  getting so common in the society and we are hearing more and more of this in our real lives.

Along with it, The media policies , the regulatory authorities, the channel policies, all should be aligned according to the nation's tradition and thinking. I mean, there shouldn't be anti states matters to be discussed openly. The court proceedings, the criminal incidents, the chaos shown after the bombings, all should go as the media rights violation. This is not the way to treat the news. They might feed the massive tummies of our channels , but in return adds displeasure to our society.  

so coming back to the topic,I will conclude with the statement that although  dramas are only the mirror of what happens in the society but in my view society is actually following those dramas.

Would request you all broadcasters to make the dramas as well as news which leaves a positive impression in the mind of viewers,  it will be liked and you will still get good ratings.

The issue of sacking the Chairman NADRA Tariq Malik is circulating in the political circles of Pakistan nowadays. Three days before, at mid night a news waved across the country about the dismissal of Tariq Malik (Later reinstated by the IHC). According to the news reporters he was threatened and pressurized by the Punjab law Minister for a possible voter verification in NA 118, Lahore.  This news has some lessons to learn particularly for the ruling PMLN and generally by all the political parties inside and outside the power corridors.

The very first reaction of the removal of Tariq Malik was amplified because of a government which is lacking an active Information Minister. The social media which always looks for catchy stories, at the drop of the hat, started bashing the PMLN government. The issue of Tariq Malik was the nation wide top trend on twitter, soon after the news erupted and all the PTI supporters joined the bandwagon to "curse" PMLN. The absence of information minister from the scene was similar to the Kargil crisis when after the meeting of PM Nawaz Sharif and US President Bill Clinton, the proprietors of dreams to capture Srinagar opened their mouth guns on Mian Nawaz Sharif. The issue of Tariq Malik, however, was portrayed like he was the one who was about to expose the "rigging" of GE'13, which otherwise were declared justified by neutral international observers. PTI who is constantly alleging its defeat in GE'13 as part of a "big game" cashed the situation and circulated that the chairman NADRA is an upright person and that he was not willing to surrender before the "unconstitutional pressure" of PMLN. They claimed that this person was going to unveil the "massive rigging" in Punjab, where PTI was literally knocked down despite the financial investments of Aleem Khan (EOBI scandal) and the Jahangir Tareen (The Sugar Mafia). Tariq Malik consulted the Islamabad High Court the very next day where he was reinstated by the court in the first hearing (Courts however never liked such rapid actions by the national assembly). As a counter measure the federal government filed a case in Supreme court of Pakistan, thus challenging the decision by the Islamabad High Court. Later on after the debates inside the National Assembly the minister In-charge of Interior Affairs Ch Nisar Ali Khan came to the house and presented the curious case of Tariq Malik. The speech of Ch Nisar had such information that the case of Tariq Malik turned out to be a real can of worms.

The first lesson in this story is that never believe on the glitters of our media for false political mileage. The shallow work of our media once again exposed badly in this saga. After proving Tariq Malik the hero standing in between the "dictatorial PMLN" and Pakistan, the very next day media came to know that actually Tariq Malik was a political gimmick and was appointed to this sensitive post just because of his close relationships with the PPP mainstream leadership. Just in one day our so called "investigative" journalist portrayed their shallow depth of work. Therefore everything these "investigative" journalists say, we must take with a pinch of salt.

The second lesson hidden in this issue is the timing. I mean how bizarre and suspicious it looks when late night orders are given to fire a person who is Chairman of a sensitive organization. Back in 1999, it was the same issue of timing when instead of waiting Gen Mushrraf to come back to Pakistan, he was fired midst Colombo-Karachi Flight (That issue was highlighted time and again as a proof of military coup). I am unable to understand that what would have happened if the issue of Tariq Malik was resolved during the daylight. It happened many times that PMLN was right in the case but the mistiming backfired and they were bashed by the media. For the military coup and KARGIL crisis the issue turned in favor of Mian Nawaz Sharif almost after 6 years. Luckily the issue of Tariq Malik is quite known to the people within a weak, although the "naive" information Ministry cut short the broadcasting of speech by an important member of federal cabinet. Hopefully the issue will be amicably resolved in the next few days and will be taken as a lesson that in this Pakistan the late night jackals type actions will never by welcomed by anyone.