Curtailed Press Freedom

By Zafar Iqbal

On superficial glance, he seems to have nexus with Taliban, or a Taliban commander with
long disheveled beard on face and traditional Swati cap on head.

No one can recognize him except one knowing him personally that the person he came
across is severe critic of Taliban regime and bold as well. He has been deprived from the
lives of two of his colleagues and Taliban has blasted his office buildings thanks to his
overt and covert opposition to their policies. This audacious Muslim man is Mumtaz
Sadiq, 45, and rendering his valuable services in Urdu Daily in Swat Valley of
Northwestern Province of Pakistan, and he dedicated his professional life for the service
of his community.
Mr. Sadiq started his career in an arena of journalism by launching a local magazine
entitled “The Voice of Malakand” in 1988 at remote area of Pakistan under such
circumstances when journalistic activities were confined to big cities only and resultantly
the distant areas remained uncovered as well as invisible in the national press. On account
of giving considerable coverage to the local affairs and issues, this weekly Urdu
magazine soon received unprecedented popularity among the peoples and later on
transformed into a Daily with new name-daily Azadi, (Daily Freedom). Lately, the writer
also published another daily Urdu “Khaber Kar”.
Putting his elbows on the table piled up with news and press releases in a busy office in
Islamabad, Sadiq recollects his ardor for journalism refreshing his reminiscences of his
childhood when he used to study newspaper from a neighbor barber’s shop early in the
morning. It is very common practice in the remote areas of Pakistan that people even
having slight interest in current affairs usually quench their thrust of news reading by
visiting tea stalls, barber shops and small restaurants as their localities lack libraries and
prices of newspapers stand beyond their affordability.
What happened actually the newspaper became unavailable due to some unknown reason
which made young Sadiq utterly disappointed and an idea of opening his own newspaper
came to his mind and he thus dreamt of publishing a newspaper from his own town by
hook or by crook so as to cater to the journalistic needs of the people under any
circumstances. Fortunately, he came out victorious and thus his dream translated into
reality; though he was entirely unaware of the fallouts of working as journalist in
developing countries like Pakistan because of excessive pressures, threats and
intimidations from both state and non-state actors.
It is praiseworthy to say that today Daily Azadi circulates fifty thousand copies
publishing stories on variegated tastes. It is comparatively thought to be a good number in
an environment when people have lesser penchant for reading for growing use of internet
and electronic media in Pakistan where overall readership of Urdu newspapers and
periodicals was considered by Audit Bureau of Circulation in 2008 as 4641708. During
the past three months seven million readers visited digital version of the news paper.
His newspapers bore many brunts due to its policy of slash criticism against the
government that stopped its advertisements-the major source of local and regional
newspapers. In its opponent also includes the government of Jammiat Ulme-e-Islam (A
pro Taliban Islamist Party in Pakistan) which left no stone unturned to topple down this
local newspaper and banned all types of advertisements to be granted to the newspaper.
However, the government became helpless and kneed down to the protests of its readers
and fans who withdraw its decision. Criticizing government media policy he states that
the provision of advertisements made to such papers which always present kudos of the
government policies. But he believes that such type of tendency is not real threat to the
freedom of press or journalism.
Commenting upon the freedom of press in Pakistan, Mr. Sadiq foists an entire blame both
on Taliban and ISI-the Pakistan’s secret agency, and considers them the major hindrances
as well as the faces of same coin or and identical picture having harmony in policy for
dealing with the media. None can afford to bear even the slightest criticism against each
other either from press or public. He substantiates his standpoint with numerous incidents
of attacks, investigation, intimidations, occupation of his office by Taliban and security
personnel and he also faced explosions in his office during the nine years of his
journalistic career. He maintains that the ISI and Taliban are playing a game in our
homeland and later is still being patronized by the former and it will be disastrous for the
press and people, explaining how he has been treated by both.
“One day 25 security men rushed into the office of my newspaper, expelled out the staff
forcefully and remained there whole night, eventually, the news paper couldn’t be
published next day.” He and his staff did not care even a fig for it and started their
publications. Narrating the details of the horrible circumstances in which he and his
colleagues have to perform their professional duties, he terms Taliban days as a nightmare
when Taliban leaders also keep on coming to office, threatening his staff of dire
consequences, if they publish something against them. He continued the publication of
his newspaper to update his readers even after two of his reporters Abdul Aziz and
Muhammad Shahid were killed by Taliban in a short span of time.
When Taliban blasted explosions in his offices thereby razing his all earning of life in
seconds, he decided to shift his publications to Islamabad; however, his more than 40
reporters and representatives are still operatives in these dangerous areas of Northern
Pakistan where their lives are at risk due to continued fierce fight between hardcore
Taliban and Pakistani security forces. He is also worried about the safety and security of
his field reporters who don’t have any experience of working in a state of belligerence.
He asked international media organizations to provide required professional training and
assistance to journalists working in war zone so that they become able to cope with the
permanent danger of death and destruction in fierce war fought between Military and
Taliban militants.
Now, about 3 million people from Swat and Malakand have migrated from their native
homes after current military operations in Northern Pakistan, he has not left his readers at
the mercy of circumstances, Sadiq established relief cell in his publication to help
millions of internally displaced people (IDPs) of whom a large number consists of
readers of his newspapers which admittedly exhibits that he values his readers more than
consumers, ‘People are our real asset and we cannot leave them alone. We would do
whatever we can to help them,” says Sadiq, with strong determination.

Daily Kashmir images, July 11, 2009