The New Nation - Internet Edition

Dr. M. S. Haq

For quite some time now, concerned political parties and others in Pakistan have been busy in spreading the impeachment virus - I mean the virus which is, in a sense, associated with the upcoming impeachment proceedings of President Pervez Musharraf - throughout the country, relative however to attending, intervening and other variables. One of the latest victims of the viral attack is Pakistan Television (PTV). A more or less continuous display of word "Impeachment" in English and in Urdu on PTV screens for the last few days bears testimony to that, for an instance.

I am now (today - 12 August 2008) wondering: what kind-s of message the display has been conveying to PTV viewers and others both at home and in abroad and how would they take those messages?

If PTV is, in a real sense, a government controlled entity and its operations do not come under the purview of media freedom factors announced recently by the coalition government, the viewers and others might then elect to consider it (I mean, the above matter) inter alia a part of PTV's routine activity. In such an event, they might even subscribe to the view: PTV is duty bound to behave in the manner that for example requires it (I mean PTV) to spread the virus at any cost - be it local, national, global or otherwise. What an example of journalistic civility, per se?

I do believe and the US government has rightly described: the impeachment is an internal matter of Pakistan. I do also believe concerned Pakistanis consider the impeachment as their internal matter, too. Now, if that is the case - why is the coalition government of Pakistan investing the valuable PTV space on matters such as the display "Impeachment" that has got more potential for tarnishing not only the image of Pakistan but the image of ruling coalition government and others before concerned Pakistanis and the people of world at large - than facilitating the positive return on investment mentioned above, relative to time, space and other variables, though?

Interesting though, I can not recollect seeing, in the recent time, display of above nature on Pakistan's private TV channels such as GEO TV. It strengthens my suspicions on what I would call "imposed electronic journalism" to which PTV has been subjected to, among other things. Further, such things do not tend to demonstrate for example, the maturity of Pakistan's political culture, the confidence of government in pertinent areas, and a united stand of political parties on current affairs of impeachment.

One of the concerns here is: if viral infections caused by the impeachment virus start spreading - in known, as well as unknown ways and at an uncontrollable rate - through for example the body of ruling political parties particularly at a time when vital organs of that body are not protected by protective cover (as per medical sciences, the cover of antibiotics, etc.), the outcome of infections could then act as inter alia a catalyst for pushing up the demand for, among other things, the state of emergency at any time in the foreseeable future.

It is expected PTV, BTV (Bangladesh Television) and other government controlled (either directly and otherwise) TV channels in the world will be liberated from clutches of imposed electronic journalism on an urgent basis and in an effective manner, allowing them to practice, sustain and promote, among other things, balanced and constructive journalism in pursuit of promoting and sustaining transparent and accountable governments for the ultimate benefit and betterment of people at respective local, national, global and other levels.

It is also expected people of Pakistan will do justice to matters pertaining to President Pervez Musharraf, the ruling political parties, the opposition political parties and others in a manner that will be peaceful, timely, result-oriented, cost effective, futuristic, and satisfying to all concerned - as appropriate.

Let there be no confusion about the fact: the parliamentary justice should inter alia be rigid in terms of conformity to the concerned country's constitution and reliable in terms of its conceptual, legal and operational foundations, as well as applications under all circumstances and at all time.

The stake of parliamentary justice - in terms of for example accountability, transparency, result, outcome and impact in pertinent areas of local, national, global and other dimensions - is high.

It is hoped people of Pakistan, the country's judiciary and concerned others will be duty bound to deliver the right justice at the right time and cost to all concerned - including inter alia President Pervez Musharraf, PM Sharif and Senator Zardari - at all time.