Silencing Voices: The Chilling Reality of Press Freedom in Pakistan
- Zaina Nauman Afzal
- Jun 21, 2024
- 4 min read
Imran Riaz Khan was once again arrested early this week on his way to perform Hajj, and while he was clad in ihram, no less. As an individual who has ‘disappeared’ at the hands of the government for over 4 months and, in the words of his lawyer, been ‘arrested like a terrorist’ multiple times, Riaz is a classic case of those in power abusing their authority to ensure their prerogative prevails.
Do not think the case of Imran Riaz is an exception. Do not consider it a fluke, an outlier, or an isolated incident. Do consider it a message. Consider it a direct warning from those in power to put the rest of society in its place: silent. The plight of journalists is a very stark reality that is faced by all those who voice their opinions over any matter concerning the politics of Pakistan. And the audacity they have! Foreign is the concept of shame, of discretion, of accountability. The blatant lack of freedom of speech has never been as rampant as it is today, with anyone speaking up getting ‘picked up’ in obscure circumstances and disappearing indefinitely. According to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, ‘in the last 10 years, over 3500 journalists have been victims of enforced disappearances’.
Imran Riaz’s release at the hands of the Lahore High Court was not the victory for the press that it may seem like on the surface. In fact, the judiciary’s intervention to secure his freedom actually exposes its limitations; it speaks volumes that court interference was needed to ensure a journalist’s safety. All it has done is paint a false illusion of security for journalists. The fragility of press freedom marks a peak era of bowdlerization. But who is running it all behind the scenes?
It is commonly said that the country suppresses narratives that do not suit their own, but it is rare to have someone actually name the individuals who are pulling all the strings: the army. There are corrupt people all over the country, from government officials to bank workers. Yet, since the formation of this country, the military has been running the show in some form or another. For one, the deep state of our nation; an amalgamation of the military and intelligence services: the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). With time, it has become increasingly apparent that it is an organ of the army, not of the state itself. The objective is straightforward – muzzle the media, control the narrative, and eliminate the opposition. It should be noted that statements like these cannot be pushed into the public narrative if one does not value their own safety. I, for one, am confident that if I were writing this for a publishing agency and not for my professor, this piece would never see the light of day!
Why are those in power so threatened by individuals equipped with a mere paper and pen? Journalists find themselves targets of systematic persecution; the laws built to protect them are rendered useless. The truth is that the fight for press freedom is a struggle for the very soul of democracy. Without it, the public remains in the dark, and the foundations of democracy crumble. It seems that as the army chooses to play judge, jury, and executioner with the lives of the innocent, the remnants of Zia’s military era echo in every courtroom. One of Imran Riaz’s arrests had him charged with damaging a barrier outside the airport, despite ‘nothing on record to suggest that the accused was driving a vehicle at the time of alleged occurrence’! There is no longer even an attempt at subtlety; they just do as they please. And why shouldn’t they, when they never face any consequences?
There exists a minority who are skeptical of the mass censorship and efforts to curb narratives in this country, who claim there are no real consequences for journalists. To
them I present another example: Palestine. The repercussions of non-conformity have never been more apparent than in a place where genocide is occurring. With a complete disregard for humanitarian laws and basic decency, Palestine has taught us that there is a price to pay for free speech, and journalists pay the highest of them all.
Pakistan threatens those who speak up with a complex web of challenges; economic pressures, job insecurity, and fear of physical safety are just some of the factors that foster self-censorship amongst journalists in an attempt to stifle critical discourse. Consequently, the public is deprived of essential information, and all sense of accountability goes unchecked, with corruption gaining the upper hand.
Despite the many horrors that have been committed against him, Imran Riaz has stated that he will ‘stay in Pakistan as long as he is alive’ as it will ‘not stay like this forever’. How he has the capacity for hope after experiencing the brunt of the worst of us is beyond me. Forever a pessimist, I cannot see myself agreeing with Riaz. Yet if more journalists like him continue to educate others and exercise their right to voice their opinions, then maybe there is hope for our country after all. The cost of silence is too high to bear, and truth must prevail against the forces of intimidation. Let me know how you feel on the matter, and if you agree or disagree!