On screen, out of touch
Popular media in Pakistan is playing to the gallery of glorified irrationalism, writes Nadeem F. Paracha.
On the day renowned Islamic scholar Dr Sarfraz Naeemi was brutally slaughtered by a suicide bomber of Baitullah Masud’s terrorist set-up, the Tehreek-e-Taliban-Pakistan (TTP) [1], mainstream television talk show host, Dr Shahid Masood, and former Amir of the Jamat Islami, Qazi Hussain Ahmed, were discussing the ‘infiltration (of foreign agents) into the fold of TTP.’
Bizarrely, Dr Masood went a step further while talking to his second guest on the show by asking him whether certain members of NGOs in the NWFP might also have infiltrated Baitullah Masud’s organisation?
It was his good luck that conservative politician Ejaz-ul-Haq was on the other end of the line. Otherwise, any person with a bit more sense would have either blasted Masood’s absurd innuendos, or better still, laughed his head off!
Imagine, people trained to administer polio-drops to young children turning into suicidal infiltrators of fascist Islamist organisations? I doubt any other talk show host can top this one.
It is a rather stunning experience watching certain TV talk show hosts, journalists and assorted ‘experts’ continuing to find newer and more bizarre ways to stick to an obviously reactionary and, if I may, paranoid line in this respect, especially at a time when a majority of Pakistanis, including well known religious scholars, have started to freely exhibit anger and bitterness towards phenomenon like the Taliban and Al-Qaeda. [2]; [3]
The question arises, is this a matter of defending an ideology for which these TV and press men are ready to face ridicule? Or is this peculiar attitude about something else?
Sceptics would suggest that this is nothing more than these gentlemen first determining a populist line of attack that they discover gets them instant attention, and then sticking to this line. [4]
Their on-screen and on-paper attitude becomes their professional-ideological identity and, in a way, they become prisoners of this mind-set. Their new-found celebrity status and economic wellbeing (at least in their minds) becomes ever-so-deeply entangled with this largely reactionary identity that they have adopted for popularity’s sake.
Thus, the above dilemma also sees most celebrity talk show hosts increasingly losing track of the shifting nature of populism. They end up defending the ideological comfort zones that they had built around a preceding phase of populist thought, sounding ‘out of it’ as a result.
The above is exactly what has happened on most local TV talk shows and on the op-ed pages of the country’s Urdu newspapers. For example, prior to the showing of the Swat girl flogging video by mainstream TV channels [5], and more so, before the controversial ‘peace deal’ between the government and the Taliban in Swat collapsed, most frontline talk show hosts, Urdu journalists and televangelists had gradually built up a long-winded narrative that explained religious extremism in Pakistan as being an expression against ‘American imperialism’, ‘Zionist conspiracies’, ‘Hindu infiltration’, ‘economic inequality’, and ‘injustice’. [6]; [7]; [8]
But this narrative started to display all of its loopholes the moment the TV channels exhibited an about-turn and started running the video, and especially after the ‘peace deal’ with the government collapsed. [9]
Educated follies
Whereas critics have blamed populist TV talk shows and certain Urdu columnists for trivialising complex issues and presenting – in a rather romanticised manner- what is clearly a barbaric contingent of extremists, there are others who have shown more concern over the phenomenon’s influence on young Pakistanis.
They believe that already distorted versions of history and Islam are taught (and uncritically swallowed) in most schools and colleges. They fear these shows and columnists are furthering this trend, instead of checking it.
What’s worse, these hosts and journalists are bypassing academically sound works of history and politics, and instead going directly to the already debunked works of conspiracy theorists, most of whom are anti-Semites and dangerously compartmentalised in their thinking. [10]
TV host Iftikhar Ahmed in his show confronted his counterpart Masood and asked him to explain why he lifted chunks of material from Turkish pseudo-scientist and controversial Islamic creationist Harun Yahya’s book, ‘Last Days,’ to construct his own TV documentary and book, ‘End of Times’ that was run on a mainstream Pakistani TV channel?
Whereas in back-to-back articles, columnist, Fasi Zaka took to task ‘security analyst’ and celebrity TV speaker, Zaid Hamid, indicting him for ‘digressing dangerously into hate speech’ and adding, ‘blanket condemnation (of Zionists, Hindus and Christians) – whom Hamid blames for everything that is gone wrong with Muslims- is for demagogues, not TV anchors.’
Zaka also demonstrates how Hamid distorted history just to score some bizarre points, one of them being that the ‘Sikhs in Punjab were really Muslims!’ [11]; [12]
Educationists who were already fretting over the way generations of Pakistani students have been taught skewed history lessons about Islam and Pakistan – at times through state-approved history books – are now worried that the biased and distorted imagery of Muslims and other faiths in text books are being given glamorous currency by certain TV personalities.
After the 1971 break up of Pakistan and the war with India, educational discourse on nation building in Pakistan became much more introverted. The shock and horror of the defeat in East Pakistan led to the reconstruction of ideological boundaries in a much more narrow form. A violent, militaristic and negative nationalism, which saw enemies on every border, was reconstituted. This nationalism was not so much for progress or development as much as against Pakistan’s myriad enemies lurking behind every door.
According to eminent Pakistani academic and reformist, Dr Rubina Saigol, this new nationalism required a re-ordering of the past. Those unacceptable to the newly formed insecure national self had to be violently expunged. The pages of time had to be cleansed of the enemy’s presence. Ram, Buddha, Jesus Christ, Gandhi and several others, who had earlier been allowed in with a generous hospitality, had to make unceremonious exits from the pages of history textbooks. In their stead, the Khulfa-e-Rashideen, belonging to Arabia and to an ‘other’ and alternative past, were welcomed warmly into the texts. [13]
During General Ziaul Haq’s dictatorship, religion as an instrument of homogenisation and control became centre-stage in educational policies. An elaborate study conducted by a group of distinguished Pakistani historians and educationalists in 2003 states the prevalence of a theocratic vision in social studies textbooks.
The report noticed the following in Pakistani social study and history books: An insensitivity to the existing religious diversity of the nation; incitement to militancy and violence, including encouragement of jihad and shahadat; a glorification of war and the use of force; inaccuracies of fact and omissions that serve to substantially distort the nature and significance of actual events in our history; perspectives that encourage prejudice, bigotry and discrimination towards fellow citizens, especially women and religious minorities; and omission of concepts that could encourage critical self awareness among students. [14]
During the Zia era, science too faced the dictator’s Orwellian Islamisation process. Sullied science and farcical concepts of religion came together in an official conference called by Zia (at the cost of millions of rupees) in which papers on the following, (and absurd) topics were read: The harnessing of Djinns to create an alternative energy source; chemical compositions of Djinns; measuring the temperature of Hell; calculating the formula for sawab (blessing); and measuring the speed of Heaven! [15]; [16]
The (un)common man
Interestingly, whereas one should expect the proverbial ‘common man’ to be the most affected by the above-mentioned phenomenon in the media and education, it is the expanding urban middle class that is responding a lot more prominently to what they are learning as ‘Islam’, ‘politics’ and ‘history’ in schools, newspapers and on television channels (and, of course, on the net).
It can be safely assumed that since a bulk of the classes that make up the ‘common people’ are the ones who are directly facing and being bludgeoned by the frightening terrorist attacks in the cities, most of them are now rapidly changing their perceptions about the Taliban and Al-Qaeda. [17]
The above may also suggest that the ideological divide between Pakistan’s middle-classes and the classes bellow them may have grown – even though, by largely responding affirmably to TV shows based on conspiracy theories and reactionary populist rhetoric, sections of the country’s middle class actually believe they are sympathising with the common people.
During a recent spate of interviews that a mainstream TV channel conducted with residents of the war-torn Swat Valley, the interviewer was hard-pressed to get an anti-American and/or anti-Army statement from most of the interviewees. In fact, some of them exhibited curious facial expressions when the TV interviewer spouted anti-American/anti-Indian rhetoric to rouse the interviewees.
If private mainstream TV is reflective of the politics of urban middle class Pakistan, then shows that continue looking for ‘hidden hands,’ ‘foreign agendas’ and ‘enemy infiltration’ in the matters of the Taliban and other such extremist organisations are only exhibiting a serious disconnect between urban middle-class Pakistan and ground-level realities.
Over and over again, the state and government of Pakistan – in spite of committing numerous logistic and policy blunders – have proven the direct involvement of home-grown terrorists in cases of unprecedented destruction, murder and mass bloodshed.
And yet, channels continue to give wide open space to absurdist theorists, who are behaving as if the hard proof available in this context may take the gloss off their TV identities – identities constructed on the sensationalist art of putting forward incongruous theories, most of which have absolutely no roots in reality or in sound academic investigation.
Take, for instance, a private TV channel’s coverage of the mass blast that razed the Islamabad Marriot Hotel. Two days after the attack, a prominent Pakistani TV and press reporter, Ansar Abbasi, reported that the attack was actually against US Marines staying at the Hotel. [18]
Critics immediately censured the report, accusing it of trying to justify the atrocity, and in a way suggesting that maybe it is okay to kill people as long as they were Americans. Critics also claimed that American Embassy members had been stationed at the Marriott for quite a while along with members from other western embassies, so why did the reporter choose to report this after the blast?
Abbasi was again in the picture recently when on the day TV channels started to run the Swat girl flogging video, he was heard lambasting on air a (female) TV news anchor for ‘sensationalising’ the news of the flogging. [19]
But the irony of it all is that the same reporter has, on record, ridiculed politicians and ‘secular intellectuals’ who had criticised the TV channels for sensationalising the Lal Masjid episode and overtly highlighting the Farah Hamid Dogar case. [20]
He had also accused such critics of trying to curb freedom of the media. Ironically, he was quick to describe the flogging video’s airing as an ‘irresponsible’ and ‘sensationalist’ act by the media, whereas before this he had joyfully found the exhibition of all the blood, gore and the revengeful swearing of the (albeit armed) ‘victims’ of the Lal Masjid by the channels as perfectly justified.
As the consensus against the Taliban and for the military action takes hold more than ever in the country, there is now clearly a feeling of exasperation and disarray amongst those TV and press journalists who have had a field day gaining celebratory attention, especially the sort that they moulded for themselves by reporting and commenting on the two-year-long lawyers’ movement and during the Lal Masjid debacle. [21]
Critics within the media maintain that the reporting on the Lal Masjid episode in particular was overshadowed by media men with ‘rightist backgrounds’, who ended up glorifying and sympathising with the terrorists holed up in the mosque with sophisticated weapons. [22]
Senior journalists, including Najam Sethi, Irfan Hussain and Imtiaz Alam, have lamented the fact that rational and objective voices were drowned out by most mainstream TV channels, and sensationalist TV anchors were given a free hand to run the show, with most of them even going to the extent of conducting live interviews with the terrorists who had taken over the Lal Masjid and its madrassa. [23]
Though most TV talk show hosts’ and televangelists’ narratives are liberally sprinkled with clichéd rhetoric revolving around classical political Islam’s take on ‘western economic and political imperialism’ – even though many academics believe political Islam was actually ‘a construct of [the] West’s anti-Left agenda during the Cold War’ [24] – it is interesting to note that almost all of these political shows and religious programs are punctuated with dozens of commercials of products and brands made by western, multinational corporations.
For example, a show that keeps harping about ‘economic terrorism’ (and various economic conspiracies) by western economic interests is actually sponsored by products of large multinationals.
So why hasn’t anyone noticed the glaring dichotomy? Moreover, why don’t the companies raise an eyebrow about the content of such shows when asked by the channels’ marketing departments to sponsor them? Can it be that most urban, educated Pakistanis running these companies are likely to be fans of such shows?
In the last couple of years, a series of televangelists have become popular mainstays across various TV channels. Their fame is reflecting a growing interest among the urban bourgeois to rediscover the ‘power and meaning of Islam’, and regarding one’s place and behaviour in society and the state.
Thus, these televangelists are achieving what the conventional mullah failed to. That is, to make the notion of looking and sounding Islamic acceptable among the so-called educated elite. These evangelists – from Aamir Liaquat to Farhat Hashmi, Zakir Naik, and even Juniad Jamshed – with their brand of dressed-up evangelism are actually the softened versions of the scary, ferocious mullah.
The message remains the same, though: One needs the services of a wise, holy agent to reach the wise, Divine Saviour. Of course, this is something your neighbourhood mullah has also been insisting for years but only looking and sounding a lot cruder.
This ongoing fad may have managed to captivate large sections of the urban middle class, but it has in no way broken the shackles of obscurantism and distortion from religious debate and thought. On the contrary, it has merely dressed it up and made it more acceptable to the educated middle classes, helping obscurantism to now survive as an unquestioned and newly fashionable entity in this class as well.
For example, whereas Aamir Liaquat’s following mainly comes from the more conservative sections of the petty-bourgeois, those making up the fan list of televangelists like Zakir Naik and Farhat Hashmi and politico-religious speaker, Zaid Hamid, also constitute a large sprinkling of men and women from the elite sections of the middle- and upper-middle classes.
Recently, pop stars and trendy fashion designers have been known to hold ‘talk sessions’ with Zaid Hamid, some even going to the extent of calling him the ‘new Iqbal.’
Perhaps disappointed by another one of their favourites – Imran Khan’s now-I’m left-now-I’m right somersaults – and unable to relate to the populist politics of parties like the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Mutahidda Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Awami National Party (ANP), these classes have found men like Naik and Hamid to represent that ready-made, middle ground in politics and religion they had been looking for, the sort they wouldn’t have to do much thinking or reading for.
Of course, these men offer anything but a middle ground, with Naik obsessed with demonstrating his scholarly muscle through meaningless intra-religious wrestling matches and Hamid awestruck by the somewhat unsound and unsubstantiated conspiracy theories involving Zionists, Hindus and the Americans.
One flew over the cuckoo’s nest
In the last three years or so, critique of the conspiratorial and largely reactionary model being followed by most TV news channels and Urdu newspapers has grown louder and deeper, especially in the mainstream English press.
A number of journalists and columnists associated with the English press have stepped up their criticism of the ‘negative and, (at times), destructive role’ being played by popular talk shows and religious programmes, which they blame for whipping up a militaristic mindset and hatred, sometimes also sympathising with extremist points of view. Some critics also believe that these channels and journalists do not overtly criticise the extremists because they fear they will be attacked. [26]
Thus, their critics suggest that such journalists and channels do not have any moral right to criticise politicians as well, which they take great pleasure in doing.
Recently, especially after the fallout of the Swat peace deal, some Urdu columnists and TV hosts have decided to drop out of the closet and take the extremists and their ‘pro-jihad’ colleagues head-on. Two journalists immediately come to mind in this respect: Imtiaz Alam and Hassan Nisar.
Out of the two, Nisar has been a lot more aggressive, becoming an iconoclast of sorts in the spheres of the largely rightist Urdu media. [27]; [28]
This is an important development because since the language they are communicating in is Urdu, the much-needed alternative to the largely convoluted quasi-Islamist narrative their colleagues have constructed will now have a better chance of being heard on a much larger scale.
_________________________________________________
References:
[1] Suicide bomber kills anti-Taliban Cleric: (DAWN)
[2] Naeemi worked for alliance against Taliban: (DAWN)
[3] Pakistani cleric speaks out against Taliban: (Reuters)
[4] Televised Populism: Kim C. Schroder
[5] Taliban hand out lashing to girl: (The Guardian)
[6] Kon Thay, Kahaan Chalay Gaye: Shahid Masood (Jang)
[7] Economic Terrorism: Zaid Hamid (Video Clip)
[8] Koi Mushtry ho tho Awaz Dey: Haroon-ur-Rashid (Daily Express)
[9] ‘Democracy is a system of Kufer’- Sufi Muhammad: (GEO Site)
[10] Abuse of History in Pakistan: C. Rosser
[11] Hate Speech-I: Fasi Zaka
[12] Hate Speech-II: Fasi Zaka
[13] Curriculum in India & Pakistan: Dr Rubina Saigol
[14] The Subtle Subversion: A. H. Nayyar & Ahmed Salim
[15] Djinn Energy: Robbie Honerkemp
[16] Science & The Islamic World: Dr Pervez Hoodbhoy
[17] Tribesmen rise up against Taliban: (VOA)
[18] Was it an attack against US Marines?: (The News)
[19] Reaction Swat girl flogging: (Video Clip)
[20] Farah Hamid Dogar Case: (Interface)
[21] Pakistan Army Storm Mosque: (BBC)
[22] Report Card: Huma Yusuf
[23] So Many Roads From Lal Masjid: Najam Sethi
[24] Political Islam in the Service of Imperialism: Samir Amin
[25] The Holy Mind Blow: Nadeem F. Paracha
[26] Death Threat for Editor: (Times)
[27] Hassan Nisar Critique: (Video Clip)
[28] Imtiaz Alam Attacked: (Report)
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June 24th, 2009 at 10:17
The following comments must be read along with my previous comments dated June 20th, 2009 on the present topic.
It is very very embarrassing that the English authors are totally the opposite of the Urdu writers. This practice is generating a lot of dangerous confusion among the the readers with regard to the common issues of national concern.
The code of ethics must be made applicable to both English as well as Urdu authors. These people have a great deal of responsibility for the formation of the true mind-set of the public.
The people should be guided appropriately towards the information. The writers, regardless of whatever language, are deemed the character-builders. Therefore, they must be dedicated enough to spread nothing but the truth.
Be it print media or electronic media, it should motivate the people to learn and practice only a positive attitude.
Hosting talk shows or printing newspapers should have only one common goal, which is imparting proper information and relevant knowledge.
Therefore, the best answer is that the authors should come closer to each other and stand united on one platform to address all national issues with ‘independent’ and ‘unbiased’ views.
An unbreakable unity is the key.
June 24th, 2009 at 9:25
Thank you Mr.Pracha
June 23rd, 2009 at 15:20
it was an enlightening article but i dont agree with the bashing of the modern islamic scholars…i mean they are doing a pretty decent work themselves…probably the way it should be done….the author imo is biased towards religion…yes i agree that our history might have been twisted to portray a better picture of ourselves and that there is a … Read Morerise of baseless conspiracy theories… but branding everything associated with religion and its interpretation a misconcept is not correct…i dont know why he mixed zakir naik with the likes of amir liaquat and zaid hamid…zakir naik IMO is doing an amazing job of spreading the msg of our religion and i never seem to find any of his discussion n arguments as meaningless….when the author said that it was confirmed that he was biased…however i do agree with the dual-faced role of the media
June 22nd, 2009 at 22:44
Another masterpiece from NFP. Only he can come up with something like this. I don’t understand why you don’t have any TV show of ur own?? And secondly every Pakistani has the duty to keep check and balance on all these TV anchors. So please write to them if they are saying or broadcasting something which is not correct, ethically morally or otherwise.
I am proud of you being such a vibrant Pakistani.
June 21st, 2009 at 15:14
Excellent Work.. With very good references too..
June 21st, 2009 at 9:48
Very good article by NFP. Truth always bites, but those who realize it and act accordingly, make their history successful and glorious. Good to see that most Pakistanis on this forum are realizing how dangerous are the consequences of studying distorted history.
Earlier the access to knowledge was difficult (through libraries only), but now the truth can be verified on various authenticated internet sites and other sources. When you don’t know the truth, all your actions and ideology towards your neighbours or adversaries (in this case India) are based on what you have been taught. Results can be seen everywhere. But the good thing is Pakistan is moving in right direction.
June 21st, 2009 at 7:13
28 references !! NFP could submit his paper for a Master degree in literature.
June 19th, 2009 at 15:58
Very informative, well argued piece of writing. Pakistan needs more people with understanding and less people with intolerance, more pens and less guns.
My own experience has been that at the receiving end of the hogwash that was taught as history. Much later i realized that i had been dealt a raw deal, and it took a much greater effort to break the conspiracy theory mindset that most Pakistani’s live in today.
My only advice is to educate yourselves as much as you can, as alternative viewpoints are the only way to achieve understanding in this day and age of confusion and anarchy.
June 19th, 2009 at 13:44
Thanks for posting a timely and thoughtful article. We have a responsibility to our past, present and future generations – to provide them with education that reflects the multi-cultural nature of the world around us and not a bunch of half cooked ideas catering to narrow religious/political agendas. Only then can Pakistanis join the other people of the world on an equal footing.
June 19th, 2009 at 12:38
Respected Paracha, opinion on a specific issue would be differ among common people; is quite obvious! but, as you mentioned, such a responsible individual belonging from electronic and print media is going to cheat with himself as well as people of global village is unacceptable all the way! specially in live talk shows, it is difficul to hide any thing from viewers; one should be carefull and calculated about what he/she is going to proclaims! To avoid such bluner mistakes, If its possible, Anchor can provide questions in advance to a host for prepration and find facts to support his views. Any way while talikg about such a burning issue one should keep the sensitivenees of the topic rather create confusion among layman. Thanks for providing such opportunity! Thanks once again!
June 19th, 2009 at 12:17
Reading this article gives a feeling that the writer is extremely prejudiced not only against the right wing extremist or orthodox mullahs but also against the recently rising modern moderate supporters of somewhat true version of islam.
June 19th, 2009 at 11:10
meticulously written,
exuberant read.
However, which nation, nationalism or community doesn’t breed myths in its version of history?
The world we inhabit in is animated on lies.
However, what motivates people called ‘televangelists’ in this article remains a mystery to me.
June 19th, 2009 at 10:39
NFP has come a long way from writing similer analytical pieces on the country’s pop culture to offering in-depth and informed thesis and observations on subjects like popular media, political islam and society.
This work of his is bound to go a long way in making many young Pakistanis to reflect on what they have been fed in educational institutions and the media regarding their religion and their country’s politics.
June 19th, 2009 at 10:16
Good article. I think there is too much religionism in every sphere in Pakistan and it spreading fast.
June 19th, 2009 at 6:46
Hussain says:
June 18th, 2009 at 15:27
“Anyone can quote references and make a long piece of writing.”
Same way anyone can waste time to write down an unwarranted one sentence criticism of a writer’s effort to be more credible?
Wow, people were complaining before that Paracha was totally unfactual, opinionated and lacked details because he had no sources and wrote short. But NOW that he’s going into greater lengths with sources he’s getting slammed!
Damned if you do, damned if you don’t!
June 19th, 2009 at 5:04
I think these media people (and I would also say some people in administration) who spread unsubstantiated conspiracy theories are doing a real disservice to Pakistan in 2 ways:
1) By creating fear where it is not justified – it simply pushes the country into actions that may not just be unnecessary but counterproductive
2) By distracting from the true causes of problems – it delays remedial action and the problem becomes much larger since it has been allowed to fester longer than necessary.
For example by coming out with the idea that TTP is a creation of India, the initial focus of the people and administration was on trying to win the diplomatic war against India and complaining to the US. If this is true, the government and media should have asked the following questions at an early stage:
1) Who are these 30 groups that have now united as TTP?
2) What are their legitimate grievances?
3) How can the legitimate grievance be addressed?
4) How can the people with unreasonable demands be neutralised through counter insurgency measures ?
IF this was done then the issue may not have taken the form it did where such a big operation (that has made 3 million people homeless) became necessary. Imagine the impact on these 3 million people plus the economic impact on Pakistan for relief and rehabilitation and also for the operation plus the loss of self-respect in having to go around the world begging for aid – if the problem had been nipped in the bud by focusing on the right issue – all these impact could have been significantly minimised if not completely avoided.
By the way, for those that still believe in the conspiracy theories, do read the transcript of the conversation between Dr. Manmohan Singh and President Zardari in Russia. It was Manmohan Singh that was asking Mr. Zardari to stop terror emanating from Pakitsan directed towards India. Mr. Zardari did not raise a singe question either related to TTP or BLA. Even the next steps are that in the foreign secretaries meeting, Pakistan will brief India about steps taken to deal with India-specific terror groups in Pakistan. IF the government truly believed the types of allegations that Rehman Malik makes from time to time, the conversation would not have been so one-sided. After all, Pakistan has a nuclear deterrent, so it wasn’t fear of India that made the conversation so one-sided. Something to consider.
June 19th, 2009 at 3:53
Excellent article! I totally agree with what you have to say about these softer versions of the traditional Moulvi-saab of the neighbourhood. How educated professional people, even those who live and work outside the country, have fallen into the charms of Zakir Naik and Harun Yayha is hard to understand. Maybe the only thing that impresses our so-called elite and upper-middle class is simply the use of English language in these televangelists propaganda.
June 19th, 2009 at 3:47
Very poorly analysed article. I did’nt bother reading the rest of the article after I got to this following line. And I quote from the above article:
“Imagine, people trained to administer polio-drops to young children turning into suicidal infiltrators of fascist Islamist organisations”.
Now, I won’t say Mr. Shahid Masood was right or wrong, neither will I argue about the possibility of something like that happening.
But, to wholly reject such an idea, brings Mr. Nadeem Paracha in line with Islamic extermists, who shut their brains and enforce their own school of thought whilst rejecting all other possibilities.
It is a known fact that the best secret agencies in the world including CIA, RAW, Mossad plant their men as clerks, peons, beggars etc to infiltrate deep into hostile land, those people are trained to such a level that to distinguish them is nearly impossible.
So, please open up your minds, & think. Don’t be an extremist.
June 19th, 2009 at 3:04
Good piece – people who try to justify Taliban crimes sicken me, especially those who try to justify events such as the Mariott bombing just because a couple of Americans just happened to die in it.
June 19th, 2009 at 2:45
I totally agree with NFP on this article.
Its a well researched article and with lot of proof showing the true face of some media groups playing with the mind of peoples.
Keep it up with your great work and it will be of great help for Pakistan if Dawn group also start their Urdu version of News channel and news paper.
June 19th, 2009 at 2:43
NF paracha is surely jealous that why after all these years he’s not been able to get as popular as Zaid Hamid ,Farhat Hashmi or Zakir Naik got with their true and factful presentations. One can assure Mr. Paracha that if he atleast follows one minor thing of these people’s logics, he can make his Aakhirat (life after death) a little bit better if not all. one can see how urgently an indian replied to him positively, this itself saying alot about Mr.Paracha, that what kind of people likes him & his baseless and shallow opinions.
June 19th, 2009 at 2:34
It is not enough to say that what a good article it is. Steps should be taken to revise school books to remove distorted history and the religous reaching that promotes violence against religous minorities as well as against moderate Muslims. And the media should be in the vanguard to educate the people. Otherwise the present war between Pakistani army and Taliban will never end for Taliban will keep recruiting new recruits and cash will keep flowing to it.
June 19th, 2009 at 1:19
Why does Mr Paracha think he is an academic writing a paper for the journal of the royal asiatic society??
28 footnotes for a blog post?? and most of the listed references are about largely uncontested information that your average reader is already well aware of.
Why is there this need to make his article seem more serious and rigorous, when it is just a rant?
June 19th, 2009 at 0:02
I wonder if Shahid Masood and Ansar Abbasi long to live under the Taliban rule? How would they feel when their own children will end up in Madrassas and their daughters flogged in open bazaar for going out with an uncle rather than with their fathers? How would they like to see their children and relatives’ throats slit by the Taliban in the main chowk of Islamabad?
June 18th, 2009 at 23:53
This is a great article. The pathetic level of discussion in right-wing talk show programs is at best, an embarrassment, and at worst, a dangerous sign of how rooted anti-intellectualism is in our society.
As an example of how widespread this anti-intellectualism is, I quote from Mr. Hussain’s comment above:
“Anyone can quote references and make a long piece of writing.”
Just to respond, stating a thesis, and then supporting it with empirical evidence is the first rule of effective writing, as Mr. Paracha has so eloquently done.
June 18th, 2009 at 23:19
I congratulate nadim for a very objective and investigative article. I am afraid most Pakistanis see things through their hearts and not minds. Some one mst teach them how to think objectively. Our TV channels are only intrested in making money and not educating the half educated masses
June 18th, 2009 at 23:13
i read reference 14 : subtle subversion by scholars Nayyar and Salim.
Shocking indeed
An entire generation of Pakistanis were brainwashed irreversibly
No eaasy way out of this for the country
June 18th, 2009 at 22:56
Agree with the author! Our common people remain un educated and thus have limited knowledge to really judge what is wrong and right…The religious scholars, living a luxurious life in the country, enraging innocent people in the name of Islam and war against Islam. By shunning away from the root cause of the problems, these amirs of so called religious parties are clever to divert the anger of the masses onto the baseless assumptions. Suicide bombings and killing innocent civilians in the name of Islam – it is truly un islamic! whether its an american war or Pakistani war, killing people on an every day basis and making your country go backward is simply an act of an enemy. Whether someone is muslim or non muslim , if they are bent upon destryoing the country, they are the enemies of Pakistan! The militants are extremely cowardly, jihad is never meant to kill civilians by wearing suicide jackets. I pray to God to give these agents/militants their true reward!
June 18th, 2009 at 22:22
Its tragic that a big part of Pakistan media and also the people of Pakistan have fallen prey to the evil propaganda and mechinations of Taliban/AQ/Jihad and Islamo Fasicst forces for the last decade or so…The result is before us : our country and the sate of Pakistan on the brink of destruction by these evil forces…
June 18th, 2009 at 22:16
yeah but they don’t. Because they can’t find suitable references to support their opinion. It comes straight from the heart
June 18th, 2009 at 22:07
“For every complex problem, there is a solution that is simple, neat, and wrong.”
– H.L. Mencken
June 18th, 2009 at 22:05
Most of our tv talkshows are qutie amusing. they call ijaz ul haq, and the host along with ijaz criticizes America for starting afghan jihad and creating Taliban (Gen.zia had nothing to do with it).Most anchors feel comfortable inviting a guest equal to their own mental level. In case, if the guest raised any intelligent question then what anchor will do? He won’t be able to understand the question and then…..
but lets be patient these guys will be filtered out.
June 18th, 2009 at 21:32
Well done Nadeem, for presenting hard facts and truth the people of Pakistan. However we in India are surely missing the on-going tamasha, since no Pakistani TV channel is beamed here. The late Gen Ziaul-haq can easily be named as the founder father of militancy in Pakistan and others who carried on his legacy are no less responsible for the serious situation which the country is in presently. Nevertheless media must act in responsibly
June 18th, 2009 at 20:44
I’m always happy to see Mr. Paracha’s columns in Dawn providing a totally different view of the situations at hand.
Sometimes i feel that he is a bit anti-religion but that’s his take on it.
As for the outside involvement thing, IMHO It’s like complaining all day long about not being able to solve a problem in Algebra because your horrible teacher in 1st grade didn’t teach you how to 2+2. Well, you can complain all you want but the only way to solve the problem is to start doing something about it.
June 18th, 2009 at 20:31
This is something i been thinking for long, thanks for presenting it in very clear and vivid day. IT seems most of our Anchors or URDU columnists are romanticised bye ‘ Naseem Hijazi’s Novels. Media celebrities lack the logical thinking, analysis and understanding of the issues. U are right that they rather stick what can bring them attendtion( thus the Advertisment Revenues…)
June 18th, 2009 at 20:26
It is one thing to say that,”Anyone can quote references and make a long piece of writing,” but it is another thing to understand that it takes lot of effort and understanding to write a piece of this callibre, full of analysis and insight. The satrk reality of the day is that MEDIA is driven by the TRP and urgency to steal march over their rivals. While doing so they indeed, bring the latest to the viewers at the cost of credibility.
Restraint is the byeword in these trying times.
June 18th, 2009 at 19:24
Sir you lack critical thinking to the lengths of being what we call ‘manufactured sheep’
These politicians that you are quoting are morons, but even a broken clock gets to be right two times a day.
Look beyond the lies and propoganda, dwell into the realms of alternative media and independant journalism/publications. And lastly, apply critical thinking to all that you hear, see and read.
How can you dismiss the possibility that aid bringers can be foreign intelligence agents. Just read how the CIA inflitrated South America in the 60s.
TTP are as much our fault as they are of foreign intervention.
Conspiracy theories are like all other theories: man-made and thus, by extension, flawed.
Democracy, Economics, Evolution are all based on man-made theories. If you believe in these without question why dismiss conspiracy theories completely?
June 18th, 2009 at 18:29
I really appreciate your effort and likes what ever you writes but I have no hope for our nation. We were taught from childhood just the hatered and blind following.
I can just pray but I believe nothing will change the mindset wich were filled with all this mistrust and haterd using the religion.
June 18th, 2009 at 18:10
Does the writer provide any solutions for situation in Pakistan or he is a great ‘critic’ only.
June 18th, 2009 at 17:58
Another very well written article by NFP. The parts about distortion of history in our text books is so true and despite the fact that Pakistan is not the only country which has ‘distorted history’ in its text books (checked Indian and Israeli Textbooks before writing this), we do need to clean up our closets first.
There is only one quick question thou, why is this article not in Urdu?
Ans:
A. It is written for a specific audience in mind, for people outside the country who have limited picture of what Pakistanis think and it is to be seen as the voice of the ‘liberal Pakistan’
B. The author does not think that the majority of the people would be able to handle his ideas or he simply does not wants to communicate to them.
C. The author is afraid of the criticism his ’selective reasoning’ would evoke in the popular ‘urdu’ press.
D. All of the above.
Despite all my liking of NFP, I’d be choosing D.
June 18th, 2009 at 17:39
Zaid Hamid Phoebia is taking its toll on Mr. Paracha.
I am looking forward, hoping to read an article by Mr. Paracha, that does not include Zaid Hamid’s mention.
As Munna bhai had put it:
Paracha Munda “GET WELL SOON”.
June 18th, 2009 at 17:03
Another solid article by Paracha. It was about time someone did a piece like this on the topic of the kind of irrationalism one comes across in Pakistan’s electronic and Urdu media.
People like Shahid Masood, Zaid Hamid, Mubashir Lucman and Hamid Mir just cannot go on behaving like this, when what we need are intellegent, well informed people on TV in this day and age.
Btw, Paracha, you have comprehensively taken on most of the usual suspects, but why did you miss out Hamid Mir?
June 18th, 2009 at 16:49
Mr Nadeem Paracha writes with such clarity and intellectual acumen, It is amazing how objective and different Pakistan can look if we have more journalist like Mr Parcha,and other objective journalists.
It is an important responsibility of media owners and its Editorial board to meet the ethical standards of journalism, In the west you have regulatory board that can revoke your brodcasting licence or refuse to renew If one fail to follow content guidelines and Public interest otherwise threat of libel and social responsibility should be enough to guide good journalists, but there is no cure for inflated TV egos or ignorant hyperbole.
Living outside Pakistan in Canada, If I want reliable reporting I often turn to DAWN as matter of Choice.
This is great and gutsy write up by Nadeem Sahib, adab and my hats off to you Sir.
Aziz, Canada
June 18th, 2009 at 16:13
These things need to be written in Urdu papers !!! … this is the biggest dilemma of our country
The huge disparity between english and urdu papers will turn out to be one of the biggest cause of our demise as a nation.
June 18th, 2009 at 15:51
Dear Nadim,
I absolutely agree with you.
You cannot distort history and feed lies to generations of students.
When you go out and see and observe that what you have read is different then what will be your feeling.
As an Indian I believe my brothers in Pakistan have been given a raw deal by not being taught the truth.
At least they shoud now wake up and teach the reality in text books so a new pragmatic generation would growup.
June 18th, 2009 at 15:48
I feel people like Dr Shahid Masood always forget to present ground reality…. that TTP is our home grown problem even if they are getting bit help from outsiders but they are managing and organizing their crimes from Pakistan territory…. Anyone can judge it with simple common sense and honesty.
People from mainstream media & politician like Dr Shahid, Qazi Hussain Ahmed, Ejaz-ul-Haq keeps should be confronted and answerable to their nonsense conspiracy theories, myths or stories by other media persons or politicians.
Hate mongers present dis-service especially this time when Pakistan gov, army need unity in country they are getting more active to create disarray
June 18th, 2009 at 15:27
Anyone can quote references and make a long piece of writing.
June 18th, 2009 at 15:12
finally… someone posting an article with credible sources.
If only it were in Urdu… might’ve turned much more heads.