By: Musawir Qureshi
It is often said that journalists are the eyes, ears and voice of every society. When a journalist turns a blind eye to the truth, it becomes a great loss for society. But when a journalist performs his duty with honesty and integrity, he can play a very important role in bringing positive change to society.
A journalist sees things that an ordinary person may also see, but may remain silent about because of fear or helplessness. A journalist hears things that powerful people may want to keep hidden, but he does not merely bring them before society; he also takes them to the government and other centres of power because this is part of a journalist’s responsibility.
When injustice, discrimination, corruption, inflation, unemployment, insecurity or exploitation of a vulnerable person takes place in society, a journalist tries to bring the matter to the attention of the public and the government. In this way, a journalist serves as a bridge between the people and the government.
But there is an unfortunate irony: the person who raises his voice for the problems of others also raises his own voice—but who will raise a voice for him?
In Pakistan, many journalists work on very low salaries and limited resources. From major cities to small districts and rural areas, journalists spend their days moving around in search of news.
Sometimes they are in government offices, sometimes at police stations, sometimes in courts, sometimes in hospitals and sometimes among the people. They find stories, write them and send them to their offices.
Yet the economic condition of many journalists remains extremely difficult. Paying house rent, their children’s educational expenses, electricity and gas bills, medical costs and other daily household expenses has become very difficult for them.
Of course, some media organisations provide good facilities to their employees, but overall, many journalists do not receive adequate compensation for their hard work. For some, salaries are so low that they cannot even meet the basic expenses of their families. In some organisations, salaries are not paid for several months.
There is another deeply regrettable aspect of this situation.
When a journalist raises his voice against powerful individuals, criminal groups, land-grabbing mafias, drug dealers, corrupt officials or other influential people, he may face different forms of mental harassment, intimidation and pressure.
If a journalist asks questions about the government or criticises a powerful institution, the difficulties for him can increase even further.
In particular, journalism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is no longer an easy profession. During different periods of terrorism, many journalists have lost their lives. Some have been injured, some threatened, and after the deaths of many journalists, their families have been left in extremely difficult circumstances.
The entire family often depends on that one person because he was their only source of income and support.
Here, too, we find ourselves in a strange dilemma. We work for organisations and institutions, and sometimes we are forced to remain silent, but even after a journalist dies, the owners of those organisations do not make even a basic inquiry about the condition of his family.
And this is not only about media owners. I personally know many colleagues who have passed away—may Allah forgive them and grant them mercy—and we, their fellow workers, did not even properly inquire about the condition of their families.
We should at least visit the family of a journalist who has passed away and find out how his children are living. We should then share their situation with media owners and relevant institutions.
But sadly, we are sometimes unable even to do this.
So, whom should we complain to?
Just think for a moment about those families whose loved one was killed simply because he wanted to bring news to the people and expose the truth.
What happened to the journalist’s children?
What happened to his widow?
What happened to his parents?
Can a condolence statement—or an announcement of financial assistance by the government, even if it exists only on paper—solve the problems of an entire family for the rest of their lives?
This is where an important question arises: can one condolence message solve the lifelong problems of a family?
It is also deeply regrettable that after a journalist dies, we remember him for a few days, say that he was a very good person, offer a few condolences and prayers, and then the matter seems to end. But no meaningful assistance is provided to his family.
This is where the responsibility of the government, media owners and journalists’ organisations comes in.
It is also worth appreciating that the Peshawar Press Club and the Khyber Union of Journalists have played their role in difficult times by raising the problems of journalists and speaking up for their rights.
Whenever journalists have faced economic difficulties, security threats, the need for medical treatment, delayed salaries or concerns about job security, these organisations have tried to raise their issues.
In particular, the leadership of the Peshawar Press Club has, from time to time, checked on the welfare of working journalists and helped reduce their difficulties to a considerable extent. The Peshawar Press Club is not only a place where journalists meet and work; in difficult times, it is also an important platform for raising their problems.
Similarly, the Khyber Union of Journalists has also raised its voice at different times for the rights, protection and welfare of journalists.
The Khyber Union of Journalists and the Peshawar Press Club should be appreciated, and their efforts should be recognised and respected. Whenever a journalist faces a problem, a colleague suffers economic hardship, action is taken against a journalist, or a journalist’s family faces difficult circumstances, the collective voice of journalists gives the affected person the feeling that he or she is not alone.
However, it is also a fact that the problems faced by journalists are enormous and cannot be resolved through the efforts of journalists’ organisations alone.
For this purpose, the government, media owners, media organisations and journalists’ bodies must jointly develop a system through which journalists’ problems can be addressed in practical terms.
If the government cannot provide protection to journalists who expose public problems and report on crime, then at the very least there must be a strong welfare system for their families.
If a journalist loses his life while performing his duty, his family should not receive assistance for only a few days. Instead, arrangements should be made to provide them with sustainable support for the long term.
For journalists, access to medical treatment, health insurance, accident and life insurance, financial assistance for the families of journalists killed in the line of duty, educational scholarships for their children and legal assistance in difficult circumstances are essential.
Media owners must also seriously consider the welfare of their employees.
It cannot be a sustainable arrangement to expect a journalist to work day and night, accept risks, stand up to powerful people, expose public problems and then pay him such a low salary that he struggles even to support his own family.
Journalism is not merely a camera, a microphone and a news story.
Behind every news report stands a human being.
He has a home, children and responsibilities.
A journalist who speaks about the rights of others also has rights of his own.
A journalist who questions the low wages of workers also deserves fair compensation for his own labour.
A journalist who reports on the poor condition of a government hospital also deserves access to basic medical care.
A journalist who speaks about justice in society should also be treated fairly by his office and organisation.
We must also make it clear that journalism is neither opposition to the government nor support for the government.
The responsibility of a professional journalist is to provide people with accurate and trustworthy information, highlight problems and ask relevant institutions questions.
Governments should not fear criticism; rather, they should regard constructive criticism as a means of improving governance.
If a journalist publishes incorrect information, there are laws, institutions and legal channels through which a response can be made.
But threatening a journalist, putting pressure on him or creating problems for his family should not be acceptable to anyone.
Federal and provincial governments should establish welfare funds for journalists, provide deserving journalists with medical facilities, create long-term support systems for the families of journalists killed in the line of duty, allocate educational scholarships for their children and make appropriate security arrangements for journalists working in high-risk areas.
Similarly, media organisations should not treat their employees merely as machines for producing news.
A fair salary, timely payment, medical care, insurance and job security are not favours to a journalist; they are his rights.
The government and media owners must take this matter seriously.
Here, the role of organisations such as the Peshawar Press Club and the Khyber Union of Journalists becomes even more important.
These organisations should strengthen their collective voice for resolving the common problems of journalists and maintain continuous dialogue with the government and media owners so that practical solutions can be found for the economic, professional and security-related problems faced by journalists.
If a journalist is the eye of society, then who will wipe the tears of this eye?
If a journalist writes about the pain of the people, who will write about his own pain?
If a journalist raises the voice of the oppressed, who will raise his voice?
And if a journalist loses his life for writing the truth, should his children have to carry the burden of that sacrifice on their shoulders for the rest of their lives?
Strengthening journalists is not merely a need of journalists; it is a need of the entire society.
Because when journalists become weak, the voice of the people also becomes weak. And when the voice of the people becomes weak, the wall standing against oppression, injustice and corruption also becomes weak.
So do not give a journalist only a pen.
Give him respect, protection, a fair salary and the right to live a dignified life.
And appreciate the efforts of those organisations and institutions that stand beside journalists in difficult times, raise their problems and speak up for their rights.
Because those who go out to light the lamp of truth and awareness for society have a responsibility placed upon the state, institutions and society: they must not be left in darkness themselves.
