TV THOUGHTS: The deadline expires, but the countdown? Crime at Quaid's Mazar: Peace TV off?

The 30-day deadline for the reinstatement of the deposed judges as envisaged in the Murree Declaration, and as anticipated by the people for the last many weeks, has expired. Will there be another deadline? Will there be more negotiations? I write this column, yet again, on a Thursday, with the thought that it will be read on Saturday (3rd May).
There is a sense of futility. And there are fears, and some hopes. And there are questions. So many of them. What is the latest position of the PPP and is there a very serious difference of opinion between the two parties, the PPP and the PML-N? The talks are on in Dubai and PPP's Rehman has been quoted as saying that the progress was positive. Why in Dubai, the talks? Chaudhry Nisar has been quoted as saying that Asif Ali Zardari was in Dubai for some "pressing family commitment."
The talks have been held for long and sensitive matters were being sorted out towards the last stages in Dubai and mixed signals have been coming through the TV channels for all of the outgoing week. Will the interlocutors make it, will the talks break down? Break out into what direction? ask worried, cynical citizens.
There has been a lot of focus and camera on the mainstream leaders of both the parties, amidst reports that the PPP asked the hotel in Dubai on 30th April onwards to keep the media away. The media has stayed put, and stayed on, and has been zooming in, on a subject that has the potential to trigger off a chain of events that could undo a great deal of what has been achieved. On Thursday morning Mian Nawaz Sharif categorically said that the man who has thrown out the judges needs to be a taught a lesson.
And Asif Ali Zardari in a lengthy interview, followed by phone in calls from viewers over Geo TV was asked by Dr Shahid Masood whether he (Asif) knew President Musharraf and how well. The PPP Co Chairman said that he did not know him as such, and that there had been indirect contacts, however.
Anyway all eyes are fixed on Dubai as Aitezaz Ahsan has said, and as the lawyers have said, to quote one of their leaders, former Justice Rasheed A Razvi, that they were ready to resume their struggle all over the country. And they were waiting for the outcome of the Dubai talks.
It has been a very hectic week, and intensive political activity, off the screen and on it. To have been unable to watch TV at any point in time was to have been ill at ease, dear readers.
THE PETROL PRICE THEME:
What should TV viewers think about a major news and current affairs TV channel that had a marriage theme for its discussion in the post 9 pm news bulletin on the night of 30th April 2008. Keep in mind that this was the night when we were approaching the deadline for the judges restoration issue was coming to an end, and the entire country was focused on this theme.
Even PML-Q in its own way was wondering what would happen were the PPP-PML-N coalition to come apart. Would it step in? Could it step in to take the place of PML-N?
The news channel, Samaa and its anchorperson Faisal Qureshi who has moved from Dawn News TV where he was doing the morning show was discussing the marriage theme with two ladies in his daily programme called Ankahi. (That I like the name Ankahi is another matter). I was rather shocked to see this marriage theme being discussed, which must have been recorded well in advance. I would have imagined that even if the judges issue was not being discussed or even if the PPP-MQM press conference that was not held earlier in the day to announce its power sharing formula, there would be at least a discussion on the petrol prices that were scheduled to be raised later in the evening.
The question being discussed was whether marriage was a necessity (need) for an individual. These were only two ladies participating when I stopped in my channel surfing, which made me wonder why there were no male participants. Given the contemporary societal changes and new values that are being seen it is understandable that the marriage theme with that angle was being discussed, with plenty of laughter. But to have that theme with so much else happening in the country was rather disappointing. Which makes it relevant to mention here that I have seen that some major TV news channels have strangely unconnected subjects discussed with great enthusiasm. It cannot be accidental?
Now to the two main themes that were possibly uppermost in the troubled, restless minds of TV viewers. The first theme: what would happen to the 30trh April deadline, which has not only expired (I write this column on 1st May, afternoon) but also about the details of what was the stance of the two major political parties that signed the strategic Murree declaration. All the major TV channels were focussing on the deadline, and the fact that Mian Nawaz Sharif had rushed to Dubai to meet Asif Ali Zardari to save the coalition, underlining what was described generally as make or break talks.
And the second theme, which I noticed was the lead story in some bulletins on some channels was the petrol price that was definitely going top be raised. The question was whether it would be as much as was recommended by the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority - for petrol. The Ogra suggestion was Rs 8 per litre.
The TV channels, in a somewhat unorthodox move broke the Ogra story.
On sometime on the evening of the 29th (Tuesday) about what could be the petrol prices for the first fortnight in May. So from then onwards, through Wednesday (30th April) for those TV viewers (read citizens?) who were more interested in petrol prices than in any political story whatsoever, this was something to be troubled about.
The frustrations that have been generated by atta shortages and prices (one of the numerous items that reflect the tough gloomy times that lie ahead) may also be kept in mind. I presume that once the major political issues (number one being the restoration of judges' issue) are resolved, TV channels will focus on the countless woes that the common man lives with.
As the 30th of April ticked away the petrol story remained constant in the news, sometimes even being the number one priority.
From some parts of the country there were film reports of fuel shortage, because of petrol supplies that had been held back so as to cash in on the increase in petrol prices that was coming. There were furious responses from citizens about petrol shortage affecting them, and when the petrol raise finally came (Rs 3 per litre) there also came angry reactions from people who said that it was becoming unbearable, intolerable. TV channels carried caustic comments from citizens who said they were unsure of where the price hike of food items would drive them. The fact that people are committing suicide for economic reasons (four a day said the Federal Information Minister also, recently) is a reflection of the times we are in.
CRIME AT THE MAZAR:
From time to time the media focuses on assorted crime that is committed in and around the area surrounding the Mazar of the Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah. It has been happening for years now. Even when the Mausoleum areas was not as developed as a project of pride and prestige there were stories that gave to the place a questionable reputation.
In the middle of March (15th?) there took place an incident in which a young woman visiting the Quaid's Mazar at night with her family, was kidnapped allegedly by security staff (four of them it is said) and raped. After some time she was dropped outside the entrance to the Mausoleum, and found by a Rangers team.
The story is well known, and both the print media and the electronic media have highlighted the facts for the last six weeks - underlining the progress made in the matter. The Aaj TV in its weekly 25 minute programme Benaqab underlined not just this particular incident but the point that crimes of sorts continue to be committed at this place that has so much respect, status and sanctity as it is the Mazar of the Father of the Nation.
The documentary evoked not just anger but also a sense of shame at the incident, and the anchor Yasir Taj wondered very appropriately that this kind of crime cannot be committed without the protection and connivance of the influential and powerful people. There was a short interview with the officer incharge of the Mausoleum project in which he insisted that the young woman had been found from outside the premises by the Rangers, and implying therefore, it was incorrect to assume that she had been assaulted inside the Mazar's premises. The woman has said that she was assaulted by the men in a small room beneath the staircase in the mazar area. Other details that she and her husband gave mirrored the sorrows and the vulnerability of poor people in this society.
This incident takes one's thoughts to not just the subject of rape that continues to be reported far more than ever before, but also at the way in which weak women are targeted in different places all over the country. There is yet another aspect that comes to mind. That there are so many public places in this society where varied crime takes place - places where the common man goes for recreation like the Clifton beach, or parks where couples are harassed, humiliated and robbed by men in uniform and plain clothes, who claim to be either staff or law enforcing agencies personnel.
This particular episode of Benaqab did have a strong theme, but quite certainly there was need and room for a qualitative improvement, in terms of production values. In a sense, I like the name Benaqab and hope that in the days to come it will seek to expose so much that is covert and camouflaged in this hypocritical and dishonest society. I am absolutely certain that once the political climate turns somewhat quieter and stable, the enlarged role of a growing number of TV channels will attempt more to uncover a canvass of corruption and decay that we are engulfed by.
WHEN BANKS HARASS CUSTOMERS:
The TV news channels have been telecasting news stories about how the commercial banks in the country are allegedly harassing their customers for a variety of reasons so as to make their recoveries from "defaulters." One hopes that this spotlight on banks will remain, and will highlight the many ways in which banks pressurise their vulnerable customers, once they have been able to market them their products.
In Bakhabar Savera on the Aryone World Dr Shaista Wahidy was talking to Professor Moiz on the theme of credit cards, how they are sold to people, how people overspend, and they end up in trouble with the banks. Infact both of them were of the opinion that in societies such as ours it is unwise and improper to be using credit cards, as a result of which unbridled consumerism is often the outcome.
I may mention here that Professor Moiz who is a well known for his advocacy of mind sciences, appears regularly on this show and the dialogue between him and Shaista Wahidi is very absorbing.
One may mention here that a young man committed suicide because he was unable to repay a bank loan and the Federal Finance Minister Ishaq Dar took notice of this and has ordered an inquiry into the case.
Then on 30th April came the story that a division bench of the Sindh High Court had restrained five commercial banks from harassing an alleged defaulter, and had also asked the banks to produce a list of debtors whose loans amounting to Rs 5 million or more were written off.
The Sindh High Court bench consisting of Justice Mahmood Alam Rizvi and Justice Qamaruddin Bohra, also issued notices to the federal interior ministry, the Sindh home department, and the IG police Sindh "to state why police protection was not provided to the petitioner.
The petitioner Anwar Mahmood who deals in artificial jewellery said that he was a customer of the Standard Charted Bank, the ABN Amro Bank, NIB, the Habib Bank and Askari Bank since 2000 and availed the credit card and personal loan facilities, said a news report.
PEACE TV OFF AIR: Peace TV, which has had some very good Islamic programmes, has been off the cable and TV viewers are wondering what happened. Is this the Pemra's doing or are there any other hurdles. Some of us have the facility of two cable operators supplying us a variety of channels, and both cable operators are not telecasting Peace TV.
There should be some way of getting to know what the reasons are. Perhaps Peace TV itself could state its point of view of why it is unavailable to viewers at this point in time. That there is a need for Islamic channels and Islamic programmes is something that is obvious. And that Peace TV was in English was an advantage over those TV channels that work through the Urdu language.
On this subject it is relevant to mention here that the authorities in India have stopped the cable TV operators from broadcasting four Pakistani television channels in occupied Kashmir. News agencies were reported as saying that Kashmiris had described the move as "cultural aggression".
The four TV channels blocked by India are PTV, AAJ TV, ARYOne World, and PTV). These channels were evidently popular in occupied Kashmir. The ban orders came from the Indian Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
Cable TV is very popular in Kashmir and it is reported that there are about 50 TV channels being telecast three Islamic channels, some Kashmiri channels, and channels in Hindi and English which have news, movies and other entertainment shows.