TV THOUGHTS: A new Pakistan has emerged; media crackdown? Atiqa Odho, Shaukat Aziz talk; Telefilms festival

I think that there is a definite need to state at the very outset that it has been yet another intense week for the country -- and the TV channels have done an exceptionally effective and courageous job in bringing to the small screen the enormity and the gravity of the crisis that Pakistani society is faced with, in more ways than one.
We don't seem to know where the good news is, unless it is in some of the observations that Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan (PML-N) made in his live press conference in Islamabad. (Express News) These live telecasts are so telling, and which understandably the print media is unable to convey in most instances. And the way in which competing channels go for live and exclusive telecasts is something to watch out for. We will talk about this some time later.
TV viewers have been hearing from time to time in the last one year that Pakistan has changed, and Syed Talat Hussain said this very emphatically in his programme on Tuesday night that "there is a new Pakistan now". And there was an insinuation and a warning at that, for those who are unfortunately unable to read the writing on the wall. The context possibly was that it is no longer possible to take the people for a ride.
The three participants in the studio were Ahmer Bilal Mahboob (PILDAT), Zafar Iqbal Jhagra, (PML-N) and, Senator Haji Mohammad Adeel (ANP) - and there was also Farhatullah Babar who was a phone - in participant. Obviously the programme was Live with Talat(Aaj TV).
The discussion was post PML-N quitting the Federal Cabinet, and the impact of this on the country - on the business community, on the economy and the governance of Pakistan. I would like to mention here that a few days before this Talat Hussain had focused very effectively on the subject of the wheat shortage and how the farmers in the country were suffering, and how they were receiving an unfair share in the income distribution in this developing society. It was a grim reminder of rising food prices, and what lies ahead.
In this discussion on Tuesday, however, one principal point of emphasis was about the governance of Pakistan. Is the new Government, from which the PML-N has walked about, on the subject of the deposed chief justice and superior judiciary, seized of the urgency of governance? And at times of his participants he would ask, as if in doubt, whether governance of Pakistan was taking place in reality.
Many themes like this have come into focus -- and yet another one is that of the role of the country's intelligence agencies and the nature of what the Establishment is at any given point in time. Indeed, a new Pakistan and a new awareness is coming into the limelight.
CRACKDOWN ON MEDIA AGAIN?
On the front page of The News on 12th May 2008, there were many stories that were very disturbing -- and to use a cliché, they were "thought provoking". The lead story was "Nation sinks into despair as talks on judges collapse". It further said "Nawaz to announce future of coalition today; Zardari says govt. won't commit a wrong to rectify a wrong". The details of what has happened are well known, and have been the subject of panel discussions on the major private independent channels, making people wonder about the direction and future course of events and governance in the country.
But look at the other headlines on this front page. There was a comment by Ansar Abbasi, bureau chief of the News, and one of the familiar participants in television panel discussions who asked, "Why another crackdown on the media is round the corner?" in which he argued that "the stage is being set to teach an unrepentant media a lesson".
Then there is a story, which says that "Geo asked not to air programmes on judges". Then there in a story which says that "Govt. not to issue licence to Geo English". Permission for the channel was applied for a year ago.
On the media theme there was another story from Islamabad which said: "New directions to print, electronic media" and next: "Supreme Court issues notices to Geo and Jang". Then there were two other stories whose headlines "Impasse puts Nawaz in tight spot" from Islamabad and "Imran ready to file case against Altaf".
What happened in the country, or rather did not happen in the country as yet another deadline lapsed vis-a-vis the judges, on 12th May 2008 is well known. On this day was observed a black day by the lawyers, the media, and civil; society in sad, angry remembrance of what happened on 12th May 2007 in Karachi. And television channels (private and independent) carried special programmes which reminded citizens of Karachi of the trauma they had lived through.
Then on 12th May 2008 (Monday) came the news that the Supreme Court had amended the order to the media and The News said on the front page (on 13th May) that the SC "prohibits publishing, airing of derogatory news about judges".
Then on 13th May there came the London datelined story that Asif Ali Zardari had denied there was any plan or strategy to crack down on the media, and the story further said that "Sherry says that PPP to assist Geo in Supreme Court" Zardari was talking to a private TV channel when he said this.
One needs to mention here that the Supreme Court has "prohibited publishing and telecasting of derogatory news items against the judges of the apex court as well as the judiciary generally and directed the ministry of Information and the Pemra produce before the court the complete record of TV channels and newspapers after 3rd November 2007". the details of this story were published in the press on 13th May 2008.
It may also be mentioned here that on 13th May, there was a panel discussion in Capital Talk on Geo News in which Hamid Mir had three panellists, namely, Information Minister Sherry Rehman, PFUJ Secretary General Mazhar Abbas and senior journalist Nasir Zaidi, (he was punished during Zia-ul-Haq's government on 13th May 1978 (30 years before this telecast).
It was an extremely interesting discussion on the subject of media and what was even more interesting was the fact that the programme went off the air, for quite a while. And when the telecast was resumed, none of the three participants knew what had happened and why, and Minister Sherry Rehman assured that the Information Ministry had nothing to do with this problem.
ATIQA ODHO INTERVIEWS SHAUKAT AZIZ:
In The News of 10th May, there was a front page colour advertisement which said that the Geo TV would telecast that evening an exclusive interview of former Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz which was exclusive for Atiqa Odho, a television personality. Readers and viewers may have wondered why the interview at this point in time, and others may have wondered why Atiqa Odho was assigned this job and not the various distinguished economic and political journalists whom he had been meeting when he was in office.
The newspaper advertisement also carried this text in small print. It read thus "This interview was acquired exclusively by Geo for our viewers. The questions posed and the views expressed do not necessarily reflect the channel's stance or views."
The advertisement further indicated that the interview would be repeat telecast twice on Monday (12th May). That was incidentally(?) the day of the revised extended deadline for the reinstatement of the deposed superior judiciary. In passing, one may mention here that Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan in one of his recent interviews on a TV channel, had said that the correct word (instead of reinstatement or restoration) was the resumption of duty by the superior judges.
Back to Shaukat Aziz now. His absence from the country, and the interpretation that he is responsible for the current economic mess that has landed the country in to a crisis is often heard on the private independent channels.
TV viewers have wondered why he has not been seen defending his position, and explaining from his point of view all the problems that have surfaced soon after he left the country. He should have stayed on to tell the people of Pakistan his side of the story. He was presenting such a rosy picture and he had all the power of officialdom at his disposal.
Power failures disabled me from watching his interview on the first day and there was far too much happening in the country on 12th May to have made me opt to watch the repeat telecast of his interviews. Perhaps he will manage more repeat telecasts!!
Interestingly the official news agency, with an Islamabad dateline carried a detailed story of what the former prime minister had said in his interview with Atiqa Odho. One may recall that she had also interviewed President General (Retired) Pervez Musharraf some time ago.
Shaukat Aziz said that he was promoting the soft (as pulp?) image of the country abroad, and that he was frequently being invited to speak at international forums. And that he was writing a book about his personal experiences, with a reference to domestic, regional and international issues. Another book about official successes and achievements?
The APP said that "Shaukat Aziz claimed that he had served the country in the capacity of the Finance Minister and Prime Minister with dedication, and sincerity adding that he had been working 12 to 16 hours daily."
With reference to the last eight years he expressed his satisfaction over the economic policies that had been introduced and argued that these policies had enabled a massive pouring of investment into Pakistan. He went onto say that it will take "some time": to bring the country from where it could take a "quantum leap" in the region as far as economic progress was concerned.
The former prime minister (a banker by profession, in case one has already forgotten) said that he was praying for the success of the new government and that at all the international forums that he goes to he says that the present government has the potential and ability to put the country on the path of rapid progress.
There were many familiar (read stereotyped) sentences in the APP report, which reminded one of the earlier news reports that were based on what he had said as the prime minister. For instance, it was reported that "while supporting a free media in the country the former PM however felt the need for a code of conduct that could maintain a balance."
And of course he did not forget to talk of such concepts as good governance, transparency, national interest, progress, development, poverty, and unemployment. I know there are many TV viewers who are wondering about the need for a Television interview with a foreign based Aziz, at a time when the country has so much else to be focused on.
TELEFILMS FROM HUM TV: From the 5th of June (every Wednesday) to 28th August 2008 the HUM TV will begin the telecast of 13 award winning Tele films that have been selected from 52 entries that had come in from all over the country. A special ceremony was held on Saturday (11th May) to mark the channel's telefilm festival at the Nishat cinema.
The occasion was attended by noted people from the television world -- who were all welcomed by Sultana Siddiqui, President, Eye Television Network Ltd. She also spoke on the occasion emphasising the significance of the telefilm festival.
A show reel was screened in which the well known Zia Moheyuddin introduced each of the 13 films and excerpts from which were shown to a very enthusiastic audience. The jury from the festival comprised Noorul Huda Shah, Mehreen Jabbar, Shafqat Amanat Ali, Asif Noorani, and Khalid Ahmed, who also briefly expressed their views on the productions.
After the end of the show reel the producers (or their representatives) were invited on stage to participate in a ballot which decided the date, and order for the telecast of the 13 films.
The following are the 13 award winning films given in order of their airing along with the names of their producers: Aatishdan Mein Baraf - Irfan Aslam, 5th June; Raqib Sey - Syed Wasi Shah, 12th June; Tower Sey Surjani - Parveen Akbar, 19th June; 14, Din - Adil Sher, 26th June; Mere Who - Sh Nadeem Haidar, 3rd July; Aik Adh Hafta - Rubina Ashraf/Naeem Khan, 10th July; Do Naina Mat Khayo - Erfan Khoosat, 17th July; Itefaq - Sajjad Haidar, 24th July; Eik Pal - Juggan Kazim, 31st July; Teesra Aadmi - Azeem Sajjad, 7th August; Nanni Ki Naani - Anwar Siddiqui, 14th August; Justuju Jis Ki Thi - Imran Malik, 21st August; and Nao Mein Darya Mehroz - Karim, 28th August.
M.D TAHIR PASSES AWAY: It is never too late to condole and mourn the death of an individual, especially, if all his life he had dedicated to causes of the common man. I am unsure whether any TV channel had a detailed programme on his life, though I do recall seeing a couple of TV channels report of his passing away, in the third week of April.
The man was Mohammad Din Tahir, a senior advocate of Lahore, who was well known for filing public interest petitions. He was 66 and died of a heart attack. Known as M. D Tahir, his was a name familiar for the public interest causes that he took up, and as one report said that "in his 40 year old professional life he acted like an NGO and filed thousands of petitions relating to the issues of the a layman."
An obituary in The Nation carried a bird's eye view of the work he had done in four decades, and said that he had recently moved a petition for the recovery of Rs 155 billion allegedly "got written off by the previous government". He was also participating in the ongoing lawyers movement for restoration of the superior judges.
It is said that he always used to sit under a Banyan tree in the compound of the Lahore High Court Bar Association -- and a day before he died he was sitting there. He had an extraordinary interest in mysticism and in the building of mosques and shrines.
His funeral was largely attended. May his soul rest in eternal peace. Just a thought: will his crusade be inherited by someone?