Pakistan
Media Environment | News Gathering | Practical Tips
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Media Background
With the second-highest death toll for journalists (after Iraq) in 2008, Pakistan is among the most dangerous places on earth for media professionals. The country is in the grip of several domestic political crises and is in the epicentre of the ‘war on terror'. Journalists are under pressure from the government, the military, intelligence agencies and militants. Nevertheless, the country’s media is among the most outspoken in South Asia.
Both military and civilian governments have sought to gag journalists. General
Pervez Musharraf (1999-2008) began by ushuring in more freedom for the print media and liberalising broadcasting policies. But in the wake of mounting opposition to his rule, Musharraf imposed serious restrictions on the media in 2007. The civilian government has been similarly ambivalent. It removed restrictions imposed by Musharraf, but when the media provided coverage of opposition voices during the civil demonstrations and anti-government protests in March 2009, it blocked telecasts of the country’s largest independent news broadcaster, Geo TV, in at least five major cities.
The environment in which journalists operate is hazardous. They face threats from terrorist groups and surveillance and obstruction by the military. According to the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), 34 Pakistani journalists were killed between 1999 and 2008.Three more were killed between January and March 2009. Few of these killings have been investigated.
Local journalists working for Pakistani and foreign media organisations bear the brunt of the pressure from different quarters, but foreign journalists on assignment in Pakistan are also vulnerable, given the continuing threat posed by jihadi groups to western targets. This was underscored by the kidnapping and subsequent beheading of American journalist Daniel Pearl in February 2002.
The threat to foreigners continues to grow, with a number of them, including diplomats, aid workers, engineers and journalists, kidnapped in recent years and several killed. A Canadian journalist kidnapped in November 2008 remains missing.
Television is the most universal medium, with some 40 private satellite television stations now competing with state broadcaster Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV), which runs PTV 1, PTV National, PTV Bolan and PTV World.
Pakistan has no private terrestrial television broadcasters, but international satellite television channels, including the popular Indian Zee TV and Star TV are popular and avoid Pakistan’s more restrictive censorship.
The state-owned Radio Pakistan runs 25 stations, an FM network and the country’s external service. Some 100 licences have been made available for commercial FM radio stations (none are permitted to broadcast news), in addition to which illegal FM stations are said to be operating in the troubled North-West Frontier Province.
Pakistan has several English dailies, including Dawn (Karachi) (www.dawn.com/2008/09/03/index.htm), Lahore-based Friday Times and The Nation (www.nation.com.pk), and the Frontier Post (Peshawar) (http://frontierpost.com.pk/). Urdu and other regional language newspapers command a larger readership and are more influential.
Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) (http://app.com.pk/en_/) is the state-funded news agency.
News Gathering
When applying for a visa, foreign journalists are expected to furnish details of their proposed visit. There are two types of visa for journalists — the visiting visa for foreign correspondents on a short stay, and the other with a work permit for those needing to be resident in Pakistan for some time as part of their posting. Once in the country, journalists on a short visit are advised to inform the External Publicity (EP) wing of Pakistan’s Ministry of Information of their visit. Those intending a prolonged stay are advised to get accreditation cards from the ministry’s EP wing as this will give them access to places such as parliament and VVIP premises.
Pakistan admits journalists relatively freely, but tends to restrict them to the cities of Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi. Tribal areas of Pakistan’s North West Frontier Province (NWFP) are off limits to foreign journalists unless permission for this is sought and granted at the time a visa is secured. If travel to tribal areas is contemplated after arrival in Pakistan, permission must be sought from the EP wing of the ministry. If granted, journalists can expect to be escorted by local law enforcement agencies.
The Ministry of Information’s External Publicity director can be contacted at:
Tel: 51-9252-163
Fax: 51-9252-366
dgep@epw.com.pk
For the Kashmir region, permission must be obtained either from the Federal Government’s Interior Ministry at Islamabad or the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Government. Permission for travel to Northern Areas must be sought from Northern Areas administration at its Northern Area Council office in Islamabad.
Travel within 16km of Pakistan’s international borders and the Line of Control in Kashmir, and within 48km of the Afghan border in the Northern Areas requires permission from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Travel to regions such as Waziristan and Baluchistan, including the Sui/Dera Bugti and Kohlu areas, where military operations are ongoing, is fraught with risk. Journalists intending to go these regions are advised to arrange accompanying security. Travel by bus or train in Baluchistan should be avoided. Journalists intending to travel on the Karakoram Highway towards Gilgit and Hunza are advised to join a police-guarded convoy and to travel only in daylight. Group travel is advisable for visits to Pashawar and the Khyber Pass in the North West Frontier Province.
The filming or photographing of government buildings, military installations, airports or any infrastructure, including bridges and dams, or from aircraft requires permission. In the past Westerners have been arrested on suspicion of spying.
Permission should also be sought before taking photographs of local residents. Foreign journalists based in Islamabad report that permission for travel to Baluchistan or the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) is almost never granted. Government officials claim that refusal results from concern over journalists’ safety.
Practical Tips
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The most efficient way of getting around Pakistan is by air and there are several daily flights between Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Multan, Peshawar and Quetta. Intercity trains and buses are also available, though for security reasons Westerners are advised against travel by bus.
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Urdu is the official language, but English is spoken in government offices and in business organisations. It is possible to get by with English in the main cities but not in smaller towns or rural Pakistan where regional languages are spoken. There, foreign journalists will need to hire local translators.
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Mobile networks provide reasonable coverage and are concentrated in the urban areas. Most hotels have internet facilities. Internet cafes also exist in the main towns and cities and are inexpensive.
- Copies of passports and visas must be carried at all times.
Updated by Vaughan Yarwood
Latest update April 2009
