Pakistan is known to be one of the world’s deadliest countries for the practice of independent journalism. Pakistan’s media is dominated by private companies that have close ties to the government. Whereas the press, television and radio are tightly monitored by regulators who impose temporary blocks over many media outlets - being that they are not allowed to broadcast their own news without authorized permission. It can be confusing for some people to understand Pakistan’s partly free media when their internet and press not fully free. The Pakistan media profile from Freedom House gives a brief statement stating why the Pakistani government allows tight control over their media by stating the following,
“The constitution and other legislation, such as the Official Secrets Acts authorize the government to curb freedom of speech, on subjects including the constitution itself, the armed forces, the judiciary and religion.”
In other words, the Official Secrets Acts restrain freedom of speech on subjects that are serious to the government. As a result of Pakistan’s constitution and other legislation regulate mass media. Television is now the dominant medium with dozens of private channels, but no private broadcasters. Satellite broadcasters have been becoming a disruption for a country who wants complete control over all media outlets. The companies of these satellite broadcasters allow their employees to be opinionated about what corrupt actions are going on within the Pakistan government. Satellite broadcasters are very hard to control since its services are transmitted by signal waves. With Pakistan’s control over press freedom with its own laws and regulations, the people have been trying to help protect some of its media from attacks of personal government harassment that have been trying to censor and control Satellite broadcasters.
For instance, Pakistan’s military intelligence services, ISI and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) militants, have been harassing a satellite broadcaster with violent attacks. GEO TV has been enduring these attacks from Pakistan's military services since December of 2014. GEO TV, now the leading private satellite broadcaster, owned by the Jang publishing group based in Dubai. GEO TV is known for their channel GEO News that has been the target of confrontations between the Television station and various political parties. These political parties have been calling in for all allies such as the ISI to protect them from the media during the political rankings in Pakistan.
From the Reporters Without Borders, an article GEO TV, Target of Pakistan Spy Agency goes into detail on how the corrupt political powers in Pakistan are trying to put people in charge to grow alliances for their own protection from being exposed. Reports of the PTI’s militants harassing reporters and journalists have been ongoing. From the article it stated the following about the violence brewing from the PTI militants,
“A Geo News reporter had to hide in a satellite truck to escape the attackers.”
GEO TV staff members have been taking the hit of attacks because the political confrontation between the broadcasting network and PTI. The GEO TV reporter had been lucky enough to make it out alive, but his life is still a threat because of the political power within Pakistan.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has been sending attacks to media organizations by their own PTI militants. PIT is the opposition political party which has grown powerful since 2012. Their mission from their website Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf states the following,
“The PTI will restore the sovereign and inalienable right of the people to choose political and economic options in accordance with our social, cultural, and religious values.”
These political groups goal is to bring back complete control over the Pakistani people and sovereignty to its government; moreover, controlling the media. Does Pakistan have a chance of trying to balance powers between the political leaders and leading satellite broadcaster GEO TV? If the job of a reporter is to report fair and accurate information to the public about what is going on within the country then why should it be a problem to reveal the truth about corruption? The people of Pakistan have the right to know what is going on in their own government. Although the Official Secrets Acts authorizing the government to curb freedom of speech, on subjects including the constitution itself, the armed forces, the judiciary and religion, the officer officials and political militants find ways to shut down any type of media awareness.
In conclusion, Pakistan stands as one of the world’s deadliest countries for the media business. The people of Pakistan try to manage some of its media without the control of state owned outlets. Even with ISI and PTI militants trying to control and weaken the satellite broadcasting network GEO TV, its workers must stay strong to survive this battle of the control of air wave and media.