Corruption and Freedom of Press in Pakistan

Troops have surrounded and attacked a stronghold of a leading militant in the district of Swat in northern Pakistan, local police say.

It is not clear if the pro-Taleban militant, Maulana Fazlullah, is inside the hideout.

On Thursday an attack in the main town of Swat left at least 17 soldiers and a number of civilians dead.

Swat is one of a number of areas near the Afghan border where militants have been battling the army for control.
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That is some good news, another maulana goes to heaven. The pakis should call the B52s to put an end to the myth of teh tribals dating back to alexander. Daisy cutters from B52s , the porr alexander did not have them and that will put an end to the myth, just like the pora bora mountain myth.

Apparently the changed geography is helping cultivation in the mountain regions.
Airlifted

The latest reconciliation ordinance is the lasy nail; on the coffin of rule of law in pakistan. This ordinace states that several cases filed in the country were politically motivated and hence will be quashed. Pathetic, now what is teh stature of the prosecuters, the NAB and the whole legal system.

It is sad to see pakistanis talking about the law and constitution in pakistan, the doctrine of necessity killed the constitution, now the reconciliation ordinance has killed the entire prosecution system in pakistan.

The pathetic YLh still calls himself a lawyer, what law..what law..

Brilliant insight and it successfully manages to give the other side of the picture. Police attack on Geo, firing on Aaj TV, state brutality on Sharah Dastoor on the eve of President's "election" are grim reminders that there is still a lot to be done before we can actually claim freedom of press.

I agree with Bertrand Russels statement. The so called "Freedom of Press" in Pakistan is a very calculated freedom. And you have correctly linked the corruption and FoP. In the past decades when press and media was quite restricted, the corruption in our society was not that prevalent. The corrupt in the society were usually looked down upon and general population would usually show its outrage at corruption.

But for the past deced or so corruption has been grafted and sytematically nourished to this level that it has become a parallel mode of living. Now those who are not corrupt are looked down upon and considered idiots. Not cowards but idiots. The bureaucracy the business, the politics, and almost every aspect of our luves have been tainted to such a level that an ordinary person can't even dare to imagine that an alternate life is possible.

When society loses its moral compass, the FoP has no value and no effectiveness. Press only "tells the truth' then because it makes money. The people enjoy the FoP because it assuages their own bruised morality. The FoP cannot change anything. And when nothing happens, it in fact legitimzes the corruption.

A sure sign of the overwhelming reign of corruption is that society starts suffering from hunger and fear. That is why when Qura'n reminds the nation of Quresh the benevolence of Allah it says "Let them adore the Lord of this House, Who provides them with food against hunger, and with security against fear"

And look at us what we have now - there is money everywhere and yet there is hunger and fear.