The Cost of a Pakistani Journalist Life

You are right. Those channels who boast that CNN and BBC get their feed from them should provide their men with adequate training and other amenities.

Don't you guys have some sort of Union or association to raise hell for your demands...

Dear Mr Imran Ali Teepu.

You mentioned that media institutions should train journalists properly, as a journalist myself, I couldn't agree less with you. Having the great opportunity to be trained as in a war-corresponding course, I feel that those who actually end up going on the streets to report should certainly have this knowledge. A few workshops for journalists would do them great. Moreover, it is not only the heavy price that Pakistani journalists have to pay, there are also foreign journalists who end up quite in the same situation as us. This I relate from a personal view.

The cost of being a journalist is truly great. With journalists such as Tariq Ayub (Al-Jazeera) who died live on TV while reporting, to what happened to Daniel Pearl and how can I forget the abductions of Pakistani journalists in Wana? It's gruesome to see that those providing the naked truth and excersing the fundamental right of freedom of speech are treated in this manner. The worst is the sight of what I saw only as of yesterday, that in LUMS and FAST the protest that took place by the students againts the government, there journalists were beaten up along with a few students and the journalists were not even allowed to pass the premisses of the respective universities.

The cost of being a journalist is tremendous and indeed those of us like yourself, are doing a great job. All I have to say in the end is that do not stop at any cost! The stakes are high, lives are at risk, but by remaining true to the feild that we have chosen, as journalists, we are obligated to bring forth the truth and the gruesome reality to our masses, even if its at the cost of our life. It is people like you and so many others who will provide a reason for many more people to respect and perhaps even take up journalism.

Best of luck and thank you for an eye opening account for people to see the plight of us journalists.

Best wishes!
Zara Hafeez

Dear Mr Imran Ali Teepu.

You mentioned that media institutions should train journalists properly, as a journalist myself, I couldn't agree less with you. Having the great opportunity to be trained as in a war-corresponding course, I feel that those who actually end up going on the streets to report should certainly have this knowledge. A few workshops for journalists would do them great. Moreover, it is not only the heavy price that Pakistani journalists have to pay, there are also foreign journalists who end up quite in the same situation as us. This I relate from a personal view.

The cost of being a journalist is truly great. With journalists such as Tariq Ayub (Al-Jazeera) who died live on TV while reporting, to what happened to Daniel Pearl and how can I forget the abductions of Pakistani journalists in Wana? It's gruesome to see that those providing the naked truth and excersing the fundamental right of freedom of speech are treated in this manner. The worst is the sight of what I saw only as of yesterday, that in LUMS and FAST the protest that took place by the students againts the government, there journalists were beaten up along with a few students and the journalists were not even allowed to pass the premisses of the respective universities.

The cost of being a journalist is tremendous and indeed those of us like yourself, are doing a great job. All I have to say in the end is that do not stop at any cost! The stakes are high, lives are at risk, but by remaining true to the feild that we have chosen, as journalists, we are obligated to bring forth the truth and the gruesome reality to our masses, even if its at the cost of our life. It is people like you and so many others who will provide a reason for many more people to respect and perhaps even take up journalism.

Best of luck and thank you for an eye opening account for people to see the plight of us journalists.

Best wishes!
Zara Hafeez

Journalists have to be protected especially where

violence is being reported.

And how can we ever know that any scenario being covered

will not turn violent?

Re: # 3 Thank You Ms.Zara Hafeez, I totally agree with your comments and my point stands by you, that is we will never stop coverages of any important event and let the people know about thier real world, e.g. wars, conflicts etc.
Thanks.