March 03, 2019

The thin line between waging and reporting a war

located:	Pakistan, India, Afghanistan
editor:	Shadi Khan Saif

In the wake of flared-up armed tension between nuclear-capable India and Pakistan, impartial, independent and critical reporting has turned into the initial victim.

One can understand why the state-owned media is toeing the official propaganda line, but it's less obvious why the independent private media is not adhering to the norms of press freedom with a clear aim of spreading accurate and timely information. This was seen in the warmongering and jingoism that were evident in the feeds of literally all private news broadcasters, both in India and Pakistan.

Newscasters wearing military gears were fuming with anger while reporting delicate information every other minute, as military jets of the two countries were soaring above in the sky carrying bombs. Such a careless attitude on part of the presumably educated and sensible journalists and press does more harm than service to the public in two countries reeling from poverty and endemic corruption. Patriotism and celebration of the services of the armed forces is one thing, but fueling tension and encouraging masses towards war and destruction is another.

The Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, chose exactly the right words to identify war as an evil force that has never resolved any crisis, but has in fact, caused miseries and destruction. "I want to now address India and say let sanity prevail. Let’s think sensibly. All wars in the world have been started on miscalculations on the time and the human cost of war. This was the same as the First World War, with the Second World War, the war on terror, the Vietnam War. The history of the world shows us wars have always been miscalculation", Khan said in his televised speech earlier this week.

India sees Pakistan as its arch rival. Afghanistan has long been frustrated with Pakistan for its alleged interference and cross-border terrorism, while Pakistan sees itself caught between its ‘perceived enemies’ – Afghanistan and India on the Western and Eastern sides respectively. This enmity lingering on since the end of the British rule in the mid-1900s has hardened, turning more poisonous over the years.

The citizens of Afghanistan, India and Pakistan need to thoroughly study the history of revanchism between Germany and France, which led to devastating wars but was later converted into the foundation for European integration. The key to success of the historic Élysée Treaty of friendship between France and Germany signed on January 22, 1963 was mutual respect and close consultation between Berlin and Paris on all important issues.

The South Asian region has immense potential for mutual growth, and the media should be focusing on that instead of sowing seeds of hatred.

Photo: flickr/Michael Clapp