A version of this article has been published in the DAWN today
I struggled with the title of this post for reasons I will explain at the end.
“Da guluno khaar da, bamuno khaar sho”
-Quoting Dr M Taqi
“It is the city of flowers, but now it is the city of bombs”
On the 12th of July, a suicide bomber on a motorbike blew himself up, killing over 34 and injuring 90 others, near the Khyber Supermarket shopping complex that rocked houses nearby. This attack near the heart of Peshawar cantonment was one of many that the unfortunate city has experienced over the last few years. In the classic manner of these well planned attacks, attempting cause maximum carnage, the attack was preceded by a minor explosion which attracted onlookers and emergency services before the second even more deadly attack. What was frustrating about this episode was the stark contrast between media coverage of this attack and attacks elsewhere like Lahore or Karachi. Sadly this has been a recurring theme of coverage in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, and when there is any commentary there is limited the analysis of the attacks. There are few stories of heroism, few interviews with grieving families shared, few discussions with local analysts at the devastating effect of the attack on everything from, victims, students to local businesses.
The reasons for this is obvious, there are perverse incentives at work: With the breaking of the PTV monopoly, there is no obligation for TV channels to have a presence in all provinces and all major languages like PTV does have. With private companies being driven by viewer figures and advertising, they have few incentives to cover news outside Karachi and the GT road belt. Conversely in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, not many writers will risk going into detail about militancy or the governments actions especially since what happened to the late Hayatullah Khan. With the exception of one talk show host, nobody else to my knowledge hails from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. Those few that are invited to shows to discuss issues, will often be cautious in how they word things for fear of being targeted by the Tehrik-e-Taliban. Others that are willing to talk are often ex Army or ex bureaucrats who are invited to talk about national issues.
The unfortunate city of Peshawar, has to live through not just the relentless attacks, the lack of proper burns and trauma facilities, ignorance of the media, an exhausted and angry populace but also the chronic neglect it has suffered over the last 30 years with little development, few jobs and now those few that businesses that are based in the city are relocating because of the security situation.
So what are the alternatives? There has not been an influential Peshawar based English newspaper to advocate the city’s cause since the Frontier Post in its heyday, there are no Urdu channels based in Peshawar. The issuing of TV licenses for Pashto TV channels has been tightly controlled to prevent more liberal groups from setting up an alternative narrative. The one Pashto channel that is operating in Pakistan is primarily based in Islamabad. Amidst all this, there is however a flicker of hope, a new generation of activists using social media sites to mobilise people locally. They are working through papers like the DAWN to get their voices heard. Whether these activists can connect with a national audience remains to be seen.
Unfortunately for now, at least in places like Peshawar, deaths are counted, they just don’t matter.
In a thematically similar post I would also recommend reading Shahid Saeeds article on Dir -The lives less worthy
7 comments:
when i was at dawn news, we had, like almost all other channels, the bulk of our staff - not just the journos, but finance, accounts waghera based in karachi. islamabad would be where the biggest star names would be based, but a lot of strategy, as well as the grumblings over pay etc and their defusion meetings would all happen in karachi.
but the real worth of our channel's coverage would come from peshawar. the bureau was literally 5 guys, and we would call up zahir at 5 to appear for the breakfast show, keep him till 9 at night to use for newseye, and often find him rushing to cover breaking stuff at midnight. every day, for 4-5 years now.
which is what makes this tragic, because despite all the news happening in peshawar, it remained the hinterland of our concerns.
its still no balochistan, but considering its importance and the presence of the pakhtuns in the state, it is pathetic to see the lack of attention KP gets.
I am amazed to hear this, sorry but you are very wrong. Living in Karachi we are very upset every time there is a bomb explosion and lives are taken.
My friends are from all over the country and feel the same. It's bad enough that people are trying to dived shia' and sunnies but please as a journelist you have a duty to be honest and write responsible news.
Don't dived the country along ethnic lines or provincial lines.
This governement does and thinks very different from the masses.
We can only survive, as a nation,by being united.
I endorse your views. The title says it all. Wish we were more empathetic towards our brothers and sisters in Peshawar.
I've just one statement to say:
'I feel scared in my own city'.
thanks for the comments people. I would be the last one to say this was Peshawar specific, Balochistan and the plight of people from Parachinar is equally tragic. A common criticism is that it is the media and not the people..the counter question is..doesn' media reflect the people?
Some months back there were two blasts in Karachi and Peshawar on the same day. You would not believe that a national Urdu newspaper headlined its lead story as "Karachi khudkush hamly m 8 afrad shaheed aur Peshawar m 4 jan bahaq."
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