By Mir Afroz Zaman, POBNEWS24, Aug 10,2021 : Imran Khan is as helpless as the prime ministers of the past. Democracy in Pakistan is nominal. Freedom of the press is shrinking. An atmosphere of panic is growing against journalists.
Hamid Mir, a well-known Pakistani journalist, said this in an interview with BBC World Service. He is the presenter of a show called Capital Talk on Geo TV.
But after intimidating reporters and commenting on the attack, employers cut off his column on the show and the Zhang group. Stephen Shakur, presenter of the BBC’s Hardtalk show, spoke to him about this.
Hamid Mir told him from the capital Islamabad that Pakistan has democracy. But there is no democracy. There is no constitution in Pakistan other than the constitution.
I am a living example of the censorship that is going on in Pakistan. Stephen Shakur asked him if the state was blocking the voice of neutral journalism – Hamid Mir said this in response to a question.
This information has been published in the online edition of Pakistan’s influential magazine Dawn.
Stephen Shakur introduced him as a top journalist in Pakistan. He said the journalist had faced many threats and attacks.
He was abducted and interrogated in the 1990s. He later survived two assassination attempts. Addressing the audience, Stephen Shakur said, “Hamid Mir has said that a shadow force is conducting activities behind the eyes of the people.” Their power in Pakistan is infinite. They are controlling the media. Who are these forces, who are silencing the journalists?
Hamid Mir avoided the name of that force in such a question of Stephen Shakur. Instead, he said, he has in the past named the head of an intelligence agency. He is the one who conspired to attack her. But the man did not have to appear before a high-powered commission to investigate the attack.
Are the intelligence agencies behind the attack on journalists including Assad Tur? In response to this question, Hamid Mir said, it is an authentic truth.
Various state agencies and intelligence agencies have been repeatedly accused of systematically attacking or abducting journalists. After that, Stephen Shakur drew attention to 6 sedition cases against Hamid Mir. If convicted in these cases, he could face life imprisonment. “If they accuse me, the whole world will at least know what is going on in Pakistan,” Hamid Mir said.
That’s why I’m ready to accept even if it’s a life sentence. The whole world knows what is going on in Pakistan. Because, I am a living example of how censorship is going on in Pakistan. Everyone knows what is happening to Hamid Mir, why he has been banned, I have not mentioned the names of the people responsible for it. But everyone knows their names.
He added that journalists want the rule of law to be established in Pakistan. “If a journalist asks a question, want to know, don’t try to silence him.”
Stephen Shakur wants to know at this stage, on the one hand, he knows who is responsible for the attack on certain journalists. On the other hand, he did not mention anyone’s name in his article in the Washington Post. But why?
In response to this question, Hamid Mir said that the article in the Washington Post was written quoting a case against him in Gujranwala. It has been alleged in that case that I am trying to corrupt the senior generals. So I made it clear that I never mentioned anyone’s name. I think, maybe my voice is more hoarse. Maybe some people are trying to say that I am blaming the whole organization.
So I cleared my position. I said, I did not blame the whole organization. I’m just talking about a few individuals. They are trying to silence the media.
Is Hamid Mir frustrated that the recruiting company did not stand by him?
In response to such a question he said- yes. Of course I’m disappointed. But I understand the situation. Do you think Prime Minister Imran Khan has personally stopped or tried his luck?
In response to this question, the journalist said, “Imran Khan is not directly responsible for imposing sanctions on me.” I don’t think he wants to close my show. But unlike the prime ministers of the past, he is not a powerful enough prime minister. He is also helpless. So he can’t help me.
