Apathetic/Biased Media Media Ignoring Shia Movement – by Durreshahwar Jafri
A friend made a comment on a facebook page:
I am not Shia, but why there was not media coverage of July 1 , 2012 jalsa at Minar e Pakistan.
Why these news?
Why no news item on this?
MWM July 1st, 2012 historic event with more than quarter million attending
The protest for truth and humanity is not a line for our ‘madar pidar aazad media.’ God forbid if something untoward had happened they would have covered it as the incompetence of the Govt. Even some party leaders would have given statements. Thus we should thank Allah that there was nothing of interest for this sensation seeking, agenda following, main media of Land of Pure.
When rising up for a human cause we should always remember one thing, the path would be full of thorns but there is the smell of roses at the end, whether we are able to inhale that smell or not depends upon the sincerity of our mission and a mindset to find proper direction. Years back Honourable Maulana Hasan Zafar Naqvi Sahib told us that he wanted to do something in the field of education for deserving Pakistanis. He also told us that when he mentioned it to his uncle The Revered Dr. Kalbe Sadiq Sahib an orator of repute and a member of the faculty of Ali Garh University, who also runs a big facility for educating the needy in India said,’Dear nephew uptil now you are a Maulana and eat halwa,’ said in the lighter tone. He continued, ‘Once you enter the field of practical work of community education be ready to tread on thorns.’ And Maulana Sahib along with his companions has been treading the thorns not only of community education, but picking up the torn bodies of the martyrs of the mayhem that goes on, working for the affectees of this carnage and trying to give us a leader that we lost in Allama Arif Hussaini.
Allama Raja Nasir Abbas Sahib is a valiant worker. His style may differ from Maulana Hasan Zafar Naqvi Sahib, but they vibe well and draw upon each others’ strength. Ameen Shaheedi Sahib is another very organized and together leader of themovement that put up the show at times ignored, at other times covered slightly or misrepresented as in case of ARY. From what i have observed of their working is that these people know how to rope in willing and sincere workers from different fields of life, draw on their strengths, at times ignore their weaknesses (until and unless they are harmful for the ‘Hadaf’), this kind of working has helped them in putting together a force that Mashallah became visible in Minar e Pakistan on the 1st of July 2012.
The mainstream media coverage. Yes they have covered every news of the down trodden and the persecuted which gave them a chance to sensationalize. A good example is the coverage of the Karachi Aashoora procession tragedy few years back. Every screen and print media covered it, as it was the sensation of the day. There were talk shows about it. What were the talk shows mostly about? ‘The processions should not be taken out in these times of danger.’ Even the interior minister hinted at it. An anchor in express news was very vocal about it. No in depth perspective was given by worthy Shia leaders. Dunyia news decided to give some time to Maulana Hasan Zafar Naqvi in a programme where he wanted to give his views about the people responsible, the programme never came on air.
A new party made its presence felt, even the leaders of the community other than MWM graced the occasion to show unity and vowed to march forward to save Pakistan. Was that gathering its leaders, participants or spokespersons not worthy of some attention and time on some talk show? Every howling political entity who has nothing novel or worthwhile is seen day after day on their programmes. The female hoydens reminding us of the Banshees of Greek Mythology annoy our ears all the time but they have no time for a Hazara Shia leader after the carnage of his people, they have no time for the Shia leaders who have picked up about more than 750 bodies since the beginning of this year.
When they call, it is some insipid, person who can give no point of view but just listen to others saying whatever they want for his community. Are the main media scared of our leaders, or they are just ignoring the problem that has now started eroding the base of our society i.e the Shia persecution and killing.
There are four sections the media which are silent on Shia genocide:
Sold out to ISI;
Threatened, coward;
Deeply anti-Shia (sectarian bias);
Sheep (deadwood, naive, copy cats).