Topic:   

“Access to-, Access of -, and the Role of Media in FATA”

Hosts:

Mr. Imtiaz Gul and Ms. Farah Farooq

Guests: 

•        Mr. Ibrahim Shinwari, Former President Tribal Union of Journalists

•        Mr. Haroon Rashid, BBC

•        Ms. Farzana Ali, Bureau Chief AAJ TV Peshawar

•        Mr. Asif Orakzai, Journalist

Producer: 

Muhammad Intisar ul Haq

Theme:

This show discusses what legal and administrative reforms are needed to ensure FATA citizens’ access to media. Alternatively, what can be done to ensure that Pakistanis outside FATA get more accurate information about what’s going on inside FATA?

One of the political parties recommended extending PEMRA’s jurisdiction to FATA because FATA cannot establish its own electronic channels. As such they rely more on foreign media, FM radio and Pakistan State radio from the settled areas. Journalists and other media have limited access to FATA. In addition, journalists are generally barred from entering FATA because of the security situation and threats from the militants. And when they are inside, they are often intimidated, threatened and blackmailed by military and political agents. As a result, the reporting that comes out of FATA is unreliable and influenced by powerful actors.

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