- No walk in the park
That SAPM Firdous Ashiq Awan was given the boot was not unexpected, as stories hinting at her removal were already going the rounds. What comes as a big surprise is the choice of Senator Shibli Faraz as Federal Minister of Information and Lt Gen (rtd) Asim Bajwa as SAPM on Information.
The PTI’s media policy has been centered on three points, which are, building the image of PM Imran Khan as the greatest leader the country has produced, downgrading and damaging the reputation of the opposition leaders and launching a multipronged operation to bankrupt and silence the media. Former SAPM Firdous Ashiq Awan had managed to retain the office for over a year because of her crude methods to damage the opposition and suppress the free media. The policy had on the one hand turned government-opposition differences into animosities, while it had also increasingly embittered the relations between the government and the media.
Senator Shibli Faraz has earned respect as a level-headed and sophisticated parliamentarian. One does not expect him to resort to crude vocabulary to please the PM or take damaging steps to harm the media. During his tenure as ISPR spokesperson General Bajwa had no problems with politicians while he maintained cordial relations with the print and electronic media, efficiently conveying the military’s concerns to both. One does not expect him to praise the PM every morning and badmouth the opposition in every statement or support measures that amount to strangling the media
There is no evidence to suggest that Mr Khan has changed his views about the opposition or the media. At the telethon last week, Mr Khan indignantly turned down the suggestion to take the opposition on board in the campaign for funds to fight coronavirus while the PM’s soul mate Maulana Tariq Jameel declared that Pakistani media, like its international counterpart, flourished by spreading lies. One would therefore wonder how the new media team got appointed. Meanwhile one will have to wait to find if the team really attempts to put an end to the increasing political hostility and moves to silence the media.
