Can political reforms in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) succeed without media reforms in the region? This key question is at the heart of a roundtable conference being held in Peshawar on Tuesday (November 22) and attended by FATA parliamentarians, political parties, lawyers, civil society organisations, government functionaries, media organisations and academics. “Recent steps have been taken to introduce political reforms to bring the region into mainstream Pakistan and extend the same rights to the region’s citizens as granted to and exercised by the rest of the Pakistanis. However, media reforms are not part of these important political reforms, which is a significant mistake in terms of the rights of FATA residents,” said a press release issued by Intermedia Pakistan, a national media development group organising the conference.
The organisers plan to present a comparative analysis on the state of media liberties and information access in mainland Pakistan and the tribal areas. Aside from exploring legal perspectives on why FATA citizens fare poorly in terms of indicators of freedom of expression and access to information, organisers say the roundtable conference will also explore how can media reforms be part of political reforms in FATA to strengthen the voice of the residents of the region and to guarantee their rights. Freedom of expression, as enshrined in Article 19 of the Constitution and access to information, as guaranteed under Article 19A and inserted in the constitution in 2010 through the 18th Amendment, should be the cornerstone of the political rights extended to FATA, the press release said, adding that while this is assured by the state, it is not implemented in practice due to procedural obstacles that are not being removed.
To discuss the ignored link between people’s ability to exercise their political, social, economic and cultural rights and right to freedom of expression and access to information, Intermedia Pakistan is conducting a series of roundtables with FATA stakeholders including citizens of FATA, representatives and notables from the region, relevant government functionaries, political parties, civil society, media, regulators, and parliamentarians to educate them on this link as well as to forge a consensus on media reforms for FATA as a means to ensuring the success of political reforms for the region. FATA is a theatre of conflict between Pakistani authorities and militants. The conflict has displaced many from the region and added a major socio-economic dilemma to the regional conflict. An outcome of this conflict has been greater media spotlight on the region and the state of denial of several rights to the locals in the practical context.
The roundtable will, besides considering the causes of the relative ‘information darkness’ in FATA due to the absence of an indigenous and independent local media, explore mechanisms to improving awareness and providing support to bring FATA into the fold of mainstream media in Pakistan so that its residents are guaranteed freedom of expression and access to information as enshrined in the constitution.
