On Friday, the 20th of April, Bhoja Air flight 213 was streaking through the air. Somewhere near Chaklala, the plane, carrying 127 precious lives — including 6 children and 5 infants — exploded into a fireball and crashed into wheat fields.
And so ended the hopes, dreams, apprehensions and anticipations of its passengers and their families. And so ended any hope — once again — that the Pakistani media would ever show any decorum in the face of horrible tragedy, reinforcing the idea that ratings and sensationalism always come before humanity and compassion.
While Pakistan staggered under the weight of this loss, we sat glued to our television sets for news. Instead, what we got was a running commentary, like at a cricket match. Wannabe, pseudo-journalists trampled around the grounds where over 100 people lost their lives violently. They picked up pieces of the wreckage for a voyeuristic show-and-tell, and once done, tossed them back unceremoniously into the smouldering piles. What passed as news during those first few hours was mostly nothing more than speculation, delivered with a cruel detachment by men and women with mics and cameras, who pass as journalists in our media.
The media, whether it likes it or not, has a responsibility. We look to it to let us know what’s going on in the world. Instead, the Pakistani media has become a ratings-hog. Nothing is off the table, no tragedy, no suffering. I want to know: did any one of them, while trampling all over the wreckage, think of how they would have felt if, God forbid, one of their loved ones was on that doomed flight? Would they still have been as callous and factually careless with their “reporting?”
Our so-called leaders are not far behind the media in disappointing their constituents. The Blame Game was fast and furious. Rehman Malik was quick to point out in his usual oh-so-empathetic manner: “If the airline management doesn’t have enough money it doesn’t mean you go and buy a 30-year-old or more aircraft as if it were a rickshaw and start an airline.
“So, let me get this straight: is he trying to tell us that if people aren’t mindful of their actions, and industrialists are trying to start new businesses and make money, then the government has no responsibility to make sure that everything is done up to code? To make sure that carelessness doesn’t turn into tragedy like, say for instance, a plane crash that kills all onboard? Last I checked, the Civil Aviation Authority operated under the Ministry of Defence.
Bravo, Mr Malik! You constantly ensure that the people have no choice but to distrust the government! I’m sure you’re very proud of your statement, since it absolves you of all responsibility. But what about guilt? How are you handling that? Sleeping well these days?
Long Island, New York
I am totally agree with Author, Electronic media should show some maturity and report sensibly. Very well written.
We need impartial and fair investigation of international standards to reach the culprits behind this plane crash.
The role of CAA is also suspicious and questionable in the recent plane crashes in Pakistan.
On the evening of April 20, the Islamabad city was covered with so much fog and windy that people were driving with car’s lights on one hour before maghrib.
In this situation, the pilot should have diverted the flight to the nearest safe destination, in this case Lahore. Unfortunately, it was a private airline and the pressure on the pilot must have been to take the risk to avoid fuel loss at the expense of 130 lives including his own.Agree with author that crash must be thoroughly investigated. I know this is wishful thinking on my and author part and we may never find out what really happened.
This is another disaster for an already traumatized nation and we are passing through one of the most difficult times of our history. Our soldiers are buried under snow, innocent people are being killed in Karachi and Quetta, and now this plane crash. My heartfelt condolence to the families who lost their loved ones.
Shoving microphones in the faces of grieving loved ones, mindlessly declaring how 'X' channel reported the news first in the face of a tragedy and zero verification of facts!
Oh, wait. Isn't this exactly what happened in the Air Blue crash of 2012? What happened to a code of ethics?
Insightful read!
I don't see any ethics in most of the anchors. Media is more interested in commercializing every event not for the sake of news but for their own sake.
Good write up. I agree with the author.
Media is free but it has to go long way to be factual. CAA, PIA, and private airlines are at their lowest.
My prayers to the departed souls and condolences to the victims family and friends.
What a great piece! Compelling responses such as this are the first step to seeing any kind of change in the quality of journalistic reporting. As the author pointed out, it's all about the ratings — what people watch. We hold the power to make the media accountable, and we must avail ourselves of it. Because if we allow this yellow journalism to persist, we risk further desensitizing our own selves to atrocity and tragedy, in whatever form. Desensitization brings apathy. And that is truly the most dangerous weapon.
Excellent article. Good observation and writing by the writer, also hats off to publisher for publishing it.
Very well written and insightful piece. I completely agree, journalism needs to gain back its integrity. Its horrible that "news" has become all about ratings these days. Its been turned into a competition between networks, practically reality television (and I know how bad that sounds) not the source of current events that we are all looking for.
The role of media is deplorable as well as the role of the government , MQM took the right stance by staging a walk out in NA i think the Bhoja Air disaster is more important than the SC verdict lives of precious Pakistanis are way more important than the PM contempt. Today the Bhoja Air disaster seems a disaster of yore. We should condemn The media on this brutal policy, yes they are only interested in their ratings although they pose as if they are the real sympathizers of the masses. Shame on them.
I totally agree with the author. What happened to this nation and where are we heading to? Is there any value for life and humanity? 127 lives were lost, but all we cared about was ratings – did any reporter go for rescue or at least stood silently in respect to the departed ones?
It was bad weather, and I hope it was just an accident, but Rehman Malik initially said that the crash will be thoroughly investigated and ensured that action will be taken against the culprits! And Farooq Bhoja was placed on the Exit Control List. Are we so corrupt that every incident looks like a criminal act. At least our leaders should show some intelligence and wait for the investigations to complete before pointing fingers.
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