Media ‘prompted’ rigging!

In an unbridled race to take lead in breaking news and exclusive footages, media, especially one particular TV channel, behaved irresponsibly and prompted all losers in the recently-held elections to get into the polling stations and maneuver elections as desired.

Certain anchors burst into full-throated commentary as the pre-mature results from various polling stations poured in. The ‘sources’, sometimes as unauthenticated as peons and election staff appointed at polling stations, made the media organisations break news and announce certain candidates’ victory much earlier than expected.

As the clock struck 5pm on May 11, unofficial results started pouring despite the fact the chief election commissioner (CEC) had extended the duration for casting votes by an hour.

The media sprang into action with the agility no other media industry in the world could muster. Professional ethics and morality were not observed while running tickers and airing breaking news. Some results were announced before the time allotted for casting votes was over.

As a result, allegations and counter-allegations of rigging surfaced more seriously in constituencies where predictions and conjectures by the media were quick and premature.

At certain polling stations, especially in Lahore and Multan, and also at one constituency of Lodhran, PTI candidates were shown in clear lead over PML-N by thousands of votes. One would think that the losing candidates must not have sat idle and let their rival win from their stronghold with ease. Reported the candidates began to sue all illegal and unlawful means to manoeuvre election, either by getting into the polling stations in person or through their agents and supporters.

What all such clandestine machinations brought to us were utter surprises. Even the anchors, tired of running breaking news throughout the Election Day, were somewhat aghast at poll results after they woke up next Sunday morning.

Winning PTI candidates who were in the lead with thousands of votes had lost to their PML-N rivals by several thousand votes. All praise be to the ethics of providing “breaking news and exclusives” where there were none by Pakistan’s media.

Had all channels focused more on conduct of elections rather than running premature and unofficial results, it can be safely said the situation would have been far different than the present one, wherein the winners and the losers both are taking to the streets.

It is a matter of common observation that the losers, when informed in advance about their defeat, play more of a foul play than fair game. And here the Pakistani media deserves extraordinary appreciation for letting the losers know what they had never expected of and rig the elections through every mean available to them – official or unofficial.

Certain measure by the Election Commission of Pakistan (CEC) could have reduced the probability of rigging to the minimum.

A circular or a directive could have been issued by the CEC restraining all media organisations and NGOs not to run unofficial results through unconfirmed sources to avoid attempts at rigging elections.

Secondly, polls could have been simply conducted under the surveillance of CCTV cameras in each polling station covering all staff and voters as they stamped ballot papers and cast their votes. A central control room at district level should have been empowered to monitor elections in its jurisdiction. At least stamping ballots papers, as happened in Karachi, and casting of fake votes by the election staff could have been avoided, contributing a great deal towards free and transparent elections.

And last but not the least, measure that the CEC had longed for, though in a restrictive manner, was the deployment of army men inside polling stations.

Had anti-establishment forces not opposed such a deployment, which many a times had been quite genuine, it could also have overcome the politically henpecked and subdued police force.

However, the most important of all such measure could have been a ban by the ECP on all TV channels not to air unofficial results.

Though 10 FIRs have been reported to have been registered against Fair and Free Election Network (FAFEN) patron-in-chief Mudassir Rizvi for misreporting results, the blame should still fall on the media for airing controversial results.

The onus is on media organisations to get every news verified and not to become a mouthpiece of NGOs or such other institutions having no recognition and authenticity. Unconfirmed data collected by FAFEN in the elections caused aggressive and heated debates in live talk shows and a number of headlines in the newspapers as well.

But in the end, FAFEN withdrew 40 ‘controversial’ results after precious time and energy of millions of people was exhausted, not to mention the extreme dissatisfaction and mental agony it brought to voters.

Professional ethics were also damaged when certain TV anchors announced Nawaz Sharif as the third time prime minister just on the basis of 15 percent results. Though it proved true, such conjectures and surmises could have been avoided to maintain neutrality and impartiality that certain journalists, consciously or otherwise, showed for the PML-N.

Likewise, quite a few columnists and anchors spoke on Altaf Hussain’s fiery remarks of separating Karachi from Pakistan, which was tantamount to inciting people to commit ‘acts of terrorism’.

And the media never mentioned that Altaf’s residence in the UK had been raided and that he remained under investigation for quite some time in Imran Farooq’s murder case.

In the same fashion, quite a few media men independently analysed the pre-election scenario wherein left-leaning parties were cornered to the wall.

However, press conferences and political statements of the aggrieved parties were accommodated only because apparent neutrality needed to be maintained.

As we all know that media is mirror of the society, therefore, it reflects all that happens around us. However, it needs to focus more on ideological concerns catering to the needs of non-visionary and clueless people. Making it just a commercial industry, as it has become nowadays, will bring to the public every product that involves either a great deal of money or viewer ship.

If popularity and monetary benefit is the only criterion for media, then every candidate must contest next general elections by paying heavy amounts to the TV channels and in return get excellent reports aired on the development works in his/her constituency with an invisible string of words in the corner, “paid content”.

Certain anchors must be mindful that remaining in headlines and maximum viewership by compromising on professional ethics and conducts would not bring them good name and reliability.

The writer is a journalist and Lahore-based lawyer. Email: [email protected]