As clichéd as it may seem, nations which impart meagre salience to their heroes and legends are doomed to find themselves embroiled in an identity crisis that threatens not only their social and moral demographics but leads to an identity conundrum in the longer run. Knowingly or unknowingly Pakistani nation seems to be working on similarly dangerous lines by ignoring and hence negating their once revered heroes.
A pertinent manifestation of this reality is the manner in which our electronic media gives hype to news that in reality might be shallow and invaluable but as such catchy news sells and enables them to escalate their ratings, airing them is a must. A much recent example is of the media houses growing berserk over the news of Ayaan Ali, a model convicted of money laundering, released on bail after a few months of languishing in the jail, landing at the Karachi University to deliver a lecture on public administration. The news bulletin kick started with the intimation of a few relevant political developments but the major chunk of the news hour was solely devoted to Ayaan Ali’s visit, the gazillion of selfies that her fans enjoyed taking with her and in the background rather annoying songs were being aired to complement and hint at the model’s antics.
This event occurred on August 20, a day which was of pertinence to all Pakistanis. A day which we all should have remembered for a different and sacred reason. It indeed was this day when Rashid Minhas, a brave son of the soil, a PAF pilot officer, merely twenty years of age, sacrificed his life in 1971 when his plane was hijacked by his flight instructor Matiur Rahman. It was this news of exemplary courage that our media houses should have majorly aired instead of harking after the glammed up model girl.
The sequence of news bulletins is usually indicative of the prioritising concerns of the media houses. If the news regarding our national heroes as Rashid Minhas are relegated to the end to the bulletin because a diva’s news aired prior that takes time and space sells like hot cakes, then not much can be commented upon the role that media houses supposedly yearn to play in reforming the society. It is the responsibility of the media houses to air such content that not only benefits but is also in the larger interest of the general populace. They need to endeavour to air such content that familiarises the youth with the contributions of their national heroes. Such content needs to be aired that enables them to introspect and reflect upon their state, consequently paving a path for individual and collective growth of the society.
MARRIA QIBTIA SIKANDAR NAGRA
Lahore
