Written by Nasir Jamal
Arshad Sharif appeared before his Lord. One day everyone has to show up. But he died a tragic death. The biggest loss is a wife, mother and children. I first met Arshad Sharif while reporting on Lal Masjid. Due to their specific nature, they are over there. Horns stuck with Raja Jawad of Two and Khyber TV. He was idealistic about basic journalistic values. They probably did not realize until the end that when this world is not ideal, the Prussian “approach” will only do harm.
When he was with the establishment. And when they disagreed. He took a “hard-line”. They remained stuck in black and white. They have never seen the “grey area” together. I don’t know why my brother Rauf Klasra didn’t teach him this professional secret or trick. We are journalists. We are not political workers. Neither are establishments and bureaucracies. Our job is to provide such content to make people think. By analyzing which, they can take a better approach. Our job is to explain. But the facts are not presented bare. They are “pampered”. There is society. There are some limitations. There are interests of the state. Journalism is not for the faint of heart. This is done to induce better conscious states.
Every good and successful journalist has written exclusively, inter-linearly. Funny terminology is used. Explains a lot to his reader in simple, “sarcastic” sentences.
Journalism is a faucet, not a faucet.
My column, Surrender, Surrender, Another Surrender, was shared on his website with permission by Arshad Sharif. He said that it is very “powerful” written. There is no doubt about it. Arshad Sharif was a talented journalist. He was also a sensitive person. His loyalty to this country was unquestionable.
Readers:
The “hard-line” he took. Unwillingly, he became a “party”. Maybe he didn’t know it either. The box is T. V is a very dangerous thing. It turns the human mind upside down. Anchors begin to think of themselves as intellectuals. An even more dangerous thought is when you start thinking of yourself as “the government”. Mir Shakeel-ur-Rahman was more jealous than that. They considered themselves to be the establishment. They believed that they make and overthrow governments. What happened then? They finally had to update their “software”.
Readers:
I have come to Birmala to say that if anyone considers Imran Khan to be honest and the saviour of this country, he should get his mental treatment.
There is more than one “diamond” in the elite club. Be it administration, legislature, judiciary or business.
Imran Khan is going to swallow this state. Arshad Sharif was not even a small piece of a political chessboard. When will our journalists recover? Why don’t you understand that it is not just you or any one state? We must definitely make collective efforts for a better state, governance and society. But there is no shortcut. It’s a long battle. Which spans generations. Can the makers of Khomeini, Fidel Castro and Che Guevara tell Imran Khan that Malik Riaz’s 192 million pounds coming from Britain were made a state secret and adjusted in the Supreme Court fine?
This decision was of Imran Khan’s cabinet.
Or this is also the fault of 22 crore people. Don’t talk about Tosha Khanna, Pinky and Farah Gogi. Look at the Nawaz family. Look at Mard Hur’s family and all their parties. All are neck-to-neck in “immoral actions”. Whether bureaucracy, journalism, judiciary, or establishment, all are exposed. Everyone wants to hold others accountable. Where we stand today as a state and society. It is not a place to be proud of. All are exposed. Maryam Nawaz’s tweet regarding Arshad Sharif is painful. But the grief that Maryam Nawaz has expressed regarding her mother. That should be the case too.
We should also choose good words in journalism. But what to do? If the identity of journalism today is Irshad Bhatti, Chaudhry Ghulam Hussain, and Mazhar Barlas, then we will have to face all this. Seth is not the only one responsible for the funeral of journalism today. We journalists have also done amazing “brokerage”. Aaj Jio, including the major TV channels and all the major anchors, should show the merit of having Irshad Bhatti in their program. If there is no merit, then you all drown
Readers:
On the tragedy of Arshad Sharif, Pakistan forces and sensitive institutions are being targeted. Tabra is being sent to them. This is as unacceptable as the killing of Ben Arshad Sharif. I don’t know who, or which link is being connected. In 24 hours, the enemies of the state and ignorant friends completed the trial by collecting the evidence and giving the verdict.
I say this with complete conviction. If the establishment wanted, Arshad Sharif could not have gone out of the country. If there is an incident of homosexuality here, it is linked to the freedom of the press, creating a storm. Even if a “eunuch” slaps someone, the honour of journalism is lost.
It is not that there are no problems between the establishment, politicians, bureaucracy, judiciary and journalism. Yes!!! Who has to solve it? Moeen Qureshi and Shaukat Aziz did not take it out. You have to sit down. You set boundaries. Strengthen systems, not personalities. If you don’t, you will be destroyed again. Let Imran Khan do the long march. And everyone will sit at home.
The wave is in the river. Outside the river, only a spectacle can be seen.
Sahme, Sahme was the night of Ahl Chaman
There was a man in the trees.
