State of Media Independence and Journalists' Struggle for Press Freedom in Faisalabad, Pakistan

Abstract

This research paper presents an overview of the journalists' efforts for the maintenance of the fundamental right of Freedom of Press and Expression in Faisalabad, Pakistan. The current study also observed the role of media personals as a silent speed breaker against the powerful dictator of the time General Parvez Musharraf and his regimen the third-largest city of the Pakistan Faisalabad. The study explains the scenario of resistance in the journalistic community against Musharraf's draconian rule in the country, especially focused on the struggle of media personnel in Faisalabad, against Musharraf regime for the freedom of expression as well as freedom of media. The study assesses the scenario to break the political silence during the rule of a powerful military dictator in2002 as well as in 2007. This paper may be helpful to understand the struggle against the Musharraf regime by journalists in Faisalabad. The study resulted that journalists of Faisalabad broke the silence by opposing the dictatorship of the Musharraf regime and played a significant role as human rights defenders in 2002 and also at the time of promulgating the emergency in November 2007. The study is the outcome of the qualitative content analysis of media reports as well as in-depth interviews of the senior media professionals and the sound survey of the literature published on democracy, basic human rights, and freedom of expression and the media