Karma in Karachi

The best part of being a trainer is, one’s own learning is assured.

The group of 14 trainees gathered at a country club outside Karachi proper last week, was special in that it was made up of mainstream journalists from the heart of conflict constituency – Baluchistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Federally Administered Tribal Areas – and they were selected by the hosts on the basis of their capability and desire to learn rather than sent by a friendly boss on an out-of-town freebie. It was a group of journalists unlike any other I’ve come across, and the perspective they brought with them was equally unique.

Those from FATA have no access to cable or dish television, and in many parts the newspaper is delivered a day late. In Waziristan the military routinely imposes curfew for two days a week which means no newspaper on those days. All journalism related activity is illegal therefore no local publication or independent radio station exists, and journalists working for media based in the settled areas are allowed to operate at the pleasure of local military commanders.

Those in Baluchistan and KPK work under extremely stressful conditions and insensitive, often grossly ignorant editors and owners who routinely push their reporters and photo journalists into situations where they have to decide between putting their life and well being at risk or using tactics that are unprofessional, unethical and against public interest.

They are all hounded by both the military and armed militants over reports perceived as unfavourable, several had received death threats or had been kidnapped, all are underpaid in comparison with their colleagues in Lahore and Karachi, none received any training for working in hostile environment, and only one was issued with protective gear. None in the group had access to first-aid kit, company paid life insurance, or facility to relocate on company expense when under threat.

And these men and women are the eyes and ears we rely on for news from the battle front! They are not really doing a job; it’s more like a mission.

I’m not sure if the trainers were able to help these journalists cope with working conditions they, the trainers had never experienced, but the trainees were visibly relaxed and happy to be away from the every day dangers and anxieties of their working life … until the last day when three of them had their airport bound taxi stopped on Shara e Faisal in broad day light and guns pointed at them while they emptied their wallets and handed their mobile phones to young robbers who were clearly not Taliban or soldiers.