Munir’s narrative machinery masks scale of unrest in Pakistan’s restive regions

New Delhi, Aug 27 (IANS) Pakistan is undergoing a series of problems in Balochistan, Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK), Gilgit Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) over the last several months. While human rights violations are on the rise with a large number of deaths and forced disappearances, these issues are not being widely spoken about.

Field Marshal Asim Munir who is the de-facto ruler of Pakistan has managed to run a tight ship and has ensured that the issues plaguing these regions are not widely reported.

An official said that Munir has been trying to create a perception about himself on the international front. While he may have succeeded to a certain extent on that front, ensuring that the issues plaguing Pakistan are kept under wraps is of utmost importance to him, the official said.

Unlike his predecessors, Munir has managed to keep the media quiet. Almost all news outlets have become aligned to the state thanks to the directives that Munir has given them.

Officials say that the army’s PR machinery which keeps in regular touch with the media houses have issued a tight set of guidelines to all editors in Pakistan. The issues that plague Balochistan, PoK or KP are not being reported as issues that the people of the region are genuinely facing.

The army under Munir has strictly told media houses to only run stories relating to these regions by projecting them as national security issues, the official said.

An Intelligence Bureau official says that the style of reporting these issues is completely different when compared to what is happening on the ground. Civilians being killed by the Pakistani security forces are being reported as “terrorists have been killed.”

The instructions to the media are to project all these issues as national security problems rather than real issues that the people are facing.

PoK has been on the boil for the past two months. Several activists have taken to the streets to protest against the lack of basic infrastructure in the region. However, these activists have been projected by the media either as terrorists or trouble makers who intend to disrupt security and also pose a big danger to the state, the official added.

Human rights groups have said that the situation in these regions is worsening. Food and medical supplies have been blocked for a very long time. Civilian deaths have gone up and the spike is at around 93 per cent when compared to previous years.

However the death of each civilian has been reported as a terrorist being killed and worse, the media is celebrating these killings, officials note.

Anther official said Asim Munir has held several meetings with his officials in the last couple of months relating to the situation in these regions.

During all meetings, he has given strict instructions to use as much force as possible to put down the protests.

At times, representatives of the Pakistan government have met with the protesters. Not one meeting has been productive and those protesting say that the officials they meet are only buying time.

Not once have they fulfilled their promises and this is why the situation continues to remain fragile.

In PoK another allegation was of the elections being rigged. The state controlled media has reported such allegations as attempts being made by the people of the region to try and disrupt a free and fair process.

This tight grip on the media and also the narrative has helped Munir in maintaining an image at home. He has also largely ensured through his pressure groups abroad that such issues do not get much international Press too, an official said.

–IANS

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