TV THOUGHTS: Another suicide attack in Lahore, budget time again; Musharraf's power tariff, Shahi Syed talks straight

Normally at this time of the year, in the past, it would only or primarily be budget time for the media, and the public would focus and debate on what the new financial year will bring. And whether the outgoing year has been a successful one as far as the official accounts go.
Now that has changed, and this is a reflection of the times we are in. The interest in the federal and provincial budgets appears to have been over taken by numerous other events, which are of a staggering, bewildering and traumatic kind, to say the least.
Within a fortnight or less is due the next year's budget, and while there is focus on it, the public may well have reconciled itself to the perception that the budget will only make the citizen's life more financially crippling.
And given the global economic depression, and the war against insurgency that is on, and the rising costs of law and order maintenance in the country, and overall investment climate and the frustrations that trade and industry are grappling with, the common man is not expecting the economic managers top present a satisfactory picture of the outgoing year.
What official financial figures reveal and what they conceal is a matter that even the non-cynical amongst viewers of TV discussions are familiar with. Official claims are never relied upon, as far as the ordinary people go.
I have begun the column with the 2009-2010 budget theme even though I have spent the entire day (Wednesday) watching Television channels as they reported the terrorist attack that took place in Lahore around 10:10 am, the details of which are well known by now. The police, and the law enforcing agencies were hit again.
It was yet another major attack in Lahore, in Punjab, What is happening in the NWFP we all know, and what is happening in Balochistan is also something that the Pakistani viewer is worried about. And what has been happening in Sindh in recent days, and weeks is something that has evoked much anxious comment from the usual brigade of experts and intellectuals - and politicians.
And the people are also tense on this count. It is perhaps pertinent to mention here that the latest issue of the Time weekly has a cover story, which argues that Pakistan is a country that has let itself down. There is repeated emphasis and reference to the practice of transferring the blame on somebody else, that takes place so very often in Pakistan and the denial mode that is evident all the time.
It needs to be underlined here that the TV channels (private ones that is) are reflecting a maturing of their professional attitudes and vision as they grapple and try and cope with the rapidity of events (read problems) that are taking place all over the country. Even a sense of responsibility, that is so heartening. I have in mind the IDPs issue that all TV channels are crusading for.
I have in mind a programme that I saw on Aaj News (in Awam) as the young investigating reporter went out to meet the IDPs who had arrived in Karachi. It was a revealing insight into the mindset of the IDPs who were honest in their answers. One of them said that the IDPs would return to their homes in Swat, and there was a young man who felt that some IDPs could take to crime if they are unable to get two square meals a day.
There is, on the TV channels a sustained focus on the news within the country, and the diversity of themes that Pakistan is troubled and traumatised by is vast. So vast, that it appears to be beyond control. But then there is also evident, and it is coming through in the case of the IDPs issue, and the war against terror in Swat, Dir and Buner, that the people and the government have some clarity of the kind of Pakistan they would like to see in the days to come.
The TV channels handled the coverage of the Lahore blast somewhat differently from what happened in the past. While the first couple of hours of the havoc was the primary concern of all the channels, including PTV, but by four in the afternoon, there were diversions towards other stories in the country.
If there was focus on President Zardari in Karachi, and the decisions that were being taken, in several vital national areas, there was also agitated concern over the power crisis that the country is battling with. The bad news is that the loadshedding is expected to be more in June. And there is further bad news that two Federal ministers (Khurshid Shah and Raja Parvez) are presenting two different versions on when load shedding will end in the country.
What is the real story behind this, is something that the public would love to know. Or rather it needs to be known. The Lahore blast gave way to other stories, even though the primary focus on it remained. The death toll varied from channel; to channel, and so did the figures of the injured.
The figure was around thirty and more on Wednesday but there are many who are critically injured. So did the causes of the blast and who could it be vary. The Indian plotted it once again, or was it was Behtullah Mehsood. Or some other hidden hand. Or was it an outcome of the war against insurgency that is on in Malakand at this stage. More war against terror will bring more such terrorism. Is that how it works, wonder ordinary Pakistanis?
Once again, in the Lahore blast with over 300 injured, there were TV channels saying that many were critically injured. The sad thing is that in almost all cases, both as a society, and as a media we forget or sideline the critically injured or the merely injured. In many instances an injured man could become a liability for his family, which he wasn't before the blast.
No one bothers, it appears There is no realisation, no sensitive perception. These critically wounded become mere statistics. Alas.TV channels could take up this issue, as it does in the case of the missing persons, or the battle for justice that it has fought so bravely with the lawyers, and for the deposed judges.
SHAHI SYED Ever since the news and current TV channels have established their presence, and got integrated into the lifestyles of vulnerable viewers there have emerged not only anchors who have survived (or thrived) but there are also to be seen regularly a string of participants (read experts) who appear in the panel discussions.
They come from a variety of professional backgrounds, from civil and military bureaucracy, past and present, economists, political leaders, academic people, civil society activists, and so on. Some seasoned participants lack screen presence, others demonstrate an endearing charisma.
Some men and women speak with modesty, as do some anchors, and others are almost as arrogant and self opinionated as the anchors themselves. But it all amounts to interesting television, that needs to be stated. Amongst the new faces that we have seen on TV channels, as a result of various political factors, pertaining to Sindh in particular. There is the President of the Awami National Party Sindh, Shahi Syed.
He is certainly amongst those TV panelists who speak out their heart and mind, as candidly as they can, and given the sensitivity of many issues that have been raising their heads they speak in certain indirect ways or use insinuating expressions (no names of course) that enable moderate expression on controversial themes, and on going conflicts (national, provincial and local.
Last week Shahi Syed was being interviewed on Waqt News, by journalist Waheed Hussain, and the conversation reflected the many challenges and problems (read dead ends?) that exist in Sindh in particular, and in the country, in general.
One of the primary subjects that was being discussed from numerous angles was that of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), which is a major theme on all the channels. And there is a disturbing variety of opinions, and positions that are being taken by certain parties.
Some TV discussants have cautioned of the larger threat that arises from opposing the entry of the IDPs into Sindh. There are many imaginary scenarios that are spelt out, as agitated arguments unfold, relaying the fears and the phobias that could well reflect public opinion also.
Some of the many themes that surfaced related to the impression that the IDPs would settle down in Sindh, that there could be some Talibans who could also infiltrate into the ranks of the IDPs, that was the reason for burning down of public transport vehicles when the cause of the citizen's suffering is the KESC, or some road accident.
He said that the transport business was so demanding and tough that if it wasn't so, and the money came easily, the Memons would have been in this business also. Shahi Syed said that the ANP and its allied parties had every right to hold a public meeting at Nishtar Park, or that there was no killing of people in the Pakhtoon areas in Karachi, or that Asfandyar Wali's overseas visit was preplanned.
There were references to Pakistani political leaders residing abroad, (including Altaf Hussain) and the reasons for this situation. And in another context he said that if there were objections to the IDPs as being "ghair muqami" (non locals) then what about the "ghair mulki" population (references to other ethnic communities residing here - which possibly excluded the Afghans residing in the country.
How much more freedom of expression, which is stretching further the frontiers of tolerance in this society, is evident on the TV channels, and sometimes FM radio stations, is something that provides a striking contrast to the print media in the country. And interviews like this interview with Shahi Syed demonstrates this very obviously.
In fact, quite regularly, our private TV channels are reflecting the opening of the public mind that is taking place as TV anchors and their participants are speaking out boldly and unambiguously on contentious issues that were regarded as taboo at one time. And this is not long ago, I have in mind the days when censorship, (in various forms) was almost an integral part of the country's media, and the information ministry (federal and provincial) played a central role in the entire stifling network.
MUSHARRAF'S CHAK SHAHZAD ELECTRICITY There are so many ways of focusing on the electricity issue that the entire country is tormented by, and there are not yet any signs of relief. One such way is by referring to the news that Geo was telecasting on Tuesday around noon, about the electricity connections that have been provided to former President Pervez Musharraf at his "palatial house" at Chak Shahzad.
By the way TV channels and indeed the print media also reported last week that the former President had finally vacated the Army House, and that his belongings had been shifted to the new house. I think it was on Dhoom TV that I heard being mentioned that a newspaper had printed a cartoon on his moving to the Army House, and had shown him carrying his belongings.
Musharraf, however, remains out of the country, on his lecture circuit, as he has called it. The media is also reporting on many of his programmes, especially with reference to London. He is stated to be staying with an old friend and playing bridge and sight seeing are part of his regular schedule. One newspaper says that is also being hosted by a variety of well known people there. He is currently in Prague for another lecture.
With regard to his electricity connection at his Chak Shahzad house it has been reported that the Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO) has "silently changed" the power connection after the news that he was getting subsidised rates appeared in a leading English daily. That very day a new connection was provided but this too "comes under a subsidised category meant for Fata's domestic customers" it was stated."
The newspaper story carries plenty of details of the Chak Shahzad power connection, and says that one of Musharraf's sympathisers in an unsigned note to the newspaper said that the story on the former President's electricity tariff was factually incorrect It makes one wonder of the media focus on the former dictator, and his recent statement in which he reiterates that he intends to live in Pakistan.
With regard to the Chak Shahzad power tariff issue it needs to be noted that Pepco has ordered an investigation into the power tariff being charged from all the farmhouses in Chak Shahzad and surrounding areas, says a press release that was published in this daily on 27th May. A report has to be submitted within ten days, Let us see what unfolds now.
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