COPING WITH MEDIA BIAS

Since media is the most powerful tool to shape and manipulate the public opinion for commercial, social or political goals, some biased members are involved in malicious propaganda against Islam and the Muslims. Consequently, the non Muslim public remains ignorant or informed inappropriately about the pleasant realities of Islam and the Muslims.

The Western media in particular is too hesitant to show the real image of Islam including its essence which indeed is based on mutual respect, benevolence, peace, love and human dignity.

As the emergence of Muslim media is not fast paced, so there is still a lot to catch up.

Quite sadly, most of the non Muslim media appears to be either too naive or too prejudiced or both to appreciate the “final Divine message” elaborated in the noble Quran revealed for the benefit of the entire humankind. Indeed, Islam is a universal religion and is followed by one fourth of total human population of the planet, yet it is discussed in the sub standard territory by the main stream media worldwide - leading to the birth of illegitimate public opinion about Islam and the Muslims. However, such misleading public opinion doesn’t really enjoy credibility.

The Muslim community deserves equality and justice, especially when it comes to the unattended or mishandled issues. In order to maintain Muslim identity, the Muslim electronic or print media have to play its role to protect the community from division. The Muslim media also needs to do more for giving non-Muslims a positive view about Islam.

Through such Muslim media, constructive interfaith dialogues can be aired too on regular basis. Several communities of different ethnicities have their own media to safeguard their interests. Similarly, the Muslims are looking for a decent way out of the ongoing frustrating situation. They are becoming active more than ever and getting closer to helping the main stream media.





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  Certainly, biased journalism does nothing but poison the raw minds of many resulting in Islamophobia. Such a negative trend is injurious to the interests of Islamic culture and religion.

It’s unfair to talk or write a word about Islam or the Muslims without being relevantly qualified enough to evaluate Islamic law and the jurisprudence.

Beyond any doubt, the  media has been misjudging for lack of in-depth knowledge about the practicality of Islam. Of course, main culprit here seems to be the hesitation of fully qualified Muslim media to jump in this arena to defend and spread the Divine message.

The mischievous elements in the media were successful in contributing negatively to deform public opinion in the recent Shafia murder trial (Afghan family). It was a great source of irritation for the Muslim community of Canada because the media highlighted this murder as "honour killing" linking to Islam, ignoring the fact that Islam forbids the taking of innocent life, because killing cannot be honour.

Furthermore, the court transcripts published by the CBC revealed that the convicted Muhammad Shafia did not even care for the pillars of Islam. As such, Islam has nothing to do with the homicide.  Sadly, the agenda driven media labelled the murders by the so called Muslims as "honour killing". But when it comes to reporting an honour killing by members of other religions, the same media calls it a murder.

Following are three cases of culpable homicide of almost similar motives and intents. Two non Muslim families were reported as having committed murders, while the Muslim family of Shafia (first example) was highlighted for honour killing due to media bias.

Discriminating against Islam and the Muslims is a clear proof, as in the past Toronto Star (second example) termed the killing of Jaswinder Sidhu as ‘murder’ committed by her family as punishment for marrying a man disapproved by the family. (Clear cut case of honour killing)

Third example, the same newspaper in the past asserted that the death of Amandeep Dhillon was not an honour killing, however-- irony is the convicted Kamikar Singh Dhillon openly claimed that he killed her because he thought she was going to leave her husband and disgrace the family.

Two out of three cases of murders were  labelled as murders, whereas the case of murders involving the Afghani family was labelled as honour-killing.

Although, creating a hostile climate against Islam and the Muslims is shameful, yet before reacting to the biased coverage by the media, it is important to analyse the role of media in deed.  Nevertheless, it seems as if the non Muslim media is hell bent to put pressure on Muslims living in the West to abandon Islamic values and adopt secular/liberal values instead. Shamefully, through their articles, the journalists are interested to undermine the belief that Muslims have in Islam and make them loose their confidence in practicing the true and final word of God Almighty.

Now, the media, through its fair practice, is responsible for generating a friendlier atmosphere full of higher tolerance level among different ethnic and religious groups.Toronto Star and CBC are trying to look unbiased; but a lot of effort is still expected of the local and global Muslim media to defuse any negative public opinion about Islam and the Muslims.

In addition to Print media, a daily Muslim presence in the broadcast media and the internet is essential to correct the anti Islam feelings among the non Muslim communities of North America and elsewhere.

Once Muslim media is in full force on daily basis, the Muslim youth would definitely be encouraged to benefit, preserve and strengthen their Islamic identity.

It is about time to build bridges of understanding with everyone around.

Facing Contempt Of Court Proceedings



Anyone found guilty of being directly or indirectly  engaged in defiance or ridiculing the Apex court is liable for punishment regardless of immunity.

Sadly, the so called democratic regime is hell bent to defy the court orders to the detriment of the people of Pakistan. Digesting $60 million in the Swiss accounts is problematic for Pres Zardari, as the said huge sum belongs only to the nation of Pakistan.

Yet, under a brokered deal via the national reconciliation ordinance (NRO) – the Musharraf regime wrote to the Swiss court that Pakistan was no more interested to pursue the case to bring back the loot.

Quite apparently, the contemptuous attitude of the current government is the root cause of substandard governance in Pakistan. Consequently, the poor country is being pushed deeper into misery, while the loot of national resources and exchequer continues unchecked - causing high unemployment rate, an environment ripe enough for economic collapse under one pretext or the other.

Defiance on the part of the government and its functionaries amounts to contempt of court - likely to be followed by the embarrassing consequences, of course.

Shamelessly, just to keep the ring leader off the hook, key elements in the government functionaries and the civil beaurocracy are programmed to be super active for the anti national illegality to the benefit of the top brass and the corrupt elite.

When the President house or the PM house becomes a safe haven for the accused culprit, and the material witness against such accused is scared away, then there is no point in appointing any Supreme Court bench or the judicial commission aimed at reaching the truth. This is a clear example of obstruction of justice and wasting of public time and money. Any possibility of violation of Article 6 can’t be proved, if certain confusing scenarios are tailored just to disallow any logical conclusion.

Furthermore, dreaming for a rubber stamp parliament, a puppet judiciary as well as an impotent army are neither realistic nor constitutional.

Beyond any doubt, both Supreme Court and Army are most important institutions of Pakistan and they must be respected as such.

In actuality, right after the NRO was declared null and void by 17 judges on DEC 16, 2009, all cases automatically reopened. As such, Mr. Zardari also lost his qualification ab initio to stay as president under Article 62 and Article 63 of the constitution. So no question of immunity, as there should be none for the de facto president.

Resultantly, Prime Minister is totally responsible for writing the letter to the Swiss authorities to restore the money laundering case, but he is defiant so far.

Article 204 of the Constitution deals with contempt of court matters:

(1) In this Article, "Court" means the Supreme Court or High Court. (2) A Court shall have power to punish any person who,- (a) abuses, interferes with or obstructs the process of the Court in any way or disobeys any order of the Court; (b) scandalizes the Court or otherwise does anything which tends to bring the Court or a Judge of the Court into hatred, ridicule or contempt;

(c) does anything which tends to prejudice the determination of a matter pending before the Court; or

(d) does any other thing which, by law, constitutes contempt of the Court.

(3) The exercise of the power conferred on a Court by this Article may be regulated by law and, subject to law, by rules made by the Court.

In the past, Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan has been advocating that there is no harm in writing letter to the Swiss authorities to restore the case. He worked hard for restoration of judiciary movement in 2008-9.

His image is tarnished as he took a "U TURN" and started defending President Zardari, claiming that the president enjoyed immunity against criminal charges.

And now he represents Prime Minister Gilani in the Supreme Court, where he is unsuccessfully defending the prime minister’s decision to not write to the Swiss authorities- another bad move on part of the gentleman.

As per the constitution, “A person shall be disqualified from being elected or chosen as and from being a member of parliament if he has been convicted by a court of competent jurisdiction for propagating any opinion or acting in any manner prejudicial to the ideology or the sovereignty, integrity or security of Pakistan, or independence of the judiciary of Pakistan, or which defames or brings into ridicule the judiciary or the armed forces of Pakistan, unless a period of five years has elapsed since his release.”

Courageously, PM Gilani said on the floor of the parliament, “neither army nor judiciary can derail system.”

Previously, Aitzaz Ahsan argued against President Musharraf’s immunity claims under Article 248 of the Constitution, and contended that the president and the governor could not be made party in criminal cases, they could not be arrested; but if any of their acts were contrary to the law, they wouldn’t have protection under Article 248 of the Constitution. No immunity existed then, how come it does exist for Zardari now?

The main purpose of the contempt of court law is only to ensure implementation of court orders.

Under Article 190, all executive and judicial authorities throughout Pakistan shall act in aid of the Supreme Court.

But, the honourable judges have been exercising patience under some expediency.

By not invoking Article 190--the judgments end up on shelves and the defiant regime remains free to keep on defusing the judicial power.

The vain political bickering on the other hand is only adding further fuel to the painful fire; also the temperature of the confused public is rapidly heightening.

February 13 is set for the prime minister to appear before the “honourable bench” only to get indicted with contempt over his refusal to pursue corruption cases against the president unless Mr. Ahsan constructs a fresh hurdle in favour of his high profile client.

It’s about time for the people of Pakistan to stand behind the Supreme Court to eliminate corrupt mafia in order to permanently eradicate the rampant corruption.

For Prime Minister Gilani, the best solution is to tender an apology with sincerity to the honourable bench of the Supreme Court; and undertake to write the required letter to the Swiss authorities to reopen the money-laundering cases. Otherwise, there is severe punishment upon conviction.