Musarrat Ullah Jan is a Pakistani journalist working in the Peshawar Bureau of Dunya Television Network. He specializes in covering crime and court related activities, bomb blasts, suicide attacks in Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pukhtoonkhwa Province, and making documentaries about families that have been affected.

 But he considers “the top story in his journalist career” to be a TV story covering a 2010 gay marriage in Peshawar. As a result of this broadcast, people in Pakistan started speaking about the rights of homosexuals. Musarrat also works as an author for a US based web-site www.thirdreport.com and is a photo journalist for a UK based web-site www.demotix.com. He is a graduate of the Department of Arts. During his career he has also worked as an interpreter translating from English to Urdu (national language of Pakistan) and Pashto (native language of Khyber Pukhtoonkhwa Province) for the media. Following is the interview Musarrat Ullah Jan gave to “Hetq.”

Pakistan was ranked 151st out of 179 countries in the Press Freedom Index 2011/2012 of “Reporters without Borders”. According to the organization’s web-site, “Pakistan was the world’s deadliest country for journalists for the second year running”. Do you agree with this or is it biased in your opinion?

Yes, I agree with the “Reporters without Borders” report. After the 9/11 incident our journalism totally changed, mostly in tribal areas in our province, because militants mostly live there and journalists from those areas were facing difficulties. For example, if a journalist from his tribal area reported anything to a newspaper which was published in big cities and militants didn’t like the story, the journalist would be punished - kidnapping, killing, beating or their homes bombed. That’s why most journalists from the tribal areas left; for security reasons. On the other hand, if they write anything which the security forces don’t like, they will face the same problems. That’s why most journalists are targeted, sometimes by militants and sometimes by security forces. Peshawar has become deadly for journalists. 70% of our people live in rural mountainous areas. 50% of them live in tribal areas where there are no newspapers. There are newspapers and Internet facility only in the big cities.

As a TV journalist, how free are you when preparing TV materials? Are you allowed to present events to the audience in the way you consider correct?

We try our best to show the reality which occurs, but the policies of some TV stations create difficulties for us. Besides, most TV head offices are in the big cities like Lahore and Karachi. We send stories but they ignore our provincial problems. Sometimes the head office changes the stories sent by us for its own purposes.

Is there wide-spread self-censorship among journalists in Pakistan?

Yes. I have more than 12 years experience in both print and electronic media. Self censorship frequently occurs in journalism. In both media there is limit for every journalist. As a journalist I can’t say anything against the security forces, police, or the government in power, even if I have proof. I know that if I write such news, the paper will not publish it because the newspaper owner gets advertisement from government. The owners don’t want to damage their business.

Many experts say that one of the main problems with Armenia’s media is that it reflects reality in shades of either black or white, either too pro-opposition or too pro-government. That’s to say it fails to provide its audience with variety of viewpoints. Is this problem characteristic of Pakistani media as well?

The same problem is in Pakistan. PTV is the state-run TV channel and most programs of the state-run TV channel are like “everything is OK in the country.” The same position is followed by the state-run news agency APP. On the other hand, newspapers are controlled through Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the government’s Department of Information. The Press and Information Department, with offices in every province, gives advertising to newspapers. Most newspapers are pro-government. During the Pervez Musharraf era, in 2001, private TV channels were launched. So, the situation has changed compared to 20 years ago. But it still needs improving.

Can a good and factual investigative article exposing illegal activities, for example corruption among high-ranking officials, lead to resignations, arrests and court cases against those officials in Pakistan or will it change nothing? Are there precedents when the exposes of journalists have resulted in officials being held accountable?

Yes, in the current situation such articles lead to change because the courts now operate freely and they make decisions openly without any directives from above. But there are difficulties for journalists who write the investigative reports. The main thing is that court rulings take 3, 4 even 10 years to be handed down. Justice is delayed in Pakistani society.

Does the Quran impose any limitations or rules on spreading information and news reporting?

No, there is no limitation for journalism in the Quran. The Quran supports truth. As a journalist we try to show the truth to everyone.

According to “Reporters without Borders”, 11 journalists have been killed so far this year worldwide. One of them is Pakistani journalist Mukarram Khan Atif, a reporter from Dunya News, who was killed in January. Has his murder been investigated properly?

Mukarram Khan Atif was my close friend. We mostly covered bomb blasts. After his death everyone is scared in our province, especially the journalist community. Although he always reported in an unbiased manner, he was targeted by the Taliban. The Taliban took responsibility for the death of Mukarram Khan Atif and the case was closed because the government has no access to those areas where the Taliban operates.

Musarrat, has the murder of Mukarram Khan Atif resulted in your making changes and revisions in your own work, in the sense of being more cautious and avoiding things you didn't avoid in the past?

Yes, my friend’s death also scared me. Now, during live programs we are worried. If there is any program about terrorism, I am especially worried that maybe I might state something factual that will anger the Taliban. Thus, reporting is not easy.

In general, are the murders of journalists in Pakistan being investigated properly? Are those guilty of such crimes against journalists being punished?

No. Not even Saleem Shahzad’s murder case. Saleem Shahzad was a Karachi-based journalist attached to Asia Times Online. Last year, an unknown person tortured him to death but the latest report circulated in journalist community says that he was killed by a security agency. But there is no proof. Daniel Pearl was a US journalist. That’s why the people who were involved in his murder were detained. Had he been a Pakistani journalist, his family would still be seeking justice.

Do you often receive threats? What do you do in such cases?

This month, the security forces detained top militants from the mountain areas. Because the court has ordered the security forces to provide these people with medical treatment, they were admitted to hospital. Most of them are ill due to torture. I was in the hospital and was filming. A security officer started to threaten and harass me. He said that “the media creates a mess in the country. You people are under observation. People will kill you and birds will eat your body parts.” This person is a plain-clothes security agent. I replied: “Shut your mouth. If you want to threaten me, then come and say what you want to say in front of the camera.” He left. Afterwards, I filed applications to the Khyber Union of Journalists and the Peshawar Press Club (I am the senior vice president of Peshawar Press Club). Every one told me “Don’t make aggravate a tense situation. Just work and forget what he said. They have the right to do anything.” It’s the advice that senior journalists gave me.

Have you ever been physically assaulted during your work?

During my work the Almighty has saved me 5 times. Twice, security forces started firing at me. God saved me once in a suicide attack and twice in bomb blast. Most security forces misbehave during working hours. Once, when interviewing the Taliban leader Mangal Bagh, I asked a sharp question. After the interview he told me: “Your question makes me angry. I will kick you from the mountain.” At the time we were standing on top of a mountain at the Khyber Agency (Khyber tribal district. Most tribal areas of Pakistan are situated in the mountains). I was worried that he might do something to me, but he left. My question was - “What type of Islam do you spread? Islam is the religion of love but you lift the sword.” That made him angry.

Have you ever considered leaving your country and working as a journalist somewhere else?

Yes. Sometimes I want to leave the country because there is no safety here. I am not worried about my living or dying. I am always concerned about my family. That’s why I sometimes think it would be OK if my family lives in another country and I work here.

Musarrat, what motivates and inspires you to work as a journalist in Pakistan?

When I look around, I see many people seeking justice. My work provides a forum to those who don’t have access to justice or open speech. That gives me the courage to work as a journalist. For example, my coverage of a bomb blast led to a family being helped. Their only son was killed in the blast. After reading my story about the family’s plight, a person gave financial support to them. To help as a journalist is a motivation for working. Journalism is an ideal and respected profession if the person is devoted to it.

Can you earn your living by working only as a journalist in Pakistan?

Not completely. That’s why I try to collaborate with foreign media to earn some money for my family. I have a graduate degree. Graduate education is 14 years and master is 16 years. I passed exam and was admitted to 2-year master course. After studying for one year I left due to financial problems. I had to support my family. But still I want to get a master degree from the Department of Films because in movies you show a lot of things like on a big canvas. I wish I got a scholarship.

Have you ever come across news stories regarding Armenia in the Pakistani media?

There is not much coverage. I come across such news stories regarding Armenia about once a month. Otherwise there is no news; Armenia doesn’t even have an embassy in Pakistan. I wish I could visit Armenia and met with journalists there.