The dawn of “Naya Pakistan” has set in, but some things in this country remain unchanged. Censorship on media and crushing of dissent is in full swing and there does not seem to be an end to it (not anytime soon at least) because the new government appears to be close to the usual suspects i.e. the establishment. Last week, three family members of Sindhi human rights activist Sanaullah Aman were abducted from their house by “unidentified” men. Aman is a leading voice against enforced disappearances in Sindh and has been campaigning for the release of Sindh’s missing persons. In June this year, I interviewed him about the state of human rights in Sindh particularly the issue of enforced disappearances. It was shocking to learn that police officials refuse to file FIRs in cases involving enforced disappearances saying that the abductors are “more powerful” than them. When activists raise their voices against an abduction, the abductee is immediately declared criminal or “fugitive” by local police, allegedly on orders of agencies. In instances where the missing persons have returned home, they discontinued their activism out of fear (and understandably so).

After a missing person is recovered there is no accountability for those who picked them up in the first place, and the vicious cycle continues.

While we celebrate the democratic transition of power, it is important to be reminded that freedom of speech is one of the cornerstones of democracy — without which — the democratic system is in jeopardy

Mysterious abductions are currently taking place across the country and a significant number of the recent victims of enforced disappearances were progressive activists. In a report issued in May, the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances claimed to have received 5,177 cases of alleged enforced disappearances since its inception in 2011. Enforced disappearances were previously limited to conflict-ridden areas such as Balochistan and the erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), but the practice has recently expanded to target dissenting voices across the country.

The purpose of enforced disappearances is clear: silencing of dissent. With such hostility and intolerance for criticism being the norm, the space for alternative views has considerably shrunk over the past few years. Therefore, it is tough being an activist in Pakistan, especially if you are critical of the military’s policies. Because thanks to the propaganda fed to the nation, an average Pakistani thinks those questioning the army’s handling of affairs are enemy agents or “anti-state”, ignoring the fact that there is nothing wrong — legally or constitutionally — with criticism of the armed forces.

Moreover, there is little understanding among the ‘patriot’ types about what the criticism of military entails because instead of understanding the argument put forth by the critics, the hyper-patriots are quick to doll out certificates of treason. For starters, when progressive activists (who are on the receiving end of abuse as well as violence these days) criticise the military, soldiers of Pakistan army who risk their lives for the country are not to whom they are referring. Flawed policies of generals who consider themselves above the law are the focal point of the aforementioned criticism directed at the military. If it weren’t for these wrong choices, our soldiers wouldn’t have needed to sacrifice their lives while fighting a home-grown enemy in their own country. Therefore, it is important to keep reminding the deep state to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past. Furthermore, institutional overreaches and infringement of public liberties including freedom of speech are among the reasons why the deep state is criticised by democrats.

Pakistan recently saw second successful transition of power from one democratically-elected government to another. While we celebrate this progress, it is important to be reminded that freedom of speech is one of the cornerstones of democracy, without which, the democratic system is in jeopardy. As things stand, civilians who dare to disagree with the military are being sidelined or silenced. What is worse is that there is little to no defiance in the face of the aforementioned attempts to clampdown on free speech. In the months leading up to the general elections, electronic and print media was under pressure from the powers-that-be to give limited coverage to political parties that are on the wrong side of the establishment. Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s media talks prior to his arrest in July, for instance, were heavily censored on electronic media. This censorship on media continues till date. News of a protest sit-in against security forces in Miranshah, Waziristan was blacked out by mainstream media.

The new Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry has lifted “political censorship” from state-owned media and vowed to give editorial independence to Pakistan Television (PTV) and Radio Pakistan, which is a step in the right direction. But it is about time something is done to bring an end to censorship on private media as well. All democratic forces including senior journalists should raise their voice against the ongoing attacks on free speech, because a fully-controlled system is anything but democracy.

The writer is Assistant Editor, Daily Times. She Tweets @AiliaZehra and can be reached at ailiazehra2012@gmail.com

Published in Daily Times, August 28th 2018.