Despite having abundant resources and natural beauty, Balochistan, among all the provinces of Pakistan, remains like a ghost, invisible to the media. In today’s world, media is the strongest tool that can easily highlight both the importance and the reasons behind the backwardness of this province but still, the national and international media are sleeping in the lap of TRP.
The true picture of Balochistan is not just about the crisis but also about the developments in infrastructure, the talent of its youth, and the beauty of this historical province.
Media: The Powerful Voice
Balochistan needs not only ears to hear its cries but also a voice to articulate its situation. In today’s era, the media holds power as an echoing voice for Balochistan. While the media cannot solve the issues, it can at least become the voice of Balochistan, revealing the true picture of what’s happening. Misinformation is damaging mindsets, and people from other provinces see Balochistan only as a place of agitation and insecurity.
The lack of interest and capabilities in the digital world is partly why Balochistan’s true picture is scarcely covered. Factors such as lazy media, political interests, safety concerns, TRP (Television Rating Points), infrastructure issues, and other reasons contribute to this neglect. It’s time for all the powers to understand that invisibilities can’t hide the factual picture of Balochistan.
Overlooked Balochistan
There is no freedom of choice for any opposing voices to disclose their pains; they may be kidnapped or killed their families don’t even get to see their shadows. When their loved ones start peaceful protesting, they face unacceptable or harmful behavior from those in power.
And this turns a peaceful protest into a disastrous one with bloody consequences. Meanwhile, the media remains silent. This is because the media, a so-called powerful tool, itself faces insecurities in covering this serious matter. Neighboring media appear to shine a light on our situation, while our Balochistan media seems to be asleep.
Selective Media Coverage
Due to selective media coverage, the rooted issues of Balochistan remain untold or invisible. People in Balochistan are surrounded by a pressurized environment, high poverty, and illiteracy rates, making the air more unbreathable. There are many areas in Balochistan in a pathetic condition. However, these issues don’t seem to matter much because they don’t add high TRP ratings.
Being the largest province, and having high resources, including talented youth and hospitable people, Balochistan should be a major topic of discussion in mainstream media. However, selective coverage hinders this province from being highlighted. Enforced disappearances, killings, gender violations, poverty, a dearth of drinking water, health crises, and many other exacerbated situations are not part of the visual world, or if they are, they are presented only in partial form.
Balochistan: The Media’s Hide-and-Seek
Every situation has both light and dark sides, but that doesn’t mean we should leave Balochistan as a neglected stepchild. Balochistan needs support but is continuously ignored, even by the powerful tool of mainstream media. The media either doesn’t capture it at all or only shows its darker side. Why doesn’t the media understand that presenting an incomplete truth is misleading?
Showing a balanced situation (development and challenges) creates a positive narrative about Balochistan around the world. Otherwise, the hide-and-seek by the media regarding Balochistan keeps people away from reality. It is Balochistan’s right to be represented in both its shades.
Balochistan Deserves To Be Free
Balochistan needs loyal individuals and journalists who can capture the true reality of this beloved province. The government should provide support in terms of security and resources. This is the 21st century, not the 1990s, and Balochistan deserves to be free from disloyalty and unjust challenges.
The media should cover the sensitive condition of Balochistan, and the government should support these efforts to bring out the true picture of the province. It is time to change people’s perspectives regarding Balochistan, which is often misrepresented as entirely rural.
Why does Balochistan continue to struggle? Why there is a game of hide and seek with the media regarding Balochistan? Why are Baluchistan’s people being treated as terrorists and made to disappear? Are all the faults and flaws limited to this province only? Why are the voices of innocent people being silenced? Who is responsible for providing full coverage? Why does the government act blindly, not wanting to see the true picture?
These are questions that need to be addressed, and they must be brought to the media’s interest. The powers that be forcibly silence voices and obscure the true picture of Balochistan by limiting coverage, thereby keeping people ignorant of the reality.
It is impending that Balochistan will become a closed mirror masking its internal crisis resulting in an indelible image of unrest in everyone’s mind.
Article written by Ramaieta Saleem, a young Researcher and currently enrolled in BS Biotech Buitems university.
