Pakistani Media and the Radicals: The Symbiotic Relationship and Its Impacts on Society and Free Speech

Abstract

In Pakistan, radicalization constitutes a principal challenge confronting both the
government and its citizenry. The interplay between media and radicalization
phenomena in the country remains insufficiently explored. This research scrutinizes
their reciprocal influences, particularly examining the extent to which radical
organizations exert pressure on the media and the extent to which contemporary
media facilitates the radicalization process. The overarching conclusion of this study
indicates that the media has contributed to the proliferation of radicalism in Pakistan,
at times deliberately and at times inadvertently. The recently more dynamic Pakistani
media has consistently played a role in radicalizing individuals, groups, and
organizations. Moreover, the media displays a tendency towards sympathy for radical
elements. Radicals apply pressure on the media through various strategies. As
evidenced in the survey conducted for this study, an overwhelming majority of
Pakistani journalists perceive that the radicalization phenomenon has impacted the
country’s media. A majority of respondents (57%) believe that the media has been
suppressing information about radicalization phenomena. According to the survey,
(69%) of respondents assert that radicalization has impaired the nation’s capacity to
exercise free speech. Furthermore, (77%) of respondents acknowledge that radical
groups exert pressure on the media.