Public policy specialist Rafiullah Kakar has said journalists brought from Islamabad and Punjab to Quetta for briefings by Pakistani military officials should not help impose a one-sided state narrative on Balochistan if critical local voices are excluded from the discussion.
Commenting on an ongoing debate over the recent visit, Kakar said there was nothing objectionable about journalists attending official briefings. However, he said wider questions should be raised about the mainstream media’s approach to Balochistan.
Kakar said mainstream outlets often presented the state’s position without criticism or independent verification, relying on analysts approved by the state while excluding Baloch voices.
“Journalists should certainly listen to the state’s position, but journalism requires them to seek and verify information from independent sources beyond that provided by the state. If restrictions make this impossible, journalists should acknowledge those limitations instead of lecturing their critics.”
He said that when no critical voice from Balochistan was included in a discussion and only state-approved guests were invited, the state narrative was effectively allowed to determine the direction of the debate.
Over the past two years, Kakar said, Balochistan had witnessed disputed elections, the destruction of homes and orchards, restrictions on trade, the formation of armed groups under state patronage and enforced disappearances. He said the mainstream media had remained silent on these issues, while responding with anger when that silence was pointed out.
Kakar called on the journalists who attended the Quetta briefings to refrain from spreading a one-sided state narrative if critical voices could not be given space.