Hate speech is most hated in West and Islamic countries

Channel banned by Pemra has been running a campaign for weeks against respectable people, including journalists and media organisations terming them infidel, traitor, blasphemer and blaming them for committing distortion in Quran; it has also been naming journalists allegedly involved in sexual relations without citing any proof

ISLAMABAD: Complete failure of the federal and provincial governments and law enforcement agencies (LEAs) to stop consistent hatemongering and continuous levelling of allegations of blasphemy of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) against citizens only to settle personal differences by Axact channel’ anchor Amir Liaqat and delayed action by Pemra has sent a wrong message across the world especially in the Muslim world.

Representatives of international media in Pakistan were closely monitoring the continuous and consistent hate speech by the allegedly fake degrees fame company and the anchor and mysterious silence of government and its agencies for many days. Journalists, contributors and representatives of international media including Islamic countries were very much concerned because of sensitivity of the allegations and inaction by the government.

As Pemra banned the programme on Thursday, international media highlighted the same as an important story.  Journalist community in Pakistan become united against hate speech and attempts to use name of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) to settle personal differences and vehemently supported the Pemra decision.

Not only this, All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS), Council of Pakistan Newspapers Editors (CPNE) and Pakistan Broadcasters Association  (PBA) issued official statements praising an otherwise delayed decision by Pemra to stop hatemongering and hate speech to incite violence and create anarchy.

The anchor’s allegations to settle personal issues against senior journalists include ‘anti-Pakistan’, anti-Islam’ and such like baseless rhetoric just to mislead Pakistanis and fulfil agenda of the channel. The channel has been facing allegations of fake degrees at international level. However, after his failure to attract people’s attention or to earn ratings for the channel by levelling these baseless allegations against journalists and media organisations, few days back the anchor suddenly started false allegations of blasphemy of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and ‘changing of Quran’ just to settle personal differences and without giving any evidence.

This was a horrible situation and lives of many Pakistanis were endangered. Under blasphemy laws and principles of Islamic Shariah, any person intentionally levelling allegations of blasphemy of Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and failing to present any evidence himself commits blasphemy of the Holy Prophet (PBUH). In his programmes the anchor went on to name a respected journalist and accused him of committing blasphemy of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) for some sentences in a programme. However, later it was revealed that the anchor intentionally cut selective sentences to settle differences with the said respected journalist and in fact the respected journalist was praising the Holy Prophet (PBUH). This was terrible example of misusing the blasphemy allegation and was itself a blasphemy of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) under blasphemy laws but till filing of this report no action by any LEA was initiated against the anchor.

His anger against the said journalist was so much high that he alleged that he has sexual relationship with a respected female journalist and the anchor even named that female journalist. Levelling such kind of allegation on a national television by naming a respectable known female citizen was unprecedented in history of Pakistani media. However, the PML-N government, which speaks high of the woman and their rights, failed to initiate any action against the anchor. It is very clear that both these issues, the levelling blasphemy allegations by naming citizens and disrespecting a female working professional by naming her and alleging her of having sexual relationship, is not the domain of Pemra. It is also disturbing that the government is expecting the victims of these allegations to come forward to lodge complaints despite the fact that crime was committed on national television and can create anarchy, disorder and chaos in the country. 

Pemra was praised by international media as well but serious concerns were shown on such kind of hatemongering and incitement to violence and killings by using electronic media. Different stories mentioned that the channel is owned by the company that is involved in all times big scandal of selling fake degrees across the globe and that it is facing legal action even in the US at present for the same crime.

Hate speech is considered a big crime across the world. Western world has strict laws to punish those involved in any kind of hate speech. Any persons or organisations involved in hate speech or incitement to violence face permanent bans and courts show more strict response to any such state actions to stop hate speech. In Islamic world, hate speech and incitement is discouraged and controlled through strict actions and any organisation involved is made an example. This is why the foreign media people in Pakistan were observing the continuous onslaught and outburst using blasphemy charges and government's complete inaction with great concern. They reported the Pemra to their organisations with great details and highlighted the aspect of hate speech and use of religion to incite violence among general public. 

Among others, BBC, DW, VOA, UAE’s Emaratyah, Inews Arabia, Daarul-Akhbaar, AlArbiya, Lorientle Jour, Al-Jazeera, Gulf News and Khlaeej Times also highlighted Pemra’s Thursday action against hatemongering and incitement of violence through blasphemy allegations by using electronic media.

In addition to concerns and reporting of the international media, respected religious scholars were also showing serious concerns over use of name of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) to settle personal differences by the anchor and complete inaction by the government. It is disturbing that despite incitement to violence and killings at such a large scale, the Pakistan government has yet to move against the hatemonger who crossed all limits and misused religious beliefs for the purpose. Time has come that every possible steps be taken to stop such hatemongers to appear on TV screens and legal action through LEAs be initiated so that no one can ever dare to misuse blasphemy allegations or blasphemy laws in future. Ulema also need to come forward to stop such kind of misuse of blasphemy allegations so that such hatemongers may not continue to spread hate by using the name of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) who is sign of love for every Muslim.