Adil Najam
Supposedly, there is big news happening in Pakistan right now with ‘in-camera’ parliamentary hearings, unanimous resolutions on the Abbottabad operation, civil-military dialogue, and the like. Or, maybe, its just small news masquerading as big news. Certainly, news is “breaking” in a huge avalanche on every TV channel. But, then, news is Pakistan is a fragile commodity. It is always breaking!
But this post is not about fragile news. Its about fragile politicians, militarymen and media. This post is about a slightly frivolous observation. Frivolous, but only slightly.
It all started with a call from a journalist in Pakistan who wanted me to comment on the then-still-ongoing closed-door session of parliament on the Abbottabad operation. The question asked was: “What do you think about what was said in the closed-door meeting in parliament today?” I jokingly responded that I could not do so because it was a closed door session and therefore I did not know what was being said! So, my journalist friend told me exactly what was being said – verbatim, word for word, a more detailed report of exactly who said what than anything I have ever heard from or about the Pakistan parliament!
And all of this, in a closed-door, in-camera session! Interestingly, the journalist who called me or the media who reported the session statement-by-statement seem to see nothing odd about this. Every institution in the country – politicians, government, military, intelligence, media – is leaking like a sieve with extra holes, and we wonder why no one trusts us with sensitive secrets!
Obviously, some people inside parliament (seemingly many parliamentarians and/or intelligence and security operatives, maybe everyone) was leaking all that is being said in what is supposed to be the most confidential meeting on the most sensitive national security issue at the very highest level and in real time. And obviously journalists all across the country were spreading these leaks far an wide, maybe even embellishing some of what they heard and certainly adorning it with loaded commentary and innuendo.
Maybe it is just me and my readers also find nothing odd about this. But here is the thought that crossed my mind: Maybe the Americans were on to something after all when they chose not to share the details of the Abbottabad operation with anyone in Pakistan: If this is a demonstration of our very top politicians, military brass, and security agencies in keeping a secret, then can they really be trusted? Would you really want to trust them with any sensitive information on anything!
And what about the media? Less said the better. Maybe, we should hold a second “closed-door” “in-camera” session about what the media and its role and responsibility in dealing with “confidential” “national security:” “in camera” briefings. Would love to find out how that would go. And, obviously, we will!
RANT ALERT: Reader beware, as you can see I am in one of those moods today.. so let me continue the rant. The other thought that has struck me in these recent days is about what facts are really facts. It gets to me how everyone around me seems to have this uncanny ability to not only have an opinion on everything, but to also have facts. Facts seem especially easy to make up on issues on which there are no facts. Maybe we are just a really smart people. Everyone seems to know everything – all you need to do is to add “as you know” (aap tou jantey haiN) before anything and then pontificate with certainty and conviction even when it is clear you are making things up as you speak! Maybe it is my training as an academic researcher that is causing this bad mood – whoever came up with this idea that facts are not ideas that you think “must be” true, but things that you or someone has demonstrated to be true knows nothing about how facts are constructed in Pakistani society: A cup of tea, maybe three, and a few friends shouting at each other is all its takes for all of us to become convinced that the fancies we just constructed are, in fact, fact!
So be it. Facts are facts. Except when they are not. And if everyone starts believing in fancy, then fancy becomes fact. That, too, is a fact!
very strange rant. Some points.
1. If this kind of information is being given in your parliament:
Shamsi Air Base under UAE control: Air Chief
http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-d aily-english-online/Regional/Islamabad/13-May-2011 /Shamsi-Air-Base-under-UAE-control-Air-Chief
then every single Pakistani has the “right to know” what is happening behind the closed door meeting of your leaders.
2. Why shouldn’t the whole of Pakistan know what their military & civilian leaders are saying about the biggest failure of their lives? Why should it be hidden from the common public who wants some answers? Why closed door meetings? why not open forum?
3. Do you still believe that anything in Pakistan can happen without the military’s consent and permission? Aren’t all these “leaks” nothing but military planted “press releases” to make so much indignant noise that everyone forgets the abbottabad drama and is distracted by this new drama.
4. Are you also a part of this drama, Pakistaniat? You didn’t rant and got angry when Osama was caught in Pakistani Military’s lap? Why this “angry rant” against Pakistani media now? I read “Dawn” whenever something happens in Pakistan and I must say that their journalists/ editors raised pertinent questions and held their current leadership- both military and civilian- accountable. Something which you didn’t.
Regarding confidentiality, I can’t agree more that much of the things being said openly – such as asking military leaders point blank about Pak defence capability with respect to radar, etc. are military secrets that MUST NOT be shared even with all the members of parliament. Perhaps a secret meeting should have been held first among a few select members of parliament, such as a defence committee; a few leaders of political parties, including opposition and ISI leaders, where it could have been decided what should be considered classified information or how to handle questions in the general hearing that might compromise national security.
We’re going thru disgrace after disgrace, first in not finding out that UBL was living in Pakistan; then the way the drones are gathering detailed intelligence on Pakistani terrain (in the disguise of wiping out militants), probably in preparation for an eventual full-fledged ground operation; then this nightly operation at Abbotabad.
Maybe the leaders of all the powers that be have lost control and are grabbing at straws. And then comes this Taliban attack at Char Saddah – wonder what’s next :-(
Brilliant piece.
As you say, and we wonder why no one trusts us as a nation!
the journalist’s action in reading to you what was said, word for word, cannot be condoned. however, aap to jaantey haen ke the briefing should have been open in the first place, so someone didn’t have to read all this stuff to you. why lament only about the actions of the journalist and spare the vardi wala hoodlum who have the God given right to do as they please and not let us serfs know anything? when you castigate the unethical jounalists, do you also upon the character of the be sar-o saamaan pharaohs who are savaging the nation? do they really deserve the courtesy of their trust being protected?
sorry about the rant magar aap to jaantey haen ke i am in one of those moods.
Isn’t it what the rest of media doing? Quoting un-named officials and security advisors on cooking up facts? How would you respond to the fact that iraq had weapons of mass destruction? What was done to establish that fact?
How would you respond to the big and GREAT Wikileaks? Leaking diplomatic cables … is it any joke? If it is than its worst than what you are discussing here.