Pakistan News & Features Services
The media in Pakistan has witnessed a revolution of sorts during the last one decade or so and Yasmeen Aftab Ali’s ‘A Comparative Analysis of Media and Media Laws in Pakistan’ is the first book of its kind.
Published by Sang-e-Meel Publications and launched in Islamabad a few months ago, the book has been hailed by the knowledgeable circles.
The versatile Yasmeen Ali, a prolific writer in social media, who also happens to be an eminent lawyer besides excelling in teaching mass communication, has been complimented to have put together her experiences and thoughts to bring out the book on such a critical subject.
“It is, indeed, a welcome arrival focusing as it does on a subject that is of great relevance to our society where not only the media laws if there are any but also all other laws are of no practical consequence,” Shamshad Ahmed Khan, a former Foreign Secretary, wrote in his newspaper column.
“This book is, perhaps, the first study of its own kind encompassing all media-related issues in our country and generating awareness of the vast legal framework available to the people as well as the media community on the rights and obligations of all in handling this important vehicle of public opinion and information. Yasmeen not only traces the historical evolution of this institution in Pakistan, but also brings out with specific instances the growing tendency for abuse of media-related freedoms,” he noted.
In the author’s words, ‘A Comparative Analysis of Media and Media Laws in Pakistan’ is about clarifying concepts.
“It is about defining the role of the institution of media that should be playing a pivotal role in the evolving society of our country but somehow, there is a slip between the cup and the lip!” Yasmeen Ali remarked.
“The concept of freedom of expression and freedom of speech for example is little understood. All aspects have been discussed to give the bigger picture. Defamation, Contempt of Court, Cyber Law, Electronic Media, Social Responsibility of Media; discussed threadbare with comparative laws existing in other countries,” she added.
“This book tries to address questions raised in every sphere. It is not another ‘theory book’ expounding concepts. It moves beyond discussing concepts to what issues exist in the world of communications in Pakistan. What are the questions that need to be addressed by relevant authorities in different mediums of communication and their possible solutions too, are offered,” she explained.
“More often than not, the issues are pin-pointed but no steps to redress a situation are chartered out. Here, the reader, the media practitioner and any one else interested, finds; practical, workable steps to develop media into a vibrant institution that is easy to play a positive role in knitting together the Pakistani Society and building bridges where needed–not creating further disenchantment and chaos!” Yasmeen Ali revealed.
No comments:
Post a Comment