By Aleena Hussain
KARACHI: ARY’s senior producer Khairullah Aziz has quit journalism after accusing the pro-government channel of dishonesty, duplicity and carrying out “black propaganda” on behalf of Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) government to target opposition parties and critics of the government.
Khairullah Aziz worked for ARY News as a senior producer and content manager for over ten years and previously worked at Samaa News and Aaj TV. He was also the former desk editor of Pakistan Press International.
Khairullah Aziz told in an interview: “It was the policy of ARY News channel to cherry pick statements from political leaders of the opposition and cite them without adding the context in a bid to mislead the masses,” he revealed. “This is the worst form of duplicity and dishonesty.”
He told Express Tribune that there are many examples wherein his former news channel ARY openly carried out “black propaganda,” a move which frustrated him as well as other journalists within ARY who felt disgusted at the unethical means used at the channel.
Khairullah Aziz added that ARY had become the mouthpiece of the PTI government and news bulletins were solely based on an agenda.
“If someone opposed the news content, higher-ups, including the executive producer or the news controller, would dismiss the objection by saying that the instructions came from the owners,” he disclosed.
Aziz said that at ARY the news is not cross-checked and the position of the other party is not taken.
He said: “It is easy for outsiders to say that journalists should resist unfair organisational policies and try to change the system, but in real life, it’s only a fantasy,” he said. “The elements that want to impose their agenda on news coverage do not consult editors, news directors, or the reporters, but they directly talk to the owners.”
He added: “Seeing these things, I decided not to be associated with this field anymore. Therefore, I have opened a restaurant as a side business in partnership with some friends.”
“I was passionate about journalism and had an exceptionally good salary package which made it very difficult for me to quit, but I have finally made this decision because of my personal and professional ethics. Now, I have left everything in God’s hands,” said a disheartened Aziz.
He said that most news channels are on the path of greediness, adding that he knows many journalists who are on the verge of leaving the industry but are forced to stay because they have to make ends meet.
“I have said goodbye to the electronic media. We are not doing journalism but are being dishonest with our profession. I will not say that we broadcast fake news but we do hide the truth,” Aziz told ET.
“Unfortunately, because of self-censorship and the capitalist mentality of media house owners, non-journalist newsroom managers are deputed to impose a certain agenda, which makes it impossible for journalists to perform their duties with honesty.”
“I have worked for four news channels for fifteen years. Before that, I worked in for print media too, but I have never seen such a difficult period for journalism before.”
Like every enthusiastic journalist, Aziz, too, was determined to become the voice of the oppressed, highlight social issues and play a part in strengthening democracy in Pakistan.
“Unfortunately, because of self-censorship and the capitalist mentality of media house owners, non-journalist newsroom managers are deputed to impose certain agenda, which makes it impossible for journalists to perform their duties with honesty,” he said.
“I have worked for four news channels for fifteen years. Before that, I worked in for print media too, but I have never seen such a difficult period for journalism before.”
