Shakeel Ahmad Ramay
Few days back, Chinese teachers were attacked in Karachi University by a group of terrorists. Chinese teachers were here in Pakistan to spread knowledge and understanding of China to strengthen the bond between China and Pakistan. Pakistan and China were mourning tragic incident and families of victims were in extreme shock. While peace loving people and countries were condemning the incident, some Western media outlets started to provide platform to terrorists to glorify their acts. It shocked the peace-loving people. Media outlets did not care for the sentiments of the victim’s families.
However, the practice is not new, media is doing it for long. Media has successfully become the fourth pillar of unholy nexuses of elite of West. Military-Industrial Nexus, which was pointed out by President Nixon kept on growing. He warned the Americans that if nexus not controlled, it will bring disaster to America. Senator Fulbright added another actor, the academia. He was of the point of view that academia help military-industrial duo by creating narrative for their objectives. They use specific research models to justify the objectives. Simultaneously, media started to appear as fourth member of nexus. It assumed the role of spreading the narrative of Military-Industrial-Academia nexus. Media was supported by academia to sell the narrative in the wrap of research.
Few years back, a study was conducted by David Miller & Tom Mills, to explore the dynamics of link between academician/experts and media. Study thoroughly looked at the mechanisms of interaction. The findings of study were quite shocking. First batch of experts was biased and influenced by Western conservatives. A good number of them were employed with conservative think tanks, military or security agencies. The phenomenon is still going on. Study further revealed that after 9/11 a bunch of new experts surfaced. Further, between 2001-2007 media engaged 77 percent experts with pro-establishment and conservative background.
The key lesson from the study can be summarized as; West only consider those people terrorists, who are against them, either they use violence or not. And rest of terrorists, who serve their objectives are freedom fighter or defenders of values. Media is playing role of facilitator by consulting only those experts, who believe in their theory of terrorism. In short run, the is strategy was seen as a success, but in long run it proved disaster. On one hand it led to defeat of West in war on terror. On other hand, it has pushed world into chaos. Most prominent example in recent history is weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. USA along with its allies fabricated lie and media outlets including BBC, CNN etc. and other spread at wider scale. The campaign culminated with complete destruction of Iraq. It also created chaos in the region and led to creation of one of the deadliest terrorist organization, the ISSI.
Xinjiang is another version of weapons of mass destruction. Western media running campaign against Xinjiang on the basis of dubious and anonymous sources. The most recent effort was publishing of pictures of Uyghur people provided a controversial author DR. Adrian Zenz, who is employee of anti-communism think tank in USA. BBC, New York Time and many European outlies went frenzy and started to level baseless allegations against China. BBC is trying to lead the campaign. It was strongly refuted by Zheng Zeguang, Chinese ambassador in UK. He said “Such a shame for BBC to carry the fabricated story about so-called ‘detention camps’. Pathetic for the media, in cahoots with the notorious rumour monger, to once again spread disinformation about Xinjiang”. But western media is not giving any head to Chinese response. They have adopted War on Terror strategy and trying to malign China, as they did with Muslims.
They invite only those people, who echo policies and propaganda of USA and Western governments. They do not dare to invite independent experts. They have confined themselves in the bubble of self-praise and self-righteousness. Unfortunately, they have forgotten the lesson of war on terror that this strategy only leads to defeat.
On other hand, you will not find any program, leave alone campaigns on brutality and systematic genocides of native American or aboriginal people in Australia or killing of innocent children in Gaza or Kashmir. Wester media even is not interested to report objectively about ruthless killing of journalists like killing of Shireen Abu Akleh was not reported properly. However, BBC, Fox, CNN and other outlets have ample time to run campaigns against Pakistan and China on multiple accounts. They also do not hesitate to glorify terrorism and terrorists in Pakistan at the name of freedom of speech, even they put all resources to politicize the economic initiatives like CPEC. They are running campaign against CPEC on self-assumed debt trap, which does not hold any ground in the face of facts. Again, they only engage or invite people, who toe the USA and Western Policy.
In the nutshell, Western media feel satisfies by following the state narrative of USA, Israel, Europe, allies and India is new addition. They call Palestinian and Kashmiris terrorists, as they are throwing stones on killers. However, Nazis in Ukraine are freedom fighters. Ukrainian Nazis are being shown as defender of free world and are glorified as heroes. Owning to these facts, it is considered by many experts that Western media only follow the policy of their governments and Industrial-Military-Academia nexus. As, they receive funding from governments or industrial-military nexus. They have to follow the policies of their sponsors. So, independence is only a slogan or self-created illusion.
