Guided truths

THE law minister is right in asserting that journalism is a responsibility, and that delivering verified news is the real job. Journalists must check their facts, and when they make mistakes strive to correct them. That said, it would be much more convenient for journalists to adhere to these principles if their jobs were not needlessly complicated by uncooperative government officials and bureaucrats. Our state has become notoriously opaque, especially when it is being probed on matters of public interest. Officials and officeholders deliberately make life difficult for journalists to go about their jobs, and then complain about journalism not being what it once was. When he made his complaint against ‘errant journalism’, the law minister seemed particularly upset at the furore over jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s health. “It was never stated that his [Mr Khan’s] vision had improved considerably due to the treatment administered to the patient,” the law minister regretted.

That might, indeed, be news to many. But can the government really blame journalists for the speculation and conspiracy theories surrounding this particular issue when it has not been fully transparent itself? Misinformation and disinformation usually arise when the truth is difficult to come by. By keeping the facts of Mr Khan’s ailment, treatment and general health incredibly difficult to ascertain independently, the government itself created the space for all manner of speculation to proliferate. Even in other matters, senior officials continue to stay mum when asked to provide clarification or verification, yet quickly turn on journalists when the latter attempt to report what they have gleaned from the resources they have. In order for journalism to remain true to its spirit, journalists must have access to the information they require. It cannot be that the truth of a matter is deliberately obfuscated, and then those reporting on it are faulted for not doing a good enough job. It is hoped the law minister will agree.

Published in Dawn, February 20th, 2026

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