Political Role of Sindhi Press

Political Role of Sindhi Press
Lecture points – Sohail Sangi, Millennium Seminar of Daily Kawish and Hyderabad Press club programme.
- Sindhi Press is the only developed regional press of Pakistan as other provincial languages i.e. Balochi, Pushto, Punjabi has no Press. Recently some papers are being published in Pushto but they are very formative phase. Hussain Naqi a renowned left oriented journalist tried to bring out a newspaper ”Punjab Punch” but this could not succeed.
- Sindhi Press was started in colonial period and it was time of political upheavals. Major development of Sindhi press was seen after Indian government Act of 1935, when political activities were getting momentum, which were properly reflected and reported in Sindhi press. Those were the times when all the press of subcontinent was playing major political role.
- Movement for Sindh’s separation from Bombay also witnessed a major political movement in Sindh and Sindhi press played its role. AL Waheed a popular newspaper bought a special number which was late re published.
- All the big names in Sindhi journalism have been poltical persons i.e. Shaikh Abdul Majeed Sindhi, Molvi Khair Mohammed Nizamani, Sobho Gianchandani, Shaikh Ali Mohammmed, Shaikh Aziz, Sirajul Haq Memon, Sohail Sangi, Faqir Mohammed Lashari, Badar Abro and others.
- During fifties, newspapers were owned by political personalities. Najumuddin Sarewal (Karwan), Nawae Sindh GM Syed, Abdul Shakoor Munshi ( Hilal-e- Pakistan, Kazi Mohammed Akber (Ibrat). In sixties Pir Pagaro purchased daily Mehran which was edited by Syed Sardar Ali Shah.
- Ayub took over Pakistan progressive papers limited a group of newspapers (Pakistan Times, Imroz, Lail-o-Nahar) all English and urdu.
- Ayub to get hold of press formed a government trust, which brought Morning News in English and Mashriq in Urdu. Mashriq was published from all the four provincial capitals.
- In Ayub era there was Press and Publication Ordinance which discourage easy declaration to bring out newspapers. This led to publications of magazine types in the name of series.
- PPP launched daily Hilal-e-Pakistan in Sindhi and Musawat in Urdu.
- Jamat Isalmi launched Daily Jassarat.
- When Bhutto took over after independence of Bagladesh, he banned over one hundred such publications/series.
- Federal government financed AL Waheed in early nineties. It was considered a project of ISPR (public relations organisation of Pak Army.
- Benazir Bhutto as leader of opposition at number of times held exclusivel meetings with Sindhi editors.
- Sindhi Editors formed a body to stop government pressur during Jam Sadiq period. The name of body was Sindhi Editors Council.
- During Nawaz Sharif second period of rule, his information minister Mushahid Hussain Syed proposed to launch Sindhi service of APP a government owned news agency. This idea was matured in 2005 during Musharraf era.
- Mushahid Hussain in a bid to win over the favour of Sindhi journalists organized series of training workshops and seminar in Islamabad for Sindhi journalists where the government also arranged some visits for these journalists.
- Asif Zardari (in the second period of BB) called over 60 Sindhi journalists at Islamabad to get support of Sindhi media.
- At number of times MQM chief Altaf Hussain chose to address exclusively Sindhi journalists from 2000 to onwards.
- General Pervez Musharaf held exclusively at least two meeting with over 40 Sindhi journalists in a bid to get support for controversial water reservoir Kalabagh Dam and his policies.
- In 1993 elections BB hinted out that she would perfre to wawrd tickect to those having newspapers. (Asad Kazi owner of Daily Ibrat was awarded ticket)
- PPP with government patronage launched Sindhi daily Bakhtawar.
- Presntly the major newspaper groups – Kawish and Ibrat - belong to political families.
- Sindhi press is vocal press on the issues of provincial rights and human rights.
- Sindhi people consider that they were deprived of their rightsafter Pakistan and they have been struggling against One Unit, status of Sindhi language, and immigrants influx in Sindh etc. Therefore its point of view is different from mainstream media which is called national press etc.