LAHORE: In another censorship in Pakistani media, Dawn newspaper, ‘Pakistan’s only news outlet with editorial policy’, blurred the banners of Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba students who joined flocks of medical students against the cancellation of the NLE exam in Pakistan.
Country’s oldest yet most prestigious newspaper, which cited that freedom of expression in the South Asian country has shrunk, censored the name of Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba – a student body of religious-cum-political party Jamaat-e-Islami.
On the Metro page on today’s edition [July 04, 2021], the newspaper shared a picture of King Edward Medical University students who can be seen protesting against the National Licensing Exam at the Nila Qumabad Chowk in the Punjab capital.
However, the student holding banner of ‘KEMU rejects NLE’ mentioned the name of the student body which Pakistan’s oldest newspaper blurred in the name of freedom of expression yet censoring the body which advocates for medical students in the protest.
In the age of information, that requires transparency and leveraging the rapid flow of information, Dawn appears to be swimming against the tide as it blurred the name of Jamiat – most likely as it stemmed from the conservative school of thought.
Soon after the censorship from the news outlet which claimed to be ‘the champion of freedom of expression’, many of the social media users along with students activists irked as they took to the micro-blogging site platform where they lambasted Dawn newspaper for censoring Jamiat.
A social media user who goes by the name of Maryam Khalid wrote ‘KEMU roaring on the roads. Eagles soaring in the skies. One of the best sights to witness: med colleges being led by KEMU and KEMU being led by Jamiat. (Dear Dawn! What is shining under the sun can’t be blurred. Jamiat can’t be erased.)’
KEMU roaring on the roads. Eagles soaring in the skies.
One of the best sights to witness: med colleges being led by KEMU and KEMU being led by Jamiat.
(Dear Dawn! What is shining under the sun can't be blurred. Jamiat can't be erased.)#KemcoliansRejectNLE pic.twitter.com/wKj8ww2jvG— Maryam Khalid (@soo_e_muntaha) July 4, 2021
Another user mocked country’s largest English newspaper saying Bus etna sa dil hey kia? The user also shared the original picture in the post.
One thing to note that so called champions of free speech have blurred Jamiat written on banners! 😂
Bs etna sa dil hey kia? @dawn_com 😂😂
The original pic is as follows!#KemcoliansRejectNLE https://t.co/e3M05aCIbA pic.twitter.com/gxhL1MKP16
— Sohaib Asghar 🇵🇸 (@SohaibSpeaks) July 4, 2021
Here are some reaction from the recent uproar:
The protest was arranged, conducted and run by @JamiatPK , King Edward Chapter. If it weren't for these guys, no political representation would've been possible. But @dawn_com blurred the name of the very organization which was the back backbone of the event. Free speech what?! pic.twitter.com/5rMNIXOxjc
— Hamd Nawaz (@_myocardium_) July 4, 2021
Why @Dawn_News@PakPressWatch @dawn_com
Let us show you the free speech policy of Dawn News!Why you deliberately blurred the name of Jamiat written on banners?
So called champions of Free Speech! @dawn_com@Dawn_News#KemcoliansRejectNLE
Dawn news Original pi pic.twitter.com/yTNYC29G6o— AZ (@doctoratmayo) July 4, 2021
Let us show you the free speech policy of Dawn News!
They deliberately blurred the name of Jamiat written on banners!
So called champions of Free Speech!@Dawn_News@PresidentIJT@JamiatPK#KemcoliansRejectNLELet pic.twitter.com/BopZYLQHd9
— Sultan Mehmood (@shadwal2019) July 4, 2021
https://twitter.com/abdullah_ijt/status/1411622179121291265
It is worth noting that Islami Jamiat e Talaba is a student wing of the Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan – a socially conservative party that was formed in 1941, even before the inception of Pakistan.
(Editor’s Note: The phrase ‘Fake News’ is not a scientific term. If facts of information are inaccurate it cannot be called news in the first place. It would be categorized as misinformation or disinformation. othernews.pk has opted to use this phrase as the mass searches and prefers the term ‘Fake News.’)
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