Without press freedom, the truth disappears

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights grants us press freedom. Those who censor the media seek to hide this truth.
Prism Published May 3, 2019

Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

Comments (60) Closed
Ram
May 03, 2019 10:49am
Next step: No comments moderation ! XD
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Zaraq Khan
May 03, 2019 10:52am
Press & Media should know how to behave. Freedom doesnt mean putting your country at stake.
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Mrityunjay Tripathi
May 03, 2019 10:59am
Nice initiative, Dawn!
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SHAHID SATTAR
May 03, 2019 11:42am
In a society like ours, where only a few persons are unsalable come what may, freedom to be granted must come with certain limitations. Who is worth working for setting such limits is the big question? A holier than thou attitude adopted by anyone aspiring to be the qualified person for such a position should automatically disqualify any such person.
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talat
May 03, 2019 12:08pm
Well done !
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Syed Shabraiz Ali
May 03, 2019 12:12pm
@Zaraq Khan, agree with you.
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Pir Mehraj Ud Din
May 03, 2019 12:14pm
Media freedom is very important pillar of the democracy but the reporting and analysis should have been impartial and for the benefit of people. Many political parties have bought different media houses and journalists to put forth their opinion. This has undermined the status & value of media fraternity before the common masses. Media houses need to criticize and advice govt on critical issues but simultaneously appreciate their good work.
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Raiz
May 03, 2019 12:31pm
@Zaraq Khan So guys we have a politician
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Raiz
May 03, 2019 12:31pm
@Zaraq Khan Criticising your country is not putting it at stake
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nawaz akhtar
May 03, 2019 12:33pm
@Zaraq Khan This is the result of 70 years of brain washing
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athar
May 03, 2019 12:53pm
"To know who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticise." Voltaire
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Deepak jha
May 03, 2019 01:20pm
Only Dawn can do this.... Kudos to you guys.
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enam
May 03, 2019 01:41pm
It does not mean manipulating a story into speaking your views.
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Farrukh
May 03, 2019 01:48pm
Appreciate Dawn Newspaper's efforts for the freedom of speech and protection of human rights. Well done and keep it going.
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Ahmed
May 03, 2019 02:28pm
The truth disappeared some time ago!
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Mohan
May 03, 2019 02:49pm
This is similar to the Indian Express leaving the editorial space blank during the Indira Gandhi Emergency.
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rukshi
May 03, 2019 02:55pm
agreed media should be allowed to play its role without any hindered and those who oppose it don't want the truth to be know...
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Farhan Khan
May 03, 2019 03:15pm
Appreciated
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Rao
May 03, 2019 03:41pm
Against the powerful (and corrupt), the TRUTH is only you have
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Khalid
May 03, 2019 03:52pm
good initiative by dawn. Media should create some standard operating procedures for themselves. Every word written or spoken word has a impact. Best truth is always spoken about our owns selves.
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SGH
May 03, 2019 04:10pm
@Ram, DAWN comments moderation has nothing to do with the curbing of press freedom. The moderation is necessary to maintain some standards of politeness and avoiding the offense in this highly interesting and informative forum of exchange of ideas and arguments.
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Muhammad Zohair
May 03, 2019 04:16pm
Without freedom of opinion, you are not free soul in a free world
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Terry Khattak
May 03, 2019 04:47pm
Thank you DAWN for your stand on the freedom of press and expression. Those suppressing free expression want nothing more than to impose their unquestioned dictatorial will.
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Jafar Mehdi
May 03, 2019 04:56pm
.... revive and impart information and ideas trough any media regardless of frontiers. very beautiful and impressive line. But isn't it true as well that media or press has developed frontiers around its self and protected by some power groups ? I think media or press should think and work on this before preaching people about rights or right to information. Most of the media or press of today's world is run by corporate sector of some power brokers, who wants to impose "their" agenda on people. Through media these "power groups" change people mind sets. Firstly media must acknowledge right to information and implement it on their own reporters especially 'anchors'..
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James
May 03, 2019 05:00pm
Sadly when US Secretary of State said openly that we pay press in Pakistan to buy influence - we the common men are apprehensive - press freedom is being sold to a bidder and one starts worrying.
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inam ul haq
May 03, 2019 05:35pm
Media is a must in democracy but there ought to be a responsible one.
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Hashmi
May 03, 2019 05:38pm
There is no democracy if the media is not free.
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Abdul Muqtadir
May 03, 2019 05:39pm
@Zaraq Khan, Bringing up issues or Criticizing the Administration, or the Institutions as Army does not mean Anti country. In fact these are good for the country to keep check on the powerful.
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Chetan Makwana
May 03, 2019 05:40pm
I am indian . but I am indian . I love the beautiful cultural pics posted by dawn.It is almost none in indian prime media. please keep posting that. peace
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A. Nasir
May 03, 2019 06:49pm
@Zaraq Khan, A stance often adopted by totalitarian regimes to silence its own ineptitude and excesses. Please quote one example where a country has been harmed by a vocal media.
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anwarkhan
May 03, 2019 07:05pm
Newspapers should not favour a particular party or ideology and ignoring the loot and plunder and money laundering done by their leadership under the pretext of Press freedom and expression.
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Aftab Ahmad
May 03, 2019 08:15pm
There should be Press freedom. However, it should be exercised with honesty and a sense of responsibility.
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Mrityunjay Tripathi
May 03, 2019 09:08pm
@Zaraq Khan, Those who decide what puts country at stake are the ones who generally put country at stake.
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Abdullah
May 03, 2019 09:13pm
Free press is a backbone of healthy democracy. Look what Putin did in Russia and what Trump is trying to do in USA. Imran Khan there is no such thing as fake news, but there is a thing called “fake truth”.
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Saqib
May 03, 2019 09:17pm
There should be freedom of expression in any society, but it should also come with a responsibility from the person expressing the opinion
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Abdur Razzaq
May 03, 2019 10:17pm
True
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Saeed
May 03, 2019 10:24pm
@Zaraq Khan, freedom of right and freedom of speech make the country better.
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RKk
May 03, 2019 10:41pm
Very good stand by Dawn and nice way of expressing the same.
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Thanos
May 03, 2019 10:54pm
How do we know press isn’t sold out. There are plenty of corrupt operators in press. Wish there were more angelic beings but alas every one comes from the same society.
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Rajpar
May 03, 2019 11:18pm
And Dawn is the torch-bearer free soul of country.
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Naveed Anjum
May 03, 2019 11:23pm
We need free media but a responsible one.
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Ashish D
May 03, 2019 11:59pm
Their r 4 pillars of democracy legislatives judiciary institutions most important print media n electronic media you got right to elect right to live right to earn right to oppose the very nemesis of democracy is agree to disagree press freedom is very contiguous issue reporter give reflection desires of society as it is connected to people n masses subversive action n repression can't stop peoples voice now a days of social media which is quite vibrant in the case of recent Facebook strikes surgical strikes we shld all stand with dawn repression of media propagation of hatred trolls strategic location n so call depth will not going to give any $ it's common man hard work that's they pay taxes on whose money services work respect freedom of common man respect freedom of speech respect democracy
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Raheem
May 04, 2019 12:06am
Media has to be free, let them be free but before theier freedom a viewer or a reader must be free, seen many people before or after speaking at public places looking here & there WHY?
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SAJJAN KHAN LAGHARI
May 04, 2019 12:07am
Press and media are now a days known as 4th pillar of the state. it's very essential media houses as well as journalists to perform their duties honestly for the sake of our nation.
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KALEEM
May 04, 2019 12:28am
I agreed and support the rights to freedom of opinion & expression.
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Khan
May 04, 2019 12:55am
Dawn the only newspaper I read, compromise rate is much lower than others in fact others run on compromise in Pakistan
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Arif Khan
May 04, 2019 01:09am
Press & Media should never think that they do not have limitations and they can write or say anything they want.
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brmurr
May 04, 2019 03:23am
The truth seemed to disappear with the growth of the internet. Mainstream media has become desperate for advertising dollars due to rampant start up competition (it’s too easy to find news that’s already packaged for your line of thinking). Mainstream media routinely fails to verify, or even do basic research on a given topic before rushing their story to press. Before the internet, mainstream journalists were considered highly professional. Not anymore.
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brmurr
May 04, 2019 03:25am
@athar, Erdogan!
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Tamilselvan
May 04, 2019 05:25am
But when journalists plant false news and get into tabloid journalism what can one expect?
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Reality Bites
May 04, 2019 07:14am
There only a handful of true journalist in the world, Most of them are a disgrace for the job. CNN, BBC, CNBC, MSN etc. and the list go on, are a bunch of liars, they sell and show fabricated news.
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Musti Sheikh
May 04, 2019 08:23am
without the press freedom, the democracy dies in darkness.
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KJ
May 04, 2019 08:58am
.... speechless ....
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Yahya Reki
May 04, 2019 09:33am
Really very Great initiative by Dawn..
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Raheem
May 04, 2019 12:02pm
How would one expects under the ownership of of one man/group media houses be free, owners have their vested interest and we should not forget they are running businesses and business man seeks profits. Media would not be free unless media houses run by public sharing.
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QURESHI
May 04, 2019 05:07pm
Is this a freedom of press that every businessmen can get a license to start a TV channel and a newspaper. There are a number of newspapers in Karachi only whose circulation is hardly 100 papers per day. They operate through WhatsApp and circulate particular news especially against personalities and then earn the benefits out of it. While the media doesn't have any mechanism to check those individuals and newspapers who actually are running the show for earning black money or protecting their illegal activities. Shouldn't be there a code of ethics before printing defaming news about any one to stop the blackmail rapidly growing in the media business now a days.
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KJ
May 04, 2019 11:26pm
This is such a creative way to send a message, but will the authorities be as impressed?
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Lone star
May 04, 2019 11:38pm
Pakistan is under eclipse.
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Lone star
May 04, 2019 11:49pm
If media is gaged, next you will be ordered how to dress, talk, pray think and act. These rules will be for slaves, Masters are free, their families and friends also. Family members will live in free western countries. After retiring Masters will also move there.
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Sunil
May 05, 2019 03:02am
Nicely shown as highly redacted article on press freedom.
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