Brevity, credibility is few of the major attributes required to practice fair journalism. Huge responsibility falls over media to report correct facts and figures pertaining to the events that follow. But, unfortunately, many media groups go without realizing their reporting the truth need.
Al-Jazeera & Press TV Iran are one of the trusted networks for reporting facts and news events happening through out the globe , including the local English national news papers, Dawn have discredited themselves by misquoting the pictorial evidence. Al-Jazeera reported the event as ‘Deadly attack on Shia procession in Pakistan’; whereas Press TV Iran reported this as ‘Militants kill eight, injure 34 Shia Muslims in Pakistan.’
On the other hand local newspaper like Dawn showed a bit sensibility in covering the attack as ‘Curfew imposed in Rawalpindi as violence claims eight lives.’ & The News claimed it as ‘Seven killed as two groups clash in Rawalpindi Muharram procession’. Press TV Iran has tried to maneuver this incident as a Pro-Taliban attack on Shia procession which took the life of Shia mourners according to them. AlJazeera also covered a similar way. However it is not the case as reported by the media outlets above. According to mainstream reports, It was a sectarian outbreak that claimed the lives of people belonging to Sunni school, as proclaimed by the local media as well. But facts remain still unclear & ambiguous.
Some newspapers bore the headline’ Pakistani Shiite Muslims assist an injured Sunni Muslim following clashes during an Ashura procession in Rawalpindi’. The incident occurred on 15th November called for media attention since the government and the security forces have had been trying to cover the incident, that unravels their incompetence of managing the law and order conditions in the city.
The picture shows, a young man with long beard being seriously injured with blood flowing form his head. He is surrounded by a mob, wearing black dresses that signify them as the Shiites mourners probably. The picture invites several interpretations. Unfortunately media have reported on one interpretation. A social media page has posted a contrast of this reporting below & challenge the reporting as:
The headline of the news story does not support the actual news and hence Al-Jazeera & Press TV the mouth pieces of Arab & Iranian media received several criticisms for circulating wrong news globally. It has created anger and anxiety among masses. Wrong news items, can ignite conflicts among sects, promoting the already held sectarian violence which has taken grip over the society, across the country.
Every year, hundreds of people lose their lives owing to the Shia-Sunni conflicts. Hence, media shall refrain from ‘propagating’ wrong news items.