ABSTRACT
The Pakistani media enjoys more freedom than anywhere else in the Islamic world. It has two discourses, Urdu which focuses on nationalism and ideology, and English which scrutinizes governance and the national economy. The television channels broadcast in Urdu and attempts at running an English channel have failed owing to a lack of viewers. Elected governments have learned to live with media scrutiny and criticism, but comment on the area of foreign policy and geostrategy, over which elected politicians have gradually yielded control to the army, may land journalists in trouble. The army denies that it monitors the media and uses ‘disappearances’ and brief intimidatory confinement to deter journalists from reporting professionally. It has divided the media houses against one another and thereby greatly curtailed the freedom of expression guaranteed by the Constitution of Pakistan.
