In the last 10 years a new trend has begun in news media. Since Ifhikhar chaudhry restoration, every news channel has a resident reporter in supreme court and news channels specially GEO began reporting remarks of the supreme court judges as break news and tickers. While there is nothing apparently wrong with this practice but in Pakistan we have many small people in big offices. This trend created a popularity contest for judges and a source of consistent news for channels. Let me explain how
Step 1) Media covers court proceedings and reports the remarks and observations given by the judges. Actually remarks and observations are normal part of court proceedings where the bench is trying to understand the case so they do cross-questioning and note down their observations based on the facts and information shared by the lawyers, experts and respondents. The remarks of the judges are treated as breaking news and also shown in tickers and then repeated in news bulletins. Essentially court proceedings have become 'free' content for news media. Channels don't have to hire more anchors, create studios or invite guests to create content when they can simply report court proceedings with little bit 'Masala'. They can easily fill 1-2 hrs of their 24 hrs transmission by reporting and repeating court proceedings.
Step 2) Everyone likes fame, attention and appreciation. This is why social media platforms and forums have like buttons. Every time somebody likes your post, you feel happy and proud of yourself. However, this can become addictive specially when what you say can become headline news across dozens of news channels and hundreds of newspapers. This encourages some fame hungry people to say and do some very stupid things like we see everyday on this forum, on facebook, on youtube. Same thing appears to have happened with the honorable Supreme Court of Pakistan where judges seem to give tough remarks and embarrass lawyers, ministers and govt officers to make headlines. Sometimes judges have even threaten to put some minister or officer in jail. What kind of justice is this?
Step 3) To get even more attention and space on media, the court takes suo moto notices based on discussions and news items covered in the media. The honorable Supreme Court can take sumo moto action against anyone and anything. However, Pakistan has so many challenges that courts should show some restraint and respect for themselves and be selective in what they choose to pick and ignore. The media is more than happy to highlight whenever the SCP takes notice on their program or story. However, this reduces the quality of jurisprudence of country. The top court of the country should not be investigating if atiqa odho was carrying wine or not. The cream of pakistani judges should not be discussing price of samosoa. The best of the best judges should not be wasting their time and taxpayer money on conducting raids on hospitals while taking private channels along with them. Instead judges should take up meaningful cases such like Federal Shariat court struck down land reform because it was considered Un-Islamic. Can the govt borrow more than 50% of gdp? Should minimum wage be illegal? Can civil servant be fired for poor performance?
Now you may be wondering what is the alternate of all this? Should free speech be curtailed? No, the simple alternate is that SCP registrar should issue a press release after every working day at 7pm with a transcript of all the court proceedings. There are stenographers noting down everything in the court room so a copy can be distributed to media channels in the evening. No doubt the practice of sumo moto action has resulted in some meaningful reform and relief for public eg. service charges waived off mobile credit. However, this practice has also created big hurdle in the way of reform.
Step 1) Media covers court proceedings and reports the remarks and observations given by the judges. Actually remarks and observations are normal part of court proceedings where the bench is trying to understand the case so they do cross-questioning and note down their observations based on the facts and information shared by the lawyers, experts and respondents. The remarks of the judges are treated as breaking news and also shown in tickers and then repeated in news bulletins. Essentially court proceedings have become 'free' content for news media. Channels don't have to hire more anchors, create studios or invite guests to create content when they can simply report court proceedings with little bit 'Masala'. They can easily fill 1-2 hrs of their 24 hrs transmission by reporting and repeating court proceedings.
Step 2) Everyone likes fame, attention and appreciation. This is why social media platforms and forums have like buttons. Every time somebody likes your post, you feel happy and proud of yourself. However, this can become addictive specially when what you say can become headline news across dozens of news channels and hundreds of newspapers. This encourages some fame hungry people to say and do some very stupid things like we see everyday on this forum, on facebook, on youtube. Same thing appears to have happened with the honorable Supreme Court of Pakistan where judges seem to give tough remarks and embarrass lawyers, ministers and govt officers to make headlines. Sometimes judges have even threaten to put some minister or officer in jail. What kind of justice is this?
Step 3) To get even more attention and space on media, the court takes suo moto notices based on discussions and news items covered in the media. The honorable Supreme Court can take sumo moto action against anyone and anything. However, Pakistan has so many challenges that courts should show some restraint and respect for themselves and be selective in what they choose to pick and ignore. The media is more than happy to highlight whenever the SCP takes notice on their program or story. However, this reduces the quality of jurisprudence of country. The top court of the country should not be investigating if atiqa odho was carrying wine or not. The cream of pakistani judges should not be discussing price of samosoa. The best of the best judges should not be wasting their time and taxpayer money on conducting raids on hospitals while taking private channels along with them. Instead judges should take up meaningful cases such like Federal Shariat court struck down land reform because it was considered Un-Islamic. Can the govt borrow more than 50% of gdp? Should minimum wage be illegal? Can civil servant be fired for poor performance?
Now you may be wondering what is the alternate of all this? Should free speech be curtailed? No, the simple alternate is that SCP registrar should issue a press release after every working day at 7pm with a transcript of all the court proceedings. There are stenographers noting down everything in the court room so a copy can be distributed to media channels in the evening. No doubt the practice of sumo moto action has resulted in some meaningful reform and relief for public eg. service charges waived off mobile credit. However, this practice has also created big hurdle in the way of reform.
