Karachi: The media unfortunately mocks the police, even though policemen are also human and face problems just like every other segment of society, prominent Shehri-Citizens for a Better Environment (Shehri-CBE) leader Amber Alibhai said on Wednesday during a panel discussion with a select group of the media persons.

The discussion was part of Shehri-CBE’s “national project for participatory citizens-police interaction, training for improved policing of human rights violations, and advocating police reforms.” She suggested that the media evaluate reporting on the police and ask questions such as why the police were compelled to take orders from military generals – for instance, in hosing evidence in Pakistan People’s Party leader Benazir Bhutto murder case.

Gulmina Bilal Ahmed said that the police complain that the media resort to “blackmailing” when reporting about them. “They claim that the media indulge only in negative, cynicism-fueled reporting,” she said. “Why do we have a siege mentality?”

Khateeb Ahmed from Shehri-CBE explained that their NGO was essentially dealt with environmental issues, and had played a vital role in exposing land-grabbing in the city. “The courts helped us a lot,” he remarked.
Source: The News
Date:4/29/2010