Maroc - EURASIAREVIEW.COM - A la une - 05/Aug 10:01

Pakistan: Deportation Sparks Visa Controversy – OpEd

The recent deportation of British-American journalist Charles Glass from Pakistan lets raise the issue that covers Immigration legislation, Journalistic ethics and political aspects. Glass, a British national and a news reporter especially for the Middle East countries, was detained and deported from Pakistan due to violating tourist visa status. This event has led to heated debates about the laws regulating the foreign journalists and other consequences which the Pakistani society and political life may face as result of such actions. Charles Glass reached Pakistan on tourist visa and as per the rules of the country any kind of work including journalism is strictly barred for a tourist visa ‘visitor’. The main purpose of the tourist visa is for leisure and personal visits; therefore, practicing journalism without proper accreditation is a violation of this visa’s provisions. The Pakistani authorities have continued claiming that Glass’s deportation was simply an implementation of these regulations. However, this has sparked some concern regarding the decisions’ wider implications, especially to matters of press freedom and political stand during those episodes. It would be pertinent to note that visa regulations are key components of sovereignty and security of different nations across the globe. Resident visas such as the ones held by Glass are meant to prompt the users to stick to the intended reason of visit. In trying to carry out interviews and obtain information on the politically explosive issues concerning Imran Khan, Glass transgressed the limits of his visa. This operation alone violates Pakistani immigration rules and also sets an example of the unpredictable nature of working with foreign media in contentious territories. Such acts invite legal penalties and consequences such as deportation, fines and or ban from any future entry. Therefore, the recent deportation of Glass in Pakistan’s case that demonstrates the country’s willingness to expel immigrants who violated the country’s immigration laws. The question that arises, therefore, is whether such serious enforcement of the law may also deter actual abuses of the liberty that journalism as a profession and media in general need to conduct research and investigations that may touch on corrupt political activities. The deportation of Glass also raises questions on journalistic professionalism that are in most cases followed in the coverage of news events. A professional job is usually realized by possessing license and/or other requisite permits, not to mention observing the laws of the region. Journalist can consider performing journalistic activities under a tourist visa as perverted and even improper. Such actions compromise the credibility of the reporting process by creating a paper trail only when they are in the best position to influence the outcome of the process. The guidelines of ethical journalism require the reporters to respect the legal requirements of the countries they are in as they produce news that is credible and law abiding. However, in the case of Glass, his try to interview Imran Khan during his tourist visa can be said to violate these ethical measures. The absence of the right visa for such activities violates the Pakistani and international laws and standard that must be followed by journalists. This scenario illustrates the necessity to adhere to the legal/ethical standards when working with clients and institutions, regardless of the circumstances and potential controversy. Another interesting fact is the timing and context of Glass’s activities that just aggravates the situation. Imran Khan the founding chairman of the PTI is politically bipolar personality in the political realm of Pakistan. Its reported details, especially his imprisonment, have always been the hot topic of the media and controversy. Glass’s decision to try to interview Khan could not but draw attention to the reasons for his deportation. The opponents point to the fact that deportation has taken place at the right time and concerns activity known and high-profile client of the organization – Khan, which may indicate its attempts to stifle dissent or to regulate coverage of significant political events in Pakistan. Such perception has arisen due to increasing doubts about press freedom and media oppression in the contemporary society where what is dubbed as media control is prevalent. Thus, although the technical legal argument concerning Glass’s deportation may sound convincing, the consequences touched upon are more questionable when it comes to press freedom and the perceived political environment in Pakistan. This event does demonstrate the difficulty often experienced between nation security objectives and objectives of media freedom. On one hand, visa regulations need to be enforced for the symbolic and practical reason of protecting the integrity of a nation’s borders. In turn, journalists are indispensable where there is need of information, especially pertaining political activities within organizations. Earning the trust of both the governments and readers is not an easy task for journalists and the government as well when it comes to balancing the conflicts of interest. Here, the Pakistani authorities’ decision on the deportation of Glass complied with visa-related policies. However, it also reveals the larger question concerning the government’s ability to deal with foreign journalists and their reporting endeavors. The complicated work of balancing the visa regulations and the principle of free media investigation implies the concept that has to address the legal concerns along with the crucial position of the journalisms in the democracy. Thus, analysing the critical deportation of Charles Glass made it clear that the case is among the manifestations of gaps between legal norms and their application, journalistic impartiality, and political processes. The regulation of visas is important to national security but cannot be allowed to infringe freedoms of the media. In essence, Glass’s actions, as well as his probable intentions to cover a major political story on sting operations, was to demonstrate to readers that regardless of the circumstances, it required following the legal and ethical laws of journalism. The political dimension of the information provided by Glass also affects another layer of the discussion. Peculiarities of Imran Khan’s arrest, the fact that he is politically active, and the timing of Glass’s deportation, all these factors may indicate that political motives were used to prevent him from coming to the country. Large questions are posed as to how much and in what manner governments are able to and ought to control and/or censor what foreign journalism brings to the population especially in relation to domestic political topics. Therefore, the fact of Charles Glass’s deportation indicates the nuances of the relationship between the immigration policy and the principles of journalism. This serves to emphasize the socially responsible means through which reporting must be done within the legal geographical area, as well as the professional ethical principles that have to be adhered to by pressmen. While nature and operating environments of global media change, it is essential to determine the balance between freedom of press and national security. The case shows that constant struggle between these points’ remains even today and how important it is to follow the law and ethics at the same time in the practices of journalism.