Pakistan and Hebdo
Pakistan’s leading cartoonist Sabir Nazar says that they are already under attack from the extremists, Pakistan cartoonists now face a bigger threat after the Paris shooting. He fears that rings an alarm bell for cartoonists around the world and especially those in Pakistan, where blasphemy carries the death sentence. “The biggest problem is that now cartoonist will be targeted as community because of the blasphemy image perceived by the extremist,” he said.
In an exclusive interview with VOA Deewa after Paris shooting, Nazar shared his career long experiences working for Pakistani media what he dubbed as increasingly overtaken by religious and conservative thought.
Nazar, who currently works for Express Tribune news publishing company, has worked for Pakistan’s leading newspapers and is known for his incisive satire on the country’s political and social issues.
He says that in the face of growing extremism, the cultural space is squeezing in Pakistani media and it has restricted the pen of a cartoonist. Nazar predicts that Paris shooting is a precursor to more attacks in future on visual arts in Pakistan. “The extremists are afraid of visuals more than words and that means more trouble for music, theater, film and all visual arts in future.”
He raised questions on the Pakistani media pro-right wingers discourse. He says, “Pakistani mainstream Urdu media ran a headline on Paris shooting saying, Sahtim Rasool wasil Jahannam Hogiya –a blasphemer sent to hell”.
He told VOA Deewa that extremism has changed the satire climate in Pakistan. “I make 40 cartoons instead of 30 because mostly my cartons are censored.”
Uneasy with a censored media environment in Pakistan for years, he was frank to say, “This self-censorship has pushed me to a very strict playfield.” I am clearly told not to make cartoons on Pak Islamist parties, Pakistan army and blasphemy laws.”
You cannot select political parties for satire and have to be objective. “If I am not allowed to make cartoons of PTI, JI and the army, why I should satire the other parties and I have principally decided not mock PMLN and PPP.”
“Given the shrinking space for free expression and thus my work, in Pakistani media I often think to burn my cartoons.”
He says Pakistani media serves as fronts for different industrialists and safeguards their interests and the real media is social media. For an example, he says that the Hangu school boy Aitzaz Hassan story, who confronted a suicide bomber to save his school, was not carried for days by the mainstream media and after his picture was shared on twitter, he got attention from the other media. And so is the case of Malala, she was not given due attention until the social media campaign and later the Nobel Peace Prize made her way to the Pakistan media.
And finally he doubts the official rhetoric in Pakistan that the military is targeting extremist in North Waziristan in the ongoing operation, and says, “Are the rational and liberal voices in Pakistan safe? The answer is no, how can I believe that Pakistan is targeting extremists.”
Militants have also this image of taking offense to satire and criticism. They are known to frown on laughter at their expense and they would respond with violence.
In an exclusive interview with VOA Deewa after Paris shooting, Nazar shared his career long experiences working for Pakistani media what he dubbed as increasingly overtaken by religious and conservative thought.
Nazar, who currently works for Express Tribune news publishing company, has worked for Pakistan’s leading newspapers and is known for his incisive satire on the country’s political and social issues.
He says that in the face of growing extremism, the cultural space is squeezing in Pakistani media and it has restricted the pen of a cartoonist. Nazar predicts that Paris shooting is a precursor to more attacks in future on visual arts in Pakistan. “The extremists are afraid of visuals more than words and that means more trouble for music, theater, film and all visual arts in future.”
He raised questions on the Pakistani media pro-right wingers discourse. He says, “Pakistani mainstream Urdu media ran a headline on Paris shooting saying, Sahtim Rasool wasil Jahannam Hogiya –a blasphemer sent to hell”.
He told VOA Deewa that extremism has changed the satire climate in Pakistan. “I make 40 cartoons instead of 30 because mostly my cartons are censored.”
Uneasy with a censored media environment in Pakistan for years, he was frank to say, “This self-censorship has pushed me to a very strict playfield.” I am clearly told not to make cartoons on Pak Islamist parties, Pakistan army and blasphemy laws.”
You cannot select political parties for satire and have to be objective. “If I am not allowed to make cartoons of PTI, JI and the army, why I should satire the other parties and I have principally decided not mock PMLN and PPP.”
“Given the shrinking space for free expression and thus my work, in Pakistani media I often think to burn my cartoons.”
He says Pakistani media serves as fronts for different industrialists and safeguards their interests and the real media is social media. For an example, he says that the Hangu school boy Aitzaz Hassan story, who confronted a suicide bomber to save his school, was not carried for days by the mainstream media and after his picture was shared on twitter, he got attention from the other media. And so is the case of Malala, she was not given due attention until the social media campaign and later the Nobel Peace Prize made her way to the Pakistan media.
And finally he doubts the official rhetoric in Pakistan that the military is targeting extremist in North Waziristan in the ongoing operation, and says, “Are the rational and liberal voices in Pakistan safe? The answer is no, how can I believe that Pakistan is targeting extremists.”
Militants have also this image of taking offense to satire and criticism. They are known to frown on laughter at their expense and they would respond with violence.
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