US dispels notion of funding Pakistani media outlet
33
ISLAMABAD: Terming recent statements by political leaders and journalists alleging foreign funding for a specific Pakistani media outlet as “misleading or inaccurate,” the United States on Monday clarified that the embassy provides funding and support to a broad range of organisations to facilitate professional development and capacity building activities.
Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan had announced complete boycott of Geo TV and the Jang Group for allegedly helping the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) emerge victorious in the 2013 General Elections.
Khan had also lashed out at the media group during his Sunday’s speech at D-Chowk in the federal capital, where the party staged a protest rally against alleged rigging in the May 11 poll last year.
The boycott coincides with the tensions simmering between the embattled media house and the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) over the channel’s treatment of allegations levelled in the wake of the attack on senior journalist Hamid Mir.
The press release, issued here said the US government strongly supports vibrant, professional, and independent media in Pakistan as they do elsewhere globally. The US government assistance supports Pakistan’s media sector broadly, to include a range of print, broadcast, and radio formats, it added.
Naming services offered by the US to media representatives, the embassy said that these programs are not targeted to any one media group, but are geared towards supporting the community of journalists as a whole.
These programs aid the efforts of journalists to pursue balanced reporting and accurate messaging on events in Pakistan and elsewhere, said the press release.
“Suggestions to the contrary are inaccurate, and aim to mislead,” it added.
Read more
On DawnNews
Comments (33) Closed
May 12, 2014 09:36pm
What about funding the Pak Army and Pak Govt no one mentions that.
Recommend
0
May 12, 2014 10:04pm
I believe US should save taxpayer money and not get involved in dirty journalism in Pakistan.
Recommend
0
May 12, 2014 10:12pm
So US does fund Pakistani media.
Recommend
0
May 12, 2014 11:08pm
Frankly this response is in stark contrast to the US govt's previous statements about spending money on the media to raise awareness ie effectively shape public opinion.
Recommend
0
May 12, 2014 11:33pm
This Pakistani people are taken for a ride by rulers as well as protectors . Why blame others? How long will this continue? . Please leave the press from your clutches.
Recommend
0
May 13, 2014 12:11am
The United States can do anything to play its Monopoly, they spied on German Chancellor Ms. Merkel private phone, and Snowden revealed much more. And we know for sure that the US for its geopolitical, and state interests can do anything. We have seen their performance in Iraq, in Libya, and Afghanistan. No more interference from the United States should be tolerated This is something serious, and the concerned authorities should give them a piece of their mind, We don't want to end up in a situation like Syria.
Recommend
0
May 13, 2014 01:42am
Pakistanis don't need outside funding. We are willing to turn our country on its head for free. We are very charitable that way.
Recommend
0
May 13, 2014 02:35am
We are talking about gullible live stock for population of Pakistan here. And you, Imran Khan, show us a flowchart of your plan to take Pakistan to a better place. I don't buy the " kur doon ga", or i will eliminate poverty, unemplyment.........etc...
Recommend
0
May 13, 2014 02:56am
There is a difference between funding and employing. You don't fund employees. Most of Paki media have already been employed by uncle sAm.
Recommend
0
May 13, 2014 05:32am
I have heard Hilary Clinton in a Russian Television Interview accepting after being quizzed that some media experimentation is on in Pakistan.
Recommend
0
May 13, 2014 10:26am
Imran Khan has a genuine grudge with US for not backing him for PM post as well as not giving him funds for elections, but he only has to blame himself for conducting a vigorous anti-American and anti-drone election campaign. He should necessarily avoid accusing Geo/Jang and PMLN without presenting sufficient evidence, as the former plans to sue him in the court and rightly so.
Recommend
0
May 13, 2014 11:41am
Imran Khan must stop playing the role of a stooge and grow up to be his own man. Those whose help he is taking to further his own political ambitions are not lovers of democracy, by any stretch of imagination. He needs to show courage and refuse to play ball with any divide and rule policy.
Recommend
0
May 13, 2014 01:27pm
They will admit the same after a few years when things settle a bit.
Recommend
0
May 13, 2014 02:07pm
The US claim is not easy to digest. Full, fair & transparent judicial inquiry should be conducted to know the amount & sources of foreign funding to Pakistani journalism including electronic media.
Recommend
0
May 13, 2014 02:29pm
Any foreign funding which is not in the economic sector of Pakistan should be banned with immediate effect.
Recommend
0
May 13, 2014 02:53pm
"The press release, issued here said the US government strongly supports vibrant, professional, and independent media in Pakistan as they do elsewhere globally."
- except in the US itself where they are actively targeting anyone who speaks out against the administration. Check out what Daniel Ellsberg has to say about this administration, about its growing use of the espionage act, its treatment of whistleblowers like Manning and Snowden... calls by govt officials to declare Julian Assange a terrorist and to have him shot!
Recommend
0
May 13, 2014 03:17pm
what about the cuban twitter program the USA tried to run in Pakistan?
Recommend
0
May 13, 2014 04:41pm
@Ayesha In 1947 Mohammed Ali Jinnah did an interview with Life magazine. When asked how will you run such a big country with massive amount of population, his answer was, "We will turn to the americans." Maybe you should have thought about this in the 1950s when first Aid packages from United States started coming in. Pakistanis should have no reason to complain about United Statesi
Recommend
0
May 13, 2014 05:34pm
Pakistani cannot trust America.Us Tv New video prove is there america spend money in Pakistan to control media.
Recommend
0
May 13, 2014 05:53pm
@Feroz
Clearly you don't know what the word "stooge" means.
Recommend
0
May 13, 2014 05:53pm
@Shamsher Singh Bajwa
Mr Bajwa, thank you for reminding folks, in Pakistan, about Mr Jinnah's vision & strategy for assistance from the USA rather than the Soviets (i.e. the Russians) and anyone who has read or owns Mr Jinnah's book on his speeches and interviews cannot 'remain in perpetual denial', a phrase that has come to be associated with Pakistani folks, in general. Perhaps, those with strong anti-American sentiments should protest and demand Imran Khan & PTI to refuse to accept and even return the aid given (esp for polio and other educational projects, etc.) by USAID in order that these funds can be reallocated to other needy people in several African countries or Syrian Refugees in Turkey, Jordan and other western countries (where they are now immigrants and asylum seekers, and it can go towards the credit of our welfare & social care benefits bill in the UK and elsewhere!).
And please folks (esp. PTI supporters), don't quote rhetorical statements of Imran Khan and make excuses that the funds were given for aid during the Coalition Govt of PPP, ANP & MQM or ANP's KPK Govt. If not for the sake of justice than for your own pride and self-esteem, do not seek aid funds from your so-called public enemy - USA; incidently, the PTI failed to include this 'exclusion clause' in its 13-point Charter!
Recommend
0
May 13, 2014 05:57pm
Somehow, I got to thinking about how the Govt. of KPK had eliminated all corruption and ran its budget from local sources without a smidgen of help from USAID. Oh, wait!!
Recommend
0
May 13, 2014 06:13pm
Imran Khan is and has been damaging his profile and political reputation with all the 'about-turns' he has taken in the Post-Election year, perhaps, he needs to 'change' his personal strategic advisers in order to bring about the 'change' he promised which appears to be a dream only, thus far, unless he changes course!
Recommend
0
May 13, 2014 07:04pm
@Sayyar Khan
the US isnt "funding" Pakistan Army. Coalition Support Funds are needed to "fund" the Army. They are payments made for the use of Pakistani highways to transport NATO goods to and from Afghanistan. And even the CSF are peanuts. The Army is a disciplined organization and unlike the civilian politicians - they spend and conserve much more wisely and are least corrupt - if corrupt at all
Recommend
0
May 13, 2014 08:14pm
Yes Aman Ki Asha on the eastern front yet Jang Ki Bhasha on the western front. That is how US funding has helped shape the public opinion.
Recommend
0
May 13, 2014 08:25pm
@Salman Ahmed This response actually confirms the previous statement using euphemism such as 'supporting journalist community', 'helping to pursue balanced reporting' etc. If the US government tries to 'help' American journalists in similar manner there will be a huge outcry. No decent organization will accept such 'help'.
Recommend
0
May 13, 2014 09:03pm
US funds Pakistani government, Pakistani Army, Pakistani Education.....the list is long my Raja.....do not take Aid....simple answer
Recommend
0
May 13, 2014 10:38pm
Every one in this world is up for sale, you need to know their price.
Recommend
0
May 13, 2014 11:50pm
In a press release issued yesterday by the U.S. Embassy it was clearly stated that the United States Embassy provides funding and support to a broad range of Pakistani organizations, including media outlets to facilitate professional development and capacity building activities. The U.S. government strongly supports vibrant, professional, and independent media in Pakistan as we do worldwide. U.S. government assistance supports Pakistan
Recommend
0
May 13, 2014 11:52pm
Our leaders have sold Pakistan's soul to the devil for $$$!
Recommend
0
May 14, 2014 06:28am
@Sayyar Khan It is one thing to fund/support a government or its institutions and another to fund individuals and private citizens. That is why no one talks about US funding for the Government and the Army. That said, however, it is wrong to fault the US - the culprit is the one who sells his/her loyalty to his/her nation in return for a personal gain. They are criminals in my dictionary worthy of no respect.
Recommend
0
May 14, 2014 10:29am
If you see the history of America and the recent tactics they are using to overthrow governments and destabilise countries include such channels to create anarchy and a constant state of terror and despair, I am sure that they have been planting there touts everywhere in Pakistan be it out cabinet or the media. I firmly believe that there alot of rats in this so called independent media.
Recommend
0
May 14, 2014 10:53am
Conclusion: US does provide funds to Media, but with that said, US also provides funds to the Military, economical package, aid relief during floods and earth quakes. US has been funding Pakistan since 1948. What's new??
Recommend
0
