Like many developing countries, growth of private sector in Pakistan took place through state patronage that was either in the form of doling out of public resources to the cronies or turning a Nelson's eye to some 'unlawful' activities of the favourites. Licenses, permits, loans or any other facility which the state could issue or regulate was used to patronize one individual or the other so that he/she could be made to serve the interest of the party in power.

That also happened in the newspaper industry where the approval of declaration to publish a newspaper or periodical, release of newsprint quota, advertisement and awarding of other facilities were used to be the tools of the state to regulate different individual groups. Thus, it had been necessary for almost every newspaper to conform one way or the other to the government policies. Otherwise choose 'death.'

The history of Pakistani journalism is replete with such conformist or non-conformist and back and forth events. Successive governments have always been trying to impede the flow of information. There used to be a situation when state authority would manifest itself in the crude forms to deny the freedom of the press, such as press advice, strong arm tactics, arrest of journalists, intimidation, allurement, overt or covert feeding of news stories. 

However, now the tactics are slightly subtle, although occasional use of crude tactics still continues. One of the tactics to bring the relatively free press back to state fold is the realization of taxes or detection of incidents of tax evasion. There could be some other tactics, such as arresting of an owner for drug trafficking or 'kidnapping' an other one for 'courting' Indian interests. 

In this perspective, it were the individual journalists and working journalists' organizations, such as Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists which never compromised. In fact they have been the harbingers of press freedom defying all kinds of authoritarianism that were slammed on the people of  

Therefore, when the government lately mounted its pressure on a newspaper group, Jang Group of Publications, to conform to its policies, journalists rose above the management versus workers conflict, and defended the freedom of the press. The role that Press Club (LPC) played during the Press Freedom Movement in January and February, 1999 is an expression of the collective consciousness of a section of the society which believes in democratic values.

On the other hand, owners organization stooped to the lowest level in yielding to government pressure and left one of its major members to face the official 'music.' They allowed the government to 'collect' taxes from a recalcitrant group of newspapers so that the remaining could continue to receive the benefits which they had been receiving for their so-called 'patriotic conduct.'

Journalists at Press Club saw through the veneering surface of government's much touted tax collection campaign that it was nothing but a move to gag the free press. Journalists examined and took stock of the situation. If it was a genuine and normal tax collection action of the Income Tax Department then why only one group had been targeted. Why other newspaper groups had been exempted? They asked.

The government action against one group of newspaper was also seen as yet another move against an institution that is a sine qua non for democracy and a civil society.  When Parliament was silenced through the 14th Amendment (in which voice of dissent of a legislator was curbed), and Supreme Court was stormed by hooligans, it was the press that would be fixed up, said several independent journalists and leaders of civil liberties groups.

Press Club took the initiative and convened an open house discussion on January 31, 1999 in which senior journalists, public opinion leaders and members of civil liberties groups including leading members of High Court Bar Association and human rights organizations unanimously decided to defend the freedom of the press which meant in the instant case, defending the Jang Group of Publications.

Several journalists rightly pointed out that the management of the Jang Group had always been betraying as it was notorious for making compromises after every clash with the government. They also said that its management had also recently fired over 0 workers including journalists under the rubric of downsizing. 

However, all agreed to defend the Jang Group. The nine-day hunger strike camp at Press Club rejuvenated the spirit among working journalists which they had forgotten. The historic procession brought our from Press Club to the Regal Chowk sent a message to the authorities that people along with journalists would defend the free press at all costs.

It is worth mentioning that at a time when Jang-Government clash was at its fiercest point, Mir Shakilur Rehman, Chief Executive of the Jang Group, promised to confirm all contractual employees (Newspaper managements are bound to employ journalists and other workers in accordance with the Newspaper Employees Act, 1973 which provides them job security, fair wages, and medical cover. However the managements violate this law with impunity while government just overlooks the violation). This promise is yet to be honoured.

On the other hand newspapers' managements have been cooperating with successive governments to weaken the organizations of working journalists including  Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) that has been the last citadel of the freedom of the press. But the breaking apart of the unholy alliance between the government and a newspaper group created a fresh opportunity for working journalists to assert their role and defend the freedom, even it would mean defending a newspaper management.

Other civil liberties groups, political parties and non-governmental organizations also sank their differences and stood along with journalists in this fight for press freedom. Their unity with journalists turned into an invincible fortress which federal agencies failed to surmount. 
The 'spirit to fight come what may' had earlier been best demonstrated in 1978 when working journalists from one corner of the country to the other struggled to defend the freedom of the press. In 1978,  martial law authorities imprisoned over 300 journalists and flogged three young journalists. Their crime was nothing but that they wanted freedom of expression and freedom of the Press.

Members of Press Club rediscovered the grand sacrifices rendered by their seniors in 1978 and again prepared themselves to fight to defend the freedom of expression and the freedom of the press in 1999. Their determination forced the government to beat the retreat. They won a major battle, however, the war is not over. 

It is time for all those who have firm faith in democratic values that they stood unitedly to save the civil society from degeneration, disintegration and anarchy. Press has got to play even more constructive role now. And working journalists have got to lead in this regard as the owners organizations have restricted themselves to protect their business interests. Working journalists will also be required to enlighten the owners who are willing to preserve the free press.

The historic struggle of working journalists that flew out from Press Club has some lessons in this regard. Foremost of them is that the intra-community conflict can be resolved by involving other civil liberties groups in their struggle for a common goal: Press Freedom. In the instant case, when some journalists tried to oppose the freedom movement for small reasons, they were overcome with the help of forward looking civil liberties groups.

It has been observed during the Press Freedom Movement that most of the new-comers in the profession lack vision. They take it merely as a job. No doubt that working environment, job security and increase in emolument are pre-requisite for the improvement of journalists who are men/women behind the gun. But the benefits cannot be secured at the cost of the freedom of the press. Because if people are not informed freely then what is the purpose of journalism. Joseph Pulitzer summarized in one sentence the role of journalism: "That the People Shall Know."

Some smaller sections of the journalists said on an occasion during the Press Freedom Movement that workers of the Jang Group took to road and staged hunger strike during the Press Freedom Movement because they wanted to protect their jobs. That may be correct, but it is absolutely justified. However, the fact is that journalists working in other organizations participated fully in the struggle for the freedom of the press. And those who could not come to fore openly, sent their messages that they had been stopped from their respective managements.

The struggle of journalists for the freedom of the press also clearly established the constructive and supportive role of international media and Pakistani journalists working for multinational media. Their involvement in the local fight helped Pakistani journalism in preserving the free press. The dark forces in Pakistan which are active against press freedom would definitely try to put some embargoes upon the foreign media. We must foil such designs.

One of the major factors of the success of the Press Freedom Movement was that the movement was blended and not led by a collective leadership. No single person was leading it. Almost every one was leading it. Even if all 'leaders' had disappeared or taken into custody, the movement would have continued in one form or the other. 

Therefore, it is imperative, that such a movement should be organized in such a way that participants should feel that they are the leaders themselves. This is possible only when we allow free and open discussions before making any decision. We must allow argument to prevail over the pre-meditated plans or strategies. The end of any form of feudalism lies in the victory of argument. 

The growing support for democracy and market economy, where every one wants a level playing field, cannot stop the victory of argument. Now newspaper groups also have to compete with each other to take the maximum size of the market's cake. Hence 'in-house' fights or clash of interests among owners. In this situation, working journalists will soon find themselves in a leading position.

They must equip themselves well and attain command over the skill of the trade. Because in the growing industry where computers and skills will make them indispensable for different organizations in a competitive environment, firing from job would not be easy for an employer. Journalists must trust in their own strength and support their unions one way or the other. Only a Milosevic would dare fight with them. And one can very well imagine the fate of the Milosevic. 

As we believe that knowledge is power, so is the press. The strength of the press does not lie in its nuisance value rather in the competence, knowledge and excellence of the men behind the gun _ journalists and writers. Therefore, the following pages present some of the best writings of eminent journalists who made valuable contributions to win the recent battle to preserve the press freedom. 

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