Every attempt is being is being made to block the Internet and cable TV here in Pakistan - by different organisations set up by the existing junta. Yet crime and terrorism remains on the rise - reporting it in detail is out of the question, as though not reporting it would make it go away. State controlled media organisations - only represent the point of view of the dictators and their lackeys, those out of power are treated with aabsolute contempt. Bureaucrats decide what kind of entertainment or advertisement is acceptable.
Radios are still the only way most people in the country can know what is happening from different foreign radio stations. Radio crosses borders and it cannot be filtered or blocked. It keeps hope alive. When acts of terrorism and crime were not reported in the state owned media, as far as it was concerned 'no news is good news' , foreign radio stations report them, some which occur a few blocks away from where I live with complete detail..
The immense stupidity of the string of dictators in all times was to stop Indian movies coming to country after the 1965, it was only due course of time that the VCR came along and people watched all the Indian movies they wanted, this made video shops very popular. Pakistani cinema industry fell apart because of overtaxation and crackdown on local stars and producers. Video porn also shot up at a massive scale - Indian movies and the 'special' the porn videos equally popular - although a full fledged Censor Board exists it could only censor movies but not what people watched on videos, it was simply out of the question. Eventually people stopped going to cinemas the result has been is that many have closed down.
What people want and what the dictators assumes people want are completely are exactly the opposite. If the government were decisions like preventing people from watching and listening to what they want - the chances are that it might become popular. Excessive control results in a backlash - people cannot be coerced into liking the trash the state-owned media dishes out everyday. Sermonising has never turned anyone into a saint, if this were case then it would be able the ultimate cure for all social problems the worst being crime.
Narrow-mindedness, short-sightedness, oppression is excessive here - the result is that almost everything has become a crime. Expressing views on a variety of issues openly and frankly is unacceptable, people are living in constant fear of being arrested, tortured or they simply disappear without a trace. Excessive oppression has a price, it leads to extreme corruption - so in order to get anything done, bribery is the answer. Bribe every official and get anything done, regardless of its legality.
Filtering porn websites, stopping similar TV cable channels will never stop terrorism and other heinous crimes. It is far easier to control and manipulate the media - than it is to do that than to actually to prevent terrorism and crime. These require the resources which no dictatorial regime can ever have - because all of them are diverted towards suppressing the people and treating them like animals.
Radios are still the only way most people in the country can know what is happening from different foreign radio stations. Radio crosses borders and it cannot be filtered or blocked. It keeps hope alive. When acts of terrorism and crime were not reported in the state owned media, as far as it was concerned 'no news is good news' , foreign radio stations report them, some which occur a few blocks away from where I live with complete detail..
The immense stupidity of the string of dictators in all times was to stop Indian movies coming to country after the 1965, it was only due course of time that the VCR came along and people watched all the Indian movies they wanted, this made video shops very popular. Pakistani cinema industry fell apart because of overtaxation and crackdown on local stars and producers. Video porn also shot up at a massive scale - Indian movies and the 'special' the porn videos equally popular - although a full fledged Censor Board exists it could only censor movies but not what people watched on videos, it was simply out of the question. Eventually people stopped going to cinemas the result has been is that many have closed down.
What people want and what the dictators assumes people want are completely are exactly the opposite. If the government were decisions like preventing people from watching and listening to what they want - the chances are that it might become popular. Excessive control results in a backlash - people cannot be coerced into liking the trash the state-owned media dishes out everyday. Sermonising has never turned anyone into a saint, if this were case then it would be able the ultimate cure for all social problems the worst being crime.
Narrow-mindedness, short-sightedness, oppression is excessive here - the result is that almost everything has become a crime. Expressing views on a variety of issues openly and frankly is unacceptable, people are living in constant fear of being arrested, tortured or they simply disappear without a trace. Excessive oppression has a price, it leads to extreme corruption - so in order to get anything done, bribery is the answer. Bribe every official and get anything done, regardless of its legality.
Filtering porn websites, stopping similar TV cable channels will never stop terrorism and other heinous crimes. It is far easier to control and manipulate the media - than it is to do that than to actually to prevent terrorism and crime. These require the resources which no dictatorial regime can ever have - because all of them are diverted towards suppressing the people and treating them like animals.
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