NUST GTTN Lecture Series
Role of Media in Nation Building
NUST Global Think Tank Network, a Policy
Research Institute arranged an interactive session
on 26th April 2017, on “Role of Media in Nation
Building” by a renowned TV anchor Saadia Afzaal
as part of GTTN lecture series. Ms Saadia Afzaal
started her career at PTV in 2003 and she currently
hosts the show 92 at 8 on 92 News channel. She has
interviewed a number of distinguished scholars
and politicians on her shows and was the first
Pakistani female journalist to have covered the
SWAT operation in 2007 under ISPR.
The lecture was moderated by Brig (R) Amir
Yaqub, Director Operations and Collaboration,
GTTN.
Ms Saadia gave a detailed account of the “Role
of Media in Nation building,” primarily the
electronic media. She also highlighted the
different types of media that are currently active
in Pakistan. According to her the primary role
media plays is dissemination of information,
creating awareness amongst the general public on
issues of public concern, ensuring accountability
of state institutions while also contributing to the
entertainment industry.
Information disseminated by media outlets shapes
the thinking of the general public, influences their
decisions and adds to their knowledge base. Media,
according to Ms Saadia, helps people establish
and understand their national identity. Certain
elements in the media have stirred up confusion
in the minds of the public about Quaid-e-Azam’s
vision, the creation of Pakistan and the ideology
behind it; such elements need to be curtailed if
media is to play an effective role in Nation Building.
Media ensures the accountability of State
institutions by acting as a watchdog to protect
public interests and advances democratic
ambitions through the freedom of speech and
expression in a society. It also exposes and protest
societal shortcomings. Hence, media has the power
to influence public behavior patterns and affect
cultural norms in a society. She pointed out that
Pakistani media has been adamant in exposing
corrupt officials in government institutions.
The Panama case is an example of a high profile
corruption case that is still in progress but has
received tremendous coverage on all mediums of
media and is an adequate manifestation of how
media is addressing the menace of corruption in
Pakistan.
Apart from the positive role that media plays, there
are certain negative aspects of the media which have
amplified after the explosive commercialization
and emergence of large media houses, resulting in
intense competition between different players. This
has led to exaggeration of facts, undue speculation, 1
biased opinions and have also increased instances
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of yellow journalism in Pakistan.
During contingencies or natural disasters media
serves a critical role in spreading awareness about
calamity stricken regions. This results in better
response by state institutions and a more fast paced
recovery of the affected region. Media also keeps
a check on the distribution of aid as was the case
in the 2005 Earthquake and the massive floods of
2010 that occurred in Pakistan.
Media is increasingly being used by terrorists to
advance their agenda by making their presence felt
and by amplifying terror in the hearts and minds
of the public. On the contrary state agencies use
media to issue security alerts and counter the
terrorist and extremist narrative that is prevalent
in Pakistan.
In her concluding remarks, Ms Saadia stressed
on the need to enhance public trust in the media
by enabling it to become free, independent and
unbiased. She also pointed out the importance of
developing a reformed regulatory framework by
PEMRA that addresses the concern of the state,
public and media. Attendees in the lecture voiced
concern about PEMRA’s role in regulating media
houses that tend to negate national interests and
also highlighted the importance of communicating
in regional languages to further strengthen the
positive role of media in a society and advance its
 role in the process of nation building.

The lecture was attended by NUST GTTN senior

fellows, academics, scholars, military officials,
researchers, and students.

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