News Reporting of Pakistan and the War on Terror

Abstract

The two-decade-long US occupation of Afghanistan, following the September 11, 2001 attacks, finally ending with the withdrawal of the US forces on August 31, 2021. The ensuing political, social and economic chaos for Afghanistan continues to reverberate throughout Pakistan as well. Several journalists have lost their lives while covering ‘combating operations’ against terrorist organizations. The missions of secret agencies, target killings, insurgencies created by Taliban militants in the north, Baloch separatists’ movements in the south, and ‘disrupted law and order’ are some of the great threats faced by the media professionals while rending their professional assignments. By and large, Pakistan’s mainstream print and electronic media have covered the government’s National Action Plan to mount an ongoing anti-terrorist offensive with a positive tone. Extensive research has been carried out with regards to the image of Pakistan in the realm of terrorism in its national media.