Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida Friday, March 29th, 2024

Media’s Role in War Against Terrorism

Media has a vital role in democratic countries. Its role and its influence have been so much tremendous that now it is considered as one of the pillars of the state. It is believed that in modern democracy, media keeps an eye on legislature, judiciary and executive and at the same time scrutinizes their policies and their undertakings. Therefore, they have an opportunity to reconsider their undertakings and try to amend themselves as required. However, for this to happen, it is necessary that media should be independent and must not be dominated by the government.
Apart from scrutinizing the government media has an imperative role in developing public opinion and at the same time providing timely information and knowledge. Today’s modernized media has the capacity to reach the people 24 hours and provide them information in real time. There are a large number of people in the world who are influenced by the bewitching effects of media. TV’s, computers, newspapers and magazines, radios, mobile phones, tablets and many others, all are the parts of modern media and reach billions of people every day. Therefore, underestimating the role of media would be a fool’s errand.
Though media’s function in daily life is already significant, its role during the era of instability, conflict, war and different movements becomes paramount. Because of this fact, the different parties to the conflict try to use it for different sorts of propaganda and thus persuade the people to favor their perspectives. The independent and unbiased role of media during such an era will definitely make the whole world see the truth, while its biased role may bring more miseries and injustice.
Considering the influence and the role of media in the modern world, it is really important that it should have a very responsible and wise character. Misinformation and too much sensationalized and dramatic versions of the truth may deviate the people away from the path of the truth and they may start believing untrue as true and may even play a role to further dominate the truth.
Afghanistan has been one of the countries that have been dominated by instability and conflict. The role of media in Afghanistan has been felt to be very much vital, but unfortunately, it is has been developed only in the last decade. Today, it is claimed that Afghan media is independent, yet there are many issues that have to be dealt with to really make it free and independent in the true sense of the word. At the same time, the international media active in Afghanistan has also played a role that cannot be neglected at all.
The role of media, both national and international, in the last decade, especially in the era of war against terrorism has been very much important. It has disclosed to the people the real nature of the war and the parties to the conflict. It has brought to the people, the events and the incidents with their details and their horrors. Analyzing these incidents and events, it would not be difficult for the people of Afghanistan to understand their true enemy and friend. It is also crucial that media must make the people know about their true enemies and their true friends so that they must be able to choose the better between them.
The media reports and the analysis have clearly shown to the people of Afghanistan that they have been highly influenced by Taliban and Daesh, and their actions. Though, they have been the victims of the war as a whole, the role and activities of Taliban have proved to be more deadly for them. Recently, the media reports have clearly depicted that most of the civilian casualties have been because of Taliban. It is because of Taliban that Afghanistan has an image of an extremist nation with no respect for moderation and democracy.   
However, there is an important aspect of the fact that has not been properly handled by media and that is the truth as a whole. The truth in pieces, promulgated both by national and international media have caused certain misunderstandings as well. They have not been able to declare the war against terrorism as a war against terrorism in true sense. The war against terrorism simply means that there are two parties to the conflict; first party is the moderate Afghan culture and their supporters in international community and the second party is composed of the religious extremists – the Taliban and other extremist religious groups.
It is important for media to see the truth as a whole and try to understand the political tricks that are played by the politicians. It is not the duty of media to pursue the wills of the politicians, but to provide people with unbiased and complete truth. The complete truth is that Afghanistan has been influenced by hardliner extremists, who have no respect for moderation and are the real party to the conflict in war against terrorism. It is not important what they are termed as; the important factor is what they do and what they want. 
Pursuing the truth as a whole is the only way through which media can support the common people in understanding the scenario around them and their real friends and enemies, which is very important to make better decisions for the country as whole.