For the past 40 years, Afghanistan has experienced unrest from the Soviet invasion to the various violent terrorist groups that control the country. After the attacks of 9/11, the U.S. attacked Taliban and al-Qaeda terrorist groups, which brought an end to the Taliban rule. The U.S. helped develop a new democratic government to help improve the situation of the country. Since then Afghan forces along with the United States and NATO have fought various insurgent groups trying to regain control of the country.
By starting the withdrawal of the US and NATO forces from Afghanistan, the country is in a critical situation. Afghan forces are in war with Taliban and other terrorist groups that operate under cover of Taliban. Currently some media promote the “gloom and doom” narrative in the country. Considering the critical conditions of the Afghanistan and the negative impacts of such an approach, media is required to focus on opportunities ahead and how the Afghanistan can address the huge challenges by fostering the sense of national unity and political consensus.
Envisioning a future with less doom and gloom
IT is evident that in the world of today, media has become as necessary as food and clothing. It can play significant role in strengthening the society. Media is considered as “mirror” of the modern society, in fact, it is the media which shapes our lives.
Indeed, the purpose of the media is to inform people about current ,new affairs.
When it comes to stories about the future of the country, headlines are usually dominated by tales of gloom and doom. And there’s certainly a great deal to be depressed about: peace talks are stalled, violence has systematically has increased by direct attacks of Taliban on Afghan security forces, civilians and even schools and mosques.
One of the big reasons for focusing on the negative is that bad news tends to drive action. According to research findings, negative messages typically yield two and a half times as much fundraising and five times as much media attention as positive ones. But as effective as the doom-and-gloom storyline is, there’s another important future narrative that’s waiting to be told.
Following the withdrawal of troops, it’s clear that there’s an audience – and a desperate need – for a new generation of realistic optimists to help us envision a genuinely prosperous post troop withdrawal Afghanistan.
Our Media shall stop spreading the “gloom and doom” narrative and instead put a more positive turn on Afghanistan’s future. Because the much the media talks about these doom-and-gloom scenarios, the more it disappoints people and ultimately the will leave the country. In the current situation our media shall play the role of the brave soldiers at the back of frontline by highlighting the opportunities available in the country.
A good example of good opportunities and success of the Republic system and our Security and Defense Forces is highlighting how the country could survive after the combat mission formally came to an end in 2014, and everybody feared a looming demise of the republic. Actually Afghans could make it and Our security forces safeguarded Afghanistan on their own.
Opportunities such as establishing a state council to organize the peace process and resistance to the Taliban shall be highlighted be the media in order make Taliban to realize that they could not remove the government and they need to embrace peace. The Media shall also highlight Taliban are a tool which Pakistan use them against our homeland. A clear evidence to this claim is naming their decision-making bodies like the Quetta Shura, Miramshah Shura and Peshawar Shura after Pakistani cities. Also, highlighting the national, regional and international consensus on the issue that the revival of the Taliban regime is not in anybody’s interest. This means the republic has the national, regional and international support as a legitimate and broad-based political system in the country.
Indeed, the media affects people’s perspective. Too much intervention of media in everything is a matter of concern. Media can be considered as “watch dog” of political democracy. Considering the current situation of the country, the media has a historical responsibility to highlight positive aspects of the troop withdrawal and strengths of the republic and the Afghanistan Security and Defense Forces. If the media focuses on negative issues, it will not only encourage people to leave the country but also will embolden the terrorist group of Taliban and its allies to continue their proxy war against the government in order to reestablish the Islamic Emarat System, a system neither the Afghans and nor the international community have a good memory of it.