Abstract
This research paper analyzes the status of democracy and media freedom in Pakistan as per the perception of top political leaders and journalists. The Libertarian Theory and Democratic Participant Theory guide this research. Data has been collected through intensive interviews of notable politicians of Pakistan belonging to three major political parties and senior journalists respectively. Data was analyzed by using the technique of thematic analysis. The study results reveal that a majority of the journalists believe that media freedom has been compromised and controlled during regime of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf. Some reporting areas have been declared as no go areas for national and private televisions. Journalists as well as politicians believed that democracy has been weakened in the country as compared to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and Pakistan Peoples Party led government. They believed that media and democracy has strong relationship and that democracy is not flourishing during the current regime. The study finds that with more control on media and massive use of the anti-graft body against politicians and journalists there is a kind of ‘return of the hybrid democracy’ with involvement and influence of the non democratic forces in the major decisions.
Keyword(s)
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