Whenever I search Pakistan news today on Google then why I get Indian newspaper websites on top stories?
Earlier, I was searching “Pakistan stance on Afghan Taliban takeover” then I again had to encounter against the Indian newspaper websites on the top of Google page.
There are a lot of examples of ordinary searches about Pakistan where a searcher lands directly onto Indian websites. There can be an intense debate on India’s spiteful role of downgrading Pakistan on international forums and Pakistan’s on the spot ways to deal with it. Here, as an ordinary Google or Web searcher, I want to question the capability of Big Pakistani newspapers, news channels and their associated websites for not working on their right presence on Google. The News, DAWN, Express Tribune and many others are the big and seasoned newspapers of Pakistan that are backed with highly trained teams, well-established news websites, and up-to-date technical support. There are well researched articles, think tanks and true public discussions available on these Pakistani news papers and associated websites but where are they on the Google one has to find out itself?
For example, a web search about Turkey’s stance on any national and international issue takes you direct to “Daily Sabah” not at “Tehran Times”. Unfortunately, It is not the case for Pakistan.
This is an era of digital war where opinions are made and destroyed on the internet. It’s just a matter of few clicks that you come to know about any country’s political and social dynamics. There are many big and small websites that upload a lot of information about any country. Still, a serious searcher on google looks for big newspaper websites of any country for authentic news. For Pakistan, first he/she may have to search the list of big newspapers and then enter that keyword for their news as these Pakistani newspaper websites don’t seem working on digital competency. The important articles are not updated in time. There seems no working on keywords and sharing of news on social media channels.
When New Zealand cricket team abondoned its Pakistani tour right before first match for security concerns then it sadden every Pakistani. This is where the world looking for news then top stories were coming from Indian websites against a few Pakistani new websites. Do you really think, they will not give biased news against Pakistan.
Old-fashioned press practices are valuable but should be integrated with modern technologies for the better reach. The web’s effect on the news-reporting has crossed a much of government’s influences from the media houses. Now the web news is the biggest tool to know about anything from anywhere. People find a range of different opinions on any issue from different national and international news websites and fabricate their outlook about any nation. A national news reporting and its presence on the internet should be of international level and powerful to tell the people right narrative of the country across globe. If people keep on looking at Pakistan with Indian news websites’ glasses then it’ll be hard to transform the marked opinions from the minds in coming years.
Unfortunately, the big news channel websites in Pakistan have come down to ordinary websites just to get more views and traffic as any keen news reader can observe entertainment news, wedding ceremonies of celebrities, & instagram stories are updated and made viral on these websites. A newspaper website shouldn’t jump in the bandwagon of popularity and glamour but should maintain its place by producing original and up-to-date reporting. Asides, political news, we also don’t see food pages, health pages and literature articles on Pakistani news website versus Indian news websites.
At sides, from common man to government, the Indians are obsessed with Pakistan. They use every possible forum to influence Pakistani stance on any national and international issue. There are cyber attacks, social media trends, forum discussions, where Indians put their point and try to stamp their opinion as a Pakistani one. This is a time of digital war and all that shouldn’t be left on Armed forces of Pakistan. Every institute should show the high-level enthusiasm towards their nation’s progress so as the Pakistani news paper websites. I hope, Pakistani news papers, & Pakistani news channels will work on their digital existence on serious issues and present the true narrative of Pakistan from Pakistan.