Explore the fascinating history of magazine journalism in Pakistan, from its early beginnings to the digital age. Discover the impact, challenges.
In the- sub-continent journalism originated with magazine journalism. The first weekly printed newspaper was “Hickey Gazette” which was issued by James Augustus Hichkey in the English language. When Pakistan came into existence, a few magazines were published from Lahore, Karachi, Faisalabad, and several other cities. Some of them were religious, film and political.
History of Magazine Journalism in Pakistan
There was no considerable addition in their number. The reason is that the standard of magazines was not so good, and the number of educated people was also very limited. People were not interested in newspaper reading.
The newspapers, already present, were feeding the readers. Like daily journalism, development of magazine journalism mainly depended on the freedom of journalism. Some laws were, already present, some new laws were framed They were very strict and created obstacles in the path of journalism.
In this period the weekly “Lail-o-Nhar” gave a new trend to magazine iournalism. But real progress of magazine journalism started when Ijaz Hassan Qureshi and Altaf Hassan Qureshi started “Urdu Digest” on the pattern of American magazine “Reader’s Digest”. Now their number is about one hundred. In addition to digest magazines there was an addition in the number of political, religious and film magazines. At that time the standard of these magazines was neither so good nor the makeup or printing was done in a special method. At the same time television also.
Therefore the magazines could not make progress at a higher speed. The ‘black law”, (press and publication ordinance) of the reign of President Ayub Khan also played an important role to stop the progress of journalism. According to that ordinance, the obtaining of declaration to publish a newspaper or magazine was made impossible.
It was a hanging sword over the freedom of journalism. According to that ordinance the publication of several newspaper was closed. Securities were demanded from several newspapers and declarations of several newspapers were cancelled. Even then the journalists continued their struggle for the freedom of journalism. Whenever the hanging swbrd moved away from its original place, the journalist gave vent to their feelings.
In the reign of General Yahya, the restrictions on journalism were relaxed. Several newspapers and periodical were conspicuous. When the journalists took an undue advantage of it, the restrictions were again made strict. In the reign of general Zia-ul-Haq in 1977, restrictions were lifted for some time, then several magazines came on the scene.
They were mostly political At last the interim Government in September 1988 cancelled the press and publication ordinance and a new ordinance of registration of printing press and publication ordinance (RPPPO) was enforced.
It made the obtaining of the declaration very easy There was no punishment clause in this ordinance. After the general elections of 1988, a democratic Government was framed. The people obtained declaration in a very large number in no time. Hundred of magazines of different kinds are being published now-a-days. Magazine journalism has also made great progress from the technical point of view. It includes best paper, fine printing, colored pages, a large number of photographs and computerized calligraphy in place of manuscript.