AP News has shared several stories about Pakistan in the past few days. These stories talked about a girl who was killed, a young boy charged with a crime, a train accident, and a fight between police and militants. The facts in the stories are correct. But when you read them all together, something feels wrong. They only show the bad parts of what’s happening in Pakistan. They don’t talk about the good work the government is doing to fix these problems.
Take the story called “Father among nine people arrested in Pakistan over suspected honor killing” . It tells how Sidra Bibi was killed because she married someone her family disapproved of. Her father and others were arrested. But the story doesn’t say that Pakistan’s police acted fast. It also doesn’t say that Pakistan made a law in 2016 to stop these types of killings. This makes it look like no one in Pakistan cares, even when the government is taking action.
Source: AP News
In another story, “Pakistan’s rights group demands withdrawal of terror charges against a 7-year-old boy in Balochistan” , AP wrote about a little boy who was charged for sharing a video. People were upset, and rightfully so. But AP left out how lawmakers and ministers in Pakistan reacted. They said the charges were wrong and that they will fix the laws. AP made it seem like nothing was being done when the truth is, many people in Pakistan are working hard to protect children’s rights.
Source: AP News
Another article, “Three cars of a passenger train derail in Pakistan, injuring 27 people”, talks about a train crash near Lahore. It says some people were hurt and that officials are checking what went wrong. But again, there is no mention of the improvements made by Pakistan Railways. Over the past few years, the government has started safety programs and trained staff to prevent such accidents. Ignoring these efforts paints a picture of failure when the full story is more balanced.
The final story, “Pakistani security forces kill three militants linked to 2024 attack on Chinese in Karachi” , tells us about police catching people who were dangerous. That is a good thing, but AP didn’t mention the bigger plan. Pakistan and China are working together to stop terror attacks. Pakistan’s army has new ways to stop threats. AP only says what happened, not how it fits into the larger success against terrorism.
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These four stories all focus on things that went wrong. None of them talks about how Pakistan is trying to do better. They don’t mention the laws, the quick police actions, or the voices of Pakistani leaders and people. This makes readers around the world think Pakistan is a place full of problems, with no one trying to solve them.
People in Pakistan are starting to notice. They feel that AP News and others don’t show the whole truth. Some think it’s because news outlets want more clicks, and bad news gets more attention. Others believe it’s because of old ideas that came from the War on Terror. Whatever the reason, the outcome is the same: people don’t get the whole story.
The AP stories don’t include voices from Pakistan’s leaders, lawyers, or social groups. These are the people working hard to make change happen. If AP had spoken with them, readers would see that Pakistan is not silent or careless. It’s a country that faces challenges but doesn’t back down.
AP also misses a chance to show the good things. For example, Pakistan now has special police stations for women. The country also uses digital tools to stop illegal local councils (jirgas) from making harmful choices. Train stations are being updated, and safety checks are more common. When none of this is shown, it feels like only one side of the story is being told.
This isn’t to say AP News lied. They gave facts. But when you only show the bad and never the good, it shapes how people see a place. That’s not fair, especially to the people in Pakistan who are trying to make things better.
Many Pakistanis are asking for better, fairer news. Students are learning how to find bias in the news. Teachers are helping them think critically. Local media groups are comparing what foreign reporters say versus what really happens. This is helping people see how the world can misunderstand Pakistan.
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The world is complicated. Pakistan has problems, but it also has brave people working for change. Laws are being improved. Police are acting faster. Children are being defended. Safety is getting better. Journalists should show both the problems and the progress.
It’s time for AP News and others to tell the full story. That means including the good with the bad. That means listening to voices in Pakistan, not just reporting from afar. Only then can news help people understand what’s really going on.
