MISAPPREHENSION OF THE MEDIA

A quiz program for school children was telecast on PTV on 30th April 2006 at 7.30 AM. At the end of the contest the compere asked a question from the audience, �What colour of clothes do the Chitrali women wear�? A girl answered, � Black�. The answer was declared correct and the girl was awarded. Our youngsters might have conceived that every woman wearing black clothes will be a Chitrali and a woman dressed in clothes other than black colour will be considered a non Chitrali even if she is a typical Chitrali. What a ridiculous information!
I was extremely shocked to know that our leading electronic media men were so shallow in their knowledge that they didn�t distinguish between Kalash and Chitrali cultures. �Black-bour� is a typical costume of Kalash women and there is no special colour used by the Chitrali women in general. Kalash culture is a sub culture of Chitral and therefore, it shouldn�t be presented as the Chitrali Culture. Our youth and countrymen shouldn�t be misled by such misconstructions and disinformation. It�s not the first incident that our print and electronic media are playing the fool with the people of Chitral. The cultural shows and costumes of Kalash Tribe are being depicted as Chitrali culture.
We respect our sub cultures in their own place. Kalash culture is the primitive and unique one that attracts tourists and researchers all over the world. But it should not be misconstrued to be the culture of the whole Chitral. Chitral�s main culture is Khow Culture and Chitralis are proud of it due to its virtuous ingredients and social norms. For instance Chitrali woman is not supposed to sing or dance while Kalash woman practices both as parts of her culture. Chitrali woman observes pardah whereas Kalash woman doesn�t have such idea.
In short Khow ( Chitrali) and Kalash cultures sharply contrast each other and there is not a slight similarity in their structure or features. Our PTV producers and news editors must study both the cultures before telecasting or publishing any information. In this regard protest letters have already been published in newspapers and websites time and again but no heed is being paid and the blunder is repeated again and again.
We hope that no such gaffe is exhibited in future, otherwise Chitralis reserve the right to sue against the concerned medium.

Sher Wali Khan Aseer,
Abbottabad.