This book unpacks the media dynamics within the sociocultural, political, and economic context of Pakistan. It provides an in-depth and critical discussion of contemporary issues such as media, state, and democracy in Pakistan; freedom of expression; media control; TV news coverage; and jihad on screen, and the relation between media and terrorism.

1. Walking in Circle: Democracy, State and Freedom of Expression in Pakistan Qaisar Abbas and Farooq Sulehria 2. Journalism in the Service of Jihad Faizullah Jan 3. Jihad on Screen: The Role of Jihadi Drama and Film and Their Press Coverage, 1979-89, in Islamising Pakistan Farooq Sulehria 4. The Politics of Pity and the Individual Heroine Syndrome: Mukhtaran Mai and Malala Yousafzai of Pakistan Fawzia Afzal-Khan 5. TV News as Merchant of War Hysteria: Framing the Kashmir Conflict in India and Pakistan Qaisar Abbas 6. Performing Piety and Sexuality in Pakistan Afiya Shehrbano Zia 7. The Cost of Doing their Job Online: Harassment of Women Journalists Ayesha Khan 8. Counter-terrorism Perspective and the Pakistani TV Channels: A Case Study of Osama bin Laden's Assassination Amir Hamza Marwan 9. The Journey of Pakistan's Oscar Success A Girl in the River: An Insider's Account Haya Fatima Iqbal 10. What Freedom? Reflections of a Working Journalist Farah Zia 11. Covering the Periphery: Balochistan as a Blind Spot in the Mainstream Newspapers of Pakistan Adnan Aamir 12. Interviews with I. A. Rehman, Mehdi Hassan, and Eric Rahim: Freedom of Expression and the Sham Democracy Qaisar Abbas and Farooq Sulehria