Framing Analysis of Pak-India Relations in Elite Press: Peace and War Journalism Perspective

Abstract

This study examined the framing of Pak-India relations in the elite English press (Dawn, The Nation from Pakistan and The Hindu, Hindustan Times from India) of both countries during the time-period (1^st January to 30^th June 2018). Galtung’s peace journalism model has been used to assess the framing of different issues in Pak-India relations. Galtung forwarded war and peace journalism as two competing frames for press to cover conflict and war. Mixed method content analysis was used to study the editorials and columns both from the all four newspapers. Total 449 both editorials and columns, 322 from Pakistani press and 127 from Indian press, were analysed. The research question addressed in the investigation was ‘how elite press of both countries are framing Pak-India relations and what issues are framed dominantly regarding war and peace framing categories?’ Major hypothesis was ‘Elite press of Pakistan and India is using war framing dominently in covering Pak-India relations’. All the results were statistically tested by applying various tests including Chi Square. The findings of the study show that the elite press of Pakistan and India predominantly used war frames for the coverage of Pak-India relations. The highest frequency of coverage overall (peace and war issues) regarding Pak-India relations is on the part of Pakistani press. Kashmir issue was found to be the top most issue framed in war categories. ‘Peace talks’ was the issue which coverage dominated others among peace categories.