In times of conflict, journalists want to be able to go see things for themselves. It's an obvious thought I know, but as Pakistan's army mounts its operation in South Waziristan, I am reminded of that thought as we are currently banned by the army from bearing witness to the fighting.
We cannot travel to the area and are covering it from the capital Islamabad and regional locations nearby. We can only go to the conflict zone alongside the army - and that’s as and when the army sees fit.
It's really frustrating. On a basic level, if there is nobody around to film or to write, then who is to say what is happening during the conflict?
For the army, it's a security issue. Having camera crews careen around a conflict zone is a liability for them, and dead journalists make for bad public relations.
But my frustration at not being there is showing. I am having to rely on army handouts, press releases and the like.
But we have a job to do and there are ways around it. Al Jazeera has various contacts outside of the official channels that we get information from.
Often young men who are locals, they are our eyes and ears on the ground. We call these people "stringers" but they are more than that. They risk life and limb to keep us up-to-date and provide us with the vital pictures that we show the world.
They are unsung heroes and are crucial because of their ability to bring you accurate information. I can't name them for obvious safety reasons, but as the conflict between the government and the Pakistani Taliban intensifies once more, my thoughts are with them.
To quote the author Doris Lessing, "What is a hero without love for mankind?" She might as well have been talking about our local guys, who do it not for money or honour, but for the love of their people.
