Posts Tagged ‘Conspiracy Theory’

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و’کھری بات مبشر لقمان کے ساتھ’

Monday, September 19th, 2011

مبشر لقمان اپنے پروگرام کھری بات لقمان کے ساتھ میں امریکہ میں ھونے والے ستمبر 11 ,2001 کے سانحے کو ایک محض فریب اور دھوکہ کہتے ھیں۔ ان کے پروگرام کی ایک کلپ نیچے ملاحضہ فرمائیے۔

یہ پھلی بار نہیں ھے کہ مبشر لقمان اپنے پروگرام کی ریٹنگ بڑھانے کے لئیے من گھڑت کہانیاں بنانے لگتے ھیں۔ پاکستان میڈیا واچ پہلے بھی کئی بار انکے پول کھول چکا ھے۔

مبشر لقمان نے اپنے پروگرام میں کانسپیرسی تھیوری پیش کی جو کہ کئ با ڈی بنک یعنی غلط ثابت ھو چکی ھے۔ انھوں نے اپنے شو میں یہ بات دائر کرانے کی کوشش کی کہ ستمبر کا یہ واقع امریک کی جانب سے ایک ڈھونگ اور تماشہ تھا اور دراصل امریکہ نے ورلڈ ٹریڈ سینٹر کی بلڈنگ کو سیلف ڈیٹونیٹ یعنی خود کردہ دھماکہ کر کے تباہ کیا ھے۔

مبشر لقمان نے اپنے پروگرام میں یہ بھی فرمایا کہ امریکہ کی سٹیٹ پینسلوینیا میں اسی تاریخ کو گرنے والے جہاز کو امریکی حکام نے خود مار گرایا۔ انھوں نے پھر بلڈنگ سیون کے بارے میں چند باتیں کریں۔

پاکستان میڈیا واچ ٹیم نے مبشر لقمان کے سب سوالات سننے کے بعد تمام باتیں اپنے قارین کو بتانا ضروری سمجھی ھیں۔

مبشر لقمان کہتے ھیں کی اتنی بڑی بلڈنگ اس طرز سے نھیں گر سکتی۔

بالکل غلط۔ ماضی میں کبھی اس طرح ایک جہاز بلڈنگ سے نھیں ٹکرایا اس لئے یہ کہنا بالکل غلط ھے۔اس طرز کا ٹیوب ان ٹیوب ڈیزاین منفرد ھے اور باقی طرح کی بلڈنگ سے الگ ھے۔

سپین کی بلڈنگ میں آگ مسلسل لگی زھی لیکن وہ نھیں گری۔ورلڈ ٹریڈ سینٹر کیسے گر گیا۔

سپین کی دو بلڈنگز میں آگ لگی رھی تھی اور وہ دونوں نھیں گریں کیونکہ ان کا ٹیوب ان ٹیوب ڈیزائن نھیں تھا۔ ان کے ستون یعنی پلر  لوھے اور کانکریٹ کے تھے جبکہ ورلڈ ٹریڈ سینٹر کے ستون کانکریٹ میں لپٹے ھوئے نہیں تھے۔میڈرڈ سپین بلڈنگ کے وہ تمام ستون جن کے گرد کانکریٹ نھیں تھی اسی طرح ٹوٹے جیسے کے ورلڈ ٹاورز۔

ہوائی جہاز کے ٹکرانے سے اتنی بڑی عمارت کیسے گر سکتی ھے

نیشنل انسٹئٹیوٹ آف سٹینڈرڈ اینڈ ٹیکنالوجینے اپنی رپورٹ میں یہ نھیں کہا کہ عمارتیں جہاز کی ٹکر سے گری ھیں بلکہ یہ بتایا کہ مسلسل آگ نے بلڈنگز کی بنیادیں کمزور کر دی تھیں۔(NIST)

بلڈنگ سیون کو کوئی نقصان نھیں پہنچا تھا اور اسے خود تباہ کیا گیا۔

نیچے دی گئی تصویر ملاحضہ کیجیئے۔اور پھر غور کیجیے۔

ایک وڈیو کلپ بھی ملاحضہ کیجئے جو کہ بلڈنگ سیون کا جائزہ لے رھی ھے۔

عمارت سے دھماکوں کی آوازیں آئیں جسے ثابت ھوتا ھے کہ عمارتیں خود کردہ دھماکے سے گریں۔

کانکریٹ فلورنگ لوھے اور فرنیچر کے ٹوٹنے اور بڑے بڑے لوھے کے ستون پریشر پڑنے کے باعث چٹخنے سے اونچی آواز دھماکے کے مترادف ھو سکتی ھے۔

اس کے علاوہ بھی مبشر لقمان نے کئ ایسی باتیں کی جس نے ھمیں ان کی قابلیت پر شق کرنے کا موقع دیا۔

میڈیا اینکرز کا اصل مقصد اپنے پروگرام میں قابل اور مہارت رکھنے والے اینیلسٹ کو بلا کے ان کی رائے لینا ھوتا ھے کامیڈی فراھم کرنا نہیں۔ مبشر لقمان کا پروگرام دن بدن غیک معیاری اور ان پروفیشنل ھوتا جا رھا ھے۔ اگر انھوں نے اس طرح کے پروگرام کا سلسلہ جاری رکھا تو لوگ انکا یہ شو سیاسی اور معاشی تبصرے کو جاننے کے لئے کم اور لطف اندوز ھونے کے لیئے زیادہ دیکھیں گے۔

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Posted in Blogs, Dunya, Uncategorized, اردو | 1 Comment »

Media's Latest Conspiracy Theory

Monday, April 26th, 2010

Asif EzdiThe latest conspiracy theory to circulate in the media is that, by signing the 18th Amendment, Zardari has managed to gain power. Yes, this is the same media who only weeks ago predicted that Zardari would not sign the bill because it stripped his powers. Now that their predictions have (once again) proved wrong, the media has been scrambling to find some new conspiracy tale to fill their pages.

Asif Ezdi explains this latest conspiracy in his column for The News, “Little to Celebrate.” One suspects that, since the media only celebrates failure, the passage of the 18th Amendment would definitely give them little reason for happiness.

Here is the conspiracy in Ezdi’s own words,

Besides, the new Article 63-A on defection virtually empowers the head of the majority party or coalition of parties to dictate who the prime minister will be. Since political parties are no longer obliged under the Constitution to hold intra-party elections, the current practice of hereditary leadership in the parties has now received constitutional blessing.

It is not inconceivable that the law requiring elections in the parties may be held by a pliant judiciary to be unconstitutional after the deletion of Clause 4 of Article 17. The way has thus been cleared for the seamless succession of the next generation of the Zardari-Bhutto clan, the Sharif family and the other illustrious dynasties which dominate Pakistan’s political arena.

A party head, moreover, does not have to meet the qualifications for holding elective office laid down in the Constitution. He could, in theory, even be a non-citizen or someone less than 25 years old, such as Bilawal. More important, he could even be a person who has been convicted of treason or other serious offence such as graft or money-laundering. That means that even if Zardari is found guilty of corruption, which few doubt would happen if the cover of constitutional immunity is taken away, he could still continue as party head and, in that capacity, dictate the choice of the country’s prime minister, if his party has majority support. The period of disqualification on conviction has in any case been reduced under the 18th Amendment from lifelong to five years.

First, let us examine several words and phrases that Ezdi uses in his explanation. These are,

  1. virtually empowers
  2. It is not inconceivable that
  3. may be held
  4. in theory

All of these words and phrases amount to the same thing. They are a way for an author to say something that is so completely unlikely that it is truly a waste of the readers time, while still pretending that he is making some sense.

Ezdi words can also easily support this sentence: “In theory, it is not inconceivable that President Zardari has superpowers that may be held to virtually empower him to fly.” Ezdi could write this, but who would honestly believe that President Zardari can fly?

Let us look at what Ezdi wrote with the same critical eye. Does he honestly expect us to believe that it would ever happen that a political party run by a 15-year-old Indian money-laundering traitor would place as Prime Minister the head of Israel’s Likud party and the nation would be forced to accept it? Because that scenario fits perfectly with Ezdi’s conspiracy.

Of course, this is too ridiculous to even believe, so Ezdi uses a rhetorical trick by mentioning Zardari, Bilawal, and Nawaz Sharif (just to keep things fair across party lines, I suppose).

But let’s examine what the constitution actually says. This is Article 63A in its entirety:

63A. Disqualification on grounds of defection, etc.
(1) If a member of a Parliamentary Party composed of a single political party in a House-
(a) resigns from membership of his political party or joins another Parliamentary Party; or
(b) votes or abstains from voting in the House contrary to any direction issued by the Parliamentary Party to which he belongs, in relations to-
(i) election of the Prime Minister or the Chief Minister; or
(ii) a vote of confidence or a vote of no-confidence; or
(iii) a Money Bill;
he may be declared in writing by the Head of the Parliamentary Party to have defected from the political party, and the Head of the Parliamentary Party may forward a copy of the declaration to the Presiding Officer, and shall similarly forward a copy thereof to the member concerned:

Provided that before making the declaration, the Head of the Parliamentary Party shall provide such member with an opportunity to show cause as to why such declaration may not be made against him.

(2) A member of a House shall be deemed to be a member of a Parliamentary Party if he having been elected as a candidate or nominee of a political party which constitutes the Parliamentary Party in the House or, having been elected otherwise than as a candidate or nominee of a political party, has become a member of such Parliamentary Party after such election by means of a declaration in writing.
(3) Upon receipt of the declaration under clause (1), the Presiding Officer of the House shall within two days refer the declaration to the Chief Election Commissioner who shall lay the declaration before the Election Commission for its decision thereon confirming the declaration or otherwise within thirty days of its receipt by the Chief Election Commissioner.
(4) Where the Election Commission confirms the declaration, the member referred to in clause (1) shall cease to be a member of the House and his seat shall become vacant.
(5) Any party aggrieved by the decision of the Election Commission may within thirty days, prefer an appeal to the Supreme Court which shall decide the matter within three months from the date of the filing of the appeal.
(6) Nothing contained in this Article shall apply to the Chairman or Speaker of a House.
(7) For the purpose of this Article-
(a) “House” means the National Assembly or the Senate in relation to the Federation and a Provincial Assembly in relation to the Province, as the case may be.
(b) “Presiding Officer” means the Speaker of the National Assembly, the Chairman of the Senate or the Speaker of the Provincial Assembly, as the case may be.

Obviously, the article that Ezdi refers to says nothing about allowing the head of the majority party or coalition of parties “to dictate who the prime minister will be.” Ezdi’s assertion otherwise is fundamentally not true. How he can say this is beyond my understanding.

What the article does say is that if a member of a political party stops supporting his party, he does not own his seat. He was elected by the people based on his party affiliation, and if he misled the people, he should not be able to keep his seat in parliament as he is not representing the people but only himself. You can agree or disagree with this, but please be honest about it.

Asif Ezdi, a former member of the foreign service, should know better than to mislead people with twisted facts, misleading rhetoric, and patently unrealistic hypothetical scenarios. He should know better than to call the people of his country “losers”, too. Asif Ezdi does not have to like democracy, the 18th Amendment, Asif Zardari or Nawaz Sharif. But, please sir, do not make up stories and spread unsubstantiated fears that mislead the people.

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Posted in The News | 1 Comment »

Pakistan's New Media Dictionary

Saturday, December 19th, 2009

The esteemed and very witty Nadeem Paracha has posted a satire of Pakistan’s media worthy of the greatest rewards on the Dawn blog. In case you haven’t seen it, here it is for your enlightenment. We only recommend that you do not try to read while drinking your chai, otherwise you may spill it on your computer while you are laughing!

Advertising:
A very important phenomenon in the Pakistani electronic media, where little, irritating films about fairness creams and mobile phone connections become the lifeline of big, irritating seths running really irritating TV channels. Also, the constant source of that wonderfully poignant line, ‘choti si break,’ which, however, may last as long as a military dictatorship in Pakistan.

Asif Ali Zardari:
A custom-made punching bag with prominent teeth for talk show hosts to practice theirjihadi judo chops and passionate, ‘anti-corruption’ missionary positions on.

Aamir Liaquat:
Name of a special Pilgrimage Package offered by Peo Travels (Pvt.) Ltd. to specifically attract fitnahs to go for Haj and get God’s approval of their meaningful hatred of sub-humans (such as Jews, Ahmadiyyas, Hindus, liberals and swine flu carriers). Also the name of a hyperbolic over-actor masquerading as a ‘religious scholar’ on a TV drama masquerading as a ‘religious advice show’ on a gossip channel masquerading as a ‘news channel.’

Aishwarya Rai:
Famous Indian tree-hugger (especially on mangals), who is also a favourite of rabid anti-Hindu Pakistanis who will let her go (along with her tree, but not her husband), when they conquer India during the Ghazwa-ul-Hind in 2012 AD and slaughter all the Hindus of the world with their nuclear-powered laser-swords and bad TV shows, such as Muhammad Bin Iqbal Saladin Qasim Ka Pakistan.

Aaj TV:
A TV channel you’d rather leave for kal (as in yesterday).

Aag TV:
The favourite music channel of freckled, teenaged fascists.

ARY News:
A TV channel set up by jewellers. Get the picture?

Bobby Master:
Some guy who serves tea at a famous Pakistani TV channel. Most probably the most intelligent fellow there.

Conspiracy Theory:
A theory that is not a theory at all but a hard fact on Pakistani TV channels. Anyone disagreeing with the hard and loud factoids (conspiratorially called conspiracy theorists), is a Mossad/CIA/RAW/NASA/KFC agent and a possible swine flu carrier who would be lined up against the walls of Delhi’s Red Fort and shot dead during the Ghazwa-ul-Hind in 2012 AD.

Dr. Danish:
A dentist.

Duniya TV:
A channel on which Sohail Warraich tries to be funny, and Najam Sethi, serious.

Dawn.Com: 
A place where tiny worthless dots gather at dawn to receive handouts from the many myriad enemies of Pakistan –  such as, Indians, Americans, Israelites and Tellytubbies – so that they can use cyberspace to spread their anti-Islam, anti-Pakistan, anti-Shan propaganda through anti-Islam, anti-Pakistan, anti-Tigar Balm writers, columnists, subeditors, reporters, accountants, tea boys and gymnasts. Just what this article is doing on this site, I have no idea. All I know is it’s a conspiracy because Rana Naveedul Hassan said so.

DawnNews:
A groovy hang out where pleasant young men and women practice and sharpen their newly acquired American accents by toning their frequently mobile jaws. Here, cops become ‘caaps,’ jobs become ‘jaabs,’ Pakistan becomes ‘Pai-khis-tan,’ and Karachi becomes LA.

Dr. Shahid Masood:
A TV hakeem famous for his tangy concoctions and cocktails made from the equally famous witch-doctor Harun Yahya’s recipes of Vulcan stew, Martian soup, and other out-of-space (and out-of-mind) delicacies. If you look closely, you will notice that the good doctor also has a moustache, which many believe was gifted to him by Hamid Gul on his second birthday in 377 BC, during the first Ghazwa-ul-Hind.

Eeeeek!
A common female vocal response after watching Dr. Masood’s moustache fall every time someone mentions ‘PTV’ or something about him having a Canadian passport.
‘Me? No. (Plop!) Oops.’
‘Eeeek …!’

Express News:
An express-ion connoting something half-baked, done in a hurry. Example: ‘All pace and no substance makes Jack an Express News.’

Geo TV:
A Mongolian TV brand that can be watched on horseback while triumphantly marching into Hindustan during the Ghazwa-ul-Hind, Holi,Dewali, and Filmfare Awards. Shows programs hosted by hard, loud factoids bred on prime Vulcan stew and Hilal ki Ding Dong Bubblegum.

Ghazwa-ul-Hind: 
A forthcoming Lollywood science-fiction blockbuster directed by Zaid Hamid, produced by Dr. Shahid Masood, and staring Maria B., Ali Azmat, Hamid Gul, Irfan Siddiqui, and Yoda.

Hamid Mir:
A wrestler.

Hamid Gul:
The guy who gave Shahid Masood his moustache and the man Masood hasn’t stopped thanking. ‘Thank you, Hamid Gul sahib, for coming on the show…’ ‘Thank you, Hamid Gulsahib, for coming on the show…’ ‘Thank you, Hamid Gul sahib, for coming on the show…’ ‘Thank you, Hamid Gul sahib, for coming on the show…’ Why can’t his show just be called The Gul-Masood Show?

Indus News:
A news channels watched on the banks of the River Indus. By fish.

Iqbal Ka Pakistan:
The show that makes the great allama roll in his grave each week.

Imran Khan:
A man who still thinks the Taliban is a brand name for a series of chubby, cuddly teddy bears.

Kashif Abbasi:
A TV anchor whose eyes turned green after he’s had a bit too much of Dr. Masood’s Vulcan stew.

Kamran Khan:
A very dry man.

Maria B.
A fashion designer who is a fan of Zaid Hamid and thus keeps getting a ‘C’ in politics. She should actually be called Maria C., or Maria Z. Or better, Maria GHB (Maria Ghuzwa-ul-Hind B).

Munawar Hussain:
A guy who believes the Taliban are bigger than Elvis.

Mushtaq Minhas:
A very strange man.

Nusrat Javed:
Another very strange man.

Nadeem F. Paracha:
An abomination brought to life by the Elders of Zion and the illuminati to misguide innocent young Pakistani patriots and mohib-e-watan-Ghazwa-ul-Hind warriors with the help of CIA money, NASA spacesuits, and KFC Zinger Burgers. Most probably has ancient Dravidian Hindu blood running in his veins and is certainly out to destroy the super-duper Muslim master-race.

Nadia Khan:
A woman who grew up watching too many Hasina Moin plays.

Nawaz Sharif:
The ‘N’ in PML-N, some of whose starlets are still trying to put an ‘N’ in the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) as well. Example: PTT-N. Likely to be disappointed.

PTV:
The channel only Rehman Malik and Bilawal Bhutto watch.

Qazi Hussain Ahmed:
A very old man.

Taliban: 
Very hairy people who, in spite of being extremely obvious and ubiquitous, are still treated as ghosts by many TV hosts and their guests. They’d rather believe Elvis is alive than agree that it is the Taliban who are blowing themselves up in markets and mosques every now and then.
Example:
News Item: Taliban take responsibility for Pindi mosque blast.
Host: Who are these men?
News Item: Taliban take responsibility for Pindi mosque blast.
Host: Who can these terrorists be?
News Item: TALIBAN TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR PINDI MOSQUE BLAST!!!
Host: Who can do such a thing? Is it the Indians? Israel? CIA? Elvis?

Zaid Hamid:
A fast-talking rap artiste who stole Ali Azmat’s soul (and guitar), and turned Aag TV into the official Ghazwa-ul-Hind music channel. His biggest hits are ‘Let’s march on Delhi, y’all!’ ‘Hindus are insects, y’all,’ ‘I love wars, y’all,’ ‘M. B. Qasim is ma man, y’all,’ ‘So is Maria B, y’all,’ ‘Even though she’s a woman, y’all.’ Recently, Zaid also claimed that Ali Azmat’s tind is a UFO landing site. Ali was thrilled.

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Posted in Satire | 3 Comments »

Opinion Column on 1971 War Ignores Historical Facts

Wednesday, December 16th, 2009

The opinion page of The Nation today is a perfect demonstration of the poisoned and fact-averse environment created by conspiracy theorists. In writing about the 1971 war, Tariq Majeed makes the most incredible claim that the entire affair was part of a secret Jewish conspiracy.

Much has been written about the history of the 1971 war and its aftermath. Sober assessments of this tragedy have been made by military and political historians who can find very credible and reasonable actions that ultimately led to the regrettable separation of East Pakistan. In none of these chronicles and academic studies does there exist some claim that the 1971 war was a project of some international Jewish conspiracy.

But the fact that this idea has come from thin air is not the only problem with this conspiracy theory. Majeed writes that the conspiracy was “executed jointly by USA, Israel, Britain, India and former Soviet Union.” According to Majeed, USA and Soviet Union – in the middle of the Cold War when both nations had nuclear ICBMs pointed at each other – these two arch enemies were actually working together to break up Pakistan?

Majeed’s conspiracy theory also fails to take account of the fact that the US mostly ignored the crisis, though it did lend some minor support to Pakistan when US President Richard Nixon sent the American Navy to the Bay of Bengal to oppose Indian support of Mujib’s separatists. Nixon even called India a “Soviet stooge, supported by Soviet arms.” How could US and Soviet Union be working together if they were working against each other? Majeed’s theory makes no sense.

This theory also ignores the fact that the American diplomat in Dhaka, Archer Blood, who supported Mujib’s efforts to break from Pakistan, was rebuffed by Washington for his support of the separatists. The “Blood Telegram” proves that there was no American support for Mujib or the breakup of Pakistan. Has Majeed never studied the history of the 1971 war? How could he get so many of the facts wrong?

Tariq Majeed’s column in today’s The Nation is a prime example of what is wrong with conspiracy theory journalism. Once you start down a road of conjecture based on pure fantasy, all facts must be thrown away and forgotten. Only then can the conspiracy theorist weave together the most ridiculous contradictions to fit his fantasy. In the end, you must accept the most outrageous things, even when all the facts point elsewhere.

The 1971 war is a somber moment in Pakistan’s history, and the men who fought and died in that war deserve more respect than to be simply the pawns in a conspiracy theory. We owe them better.

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Posted in The Nation | 4 Comments »

Pakistan’s conspiracy theories

Saturday, November 21st, 2009

If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck and quacks like a duck, then … anyone who tells you it is a duck must be hiding something. So goes the logic of conspiracy theories which are gaining increasing currency in Pakistan because of the wave of gun and bomb attacks in its towns and cities.

As reported in the New York Times, India, Israel and the United States are frequently blamed for the violence, as is the U.S. security company formerly known as Blackwater.

The Pakistani Taliban, according to al Jazeera, appear to have capitalised on that by blaming Blackwater for two attacks that most shocked Pakistanis — one a suicide bombing on a market crowded with women and children in Peshawar which killed more than 100 people and the other an attack on the Islamic University in Islamabad. (more…)

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Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

UPDATE: Committee to Project Journalists Condemns The Nation

Monday, November 9th, 2009

What are people saying about The Nation?

UPDATE: The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has condemned The Nation for publishing “a reckless and unsubstantiated story”. Last week, Pakistan Media Watch wrote about the incident – in which The Nation published an article with no facts calling an American journalist a spy. Here is what the CPJ wrote today:

Last Thursday, Pakistan’s The Nation newspaper published a reckless and unsubstantiated story accusing Wall Street Journal South Asia correspondent Matthew Rosenberg of being a spy. It’s an accusation that gravely endangers Rosenberg’s safety. Wall Street Journal Managing Editor Robert Thomson responded with a scathing letter to The Nation’s editor, Shireen Mazari, expressing his disgust at the publication of the story, which he called baseless and false. He demanded an immediate retraction.

It’s of course deeply disturbing to us at CPJ that a newspaper would publish a story like this that clearly puts the life of a fellow reporter in danger. But we are also concerned about the source for this scurrilous information, someone the reporter identified as “an official of law enforcement agency, who requested anonymity.” Could this be a deliberate government attempt to intimidate Rosenberg and other foreign correspondents working in Pakistan? That’s a deeply chilling possibility that must be investigated.

In addition, the Managing Editor of The Wall Street Journal, Robert Thomson, wrote a scathing letter to Shireen Mazari conveying his “disgust” over “the slanderous and dangerous falsehoods published on the front page” of The Nation.

Dear Ms. Mazari,

As a fellow Editor, I am writing to convey in the strongest possible terms our dismay and disgust over the slanderous and dangerous falsehoods published on the front page of your newspaper on November 5 regarding our reporter, Mathhew Rosenberg.

Journalism is an important vocation and Pakistan has many fine and courageous journalists who operate in extremely difficult conditions. Foreign correspondents also have an important social role and are similarly exposed to danger from extremists. So for your paper to have suggested, absolutely groundlessly, that Matthew had some intelligence connection was a betrayal of our collective calling and has endangered him, all other Wall Street Journal correspondents, and all journalists and foreign correspondents in your country.

Let me set the record straight: Matthew is an experienced foreign correspondent who has worked for many years covering the region, including Pakistan. In that capacity, he has pursued no other agenda than seeking the truth and has had no other aim than to bring to the world’s attention news and analysis of what is happening in your very important country at a critical time.

Our profession has been done a great disservice by the utterly baseless article, and I call upon you to print an immediate and prominent retraction to ensure that it is widely understood that the piece was without foundation. At present, your paper is is guilty of spreading falsehoods, but it could ultimately be complicit in a far greater tragedy unless this wrong is corrected. We obviously reserve our right to pursue legal action in this instance.

Yours sincerely,

Robert Thompson

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Posted in The Nation | 52 Comments »

Where is the freedom?

Saturday, November 7th, 2009

A view on how the right-wing journalists try to defame and bring down any author or writer who disagrees with their views. It is time such journalists are held accountable and not allowed to merrily trample over any obstacle to their agenda. They are setting double standards when as a source of income they hold politicians accountable everyday, but yet are unwilling to accept any criticism or attempt to be held accountable by others. The beauty of being in a democracy and not a dictatorship is the ability to hold all parties involved answerable for their actions and we must not allow any one to take this liberty away from us!

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The Nation Inciting Murder?

Friday, November 6th, 2009

The Nation Inciting Murder?Weaving fantastic stories out of rumour and innuendo is nothing new to The Nation, but yesterday’s article by Kaswar Klasra represents a new low in journalistic ethics and could result in the murder of fellow journalists.

In yesterday’s article, “Journalists as spies in FATA,” Mr. Klasra claims that journalists in NWFP and FATA are secretly spies for foreign intelligence agencies. While any self-respecting editor worthy of the title would require significant evidence before putting someone’s life in mortal danger by accusing them of being a spy, no such evidence exists in the article.

But Mr. Klasra goes beyond mere conspiracy theory and outright accuses a reporter for the American newspaper Wall Street Journal by name. The reporter, Matthew Rosenberg, has been reporting from South Asia for years, typically publishing articles with such unremarkable titles as, “India Rejects US Carbon Limits Plan,” and “US Courts Former Warlords in Its Bid for Afghan Stability”. Hardly the stuff spy novels are made of.

Instead of facts, Mr. Klasra offers as evidence unsubstantiated anonymous rumours such from “an official of law enforcement agency” and loose innuendo based in unrelated facts. For example, Mr. Klasra quotes a former intelligence officer as saying that the CIA has used journalistic cover in the past. While this very well may be true, the statement does not refer to Pakistan, thus bringing no bearing on the journalists currently reporting from Pakistan. This is a textbook of example of the Fallacy of False Inference.

Mr. Klasra goes on to accuse the reporter of threatening individuals who refuse to themselves become agents. In addition to providing no evidence – not even a fabricated quote by an anonymous “official” – this accusuation by Mr. Klasra is purely ridiculous on its face. What good would a person be as a secret agent if they have to be threatened?

This situation is troublingly reminiscent of the case of another Wall Street Journal reporter, Daniel Pearl. In 2002, Daniel Pearl was brutally murdered in Karachi by al Qaeda terrorists who, like Kaswar Klasra, claimed with no evidence that the journalist was a secret agent – first of the CIA, then of the Mossad. Despite international efforts to gain the safe release of the innocent journalist, the terrorists murdered Daniel Pearl on video camera. We pray this horrific event is not repeated.

Not content with the standard level of sensational tabloid journalism The Nation has come to represent, with today’s article, Mr. Klasra drags The Nation to a new low. That his editor approved the piece demonstrates a level of irresponsibility unrivaled in her field. If any harm comes to Mr. Rosenberg, The Nation will be in part responsible. Kaswar Klasra and his editor, Shireen Mazari, will have the blood of a fellow journalist on their hands.

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Shaheen Sehbai: Journalist or Man with an Agenda

Thursday, November 5th, 2009

It is interesting to note that in today’s The News, the OpEd written by Shaheen Sehbai, an Editor in the newspaper, has been relegated to the inner pages. It seems like even The News governing board has realized that Mr Sehbai is not a journalist, but a campaigner. And that his stories are not based on fact, they are based on conspiracy theories

Let us take a look at today’s story titled ‘Where did the minus-1 formula come from?’. In this story Mr Sehbai alleges that there was a one-to-one meeting between the President and the Prime Minister during which certain issues were discussed. Now, if there was no one else present in the meeting and I am sure President Zardari did not provide Mr Sehbai with information about the meeting, then who did? Did Mr Sehbbai receive information from the Prime Minister himself or from his office? Or did Mr Sehbai receive information from those who “listen” to conversations? Maybe that is what Sehbai means when he repeatedly refers to ‘fly on the wall’ informing him about what happened! But if this is the case then his story is totally unreliable and it is time someone exposed these dubious links.

Mr Sehbai’s piece is not a OpEd piece it is fiction. Here are some snippets. First, “…started taking shape in the power corridors of Islamabad and Rawalpindi when coupled with political failures, there was a torrent of reports of corruption, mainly by people associated and appointed by the presidency on key government and corporate positions, with a turnover of billions in shady deals.” Or “Secret meetings with uniformed star officers were held in the wee hours of cold nights.” And “Political amateurs, who had grabbed the high place coming from tiny bit jobs in hospitals, jails, and stud farms or from apartments in exile, could not keep the secret.” Better still, “A Presidency insider narrated the story of how the lifestyles of people around the president had transformed within weeks and months.” If I am not mistaken this is what we read in most mystery or romantic novels!

Mr Sehbai never mentions his sources, all he does is refers to meeting “politicians, retired and working civil and military bureaucrats, journalists and businessmen.”  If there are so many people he has met and so many who are willing to open up to him – as he supposedly argues – why does he have a problem in telling his viewers who these sources are? How is it that Mr Sehbai knows what is happening behind closed doors, in one-to-one meetings, has the confidence of everyone from the media to the civilian to the military establishment? Who gives him all this information? The public has a right to know especially when all he says about his sources is words to the effect, “A fly on the wall said a Maulana would appear regularly in the PM House to take what he needed and this was no secret.”

Or is it possible that Mr Sehbai has his own agenda. Ten years ago in an article in Dawn titled “The Patient and the Surgeon” (October 22, 1999), Mr. Sehbai described Pakistan as a “patient” and General Musharraf as the “surgeon.” Quoting unnamed sources Mr Sehbai advised General Musharraf on what he should do, namely, “General Musharraf cannot dawdle and straggle any more as he is losing the critical strike time that could give him the advantage of an early sweep against the mafias and layers and layers of corrupt elements all over the place. His administration has a very soft face so far and this has not caused enough fear and panic in the ranks of the corrupt. Publicity  of his image of a relaxed  man sitting with his dogs may have waited until he had shown some results.”

If we look at today’s piece Mr Sehbai seems to be doing exactly the same except this time round he is advising Prime Minister Gilani by asking him to come “out of the shadows of Zardari on the one hand and keep the loyalties of as many PPP MPs as possible so that his government’s majority in parliament is not threatened. The Opposition is helping him out, to a degree.” And further, “ The PM should, therefore, stop all such deals and decisions until he becomes a PM in his own right and the decisions are seen as collective decisions to be implemented in a transparent manner and not dictated to suit the deep pockets of presidential friends who have already made billions. The PM, when he gets out of the shadows of the Presidency, will have to catch these big fish to establish his credibility. Nothing short of a massive hunt for such wheeler dealers with a criminal mind will bring Gilani some credit. He has lived too long as a sheepish lame duck.”

So what we at PMW see is a pattern. Mr Sehbai runs campaigns and conspiracies against individuals and then uses his column to propagate these campaigns. This is not journalism, this is campaigning.

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The heart desire's more!

Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009

Another fantastic argument by Agha Haider Raza

Looking at the past week, one can see how resilient Pakistanis have become.  Suffering numerous suicide bomb attacks and wide-spread military action, we are here yet again, still standing.  But how long can we sustain ourselves at this current rate of demolition? How many times will we resist smacking the hammer on our own foot? Nowadays we seem to have become the offspring of Glenn Beck and the Republican Party.  With a constant denial of the harsh reality and a love for misconstruing and fabricating baseless facts that just aim to maim the United States, we seem to be struggling.  And when we struggle, we play the role of a secluded, spoilt child. 

Prior to 9/11, we perfected this character, but now the circumstances have changed. We can no longer do as we please without being held accountable for our actions.Pakistan has suffered.  Thousands of innocent lives have been lost at the hands of suicide bombs and ambush attacks.  Women have lost husbands, sons and brothers and it is despicable at the number of families that have suffered.  Much to the dismay of our right-wing journalists, I am not going to be making a presumed argument as to how India, Israel or even the United States are after Pakistan’s existence.  It’s just not happening, guys! I feel it would also be fruitless to engage in a history lecture as to who gave rise to the mujahedeen since various institutions in our country groomed them.  But by excluding so much, the foreign influence and historic aspect many would argue that I have no argument.  But for a split second, would it be possible to sit and analyze how we can carry ourselves into the future rather than dissecting the past?

Many times a day, we read in the newspapers and on the internet, the extent by which America has extended its influence within Pakistan.  From Blackwater to US diplomats wielding weapons and the constant chatter in regards to the Americans taking over our nuclear arsenal, we’ve heard it all.  I would like to take this opportunity and remind my avid readers that Pakistan’s nuclear weapons are not hidden in any underground garage that can be easily picked up by “US diplomat”.  I have more faith in my military that protects such weapons than those journalists and commentators who seem to believe otherwise.

The United States Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, came and went.  Although she was given a red-carpet upon landing, there were times where her reception was – well – jagged.  Criticism and resentment towards the United States is understandable.  Issues ranging from drone attacks (which is debatable!), alleged presence of US personnel and expansion of the US embassy are some of the concerns Pakistanis share.  But how much credit have we given Hillary Clinton for taking the initiative of reaching out across the political spectrum?  Firstly, she stayed for three days.  Both President Bush and President Clinton had to arrive in secrecy in Pakistan, and the statements they made seem more like a photo-op than anything substantive.  Upon meeting specific people, both Presidents took off and that was the end of their journey into Pakistan.

Secretary Clinton on the other hand, not only met those in office, but those outside of office as well.  She took a step further and held a town-hall debate with students and met various journalists while giving time to Pashtun elders as well.  But was this enough to please our right-wing journalists? Of course not! They had problems with the type of journalists she met, the transparency of the business leaders she conversed with and the lack of money she brought with her.  Did they even dare comment on the extent to which she tried to rectify the failure of previous administrations?  We only felt too proud, when a journalist claimed that we are fighting America’s war.  Proud because we assumed someone was able to stand up to the mighty Clinton.  Unfortunately, the moderator failed to realize that when a Pakistani is killed on a daily basis, it becomes the responsibility of our government and our military, thus our war.

I fail to understand how we keep asking for more aid money and assistance from around the globe, but at the same time are completely unwilling to be held accountable for the pennies we spend.  We lambasted the IMF for bailing us out of near bankruptcy.  No doubt the IMF places stringent conditions when offering loans, but is it safe to assume that if we had the money, we would not need to be borrowing? Pakistan’s tax-GDP ratio is a number that is so micro, I don’t think it would be visible here.  On the other hand we enjoy receiving other countries money, as long as we do not tell them, where and how it is being spent.  Frankly speaking, it is not fair to use aid money in this manner of secrecy, nor should we allow other countries to micromanage us, just because we have been given their aid money.  This mantra of dil maange aur (the heart desires more) needs to stop.  And can only stop if we are faithful to ourselves.  Although we tend to be very egotistical when it comes all other issues, but taking a kashkol (begging bowl) to other countries seems to make us forget all about our ego.

Pakistan is at its wits end.  We must take the reins of our future and grasp them tightly.  Rooting out militants from South Waziristan is only a step towards cleansing our country of this disgusting and twisted ideology that causes inhumane persons to blow themselves up and kill others.  Condemning the United States will not stop a child in Lahore from gathering a bogus understanding of Islam that will cause him to take the lives of others, nor will it rid us of the poverty in Karachi and unemployment issues in Peshawar.  To counter this we need a united front in order to stop the ethnic tensions rising between us.  This is where your role as a Pakistani citizen comes into play.  All our lives we learnt not to point fingers at others, and now when the going gets tough, we find it only to easy blaming others for our predicaments.  At the end of the day, we all know our destiny lies only in our hands; no other country has control over it.  Believe it!

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