The news of the death of NAB investigation officer Kamran Faisal shocked many. Obviously his involvement in the investigation of high profile corruption cases including top politicians means that his death must be investigated by the proper authorities, but a second tragedy has taken place in the way Kamran’s case has been dragged through the […]
This week’s events have left many scratching their heads. Dr Tahirul Qadri’s return to Pakistan in the final few months before elections left many wondering, “why now?” Adding to those questions are the size and scope of Qadri’s long march. Who has paid the Rs800m to reserve 40,000 buses? Who paid $4 million on television […]
A report on the life of former Amir Jamaat-e-Islami Qazi Hussain Ahmed in The News (Jang Group) projects sympathy for religious extremism and militancy. The report terms Qazi Hussain Ahmed as ‘a man of valour and courage’ and uses as evidence his relationship with Hizb-e-Islami leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar. The print edition of The News even includes […]
An article in The News (Jang Group) of 20th December bearing the headline, ‘Osama’s ghost behind killing of polio workers’ suggests that recent killings of polio workers are the result of a CIA operation intended to catch Osama bin Laden, but the piece ignores the fact that conspiracy theories about polio vaccinations and attacks from militants […]
Despite approving $2 million for the defence of Dr Aafia Siddiqui, the government has been continuously criticised for failing to do enough to defend her rights. But some other Pakistanis have found themselves with less support from the media. A Foreign Office statement saying it would be “premature and wrong to draw any conclusion” about […]
In an unusual moment of candor, an editorian of The News (Jang Group) termed its own reporting on a recent issue as ‘conspiracy theories’. The admission appears to be unintentional, but whether intended or unintended, it should provide a lesson for media groups to exercise scepticism and discretion before rushing to publish rumours. The editorial which […]
The latest blasphemy case to make headlines contains all the elements of block buster film. A Pakistani Professor who studied and taught in America, returned to Pakistan, and is accused by his own nephew. Now another element can be added to the plot. The accused has been convicted…by the media. A headline in The News […]
Winston Churchill is famously quoted as saying, “History will be kind to me, for I intend to write it”. It seems some in the media have taken this as a lesson, and intend on writing, or rather re-writing history in order to fix a kinder treatment of some of the nation’s less proud moments. Such […]
According to a bold front page headline of The News ‘Citizens of 20 states seek separation from the US’. Is the great American Super Power on the verge of collapse before our very eyes? Will the UN have to intervene before another civil war? Actually, that’s nt likely. The story is referring to “several petitions…requesting […]
Ahmad Noorani (Jang Group) has recently been accused by the blog criticalPPP.com of being a member of banned militant group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi based on a FIR against the Jang reporter for spreading sectarianism. Naturally, Ahmad Noorani responded to this accusation by posting on Twitter that it is a plot against him by…Husain Haqqani? How does the […]