Salman Taseer's Long March in 1992

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Finally, Ansar Abbasi summoned in a court of law.

Finally, the notorious yellow journalist Ansar Abbasi summoned in a court of law.


News against judge: LHC admits contempt plea for regular hearing

Staff Report

LAHORE: Justice Mian Najamuz Zaman of the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday admitted for regular hearing a petition seeking contempt proceedings against a reporter and chief editor of an English daily for maligning a high court judge.

The judge issued notices to all the respondents and referred the matter to Chief Justice Sayed Zahid Hussain to constitute a larger bench to hear the petition.

The judge also restrained the print and electronic media from publishing and airing news or comments about judges of the superior courts. Barrister Zafarullah Khan filed the contempt petition under Article 204 of the Constitution. The petitioner said he felt aggrieved about a news item against one of the senior judges of the LHC by reporter Ansar Abbasi that appeared in a section of the newspaper on February 10 last. He said that in the news item, an implied reference had been made of his (judge) present working at Bahawalpur bench, which amounted to identifying him by name. Lawyers present in the courtroom also advanced their arguments along with the petitioner. (Daily Times)



Report on BBC Urdu dot com

http://www.bbc.co.uk/urdu/pakistan/story/2009/02/090213_lahore_hc_contempt.shtml

Read related news report and analysis:

Investigative journalist or police tout? From Nanno Goraya to Ansar Abbasi

http://letusbuildpakistan.blogspot.com/2009/02/ansar-abbasi-lhc-judge-accused-of-close.html

Taseer asks CM to act against police official for maligning judge

Daily Times Monitor - 16 Feb 2009

LAHORE: Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer has said it is inappropriate for a police officer to target a member of the higher judiciary and asked Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif to take notice of the police official’s action, a private TV channel reported on Sunday.

In a letter to the Punjab chief minister, Taseer said the role of the official in maligning an institution like the judiciary could not be ignored, the channel said.

He said it would become a challenge for the entire society if police officials were given such authority, it added.

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Chaudhry Nisar versus Salman Taseer: Are PML-N and PPP playing good cop bad cop?

Aftab Iqbal: The dubious role of Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan



Chaudhry Nisar’s fulminations

Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan is the fiery leader of the opposition in Islamabad. He does not have a good word to say about the Zardari government even though the PMLN is a coalition partner of the PPP in the Punjab without which it could not hope to survive one day in office.

Chaudhry Nisar is also the same gent who cast the first stone against the Punjab Governor, Salmaan Taseer, and paved the way for the acrimony that has since followed in the province.

Sometimes, one is surprised by his harsh tone, especially when his leader Nawaz Sharif is consciously trying to take a soft line. This can mean one of two things: either they are playing good cop-bad cop to the same approach by Mr Zardari and Mr Taseer, or Chaudhry Nisar is trying to establish his hard-line credentials as an alternative to Mr Sharif, should the need arise. Whatever the real reason, one is now intrigued by his assertion that foreign diplomats and leaders should not be allowed to meet and interact with the army chief, General Ashfaq Kayani.

There are two sides to this equation. In a stable and established democracy, the army chief, far from being the most powerful, is not even an autonomous player in the political system. In such countries, the defence minister, a civilian, is the one who conducts all diplomacy and negotiations on behalf of the government and armed forces. And the army chief is rarely seen or heard in public. Not so in Pakistan where the army remains the ultimate stakeholder and obliges the civilians to take it along fully on national security related issues. One might want to wish this away but that is not possible as yet. Indeed, any attempt to do so would ruffle many feathers and lead to destabilisation. Certainly, the situation today on the external front is so fraught with problems and misunderstandings and demands involving the Pakistani military in the war against terrorism that it is prudent to let the army chief do some of the critical talking directly with the international stakeholders than for the civilians to make commitments on the army’s behalf which cannot be sustained.

As an astute politician, surely Chaudhry Nisar knows all this. Why then is he making his unrealistic demand? He should clarify his position, otherwise the suspicion will arise is that he is doing so merely to create misunderstandings between the army chief and the civilian regime to extract political benefits for the PMLN from it. (Daily Times)

...


BBC Urdu dot com Report: The relationship between PPP and PML-N

شہباز شریف اور آصف علی زرداری کی ملاقات کے بارے میں کہا جاتا ہے کہ اس میں دونوں کے درمیاں اعتماد سازی کے حوالے سے کافی پیش رفت ہوئی ہے۔ اس ملاقات کے بعد حکومتی ذرائع کا کہنا ہے آصف علی زرداری نے گورنر پنجاب سلمان تاثیر کو خاموش رہنے کو کہا ہے۔ ان کے مطابق سپریم کورٹ سے شریف برادران کی نااہلی کا معاملہ بھی خوش اصلوبی سے حل ہوجائے گا۔

بتایا جاتا ہے کہ اس کے بدلے میں شریف برادران نے اپنی جماعت باالخصوص چوہدری نثار علی خان کو آصف علی زرداری اور حکومت کے خلاف بیان بازی سے روکا ہے۔ اطلاعات کے مطابق آصف علی زرداری نے شہباز شریف سے وکلاء تحریک سے دور رہنے کی درخواست بھی کی جس پر میاں شہباز شریف نے انہیں کہا کہ مسلم لیگ (ن) وکلاء کے جلوس میں تو شریک ہوگی لیکن دھرنے میں نہیں۔

پیپلز پارٹی کے ایک وزیر کے بقول میاں شہباز شریف نے جسٹس افتخار چوہدری کا معاملہ حل کرنے کے لیے’مفید نسخے‘ بتائے ہیں اور ان کی حکومت اب ان پر کام کر رہی ہے۔ وزیر نے نسخوں کی تفصیل تو نہیں بتائی لیکن وہ کافی پر امید تھے کہ وہ نسخے نتیجہ خیز ثابت ہوں گے۔

اطلاعات کے مطابق فریقین میں یہ بھی طے پایا ہے کہ مارچ کے مجوزہ سینیٹ کے الیکشن میں وہ ایک دوسرے کے اراکین نہیں توڑیں گے۔ ان اقدامات کو یقینی بنانے کے لیے پیپلز پارٹی مسلم لیگ (ن) کے مطالبے پر فروری کے آخر تک پنجاب کا کوئی نیا گورنر بھی مقرر کر سکتی ہے۔

مسلم لیگ (ن) کے ذرائع کا کہنا ہے کہ گزشتہ دنوں رائیونڈ میں ہونے والے

	شریف برادران نے اپنی جماعت کو آصف علی زرداری اور حکومت کے خلاف بیان بازی سے روکا ہے۔

اجلاس میں یہ طے ہوا تھا کہ ان کا کوئی رہنما آصف علی زرداری کی ذات پر تنقید نہیں کرے گا۔ اجلاس کے بعد یہی بات احسن اقبال نے میڈیا کو بریفنگ میں بھی بتائی لیکن اُسی شام کو چوہدری نثار علی خان نے پارلیمان میں اس فیصلے کے برعکس آصف زرداری کے خلاف سخت بیان دیا جس کا شریف برادران نے سخت نوٹس لیا۔

مسلم لیگ (ن) کے ایک رکن اسمبلی نے بتایا کہ چوہدری نثار علی خان پہلے دن سے ان کی جماعت کو پیپلز پارٹی سے لڑانے کی پالیسی پر عمل پیرا ہیں۔ ان کے مطابق پارٹی کے بعض سینئر رہنماؤں نے چوہدری نثار کی اس پالیسی سے اختلاف کرتے ہوئے ایک موقع پر شریف برادران کو یہ احساس دلایا کہ موجودہ حالات میں پیپلز پارٹی سے لڑنا ان کے مفاد میں نہیں۔

کیونکہ ان کے بقول پیپلز پارٹی سے مسلم لیگ (ن) کے جھگڑے کے نتیجے میں جمہوریت کو تو نقصان پہنچےگا ہی لیکن ایسی صورت میں سترہویں ترمیم میں دو بار سے زیادہ وزیراعظم بننے پر عائد پابندی ختم نہیں ہوگی اور اس کا براہ راست نقصان نواز شریف کو ہوگا اور وزیراعظم کے لیے کسی اور کی راہ ہموار ہوگی۔

http://www.bbc.co.uk/urdu/pakistan/story/2009/01/090128_ppl_pmln_differences.shtml

Also read:

Dirty propaganda against Salman Taseer & his family by the pro-Taliban right-wingers of Nawaz Sharif & Jamaat Islami. What do ordinary Pakistanis say

Rana Sanaullah Khan who had objected to the private life of Governor Salmaan Taseer and his family now declares that they are like his blood relations

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Ayaz Amir:

Punjab and the study of Ranjit Singh

Islamabad diary Friday, January 16, 2009 by Ayaz Amir At this juncture, when the seven tribal agencies along the Afghan frontier are lost to any form of government control, and Swat--once paradise on earth, now very much a picture of hell--is returning to the Middle Ages, and most of Balochistan is stricken with discontent, and the army no longer commands the moral authority it once did, does Punjab, elder brother in Pakistan's besieged federation, understand its historic responsibility? It is no manifestation of Punjabi chauvinism, and no disrespect to the other provinces, to say that Punjab is the pivot around which Pakistan revolves. This is a simple statement of fact based on geography, population and economic clout. For too long Punjab's greater weight relative to the other provinces got translated into an argument for political domination which did Pakistan no good. In fact, Punjabi domination was one of the curses leading to East Pakistani alienation and the breakup of Pakistan. Just to clarify matters, it was not the Punjabi peasant or the Punjab artisan holding sway over the rest of Pakistan. Poor souls, they were as dispossessed as the rest of their countrymen. It was the Punjabi bureaucrat and the Punjabi army officer fulfilling this role, backed up by a Punjabi version of neo-conservatism: the ideology-of-Pakistan school of thought, now mercifully confined to the city of Lahore. This school of thought takes good care not to muddy its own boots. But from the comfort of Lahore--amidst Pakistan's present travails still a great city to live in--it continues to propound the virtues of jihad and endless confrontation with India. Not surprisingly, it is in possession of one of the choicest properties on the Mall, still one of the most stylish thoroughfares anywhere in the subcontinent. Whenever I pass this property I cannot help giving it a baleful look. But the days of domination are gone. Pakistan is caught up in the vortex of other troubles. After Pakistan's vivisection at the hands of India and East Pakistani nationalism in 1971, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto described what was left of Pakistan as a New Pakistan. He was wrong. His Pakistan was a continuation of the old Pakistan. And he, despite being the most intelligent politician of his generation and era, committed the same old mistakes: conducting a military operation in Balochistan and being too autocratic for his own good. Had he conducted himself more wisely Pakistan might have been spared Gen Zia-ul-Haq and his hypocritical Islam. What a joke Zia played with Pakistan. There couldn't be a more Islamic country than ours. Yet that wily ruler, for purposes of his own, was bent on converting this country to Islam once more. So look at the sequence of events. Bhutto gifted us Zia, Zia gave us phoney Islamisation, from the womb of that hypocrisy arose the first Afghan jihad, and the dragon's teeth sprouted by that jihad in time led to Al Qaeda and the rest of the mumbo jumbo we are having to live with today. And let not the Yanks think they had nothing to do with this progression. They scattered the dragon's teeth with us and lauded it as a noble act. As they battle the Taliban, and their satellites futilely try to track down the elusive chief of Al Qaeda, let them show some indulgence for Pakistan's present troubles, for we and they were partners in the same crime. The Pakistan of Baitullah Mehsud (of Waziristan) and Maulana Fazlullah (of Swat) is the New Pakistan, buffeted by storms whose impact has yet to be fully measured. In this situation Punjab's task is cut out: to be not the Serbia which was instrumental in the breakup of Yugoslavia but the true and strong magnet which keeps Pakistan's whirling pieces together. The past, however, is no help, because in two thousand years the only ruler of worth, if not genius, to spring from the native soil of Punjab--as opposed to imports from Afghanistan, Persia and Central Asia--was Maharaja Ranjit Singh Virk. Him and him alone. Then we wonder why Punjab always produces political collaborators: Iskander Mirza Republicans, Ayub Khan Convention Leaguers, Pervez Musharraf Q Leaguers. Given Punjab's history, should this be surprising? But now Punjab is saddled with an historic responsibility. If Pakistan's north and north-west are on fire, Balochistan is restive, if Karachi's affairs give rise to forebodings, Punjab, in order to fulfil this responsibility, must become a comfort zone, looking at which Pakistanis can say that, bad as things are, they are sure to get better. Those in a position to do so are migrating from Swat and the Frontier Province. If distress is forcing them from their homes, what will their feelings be if they find things no better in Punjab? So what beckons is the moon and the stars. This is no time to lose any sleep over Governor Salmaan Taseer, twice elected MPA from Lahore but, despite trying, never an MNA. He is consumed by one wish alone: to become relevant, for which he's dying to play a spoiler's role--an opportunity he is not likely to get because Pakistan is caught up in other things and a new dynamic is taking shape in Islamabad with Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gillani trying to spread his wings and assert himself. Taseer was once in the PPP, but, then, so was I. Today the only relevance he commands is of a Musharrafite holdover. He lends colour to the Governor's House. Let him remain there, but let him not be taken seriously. The bon vivant that he has always been, and for which I have envied him, he has good connections with Lahore's Lollywood crowd. Let him cultivate those connections, and if there is a good bash one of these days, for old time's sake (auld lang syne) I expect to be invited. Punjab's rulers must concentrate on governance. The chief minister has a reputation for hard work, but he should remember that too many meetings, one following the other, are not always a good thing. There must be time to push back one's chair and mull over things. And there must be stimulating people to talk to, of whom there is no shortage in Lahore. Mercifully, there is more to Lahore than the ideology-of-Pakistan school of armchair warriors. For precisely this reason, it's not good to place undue reliance on the bureaucracy. Bureaucrats are best when put to implementing things, disastrous if their political advice is sought. From my infrequent visits to 7 Club Road, where the Chief Minister usually sits, I get the feeling (about which I could be wholly wrong) that there are too many babus around, serving and retired. I wish there were more politicians around, and more political workers, and more riffraff and, why not, some journalists who can always be depended upon to give an account of the other side of the hill. 7 Club Road gives too much of a sanitised look, of a VIP hospital ward freshly sprayed. The political ascendancy of the civil service in Pakistan's early years distorted the growth and evolution of a democratic political culture. Happily, the civil service no longer exercises that kind of clout. The demise of the office of the deputy commissioner was an event un-mourned in Pakistan, no hands raised in fateha at its passing. There is a strong civil service cabal entrenched in Lahore which wants to see the return of the district magistrate. This cabal is entitled to its dreams, but it should not be allowed to have its way because that would cause an administrative muddle and lead to no good. The district nazims may have caused mayhem in their time, but that was mainly because they became a political arm of the Musharraf dispensation. In itself the idea of administrative devolution and an elected district head (with some modifications which are easily devised and managed) is not a bad one. And the police service, now in the front trenches of law enforcement given the all-round law-and-order deterioration we are witnessing, would not take kindly to civil service domination. Since the unwept demise of the district magistrate much water has flowed down Pakistan's rivers. Reversing what we now have does not seem a good idea. Not that the police service needs no re-education. If there was a large enough concentration camp in Pakistan most people would dearly wish to see the police force's finest in it. At election time last year I hadn't shed all my starry-eyed notions of how things should be. Therefore, I requested that no one but directly-inducted police officers (PSP) should be posted to my district. Now, after seeing two of them perform wonders in Chakwal, I have begun to nurse the gravest doubts. Which still is no argument for bringing back from the dead the district magistrate. That, by far, would be the greater of the two evils. Email: winlust@yahoo.com

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Dr. Shahid Masood exposed in Jawabdeh, story of lifafah journalists, and Salman Taseer's letters to Shahbaz Sharif.....

This site has moved to http://criticalppp.com/archives/491, click this link if you are not redirected
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Rana Sanaullah Khan who had objected to the private life of Governor Salmaan Taseer and his family now declares that they are like his blood relations

This site has moved to http://criticalppp.com/archives/478, click this link if you are not redirected
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Personal attack on Salman Taseer by PML-N. PPP and PML-N on their way to commit suicide. Good bye Democracy. Column by Abbas Ather, and some comments

Abbas Ather


......

What did Governor Salman Taseer write to Shahbaz Sharif? Why did PML-N use dirty propaganda against Slaman Taseer? Read BBC Urdu dot com article:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/urdu/pakistan/story/2008/11/081125_taseer_letter_punjab_ra.shtml

......

Some Comments:

ISTANBULIAN:

Re: Governor Punjab Salman Taseer & His Family in Pictures

I cant see anything awkward in all those pictures with the perspective of the class these people belong to. A big QUESTION that we have to ask from ourselves is that " What we will do if we are in their place?" Wont we be doing the same. Its a big question over which we have to ponder and then if in our concious if we see that we will also do the same things then its a situation to get disturbed. So we shall start by correcting ourselves first, then our family and then the rest of the world. Islam is not a religion which shall be embraced in a situation when there are no opprtunities for you to do the things but its true test is WHEN you are capable of doing it but you refrain from them. A POINT TO PONDER MY FRIENDS!!!!!!!!!! What do u think???

Cupertino
Re: Governor Punjab Salman Taseer & His Family in Pictures
With all due respect to everyone, I think posting pictures of one's family members without their permission is totally wrong. This is some pretty personal stuff. Salman Taseer is a public figure so I can understand his pictures but his kids or wife should be off-limit to public scrutiny or comments.

temporarynick

Re: Governor Punjab Salman Taseer & His Family in Pictures
Well, the dancing pics were i guess from a wedding and its pretty common not only in upper class but in poor families as well that girls dance in the wedding functions... Anyways, I dont see how the modern living style of his kids relate to the IHTISAB or AGAINST PAKISTANI LAW. He is a rich businessman and belong to the ELITE class before becoming the governor. Are we saying demolish the upper class totally or what? I am not sure how many of ppl protesting here have HIJAB and islamic dresses implemented in their families. Our MUJAHIDEEN only look for raise Islam flag on such topics and dont do anything about the bigger problems...

waqas105's
Re: Governor Punjab Salman Taseer & His Family in Pictures
i just say, Shame on you Mr,Notorious..
Who gives you the rights to print the pictures of others. What you trying to proved that you r real muslim, true pakistani and this kind of ur act help pakistan or muslim.
you just did bull****.....just study the islam basic stuff then think what you did..........Please stop these kind of bull**** stuff.............dont give the comments that ":nice daughter"............Kuch Khada ka khooof karo.....chaley hu dunyiea fateh kernay aur morally failed nation.

shazan04
Re: Governor Punjab Salman Taseer & His Family in Pictures
As if we think as a Muslim community, that is all bull-****. But if we think like if our daughter or sister go and stay in any hostel life even in Pakistan, you may have images like that (except swimming & sea view) in the rooms with their class mates. On the other hand, swimming & sea view pictures are totally right if we send our daughters / sisters to the foreign countries for studies then why should we feel shame while sending them in totally different & vulgar culture.

Only one quote I prefer to share with you that

JAISA DES, WAISA BHES


If we want to stop all these ****s then we should clean ourselves from our homeland not dare to blame on others. Tell me how many persons don't drink or don't like to swim with girls even in this "FORUM". Who can say that his sister / daughter don't wear clothes like "Shehrbano" used to wear in "PHOTO GALLERY" ??? Please don't be spark, be calm & try to vanish all that from our own, then we can ask Governors or Ministers what they should do.

Sorry for using harsh compliments but these are as true as they are.

Thanks for the patience.

Regards



MohammadA
Re: Governor Punjab Salman Taseer & His Family in Pictures
THIS IS UNBELIEVABLE. Why is it so important for people to pay attention to what the (as the title of it says) "elite" does.
What people need to realize is that everyone has their own lifestyles and what might be normal in one household might be forbidden in another. I would really suggest for this blog to be taken off the Internet since there are a lot of people displayed in the picture who's reputations are going down the drain.
Keep your opinions and thoughts to yourself, there is no need for anyone to make it so public.
Another point i would like to add: there are a lot of people in these pictures who are not directly related to Salman Taseer and his family, so why are there pictures being displayed on the web?

7248999
Re: Governor Punjab Salman Taseer & His Family in Pictures
Quote:
Originally Posted by sadani View Post
@last pic
now we'll be having a gay rule in Punjab
:-)

Hi everyone

This is just ridiculous and interference in any one's private life.
Islam also prohibites not to look into someone's personal life.
We people are living two faced life. Although we would like to be a part of modern society.
In my opinion, Salman Tasser & his family are not doing anything wrong.
Its their right to do anything as they wish.
Some stupid, bull**** man who wants to be in good books of PMLN's leaders did all this evassive effort.
I'm sure the people behind all this activity are also part of same class.
I live in England and I have seen PMLN leadership and their family as well and some of them are still in UK and living english life.
All Lahore knows abt "Kon kitna Shareef hai?"
I am sure if anyone post their pics, what will happen?
This world is glabal village now and every one is visible.
It is shameful act and I strongly condemn this.

Salaam

Pakistan ka Aazad Shehri


amhere
Re: Governor Punjab Salman Taseer & His Family in Pictures
Dear ones!!!
I respect views given by all of you people but I have my own views and want to share with you. I think its all right for his family to wear and do what they think is right. Sin or something immoral is in the minds and hearts of men. Those people who think that it is wrong and immoral are lacking exposure about civilizations and societies in general (this is what i think)

I givev you two examples. If you go to England, females there wear short dresses which is generally thought of as bad in our society. But in England two boys cannot hug each other. If they do so, they are thought of as being gays. But in our society we hug each other generally and never does the thought of gayism strike our mind. So its everyone's own feeling and idea about things.

Secondly, if you go to Kohistani areas, north of PAkistan, you would see people refraining their women from watching even News on Ptv. They do so because they do not want to allow their females to see a "Na-Mahram Mard". Now females at my home watch news on Ptv and i do not mind it and i am sure many of you would also not mind them but if a Kohistani sees you like this, he would term you and me "Begherat" "Besharam" "Jahanam Ka Eendhan" and all that stuff.

So its time to get out of this stuff and behave. I feel sorry for Rana Sanaullah (Law Minister, Punjab) who stood on the Punjab Assembly Building and showed pictures of Salman Taseer and his son. Is this the politics we are heading towards ?? We should positively criticise the government. However, we the viewers should understand one thing. Its easy for PPP to start a campaign against PML-N leaders and their families. Intelligence is a federal subject and is under the federal government. It can ask the IB to sic the PML-N leaders and their families. But this would be wasting the money of the people to do something bad. IB should work for proper intelligence gathering and not for such a things.

Salman Taseer was a rich businessman even before becoming Minister and then Governor. And the Constitution does not bar anyone to enjoy his own money. He has the money so he is enjoying. I do not want to get into the truth or fakeness of these pictures but this is not a topic on which we should be wasting our time. People spend their time enjoying so that they can work the next day and we spend all our day commenting on those enjoyments. I have a humble advice to Rana SanaUllah "Go for positive criticism"

Personal character assassination will lead us no where

Thanks for the patience to read what i think
Read more...

Dirty campaign against Slaman Taseer by PML-N in Punjab - An analysis by Anwar Kidwai; also editorial by Daily Times.

This site has moved to http://criticalppp.com/archives/467, click this link if you are not redirected
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Dirty propaganda against Salman Taseer & his family by the pro-Taliban right-wingers of Nawaz Sharif & Jamaat Islami. What do ordinary Pakistanis say

This site has moved to http://criticalppp.com, click this link if you are not redirected
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Geo and ARY news blocked in Karachi and other urban parts of Sindh. Time for MQM as well as hostile media acnhors to pause and reflect...

Geo and ARY news blocked in Karachi and other urban parts of Sindh. Time for MQM as well as hostile media acnhors to pause and reflect... Let us listen to Khusnood Ali Khan as well as Salman Taseer:


PM orders probe into blocking of TV channels (The Post, 18 Nov 2008)

Agencies

ISLAMABAD: Condemning all forms of restrictions on private television channels, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani expressed strong resolve of his government to repeal all black laws affecting the freedom of expression.

Talking to reporters at the airport, Prime Minister Gillani renounced restrictions on the media, and ordered PEMRA to investigate the recent banning of a local TV channel's transmission. Provincial Information Minister Shazia Marri holding cable operators responsible ordered an inquiry into the incident.

There was a chorus of indignation over the incident. PML-N leaders Mian Nawaz Sharif and others said it was continuity of black laws of former Musharraf government and demanded stern action against those responsible.

PML-Q's Chaudhry Shujaat and MQM's Faisal Sabzawari condemned the move in the strongest possible way.

A private TV channel's telecast was halted Monday in parts of the Sindh province including Karachi. When contacted, government officials denied having any knowledge.

Although blamed for the incident, cable operators refused to cite any reason for their action.

Exactly one year ago on November 17, 2007, TV channels' transmissions were shut down.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) has taken serious note of suspension of the transmission of its licensed channels "Geo News" and "ARY One World" on cable TV networks in Karachi and some areas of the interior Sindh.

A statement issued here on Monday said PEMRA got the transmission restored immediately and took prompt action against the cable operators. It said that show-cause notice was issued to them and an investigation was underway.

Meanwhile, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Ms Sherry Rehman Monday expressed concern and anguish over the blocking of Geo News' transmission in Sindh by some unscrupulous elements.

Talking to a private TV channel, she urged cable operators not to fear anybody and report about the rogue elements who threatened them and asked them to stop certain channels. She said the government believed in freedom of the press and was duty bound to protect the media. "PEMRA or any other government agency is not involved in any way in blocking the Geo network transmission in Sindh on Monday," she said.

Ssaid that on learning that the transmission of Geo had been blocked in Sindh she immediately contacted PEMRA but they denied having blocked the transmission.

She cable operators in Karachi and Hyderabad would be given full protection.

Talking about a coincidence that Geo News was banned on November 17 2007, she said Musharraf regime had targeted four to five anchors of Geo in a planned manner, whereas the People's Party has never gagged the press. She said some political forces were involved in blocking the transmission of Geo News. (The Post)

.......

On 17th November, Geo and ARY TV Channels tranmissions were blocked in Karachi, Hyderabad and some other urban parts of Sindh. Till now no one from Government or Media circles has openly pointed to the terrorists involved in this shameful act. This includes Geo and ARY where they hinted involvement of a political party of Karachi but could not have guts to name the culprit.

But credit goes to Daily Jinnah Editor Khushnood Ali Khan who discussed this issue very openly revealing the reasons behind this issue. Khushnood Ali Khan Says:

“Ataf Hussain had an event in London to celebrate the landmark victory of Mustafa Kamal to be delared world 2nd Best Mayor. Geo and ARY did not broadcast this event Live as per the desire of MQM Leadership that made them furious. Farooq Sattar, then ordered blocking these channels through cable operators. On contact by Chairman PEMRA Malik Mushtaq, Farooq Sattar replied that if they will not show speech of Altaf Bhai, then how (dare) they can run their channels”.

Link to Daily Jinnah article by Khushnood Ali Khan

http://www.dailyjinnah.com/?p=12794

.........

Read Wusatullah Khan's article on the hypocrisy of media by blaming PPP while not revealing MQM's name:


http://www.bbc.co.uk/urdu/pakistan/story/2008/11/081118_geo_secret_rza.shtml


......


Comments:

paindoo says:

At least there is some element of truth when Salman Taseer complained that TV hosts talk nonsense and media has become monster. Clips of Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer’s conversation with Atiqa Odho were also shown by the programme host Hamid Mir wherein the governor vented his anger towards the TV channels saying the media in Pakistan has crossed all limits and become a monster.

Excerpts from The News:

Salmaan Taseer said the entire country had come under the clutches of the media, as “it does not let any government work smoothly.” He went on to say that anchorpersons of these TV channels think of themselves as some godly figures. He said if they (TV anchorpersons) were in the West, they would have long been handcuffed and arrested. He said the private TV channels disseminate disinformation. He said the anchorpersons do not take care of others’ respect and talk non-sense. They made people dance in front of the camera. He said in Pakistan there are no Madhuri Dixits, Amitabh Bachans and Aishwarya Rais and that was the reason why these channels are popular among the people. The information minister however struck a different note saying her government did not believe in clamping sanctions on the media. She said there were some elements outside the government who off and on counselled it to bring the media under its control.

...

Aman:

Hello All,

I think altaf hassain gives speaches so many times in a month , and they have never asked or got furious on any TV channel to brodcast his speach , than why now they will do so ? As far as the world second mayor award is concerned thats not a big deal, Mustafa Kamal has done a great job for karachi so for karachides he is already NO.1.

There is something else going around this could be molana sahib issue as hamid mir challeged moulana fazl-ur-rehman as moulana sahib calling the Jews Agents.there may be some other thing , but one could not beleive in govt stand as they do not know who gave order for this , thats what makes me confused govt has to see this issue very seriously otherwise this could lead them to another scandal , i wish all , All The Best.


piyariawam Says:
November 18th, 2008

all parties in Pakistan are not innocent. Jamaat i Islami and PPP and PML and Army and all. No one is innocent and neither is MQM. But I can tell you Paksitan can break but MQM will not they are too strong Now. To buy arms is not a crime. To use it against innocent ones is.

.... is agiants MQM and against Geo’s Kamran Khan KAy saat. Only when Nawaz Sharif was interviewed by it, They put that show on it, What kindda nonsense. No one will be allowed to play in Karachi untill MQM’s permission. Too much money involved in one place and the poeple of Karachi are behind MQM and support this Gunda Party, as all the party in Karachi is more or less the same.

People of Karachi does not trust Army , PPP and PML or any other party than MQM alone.

Just forget about MQM and forget about Karachi. Live and let live in Peace.
Chao!


alam Says:
November 18th, 2008


I watched that episdoe of CT and Hamid Mir,Irfan Siddiqui, Mazhar Abaas were all like scared to death and did not take the name of gang responsible for all this.

khipro Says:
November 18th, 2008


@piyariawam

I am totally agreed with you. This website is biased towards Sindh Urban specially Karachi. For God sake leave us, we are happy. We know better than you what is good for us and what is bad. Though i am not a big fan of MQM at all and have some serious concerns in some issues but for Sindh Urban: they are the best what i think. I was born in Hyderabad and raised in Karachi. I know the reality of Racism. As for as MQM is concerned, my and my family votes are always with MQM if they continue same performance.


justice4all Says:
November 18th, 2008

Someone will have to come forward to expose the terrorists of MQM.
Khusnood Ali Khan must be a brave man to talk about MQM.
Imran Khan was the only one we know before.

Munir Solangi Says:

With due respect i don’t agree with this claim that Pakistani media is silent against MQM.Yes media is scared and helpless but who will rescue the staffers of Geo and ARY in Karachi if theyt are attacked by MQM?

I lived in Karachi for many years and i know that how many times MQM attacked Jang and Geo.Many visitors of this website are saying that only Imran Khan can fight with MQM.With due opology Imran can fight with MQM only and only in Capital Talk of Hamid Mir.Few years ago Hamid Mir produced the film of Altaf Hussain in Delhi where he spoke against creation of Pakistan.It was a brave act og Geo but next day the channel was blocked and Geo stafeers were threatened.One of my freinds in Geo Asadullah was beaten by MQM in Nazimabad and Asadullah accused Hamid Mir for his sufferings.If Imran Khan is a real hero then he should go to Karachi and at least address a jalsa at Mazar-i-Quaid.I assure him that i will come with 200 boys from Sukhar and join his party.

...

makhalil says:


“جب حکومت نے ان چینلز کی انتظامیہ سے استفسار کیا کہ وہ کم از کم یہی بتادیں کہ انہیں کس پر شبہہ ہے تو چینل انتظامیہ کا جواب تھا کہ یہ بھی حکومت ہی معلوم کرے۔

”

Look at this piece
“ایک جانب کراچی میں چینلز کی نشریات میں خلل ڈالنے والوں کا نام تک نہ لینا اور دوسری جانب نشریاتی خلل اور گورنرسلمان تاثیر کی خبر کو ایک ساتھ نمایاں کرنا ایسا ہی ہے جیسے کمہار پر بس نہ چلے تو گدھے کے کان اینٹھ دیئے جائیں ”

http://www.bbc.co.uk/urdu/pakistan/story/2008/11/081118_geo_secret_rza.shtml

Enjoy the ‘free’ media.

.....

Zaigham Says:
November 19th, 2008 at 7:35 am
comment-top

MUSHTAQ MINHAS & NUSRAT JAVED:

Do you ppl remember when some of the activists of Tahir-ul-Qadir gathered outside AAJ TV office & demonstred against some comments passed by BOLTA PAKISTAN anchors against tahir-ul-qadir ???
Did u notice that how BRAVELY both the anchors talked against the protestors? Nusrat Javed was continously calling them “BALONGRAY” of tahir-ul-qadir.

NOW…Where are these anchors???

These people know that if they speak a single word against MQM, they would be KILLED…this is what we call dual standards.

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