Prominent journalist and TV host Talat Hussain has joined DawnNews, awhere he will be hosting a primetime news and current affairs show from mid-November. Mr Hussain brings with him a vast experience in the field of journalism. “It is a privilege for me to join DawnNews,” he said. The Editor of DawnNews, Mubashir Zaidi, has welcomed Mr Hussain’s decision to join the channel. “We have no doubt that the joining of Talat will boost the channel’s profile.” Mr Hussain has been hosting a popular news programme, “Live with Talat”, on Aaj TV. He has travelled widely and has covered major events. He has served as Editor of The News, worked for CNN and other international news channels, and written reports for the Los Angeles Times and other foreign publications. REFERENCE: Talat joins Dawn News Monday, 25 Oct, 2010 http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/national/talat-joins-dawnnews-500
As per an Observer Mr. Saad Mansoor
"Syed Talat Hussain 'was' an esteemed columnist, television host and journalist of Pakistan, until today when he targeted someone for following their own harmless cultural norms. In his column in the Urdu daily Express News, he targets the famous Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie in his shameful effort to target the current civilian government of Pakistan. The article reproduced below gives an insight in to the way of thinking that is standard of Pakistan's new found pseudo intellectuals. The article is titled 'Jolie ka thhapparh' or 'Jolie's slap' referring to her criticism of inconvenience and lack of empathy in maintaining the security protocols of politicians while they visit the flood affectees. He chooses to portray Angelina Jolie as a characterless, good-for-nothing and sham actress, who had her acting career propelled by the casting couch in the wake of her lack of appeal and her publicly confessed bi-sexual orientation. He further declares her adoption of kids as a cover up for her past life and concludes the article by pointing out that even such a lowly person had more sense than our politicians. For those who cannot comprehend Urdu, a summarized translation:
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The opening paragraph introduces Angelina Jolie as a Hollywood actress, hints at her scandalous life and comments on her ever present contempt for social norms. She had (sexually) matured early (read slut), however, being ugly was a complete failure in the acting world. She took to political-marriages to advance her career, fully utilizing each opportunity that came her way. Her thirst for success was devoid of any limitations so much so that she has contravened every value that forms the basis of a society's morality. The highlight of her continuous social experimenting is her self-professed stint at sapphism. To blackout her 'past' Angelina Jolie has taken to adopting an 'assortment' of kids. This was publicized by her PR managers so effectively that despite want of ethics in general and Eastern values in particular she was made the United Nations Goodwill Ambassador. If you doubt my stance open up the Constitution of Pakistan and turn to Article 62 and 63 which dictates the need for people to be good character, to not violate Islamic values, avoid sinfulness, be sagacious etc. Our notion is based on the principle that be they Muslims or Non-Muslims, people with lack of (good) qualities as Angelina Jolie should remain disgraced at all times. Had she been in Pakistan she would have been (rightfully) stoned to death multiple times. But even a movie star, drenched in westernism had the decency to realize that inconveniencing flood affected people with protocol is inhumane. She recounts in her UN report that in such dire times the house of the Prime Minister had a lavish feast followed by a private in-flight by the PM's family. The report is a slap in the face (of Pakistani leadership). For what reason?! This Hollywood actress would be feeling more honored than her Honorable hosts. REFERENCE: Shame on You Talat Hussain!! By Saad Mansoor Sunday, October 24, 2010 http://green-goats-hide.blogspot.com/2010/10/shame-on-you-talat-hussain.html
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Another Blogger observation is as under:
Don't you just hate it when the facade of liberal, sensible urbane-ness you have so carefully constructed over years and years comes crashing down with one ill-conceived article that you thought would have the masses lauding your cleverness but which exposes you for the parochial, narrow-minded bigot you really are? The Beard in the Stomach MONDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2010 http://cafepyala.blogspot.com/2010/10/beard-in-stomach.html
After Bugti’s death in 2006, Syed Talat Hussain presented Baluch Leaders as Heroes and that was just to hound General Musharraf and earlier [not too earlier] the same Syed Talat Hussain praised General Pervez Musharraf for his Military Coup in 1999 and blamed the Plane Hijacking on Nawaz Sharif. People Views on Musharaf.(Saviour Of Pakistan) NOTE: Talat’s “Favourable” Comment for Musharraf is from 1:20 to 1:22
URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iZQ34s0p5g&feature=player_embedded
What Talat [Sanctimonious Prick] says about Hamid Mir: Participating in the debate, senior journalist Talat Hussain said any other media outlet could have published the taped conversation between Hamid Mir and the militant if Daily Times had decided to not report on such an important piece of news. “One thing is clear, the audiotape contains an extremely sensitive content and apparently it seems authentic,” he said, adding that one could easily point out several flaws in the explanation provided by Hamid Mir on the issue. “Technically, it is indispensable to prove the authenticity of the audiotape and prove whether it was valid or fake. A person has lost his life due to the audiotape, and the contents of the tape leave no doubts for Osama Khalid when he connects its content with the incident of his father’s murder,” Talat said. * Group threatens Osama with same fate as his father if any action taken against talk show host * Son of former ISI official says he can confirm Mir, Osman Punjabi murdered his father Daily Times Monitor REFERENCE: Taliban threaten to kill Osama over action against Hamid Mir Friday, May 21, 2010 http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=20105\21\story_21-5-2010_pg7_27
A LITTLE BIT FROM VERY NEAR PAST
As per AAJ TV Website: One of Pakistan’s biggest talk shows Talat Hussain hosts Pakistan’s most respected and daring political analysis show, Live with Talat. Featuring the most trusted social and political intellectuals of Pakistan, the show brings in-depth analysis of the day’s biggest events and avoids the clutter to focus only on what’s important. Live everyday from the seat of power, Live with Talat is a must watch to understand the future socio-economic direction of our country. REFERENCE: Live With Talat http://www.aaj.tv/programme/76_info.html
Talat Hussain is presently the executive director News and Current Affairs of AAJ Television. He also contributes for Newsline, Time Magazine and occasionally contributes to India Today. He has worked with International channels like CNN and American Broadcasting as producer and has done extensive reporting for Los Angeles Times, and the New York Times. As a media person he has vast experience in establishing news and current affairs systems. He has held key positions of Director, News & Current Affairs, with Pakistan Television Corporation, Prime Television (UK), ARY ONE, and Telebiz. REFERENCES: http://pakistaniprofiles.com/syed-talat-hussain-journalist-anchor-person/http://www.aaj.tv/programme/76_info.html
Last week Mr. Talat Hussain [LIE with Talat] also wrote an article in Express Newspaper and declared that some people have been targeting him with a nick name “Ghairat Brigade”, and he wrote whatever may come, he {Talat} will not be in “Bayghairat Brigade”. Ok, agreed, very well. Let me refresh the memory of Ghairat Mand Talat Hussain and his cohorts. Talat after quitting PTV had approached ARY TV and joined ARY TV as a Host and Anchor 2003/2004. One cannot imagine that Talat being a “Seasoned” Current Affair Journalist wouldn’t have remembered the below mentioned case of ARY. 159. Asif Ali Zardari ex-MNA (Received kickbacks from SGS PSI Company, Grant of license to ARY Gold). REFERENCE: The accused and accusations Sunday, November 22, 2009 [The News International Jang Group of Newspapers] http://thenews.jang.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=25713
Yesterday [12-12-2009], Mr. Talat Hussain has struck again by writing a Letter in Daily Express News Paper [rebirth of Irhsad Ahmed Haqqani in Daily Expressnews] which was addressed to the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Mr Yousuf Raza Gilani and advised him as to how to run the Government. One wonders as to why these Journalists, Analysts and TV Anchor don't run for Public Office by participating in General Eelections, the letter of Mr Talat Hussain is as under:
Mr Talat Hussain often writes for Express News. Talat is so “Ghairatmand - Honourbale” that he almost “forgot” to remember this as well:
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11 - Sultan Ali Lakhani & family Pakistan Ranking: 9 (tied at 9) Worth: £400m ($800) Industry: Businessman
The Lakhanis are currently having a hard time at the hands of NAB. Sultan Lakhani and his three brothers run this prestigious group and the chain of McDonald’s restaurants in Pakistan. NAB has alleged the Lakhanis of having created phoney companies through worthless directors and raised massive loans from various banks and financial institutions. Sultan is currently abroad after having served a jail term with younger sibling Amin, though the latter was released much earlier. NAB had reportedly demanded Rs 7 billion from Lakhanis, but later agreed they pay only Rs 1.5 billion over a 10-year period. Lakhanis, like their arch-rivals Hashwanis, are the most well-known of all Ismaeli tycoons. Their stakes range from media, tobacco, paper, chemicals and surgical equipment to cotton, packaging, insurance, detergents and other house-hold items, many of which are joint ventures with leading international conglomerates. Though Lakhanis are in turbulent waters currently, the success that greeted them during the last 25 years especially has been tremendous. They have rifts with large business empires despite being known fur their genteel nature. Whether it is any government in Sindh or at the Federal level, Lakhanis have had trusted friends everywhere, though the present era has proved a painful exception. REFERENCE: Pakistans Rich List of 2008 Posted by Teeth MaestroDecember 8, 2007 http://teeth.com.pk/blog/2007/12/08/pakistans-rich-list-of-2008
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NAB in tight corner as businessmen refuse to pay dues By Kamran Khan - Two important business families of the provincial metropolis who had earlier agreed to pay about Rs1.8 billion to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and various banks - an offer that won them an immunity against allegations of financial impropriety and release of their key directors from prisons - have reneged on their promises. The defiant businessmen, senior NAB officials concede, currently constitute the single most important challenge to their drive against white-collar crime in the country. Senior NAB officials have confirmed that Sultanally Lakhani and his three brothers, who partly run and operate the Lackson Group of Companies, and the Mcdonald’s food restaurants in Pakistan, after two initial payments of Rs100 million each, have stopped further payments for an agreed amount of Rs1.5 billion.
The NAB had alleged that the Lakhani brothers created phoney companies through worthless directors and raised massive loans from various banks and financial institution. Similarly, Irfan Iqbal Puri, Karachi’s leading supplier of petroleum products from the Gulf countries, has refused to match the agreed amount of Rs300 million after an initial payment of Rs230 million to the NAB. Puri, the NAB had alleged, compromised the quality and quantity of petroleum products in supplies to the Pakistan State Oil and caused huge financial loss to the national exchequer. Sultanally Lakhani, who was jailed for about nine months, and Irfan Puri, who had spent almost an equal amount of time in the NAB and jail custody, have since left the country and have taken up residence in the United States and the United Kingdom. Their attorneys have challenged the signed deals with the NAB claiming that the deals were signed under duress. Circles close to both the persons said that if the "businessmen are harassed in this country you can not stop negative impacts". "We are initiating fresh probe and action against the Lakhanis and Irfan Puri," said a senior NAB official. "The NAB will make sure that they stand by their agreements. We can’t allow people to hoodwink the NAB." A present official of the NAB said that in the past the Bureau had brought historical achievements and brought back large amount of looted money. A big and highly reputed entrepreneur, who knows much about Lakhani’s case, while talking to The News categorically said that it was sheer injustice to those businessman who were law-abiding and doing their business honestly and making some achievements by working hard day and night. He said that a businessman obtained loans of billions of rupees, invested it in his business by some other name, earned a lot of profit, multiplied his wealth, brought new products in the market but declined to return the loan, and when he was caught he was given ten years more to pay back the loan in instalments. What are the laws of this country that when this person again defaulted no one is making it point that till the time he was caught, how much he had expanded his business and how many products he had introduced using these loans, he said. He said that it would not be surprising that he would again be given the facility of repayment in instalments for further many years and these episodes would go on. When asked about remedy, he said that it would be fair that the amount due on such defaulters be secured by confiscating their business units of equivalent value plus interest and selling these in the market. He added that it was injustice with other businessmen and the country to give any concession to such habitual defaulters who were continuously expanding their business and bringing new products in the market and not paying back heavy loans by bringing up the plea that they were in loss in the company for which the loan was taken. "It’s a fraud with the nation," he said.
On the other hand, various legal experts are wondering if the NAB had foolproof cases against the accused businessmen, why did the NAB top brass left big legal holes in their deals with the businessmen who somehow managed that the NAB make no official mention of the specific charges against them and the entire evidence collected in the course of investigation be "dismembered". Sultan Lakhani and his brother Amin Lakhani, who is also Honorary Consul-General of Singapore, were arrested on May 8, 2000 by the NAB wing of the ISI. Amin was released after a few days, but Sultan spent another nine months in various NAB detention centres and Adyala prison before his lawyer and the present Attorney-General of Pakistan, Makhdoom Ali Khan, reached an agreement with the then NAB chairman. NAB officials privately concede that in case of Sultanally Lakhani and other key directors of the Lackson Group of Companies, the then NAB leadership had not applied the legally tenable practise of plea bargain and instead had decided to supervise a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the Lakhani brothers and various financial institutions. They further said they were looking that how such a deal had been made. Was there a helping hand or was it done innocently?
Sliding down from its initial demand of Rs7 billion, the NAB agreed with Makhdom Ali Khan advocate of the Lakhani brothers that they pay an amount of Rs1.5 billion to the lenders in 10 years. The NAB agreed that in the MOU that the Lakhani brothers would not accept any guilt in the document and instead the MOU would reflect them as buyers of assets of nine companies in exchange for the payment of liabilities. The NAB had found, in its investigation, that all these companies were actually front for the Lakhani brothers, who consistently denied the charge. Furthermore, the NAB agreed to withdraw its reference against Sultan Lakhani and various co-accused, including the senior executives of the Industrial Development Bank of Pakistan who had extended the loans without proper securities and background checks. The NAB investigators were also asked to stop probe against nine other companies of the same group. The investigators were also told to return the collected evidence to the respective financial institutions. The accused persons who benefited from the NAB deal included Sultan Ali Lakhani, Iqbal Ali Lakhani, Zulfiqar Ali Lakhani, Amin Muhammad Lakhani, Sahibzada Naushad Ahmed, M Muneer Adenwalla, Hassan Ali Merchant, Tasleemuddin Batlay, Aziz Ebrahim (Lakson Group), Anjum Naveed (General Manager M/s Project Development Services), Muhammad Sirajul Hassan (former chief officer at Industrial Development Bank of Pakistan’s regional office in Karachi), Khalid Mehmood Nagra, Syed Mehboob Hussain (office in-charge of the IDBP) and Rehan A Siddiqi (Manager Documentation Department of IDBP, Karachi. NAB officials said that after much pressing the Lakhani brothers had only paid Rs200 million and were now clearly avoiding the payment of remaining Rs1.3 billion. Irfan Iqbal Puri, who used to be a key middleman between the country’s top buyers of petroleum products and the Middle Eastern suppliers, made the single largest payment of Rs235 million to the NAB following his three-month-long interrogation by the NAB investigators, who apparently confronted him with the evidence allegedly showing kickbacks and commissions received from the Middle Eastern suppliers, who allegedly compromised quality and quantity of petroleum products sold to Pakistan.
At the time of his release Puri, NAB officials said, pledged to pay a total sum of Rs300 million, but subsequently he refused to make the final instalment of Rs65 million and instead confronted the NAB with a lawsuit claiming the return of Rs235 million that he had already paid to the NAB. In Puri’s case the NAB downplayed its agreement with him to an extent that no official announcement was made about the plea bargain deal. At the same time, the NAB withheld its evidence and findings against Puri from any public and legal scrutiny, a measure that has now become the strongest argument in the Puri’s case against the NAB. NAB officials said that the plea bargain deals are meant to recover the looted money in exchange for some grace to the accused persons who get the benefit of not going through the public trial and exposure of their misdeeds in public.
But the process is attracting some criticism, as it allows the senior NAB officials to exercise their discretion in settling the amount for the plea bargain. In Irfan Puri, Usman farooqi and Admiral Mansurul Haq cases the money recovered by the NAB may match their ill-gotten wealth, but in some cases some key suspects won their freedom at a cheap cost. For instance Huzoor Buksh Khalwar, a former Karachi Metropolitan director, who was arrested after a NAB investigation found that he had allegedly amassed wealth to the tune of hundreds of millions of rupees, was set free after a brief (according to the NAB standards) three months’ confinement and a nominal payment of Rs16 million. Khalwar was one of the beneficiaries of a Rs600 million octroi fraud unearthed in the KMC in 1998. NAB officials privately acknowledged that the plea bargain deal with Khalwar could not be counted as one the best deals the NAB has struck with the country’s most corrupt bureaucrats. REFERENCE: NAB in tight corner as businessmen refuse to pay dues By Kamran Khan http://www.fact.com.pk/archives/may/feng/nab.htm
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KARACHI: The Independent Media Corporation (Private) Ltd. (Geo TV Network) and the Independent Music Group (SMC Private) have served a legal notice on Sultan Ali Lakhani, the Editor in Chief, Printer and Publisher of the daily Express. The notice was sent for printing false and concocted stories about the deal struck between the Independent Media Group, the Independent Music Group and Pakistan Television over the rights to telecast the upcoming Champions Trophy and World Cup which will be shown on Geo TV’s new sports channel, Geo Super. The notice demands that an apology be published within seven days and be given the same prominence as the original news items.
The news items published in the Express gave the impression that Geo gained a hefty financial profit by striking this deal and that PTV lost heavily in the process. The truth is that had the deal not been struck, the tournaments would have only been beamed on Geo. Geo and PTV signed the agreement in the greater national interest because cable TV is not available in some smaller towns and villages in the country. There are many examples of such collaboration between private and state-owned channels. The same formula was applied in this case too. PTV was given two options and the corporation chose the one that suited it. There was an agreement on this option and a deal was signed. As a result, PTV viewers will now be able to watch these two important tournaments and the corporation will be able to reap profits too. It must be mentioned that a PTV spokesman had pointed out the benefits of the deal and said that it would be a profitable one. The Express in its report on the deal did not approach Geo for its version and failed to mention the PTV spokesman’s statement on the subject which reflects its unprofessional and mala fide intentions.
The reports published in the Express also claimed that PTV would be forced to show the Geo logo, which is simply untrue. It may be mentioned that it was PTV that approached Geo in connection with the agreement. In any case, Geo being such a popular channel does not need the support of PTV to project itself. It is testament to Geo’s popularity that it has won numerous national and international awards in its short existence. This includes an award from the largest and most prestigious TV and radio organisation, The National Broadcasters Association. Geo’s coverage of the recent elections and its ability to show the results earlier than other channels won it plaudits from the Journal of Mass Communications. According to Gallup, Geo is the best and most watched Pakistani satellite channel. The prestigious New York Times has stated that Geo has changed the entire media scene in Pakistan. The Pakistan Advertising Association presented Geo with the best Electronic Mass Media award. Geo also won a special award at the Monte Carlo Television Festival. The channel is also the only Pakistani channel to receive the CNN Young Journalist Award. A number of newspapers and channels— including the New York Times, Washington Times, Financial Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Gulf News, Times of India, The Hindu, Aaj Tak, Kyodo, and Al-Jazeera - have made positive references to Geo and have praised its distinctive style.
In view of all these points, we believe that the false, baseless and mala fide reports about Geo are motivated solely by vendetta. The group’s associated newspapers, Jang and The News, have in the past printed stories about the dark deeds of the publisher of The Express which have never been contradicted. Among the news printed were items about the large bank loan defaults, arrest by NAB, fleeing the country, the proceedings of the Public Accounts Committee etc. Lakhani was arrested by NAB in connection with certain cases. Among the allegations on which stories were published were the case of taking and defaulting on huge loans for a granite and marble processing plant, tax and excise fraud, hiding foreign properties, the smuggling of 11 containers, causing huge losses to PTCL, etc. There were also reports that Lakhani set up fictitious companies and borrowed huge amounts from banks in this connection. The News, in April 2004 published a story stating that he agreed to pay 1.5 billion rupees worth of loans but only paid 200 million. In July 2006, The News published a story about the PAC proceedings regarding Lakhani’s loan default. It was clear from all these reports that the Lakhanis were spreading their business through public funds and were not paying back loans taken from the banks and other financial institutions, which caused a huge loss to the national exchequer. REFERENCE: Legal notice to Sultan Lakhani for publishing concocted stories Wednesday, October 11, 2006 News Desk http://www.thenews.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=3585
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KARACHI: While the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) made an official confirmation to the Lakhani family in Karachi about the arrest of Sultan Ali Lakhani on a wide range of criminal charges Tuesday evening, official word was still awaited until Tuesday night about the whereabouts of Sultan’s younger brother, Amin Lakhani. Leading businessman Amin Lakhani also runs the Karachi operation of the fast food chain, McDonald’s. Beside running the McDonald’s franchise in Karachi, the Lakhani brothers run Lakson Tobacco Company, a textile unit, an internet company called the Cybernet and Century Publications. Sources informed the News Intelligence Unit (NIU) that the Lakhnis are now being questioned on alleged charges that include: questionable loans worth hundreds of crores of rupees for setting up granite and marble processing plants; bank default; evasion of excise duty; concealment of foreign property; links with the smuggling of 11 containers case; causing huge revenue losses to PTCL through illegal termination of long distance calls and financial dealings with Mr. Hakim Ali Zardari. REFERENCE: Lakhani brothers in NAB hands http://www.karachipage.com/news/May_00/051000.html
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Last week Mr. Talat Hussain [LIE with Talat] also wrote an article in Express Newspaper and declared that some people have been targeting him with a nick name “Ghairat Brigade”, and he wrote whatever may come, he {Talat} will not be in “Bayghairat Brigade”. Ok, agreed, very well. Let me refresh the memory of Ghairat Mand Talat Hussain and his cohorts. Talat after quitting PTV had approached ARY TV and joined ARY TV as a Host and Anchor 2003/2004. One cannot imagine that Talat being a “Seasoned” Current Affair Journalist wouldn’t have remembered the below mentioned case of ARY. 159. Asif Ali Zardari ex-MNA (Received kickbacks from SGS PSI Company, Grant of license to ARY Gold). REFERENCE: The accused and accusations Sunday, November 22, 2009 [The News International Jang Group of Newspapers] http://thenews.jang.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=25713
Yesterday [12-12-2009], Mr. Talat Hussain has struck again by writing a Letter in Daily Express News Paper [rebirth of Irhsad Ahmed Haqqani in Daily Expressnews] which was addressed to the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Mr Yousuf Raza Gilani and advised him as to how to run the Government. One wonders as to why these Journalists, Analysts and TV Anchor don't run for Public Office by participating in General Eelections, the letter of Mr Talat Hussain is as under:
Mr Talat Hussain often writes for Express News. Talat is so “Ghairatmand - Honourbale” that he almost “forgot” to remember this as well:"QUOTE"
11 - Sultan Ali Lakhani & family Pakistan Ranking: 9 (tied at 9) Worth: £400m ($800) Industry: Businessman
The Lakhanis are currently having a hard time at the hands of NAB. Sultan Lakhani and his three brothers run this prestigious group and the chain of McDonald’s restaurants in Pakistan. NAB has alleged the Lakhanis of having created phoney companies through worthless directors and raised massive loans from various banks and financial institutions. Sultan is currently abroad after having served a jail term with younger sibling Amin, though the latter was released much earlier. NAB had reportedly demanded Rs 7 billion from Lakhanis, but later agreed they pay only Rs 1.5 billion over a 10-year period. Lakhanis, like their arch-rivals Hashwanis, are the most well-known of all Ismaeli tycoons. Their stakes range from media, tobacco, paper, chemicals and surgical equipment to cotton, packaging, insurance, detergents and other house-hold items, many of which are joint ventures with leading international conglomerates. Though Lakhanis are in turbulent waters currently, the success that greeted them during the last 25 years especially has been tremendous. They have rifts with large business empires despite being known fur their genteel nature. Whether it is any government in Sindh or at the Federal level, Lakhanis have had trusted friends everywhere, though the present era has proved a painful exception. REFERENCE: Pakistans Rich List of 2008 Posted by Teeth MaestroDecember 8, 2007 http://teeth.com.pk/blog/2007/12/08/pakistans-rich-list-of-2008"UNQUOTE"
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NAB in tight corner as businessmen refuse to pay dues By Kamran Khan - Two important business families of the provincial metropolis who had earlier agreed to pay about Rs1.8 billion to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and various banks - an offer that won them an immunity against allegations of financial impropriety and release of their key directors from prisons - have reneged on their promises. The defiant businessmen, senior NAB officials concede, currently constitute the single most important challenge to their drive against white-collar crime in the country. Senior NAB officials have confirmed that Sultanally Lakhani and his three brothers, who partly run and operate the Lackson Group of Companies, and the Mcdonald’s food restaurants in Pakistan, after two initial payments of Rs100 million each, have stopped further payments for an agreed amount of Rs1.5 billion. The NAB had alleged that the Lakhani brothers created phoney companies through worthless directors and raised massive loans from various banks and financial institution. Similarly, Irfan Iqbal Puri, Karachi’s leading supplier of petroleum products from the Gulf countries, has refused to match the agreed amount of Rs300 million after an initial payment of Rs230 million to the NAB. Puri, the NAB had alleged, compromised the quality and quantity of petroleum products in supplies to the Pakistan State Oil and caused huge financial loss to the national exchequer. Sultanally Lakhani, who was jailed for about nine months, and Irfan Puri, who had spent almost an equal amount of time in the NAB and jail custody, have since left the country and have taken up residence in the United States and the United Kingdom. Their attorneys have challenged the signed deals with the NAB claiming that the deals were signed under duress. Circles close to both the persons said that if the "businessmen are harassed in this country you can not stop negative impacts". "We are initiating fresh probe and action against the Lakhanis and Irfan Puri," said a senior NAB official. "The NAB will make sure that they stand by their agreements. We can’t allow people to hoodwink the NAB." A present official of the NAB said that in the past the Bureau had brought historical achievements and brought back large amount of looted money. A big and highly reputed entrepreneur, who knows much about Lakhani’s case, while talking to The News categorically said that it was sheer injustice to those businessman who were law-abiding and doing their business honestly and making some achievements by working hard day and night. He said that a businessman obtained loans of billions of rupees, invested it in his business by some other name, earned a lot of profit, multiplied his wealth, brought new products in the market but declined to return the loan, and when he was caught he was given ten years more to pay back the loan in instalments. What are the laws of this country that when this person again defaulted no one is making it point that till the time he was caught, how much he had expanded his business and how many products he had introduced using these loans, he said. He said that it would not be surprising that he would again be given the facility of repayment in instalments for further many years and these episodes would go on. When asked about remedy, he said that it would be fair that the amount due on such defaulters be secured by confiscating their business units of equivalent value plus interest and selling these in the market. He added that it was injustice with other businessmen and the country to give any concession to such habitual defaulters who were continuously expanding their business and bringing new products in the market and not paying back heavy loans by bringing up the plea that they were in loss in the company for which the loan was taken. "It’s a fraud with the nation," he said.On the other hand, various legal experts are wondering if the NAB had foolproof cases against the accused businessmen, why did the NAB top brass left big legal holes in their deals with the businessmen who somehow managed that the NAB make no official mention of the specific charges against them and the entire evidence collected in the course of investigation be "dismembered". Sultan Lakhani and his brother Amin Lakhani, who is also Honorary Consul-General of Singapore, were arrested on May 8, 2000 by the NAB wing of the ISI. Amin was released after a few days, but Sultan spent another nine months in various NAB detention centres and Adyala prison before his lawyer and the present Attorney-General of Pakistan, Makhdoom Ali Khan, reached an agreement with the then NAB chairman. NAB officials privately concede that in case of Sultanally Lakhani and other key directors of the Lackson Group of Companies, the then NAB leadership had not applied the legally tenable practise of plea bargain and instead had decided to supervise a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the Lakhani brothers and various financial institutions. They further said they were looking that how such a deal had been made. Was there a helping hand or was it done innocently?
Sliding down from its initial demand of Rs7 billion, the NAB agreed with Makhdom Ali Khan advocate of the Lakhani brothers that they pay an amount of Rs1.5 billion to the lenders in 10 years. The NAB agreed that in the MOU that the Lakhani brothers would not accept any guilt in the document and instead the MOU would reflect them as buyers of assets of nine companies in exchange for the payment of liabilities. The NAB had found, in its investigation, that all these companies were actually front for the Lakhani brothers, who consistently denied the charge. Furthermore, the NAB agreed to withdraw its reference against Sultan Lakhani and various co-accused, including the senior executives of the Industrial Development Bank of Pakistan who had extended the loans without proper securities and background checks. The NAB investigators were also asked to stop probe against nine other companies of the same group. The investigators were also told to return the collected evidence to the respective financial institutions. The accused persons who benefited from the NAB deal included Sultan Ali Lakhani, Iqbal Ali Lakhani, Zulfiqar Ali Lakhani, Amin Muhammad Lakhani, Sahibzada Naushad Ahmed, M Muneer Adenwalla, Hassan Ali Merchant, Tasleemuddin Batlay, Aziz Ebrahim (Lakson Group), Anjum Naveed (General Manager M/s Project Development Services), Muhammad Sirajul Hassan (former chief officer at Industrial Development Bank of Pakistan’s regional office in Karachi), Khalid Mehmood Nagra, Syed Mehboob Hussain (office in-charge of the IDBP) and Rehan A Siddiqi (Manager Documentation Department of IDBP, Karachi. NAB officials said that after much pressing the Lakhani brothers had only paid Rs200 million and were now clearly avoiding the payment of remaining Rs1.3 billion. Irfan Iqbal Puri, who used to be a key middleman between the country’s top buyers of petroleum products and the Middle Eastern suppliers, made the single largest payment of Rs235 million to the NAB following his three-month-long interrogation by the NAB investigators, who apparently confronted him with the evidence allegedly showing kickbacks and commissions received from the Middle Eastern suppliers, who allegedly compromised quality and quantity of petroleum products sold to Pakistan.
At the time of his release Puri, NAB officials said, pledged to pay a total sum of Rs300 million, but subsequently he refused to make the final instalment of Rs65 million and instead confronted the NAB with a lawsuit claiming the return of Rs235 million that he had already paid to the NAB. In Puri’s case the NAB downplayed its agreement with him to an extent that no official announcement was made about the plea bargain deal. At the same time, the NAB withheld its evidence and findings against Puri from any public and legal scrutiny, a measure that has now become the strongest argument in the Puri’s case against the NAB. NAB officials said that the plea bargain deals are meant to recover the looted money in exchange for some grace to the accused persons who get the benefit of not going through the public trial and exposure of their misdeeds in public.
But the process is attracting some criticism, as it allows the senior NAB officials to exercise their discretion in settling the amount for the plea bargain. In Irfan Puri, Usman farooqi and Admiral Mansurul Haq cases the money recovered by the NAB may match their ill-gotten wealth, but in some cases some key suspects won their freedom at a cheap cost. For instance Huzoor Buksh Khalwar, a former Karachi Metropolitan director, who was arrested after a NAB investigation found that he had allegedly amassed wealth to the tune of hundreds of millions of rupees, was set free after a brief (according to the NAB standards) three months’ confinement and a nominal payment of Rs16 million. Khalwar was one of the beneficiaries of a Rs600 million octroi fraud unearthed in the KMC in 1998. NAB officials privately acknowledged that the plea bargain deal with Khalwar could not be counted as one the best deals the NAB has struck with the country’s most corrupt bureaucrats. REFERENCE: NAB in tight corner as businessmen refuse to pay dues By Kamran Khan http://www.fact.com.pk/archives/may/feng/nab.htm
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KARACHI: The Independent Media Corporation (Private) Ltd. (Geo TV Network) and the Independent Music Group (SMC Private) have served a legal notice on Sultan Ali Lakhani, the Editor in Chief, Printer and Publisher of the daily Express. The notice was sent for printing false and concocted stories about the deal struck between the Independent Media Group, the Independent Music Group and Pakistan Television over the rights to telecast the upcoming Champions Trophy and World Cup which will be shown on Geo TV’s new sports channel, Geo Super. The notice demands that an apology be published within seven days and be given the same prominence as the original news items.The news items published in the Express gave the impression that Geo gained a hefty financial profit by striking this deal and that PTV lost heavily in the process. The truth is that had the deal not been struck, the tournaments would have only been beamed on Geo. Geo and PTV signed the agreement in the greater national interest because cable TV is not available in some smaller towns and villages in the country. There are many examples of such collaboration between private and state-owned channels. The same formula was applied in this case too. PTV was given two options and the corporation chose the one that suited it. There was an agreement on this option and a deal was signed. As a result, PTV viewers will now be able to watch these two important tournaments and the corporation will be able to reap profits too. It must be mentioned that a PTV spokesman had pointed out the benefits of the deal and said that it would be a profitable one. The Express in its report on the deal did not approach Geo for its version and failed to mention the PTV spokesman’s statement on the subject which reflects its unprofessional and mala fide intentions.
The reports published in the Express also claimed that PTV would be forced to show the Geo logo, which is simply untrue. It may be mentioned that it was PTV that approached Geo in connection with the agreement. In any case, Geo being such a popular channel does not need the support of PTV to project itself. It is testament to Geo’s popularity that it has won numerous national and international awards in its short existence. This includes an award from the largest and most prestigious TV and radio organisation, The National Broadcasters Association. Geo’s coverage of the recent elections and its ability to show the results earlier than other channels won it plaudits from the Journal of Mass Communications. According to Gallup, Geo is the best and most watched Pakistani satellite channel. The prestigious New York Times has stated that Geo has changed the entire media scene in Pakistan. The Pakistan Advertising Association presented Geo with the best Electronic Mass Media award. Geo also won a special award at the Monte Carlo Television Festival. The channel is also the only Pakistani channel to receive the CNN Young Journalist Award. A number of newspapers and channels— including the New York Times, Washington Times, Financial Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Gulf News, Times of India, The Hindu, Aaj Tak, Kyodo, and Al-Jazeera - have made positive references to Geo and have praised its distinctive style.
In view of all these points, we believe that the false, baseless and mala fide reports about Geo are motivated solely by vendetta. The group’s associated newspapers, Jang and The News, have in the past printed stories about the dark deeds of the publisher of The Express which have never been contradicted. Among the news printed were items about the large bank loan defaults, arrest by NAB, fleeing the country, the proceedings of the Public Accounts Committee etc. Lakhani was arrested by NAB in connection with certain cases. Among the allegations on which stories were published were the case of taking and defaulting on huge loans for a granite and marble processing plant, tax and excise fraud, hiding foreign properties, the smuggling of 11 containers, causing huge losses to PTCL, etc. There were also reports that Lakhani set up fictitious companies and borrowed huge amounts from banks in this connection. The News, in April 2004 published a story stating that he agreed to pay 1.5 billion rupees worth of loans but only paid 200 million. In July 2006, The News published a story about the PAC proceedings regarding Lakhani’s loan default. It was clear from all these reports that the Lakhanis were spreading their business through public funds and were not paying back loans taken from the banks and other financial institutions, which caused a huge loss to the national exchequer. REFERENCE: Legal notice to Sultan Lakhani for publishing concocted stories Wednesday, October 11, 2006 News Desk http://www.thenews.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=3585
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KARACHI: While the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) made an official confirmation to the Lakhani family in Karachi about the arrest of Sultan Ali Lakhani on a wide range of criminal charges Tuesday evening, official word was still awaited until Tuesday night about the whereabouts of Sultan’s younger brother, Amin Lakhani. Leading businessman Amin Lakhani also runs the Karachi operation of the fast food chain, McDonald’s. Beside running the McDonald’s franchise in Karachi, the Lakhani brothers run Lakson Tobacco Company, a textile unit, an internet company called the Cybernet and Century Publications. Sources informed the News Intelligence Unit (NIU) that the Lakhnis are now being questioned on alleged charges that include: questionable loans worth hundreds of crores of rupees for setting up granite and marble processing plants; bank default; evasion of excise duty; concealment of foreign property; links with the smuggling of 11 containers case; causing huge revenue losses to PTCL through illegal termination of long distance calls and financial dealings with Mr. Hakim Ali Zardari. REFERENCE: Lakhani brothers in NAB hands http://www.karachipage.com/news/May_00/051000.html"UNQUOTE"
Currently he is doing a show Live With Talat Hussain from Aaj T.V. Profile: Syed Talat Hussain – Journalist/ Anchor Person http://pakistaniprofiles.com/syed-talat-hussain-journalist-anchor-person/ One of Pakistan' s biggest talk shows Talat Hussain hosts Pakistan's most respected and daring political analysis show, Live with Talat. Featuring the most trusted social and political intellectuals of Pakistan, the show brings in-depth analysis of the day's biggest events and avoids the clutter to focus only on what's important. Live everyday from the seat of power, Live with Talat is a must watch to understand the future socio-economic direction of our country. http://www.aaj.tv/programme/76_info.html
Talat Hussain is presently the executive director News and Current Affairs of AAJ Television. He also contributes for Newsline, Time Magazine and occasionally contributes to India Today. He has worked with International channels like CNN and American Broadcasting as producer and has done extensive reporting for Los Angeles Times, and the New York Times. As a media person he has vast experience in establishing news and current affairs systems. He has held key positions of Director, News & Current Affairs, with Pakistan Television Corporation, Prime Television (UK), ARY ONE, and Telebiz.
Talat Hussain makes a $640 Million Mistake - http://pakistanmediawatch.com/2009/10/30/talat-hussain-makes-a-640-million-mistake/Talat Hussain makes a $640 Million MistakeIf anyone needs evidence that Pakistan’s most popular TV anchors just reel off nonsense without checking facts, please watch the interview given by
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to a group of Pakistani anchors.Talat Hussain of Aaj TV, who often speaks as if he knows everything, wanted to embarrass Hillary by “proving” that the U.S, does not give Pakistan enough. In his recent shows he has been mouthing off against the “insulting language” in the Kerry-Lugar-Berman aid bill, which triples non-military assistance to Pakistan to $ 1.5 billion per year for five years. Talat claimed that the U.S. was paying Kyrgyzstan $ 700 million as rent for a military base in that country. Hillary corrected the arrogant and self-righteous Aaj TV anchor and said the rent was not that high but was in the range of $ 50 million. Not one to ever digest facts, especially those that prove him wrong, Talat Hussain continued on to say that must be the rent “per month.” The US Secretary of State remained polite and left the Kyrgyzstan base rent figure unresolved.None of the other “famous and popular” anchors, including Moeed Pirzada, Nasim Zehra, Naveen Naqvi, Mubashir Luqman and others, knew the figure themselves to be able to step in and correct their colleague. So, what does a simple google search reveal to be the fact? The US agreed in June 2009 to triple the rent of its base in Manas, Kyrgyzstan to $ 60 million, up from $ 17 million, PER YEAR.
The US also agreed to pay an additional $ 37 million to Kyrgyzstan to build new aircraft parking slots and storage areas, plus another $30 million for new navigation systems. That adds up to a grand total of $ 127 million in the first year and a recurrent payment per year of still $ 60 million only!
Here’s the link to a CBS news story [Kyrgyzstan Raises Rent On U.S. Air Base - New Deal Costs U.S. $60M Per Year For Use Of Key Central Asia Base For Afghanistan Shipments BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, June 23, 2009 http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/06/23/world/main5105784.shtml] one of many stories on the subject available on the internet, beyond the crazy right-wing dominated Pakistani blogs.[TEXT OF CBS NEWS IS AT THE END]
Where did Talat Hussain of Aaj get his figure of $ 700 million per year? Nobody knows. Maybe from his friends Shireen Mazari or Ahmed Quraishi—all purveyors of anti-US opinions with little regard for facts.
Kyrgyzstan Raises Rent On U.S. Air Base - New Deal Costs U.S. $60M Per Year For Use Of Key Central Asia Base For Afghanistan Shipments BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, June 23, 2009 - (AP) The United States has agreed to more than triple the rent it pays to continue use of an air base in Kyrgyzstan crucial to operations in Afghanistan, under a deal approved Tuesday by a Kyrgyz parliamentary committee. The accord continuing U.S. use of the Manas base as a "center of transit shipments" comes four months after the Central Asian nation ordered the eviction of U.S. troops. The deal appears to give U.S. forces unfettered access to transporting weaponry and ammunition via the base - providing a much-needed boost as the U.S.-led coalition ramps up operations against increasingly bold Taliban and al Qaeda fighters in Afghanistan.Foreign Minister Kadyrbek Sarbayev told lawmakers that, under the new one-year deal, rent will increase to $60 million per year from the current $17.4 million. Washington will also pay $37 million to build new aircraft parking slots and storage areas, plus another $30 million for new navigation systems.
The deal now goes to the full Kyrgyz parliament, where approval is possible by the end of the week.
The U.S. Embassy in Bishkek called the Kyrgyz government's decision a crucial boost for coalition forces.
"We applaud the decision by the Kyrgyz Republic to continue to play a key role as the international community broadens and deepens its commitment to bringing stability and security to Afghanistan and the region," spokeswoman Michelle Yerkin said.
President Kurmanbek Bakiyev stunned Washington in February by announcing that U.S. forces would be evicted from Manas, saying Washington wasn't paying enough and citing other concerns.
In addition to the annual rent, the base also contributes $150 million to the local economy every year through service contracts and aid packages, and around 600 locals are employed there, according to American officials.
As the Aug. 18 eviction date approached, however, Kyrgyz officials suggested they might reconsider.
The breakthrough deal followed a recent message sent by President Barack Obama that thanked Bakiyev for Kyrgyzstan's support of U.S.-led military operations in Afghanistan, according to Kyrgyz officials.
Kyrgyzstan is worried about the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and the possibility that it could destabilize the entire Central Asia region, the foreign minister told lawmakers Tuesday. It was a stark reversal of earlier official statements citing improving Afghan security as a reason for closing Manas.
Last week, Afghan leader Hamid Karzai asked Bakiyev to allow coalition forces to continue using Manas.
Militants have stepped up attacks on the main route for U.S. military supplies to Afghanistan through Pakistan - although the military maintains this has little impact on its operations.
Manas' outgoing commander said the past year has been the busiest for the base because of the situation in Afghanistan. Col. Christopher Bence said last week that 189,000 personnel had been sent to and from Afghanistan through Manas in the past year. There were 6,370 flights from the base, and it refueled aircraft with 204 million pounds of fuel, he said.
Strictly offensive missions from Manas may be phased out under the new agreement, though observers doubt the U.S. would have entirely agreed with that.
"At the moment, they are only talking about a transshipment of nonmilitary goods," said Paul Quinn-Judge, of the International Crisis Group. "But I would not be surprised ... if there was eventually a cosmetic agreement that allowed the U.S. to fly its tankers out of there."
U.S. forces have had access to Manas outside Bishkek since 2001. The base became even more important to the Afghan war effort after neighboring Uzbekistan evicted U.S. troops from a base there.
Bakiyev's eviction announcement in February came hours after Moscow pledged more than $2 billion in aid, loans and investment for Kyrgyzstan. Russia has long been wary of the U.S. presence in Central Asia, and U.S. officials suggested Moscow had pressured Bakiyev to kick out the Americans.
Russia also has an air base in Kyrgyzstan.
Analysts and opposition politicians have said recently that Russia might be linking its backing for the U.S. in Kyrgyzstan to other nettlesome issues in U.S.-Russian relations, such as NATO expansion into former Soviet republics or U.S. plans for placing a missile defense shield in Central Europe.
"This decision tells us that the Kyrgyz government is not in charge of its own foreign policy but is just a plaything in the hands of the Kremlin," said Bakyt Beshimov, leader of the opposition Social Democrat party faction. URL: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/06/23/world/main5105784.shtml
There is a difference between re-publishing the past history and running a propaganda campaign [Jang Group Alleges that Sindhi Nationalists in connivance with PPP has launched a Campaign against the incumbent CJSC's past history] to make everyone aware as to what happened in the past, these reporters are least bothered to check that whatever is published on this blog is only the repetition of what has already been published in the same newspapers about The PCO Judges under Martial Law. There is a difference between news/investigative report/column and Table Stories/Personal Opinion rather hate mongering and several key supporters of Musharraf's Military Regime/Military Establishment [for example Mr. Talat Hussain (Aaj TV/Expressnews), Mr. Shaheen Sehbai (Group Editor of The News International) and Mr. Ansar Abbasi (Editor Investigation The News International), Mr Kamran Khan, Mr Saleh Zaafir REFERENCE: Ansar Abbasi Praised Musharraf Martial Law, Article 6 & NAB Cases http://chagataikhan.blogspot.com/2009/11/ansar-abbasi-praised-musharraf-martial.html are indulged in this hate mongering against the Sindhi Community and Sindhi Culture name of Analysis and Investigative Journalism.
READ TALAT HUSSAIN RACIAL COMMENT AGAINST SINDHI COMMUNITY PUBLISHED IN 3 APRIL 2010 DAILY EXPRESS UNDERCAPTIONED "HATAMI MA'ARKA" [Final Showdown]
Whereas Talat Hussain and the reaily of Express News Network is as under: Talat Hussain, AAJ TV, "Ghairat - Honour" & Express News http://chagataikhan.blogspot.com/2009/12/talat-hussain-aaj-tv-ghairat-honour.html 'LIE' with Talat & Aaj TV Pakistan. http://chagataikhan.blogspot.com/2009/11/lie-with-talat-aaj-tv-pakistan.html
READ TALAT HUSSAIN RACIAL COMMENT AGAINST SINDHI COMMUNITY PUBLISHED IN 3 APRIL 2010 DAILY EXPRESS UNDERCAPTIONED "HATAMI MA'ARKA" [Final Showdown]
Whereas Talat Hussain and the reaily of Express News Network is as under: Talat Hussain, AAJ TV, "Ghairat - Honour" & Express News http://chagataikhan.blogspot.com/2009/12/talat-hussain-aaj-tv-ghairat-honour.html 'LIE' with Talat & Aaj TV Pakistan. http://chagataikhan.blogspot.com/2009/11/lie-with-talat-aaj-tv-pakistan.html
Haha. I think you have effectively made sure that Talat gets justice he deserves after writing this article.
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