Sunday, June 22, 2014

Operation Zarb-e-Azb: Now or Never.


Way back in the 80s when the US CIA Chief William Casey passed away , the former Afghan War Veteran and Incharge of Afghan Desk Brigadier ® Yousuf (Author of Bear Trap and former Information Secretary of Farooq Laghari’s Millat Party) opined that loss of William Casey is a blow to Afghan Jihad. In any war indoctrination, books, pamphlet play a key role and during Afghan War the CIA-ISI Duo made effective use of Indoctrination , the backbone of Afghan Jihad were of those who followed Ikhwanul Muslimoon and their violent ideology and that ideology was tapped to get the desired results. “The CIA used Uzbek Exile to translate such material in Uzbek Language and also translated Quran in Uzbek language to push it into the then Central Asian States and that was in 1984. William Casey wanted USSR to bleed as much like the USA bled in Vietnam and after the breakup of USSR we witnessed the rise of Islamic Extremists in the Central Asia. Pakistan was a conduit for such indoctrination, and such indoctrination was excessively done with Afghan Refugees and Mujahideen as well , for example "quote" “Math teachers use bullets as props to teach lessons in subtraction. This isn't their idea. During decades of war, the classroom has been the best place to indoctrinate young people with their duty to fight. Government-sponsored textbooks in Afghanistan are filled with violence. For years, war was the only lesson that counted. The Mujahideen, Afghanistan's freedom fighters, used the classroom to prepare children to fight the Soviet empire. The Russians are long gone but the textbooks are not. The Mujahideen had wanted to prepare the next generation of Afghans to fight the enemy, so pupils learned the proper clips for a Kalashnikov rifle, the weight of bombs needed to flatten a house, and how to calculate the speed of bullets. Even the girls learn it.” "un-quote"

Martyrs, Zbigniew Brzezinski, Dogs and Afghan Jihadists

 

Martyrs, Zbigniew Brzezinski, Dogs & Afghan... by SalimJanMazari


 Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU) was a semi criminal group using the name of Religion (earlier known as Adolat) to justify their existence because earlier they used to collect Extortion from Businessmen and Traders in Uzbekistan under the leadership of Juma Namangani (also served in USSR Army) with a firebrand Cleric Tahir Yuldashev, the organization was later banned in 1992 and Tahir Yuldashev & Jummah Khan Namangani both fled to Afghanistan where Jumma was killed in November 2001 after US Attack Afghanistan and Tahir joined the Warring resistance . Glasnost and Perestroika encouraged these Islamic Uzbeks and their movement even more after the dismemberment of USSR and the hasty withdrawal of USA and others after USSR defeat provided the Jingoist elements within Pakistan Army to use such elements in Kashmir and against rival Factions of Afghan Warlords during the Afghan Civil War after USSR withdrawal , using the rhetoric of Global Jihad proselytized by the Preachers like Dr Israr Ahmed , after the USSR withdrawal the Pro Jihadists elements within the army allegedly used these Uzbeks as Shock Troops against Ahmed Shah Masood or to be precise Northern Alliance and at some point they became associated with Osama Bin Laden and other Middle Eastern Financiers with Takfiri bent of minds and by 1999 they became allies of the Taliban. Islam Karimov ruthlessly wiped them out after they attacked him and his regime in the 90s after 911 it is well recorded as to how the Former Taliban and other Militants poured in Pakistan and became a menace for Pakistan rather an existential threat. Yuldashev became sole in commander In late 2001/early 2002 the IMU moved into South Waziristan, the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) of Pakistan. They appeared to have broken apart during these years, but the organization regrouped and periodically clashed with Pakistan’s armed forces.

How teenagers were lured by Taliban in Swat

 

How teenagers were lured by Taliban in Swat by SalimJanMazari


These clashes, in turn, caused a reaction from the local tribes in Waziristan, who had taken the IMU in as guests and bore the brunt of counterattacks from Pakistan’s armed forces. This may be kept in mind that many Central Asians and Arabs have married in the local Pashtun Tribes and borders between Afghanistan and Pakistan carry no meaning to them and we can also say that these Central Asian elements may have been used during Taliban War with Afghan Mujahideen Warlords and elsewhere e.g. Kashmir. Credible reports even suggest that even the Senior Leaders of Taliban, Al-Qaeda & other outfits were provided safe passage by the NATO/USA to conveniently settled in FATA, Pakistan with those tribes who were related with them by marriages. Uzbek are fierce fighters and fiercely loyal too they were in the inner sanctum of the Jihad Network of Al Qaeda and Osama Bin Laden and Ayman Al Zawahiri and also served as their personal bodyguards. In all this how these Outsiders became stakeholders in Pakistan and that is the question we should be aiming at , you see when Mullahs from Pulpit declare that Mulsims are one Ummah and Kufr is Millat-e-Wahida (means all Non-Muslims is one Nation) then its become tricky.



State Functions (even a Muslim State) in a very practical way out of the box, rules (even the harshest Islamic States like Saudi Arabia and Iran do this) are relaxed to pursuit the National Interest but the trouble in Pakistan is that certain lobbies in Pakistan (both in the Civil and Military Establishment and even Political Parties) always use the word “Ummah” and this very word is a music for Islamists from all over the world who then justify to settle in cosy Pakistan and declare their Global Jihad from Pakistan without even bothering to pay attention that Pakistan is a signatory of UN Charter (GOOD OR BAD) and such declarations are considered Declaration of War but here comes another trouble i.e. TV Evangelist who are Pakistanis and are provided ample time on TV Channels and space in national dailies and harp similar tunes without even bothering about the ground realities of the world.

Hakimullah Mehsud's Views on Pakistan Army, Pakistanis & Democracy

 

Hakimullah Mehsud's Views on Pakistan Army... by SalimJanMazari


The fact which is lost on Certain Belligerent Elements within Pakistani state is this that “Pakistan is a Nuclear State and repeated attacks on Strategic Assets by these Militants send wrong signals to the world” that Pakistan is an irresponsible state where the Religious Right can do whatever they like, e.g. defining Foreign Policy rather dictating it , often took out processions with the Models of Nuclear Bombs and Missile laced with Hate Placards and Banners against neighbuoring countries. This is not the end, these Militants are predominantly Sunnis with a Takfiri bent of mind particularly the Central Asians are hard-core Sunnis specifically the Uzbeks are historically rabidly Anti-Shia and in a diverse state like Pakistan such elements are recipe for the disaster when it is already riddled with Sectarian outfits at each others throats. The IMU was evicted in 2007 from South Waziristan to other parts of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) by Maulvi Nazir partly because Uzbek fighters offended local customs and acted like an “occupying” force in Pashtun territory . “quote” When the IMU joined Baitullah Mehsud’s faction of the Taliban, it had to accept Mehsud’s priorities, foremost of which was fighting the Pakistani state. It is a common knowledge that several mainstream parties and religious parties in Pakistan have their sympathies with these Jihadis and one doesn’t need the rocket science to calculate as to how the Uzbeks successfully operated and attacked Karachi Airport rather Pakistani Parliament was informed by its Federal Interior Minister in 2012 that Foreign Militants are in contact with Pakistani Militants and Banned Groups mostly concentrated in Punjab.



After every Terrorist incident in Pakistan, the State shows it resolves on paper and in press statement that culprits would be tackled with Iron fist and Terror would be wiped-out and within a day or two the things become normal i.e. Ostrich State of Pakistan bury its head in the sand. The Rulers be it Civilians or Military are out of touch with reality , the Military is still stuck in Cold War Narratives and the Civilian Leadership cannot think beyond assembly proceedings, point of order and privileged motion and worse are the Urdu Language newspapers and TV Channels who cannot see what is about to hit them all. There are still people in Pakistan who support talks with the Militant after brazen Terrorist attack on Karachi Airport, no harm in engaging Militants in Dialogues but with whom and on what conditions and our leaders conveniently forget that these Militants have sympathizers in several Jihadi, sectarian, Religio political parties even in mainstream parties, and surrendering before these Militants means we are allowing them to extend their role in Pakistani Politics which (if happens) would be disastrous, they have already caused immense damage to the tranquility, peace & tolerance in Pakistani society. If anybody is interested in dialogue with these Militants then only on one condition “surrender arms, windup militia, accept Pakistani Constitution and that is it. Period. And Dialogue with whom? Dialogue with those who openly accept responsibility of carrying out attack on our Prime Intelligence Agency ISI and dialogue with those who don’t even hesitate to use innocent children as cannon fodder Dialogue with those who attack our Police Training centre Pakistan is not located on Mars, it is very much part of this world and nor we live in isolation and imagine those who from Pakistani Soil Threatens World Powers e.g. To Launch Attack on White House, USA and what we have here that daily after 1900 hours our TV Channels are stormed with Retired Army Officers and Ideologues carrying Anti India rhetoric without having the slightest knowledge about India strategic ties with Saudi Arabia & China who as per us are our Friends but one must do some research about India excellent diplomacy on both fronts . More embarrassing it becomes when some Nut Job appears on our TV channels and talk non-stop non-sense on such issues as if Foreign Office Spokesman. A Former Governor of NWFP now KPK even went to the extent of declaring TTP Militants and others in KPK as Indian Agents and conveniently forget the deal he himself signed with these Yahoos and even more embarrassing is the fact that these very Militants who later become pain in the neck for Pakistan were “conveniently declared “Soldier of Peace” and our mainstream parties particularly those who are allies of some religious parties and those who are sympathetic towards these Militants , conveniently forget that these Militant are basically predominantly Sunni with a heavy tilt towards Salafi Interpretation who consider other Interpretation as Innovation in Islam and their tolerance for Minorities can be calculated by reading their material on mainstream Muslims (those who differ with them) Pakistani Security apparatus lack the required finesse to tackle with these Militants with less collateral damage (and attack on Karachi Airport, Mehran Base and GHQ all are witnesses) , Government should have owned the Drone wholeheartedly & officially instead of double talk Until & unless Militants accept Pakistani State Writ and surrender before Law, there won’t be any success, these Militants will always be a threat to the State and Peaceful and Tolerant Pakistani Way of Life, the way it was before this Grand Afghan Mess and Jihadi Foreign Policy.









Media both Electronic and Print is laced with poisonous content not only against Minorities but also against those who peacefully differ with these Extremists who are hell bent to start a Civil War in Pakistan. Pakistani Journalists and Anchorpersons, the so-called Defence Analysts and particularly the Mullahs they invite in their TV Shows leave no stone unturned to turn Pakistan into a big “Manazra Chowk”, the worst example is this that those Mullahs whose books are full of apostasy Fatwa against Rival Sects are often invited as a guests after every Sectarian killing to unite the so-called Pakistani Nation in the name of Islam whereas these Mullahs don’t even offer prayers behind each others. The worst moment for Pakistani Media was when a whole Media group created a situation which culminated in the brutal, calculated and planned murder of Former Punjab Governor Mr. Salman Taseer and later Pakistan’s Minority Minister Mr Shahbaz Bhatti , Pakistani Media (both Electronic and Print cannot absolve itself from these Brutal Murders. One of the leading Media Group through its TV Show incited people to murder the member of Ahmadi Community and no remorse at all. Difference of opinion with Quadiyanis, Ahmadis, Shias, Barelvis, Sunnis, Salafis and Deobandis is one thing but permission cannot be granted to attack each other lives, property and honour. The Pakistani State must intervene and put such Mullahs in order. Terrorist attack in Pakistan started after the Afghan Mess in 1979 and increased after War on Terror but we must not and cannot exclude Sectarian Attacks from Terrorism. Much has to do with State appeasement of these Mullahs who are used for the so-called Strategic Depths and become strategic curse for Pakistan but failure of our political class is also one of the reason, these political elites have completely dissociated themselves from lower middle class and have left the field open for Mullahs to encroach and do whatever they like. Finish them once and for all or be doomed.


Jang Group & GEO TV Murdered Salman Taseer (Abbas Athar BBC)

 

Jang Group & GEO TV Murdered Salman Taseer... by SalimJanMazari





References:

1 - Ghost Wars: The Secret History of the CIA, Afghanistan, and Bin Laden, from the Soviet Invasion to September 10, 2001 by Steve Coll



4 - Baitullah claims responsibility for Manawan attack Mar 31, 2009 http://www.dawn.com/news/453868/baitullah-claims-responsibility-for-manawan-attack 

5 - Analysis of Peace Agreements with Militants by Sohail Habib Tajik http://www.scribd.com/doc/173585821/Analysis-of-Peace-Agreements-with-Militants-by-Sohail-Habib-Tajik 

6 - Baitullah threatens attack on White House - Claims responsibility for Lahore and other attacks by Mushtaq Yusufzai Wednesday, April 01, 2009 http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=21258&Cat=13&dt=4/1/2009 

7 - India-Saudi Arabia ties get a boost » EDITORIAL March 2, 2014 http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/indiasaudi-arabia-ties-get-a-boost/article5743659.ece 

8 - China sending special envoy to India By The Newspaper's Correspondent Published May 30, 2014 http://www.dawn.com/news/1109446 

9 - Orakzai sees Indian hand in NWFP violence - Insists peace accords best way to overcome conflict in tribal areas by Rahimullah Yusufzai Sunday, September 23, 2007 http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=10270&Cat=13&dt=9%2F23%2F2007 


11 - Mehsud described as soldier of peace By Bureau Report Aug 07, 2005 http://www.dawn.com/news/151243/mehsud-described-as-soldier-of-peace 

12 - Pakistani Comprehension of History & Ideological and Political Crisis by Hassan Jafer Zaidi (in Urdu) 2009 http://www.adab-e-latif.com/html/feb09/9.html 

13 - Pakistani leadership ‘okayed’ drone attacks: Wikileaks By Agencies Dec 01, 2010 http://www.dawn.com/news/587800/pakistani-leadership-okayed-drone-attacks-wikileaks 


15 - Tale of a love affair that never was: United States-Pakistan Defence Relations Columnist Hamid Hussain analyses an ON and OFF affair. http://www.defencejournal.com/2002/june/loveaffair.htm 

16 - Are We to Blame for Afghanistan? by Chalmers Johnson 21-11-2004 Mr. Johnson's latest books are Blowback (Metropolitan, 2000) and The Sorrows of Empire (Metropolitan, 2004), the first two volumes in a trilogy on American imperial policies. The final volume is now being written. From 1967 to 1973, Johnson served as a consultant to the CIA's Office of National Estimates. http://hnn.us/article/8438 

17 - War in Afghanistan and the Mujahideen 1979-2000 http://www.fsmitha.com/h2/ch33trof4.htm 

18 - INDEPTH: AFGHANISTAN Back to school in Afghanistan CBC News Online | January 27, 2004 The National | Airdate: May 6, 2002 Reporter: Carol Off | Producer: Heather Abbott | Editor: Catherine McIsaac http://www.cbc.ca/news2/background/afghanistan/schools.html 

19 - The Goals of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan and Its Impact on Central Asia and the United States by Mr. Matthew Stein http://fmso.leavenworth.army.mil/documents/IMU-Goals.pdf 

20 - 42 Uzbeks among 58 dead: Fierce clashes in S. Waziristan Mar 21, 2007 http://www.dawn.com/news/238481/42-uzbeks-among-58-dead-fierce-clashes-in-s-waziristan 

21 - Uzbek militant leader killed in drone attack By Bureau Report Oct 02, 2009 http://www.dawn.com/news/493937/uzbek-militant-leader-killed-in-drone-attack%20. 

22 - The New Frontier By Owais Tohid 15 APRIL 2004 http://www.newslinemagazine.com/2004/04/the-new-frontier/ 

23 - The Warrior Tribes By Owais Tohid 15 APRIL 2004 http://www.newslinemagazine.com/2004/04/the-warrior-tribes/ 

24 - ANNALS OF NATIONAL SECURITY THE GETAWAY Questions surround a secret Pakistani airlift. BY SEYMOUR M. HERSH JANUARY 28, 2002 http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2002/01/28/020128fa_FACT 

25 - Al Qaeda's Uzbek bodyguards By Owais Tohid, SEPTEMBER 28, 2004 http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0928/p06s01-wosc.html 

26 - Punjab banned outfits in contact with Uzbek militants, NA told By Dawn News Dec 18, 2012 http://www.dawn.com/news/772230/punjab-banned-outfits-in-contact-with-uzbek-militants-na-told

27 - The Indigenization of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan Publication: Terrorism Monitor Volume: 10 Issue: 2January 26, 2012 01:01 PM Age: 2 yrs By: Jacob Zenn. 

28 - Who are the IMU? By Aamir Mughal http://www.dawn.com/news/1114008

29 - LAHORE: Qazi Hussain Ahmed, left, chief of Jamat-i-Islami, Pakistan's right-wing religious party, hands over a cheque for Rs 10 million (about $ 185,000) in Lahore, on Monday, from the party fund to Zelimkhan Yandarbiyev, former president of Chechnya, for the militants fighting against the Russian army. — AP/PTI Wednesday, February 16, 2000, Chandigarh, India http://www.tribuneindia.com/2000/20000216/world.htm
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Monday, June 16, 2014

The Musharraf Saga


The question is actually of Civil-Military Imbalance and this is the issue which must be addressed by the Military and Civilians both, otherwise Pakistan will go around in circles.  Trying Musharraf for Treason is good but wait, did Musharraf commit treason in November 2007 by imposing emergency or did he commit treason on 12 October 1999 ? If we try Musharraf for the unconstitutional steps he took in 2007 then the ultimate question would be : How did he reach to 2007 ? Should we just forget the period from 1999 to 2007 wherein not only Musharraf but the Judiciary and other Generals were also involved with him along with several PCOs. Also, how would we define the General Elections of 2002 which were held under the military regime watch of Musharraf? And since he was the COAS from 1999 to 2007 , where would we put the legislation done between 1999 to 2007? and also, what about the 2008 Elections which were conducted by the then retired General Pervez Musharraf ?


Our political parties, for the very sake of politics, pressurized the government of Mr Nawaz Sharif to hold Musharraf accountable for Treason even though the parties themselves brokered deals with Musharraf during all these years, for example NRO and the MMA Coalition government with General Pervez Musharraf between 2002 to 2007. Even during the peak of War on Terror, the religious parties were allies of the General Pervez Musharraf manufactured Pakistan Muslim League (Q) . As a nation we have very short memories, because the biggest media house in Pakistan which insisted upon trying Pervez Musharraf alone is forgetting what they used to publish in 1999 before the Martial Law and even after it, they justified Pervez Musharraf’s 12 Oct 1999 Military coup. Even Benazir Bhutto praised General Pervez Musharraf as a Professional Soldier in 1999.


 Leading Muslim League (Nawaz) leaders had been provided relief by the Military Regime of Pervez Musharraf, and that must not have been without guarantees. Above all, how can we forget the reply of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry to the SC for the events of March 2007 wherein he also blamed the ISI Chief (without taking his name ) claiming that he insisted that the CJ resign. People joined PML (N) after they saw that Musharraf’s days are numbered. The very same people supported Musharraf throughout the period between 2002 to 2007, so much so that the leaders of PML Q who are now in PML N were brazenly supporting the alleged Military Dictator even when Musharraf resigned. They were the ones who wrongly blamed Mr Nawaz Sharif for the Kargil debacle. My humble suggestion would be to establish a Commission on Martial Law , bury this chapter once and for all, initiate a debate on Civil Military Imbalance and move on. The government is already busy on multiples fronts and if we insist on trying General Pervez Musharraf alone, there would be so much fuss that the government won’t be able to control the fallout. Reference: THE MUSHARRAF SAGA June 16, 2014 BY Aamir Mughal http://thewordtheatre.com/2014/06/16/the-musharraf-saga/

Source/References:


1 - Ex-CGS gives more facts about Army-US relations News Desk Tuesday, September 16, 2008 http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=136075&Cat=2&dt=9/16/2008

2 - GHQ had strongly opposed handing over Pakistanis to US - Ex-CGS says Musharraf allowed US drones despite top commanders’ opposition by Ansar Abbasi Sunday, September 14, 2008 http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=17248&Cat=13&dt=9/14/2008

3 - Five judges elevated to SC Bureau Report Week Ending : 5 February 2000 Issue : 06/05 https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/spa/zohkohb0i282t94/Area%20Studies/public/SouthAsia/SAserials/Dawn/2000/05feb00.html#five


5 - Chaudhry Iftikhar named new CJ May 08, 2005 http://www.dawn.com/news/138344/chaudhry-iftikhar-named-new-cj

6 - World: South Asia Pakistan's coup: Why the army acted Wednesday, October 13, 1999 Published at 23:20 GMT 00:20 UK http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/473297.stm

7 - Benazir blames Nawaz for Army take-over Week Ending : 16 October 1999 Issue : 05/42 https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/spa/zohkohb0i282t94/Area%20Studies/public/SouthAsia/SAserials/Dawn/1999/16oct99.html#bena

8 - Benazir says she has nothing to hide from probe Week Ending : 23 October 1999 Issue : 05/43 https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/spa/zohkohb0i282t94/Area%20Studies/public/SouthAsia/SAserials/Dawn/1999/23oct99.html#says

9 - Mushahid freed: aims to unite PML BY Ihtashamul Haque Week Ending : 30 December 2000 Issue : 06/50 https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/spa/zohkohb0i282t94/Area%20Studies/public/SouthAsia/SAserials/Dawn/2000/dec3000.html#mush

10 - CJ says chiefs of MI, ISI asked him to quit: Affidavit on March 9 camp office event By Iftikhar A. Khan May 30, 2007 http://www.dawn.com/news/249454/cj-says-chiefs-of-mi-isi-asked-him-to-quit-affidavit-on-march-9-camp-office-even

11 - Musharraf 'most popular leader': Azeem October 13, 2006 http://archives.dailytimes.com.pk/national/13-Oct-2006/musharraf-most-popular-leader-azeem

12 - Musharraf will not leave Pakistan: Azeem August 20, 2008 http://archives.dailytimes.com.pk/national/20-Aug-2008/musharraf-will-not-leave-pakistan-azeem

13 - OFFICIAL COUNTERPOINT:Kargil, Nawaz Sharif and Allah —by Tariq Azim Khan 28 July 2004 http://archives.dailytimes.com.pk/editorial/28-Jul-2004/official-counterpoint-kargil-nawaz-sharif-and-allah-tariq-azim-khan

14 - Sharif removed Musharraf after a phone call: Gen Butt Oct 12, 2010 http://www.dawn.com/news/848878/sharif-removed-musharraf-after-a-phone-call-gen-butt
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Sunday, June 8, 2014

Hate Speech in Pakistan and Misplaced Priorities in Pakistan



ISLAMABAD: Facebook has blocked the popular page of a liberal Pakistani rock band and others that criticise the Taliban, allegedly at the request of the government. Rock band “Laal” was formed in 2007 and their Facebook page has more than 400,000 likes, with users frequently joining debates on issues ranging from feminism to the role of the army in politics. But it has been inaccessible to users from inside Pakistan since Wednesday. Other pages like “Pakistani.meem” which describes itself as pro-democracy and secularism and “Taalibansarezalimans” have similarly been blocked in recent days. “Facebook didn’t even inform us. I realised when I noticed no activity on our page,” Taimur Rahman, Laal’s lead guitarist, said. Facebook confirmed the move on Friday, saying Laal’s page had been blocked inside Pakistan at Islamabad’s request, under an agreement to limit access to “material that violates local laws”. A Facebook spokeswoman said: “While we never remove this type of content from the site entirely, like most internet services, we may restrict people from accessing it in the countries where it is determined to be illegal. “Before we restrict the content, we take significant steps to investigate each unique claim, consult with local counsel and other experts in the country, and will only remove content in the most limited way possible,” she added. According to a page on Facebook that deals with government requests, 162 pieces of content were restricted for viewership inside Pakistan between July and December 2013. “We restricted access in Pakistan to a number of pieces of content primarily reported by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority and the Ministry of Information Technology under local laws prohibiting blasphemy and criticism of the state,” the page says. Pakistan blocked YouTube in 2012 following the release of a film that was critical of Islam. Websites for Baloch separatist movements are also banned. Shahzad Ahmad, director of the Bytes For All organisation that campaigns for free speech, said: “The is a mass murder of free speech in Pakistan.” Yasser Latif Hamdani, a lawyer, added: “This is a grave mistake by Facebook. Also for the Pakistani government to make such requests is illegal and unconstitutional.” Pakistan’s agreement with Facebook came to light last year when a senior official from the PTA was summoned by the Lahore High Court in a case concerning the YouTube ban, but its terms have not been made public. Reference: Rock band’s Facebook page blocked at govt request By AFP https://www.dawn.com/news/1111163/rock-bands-facebook-page-blocked-at-govt-request

Banning Dr. Taimur Rahman and Others in Pakistan (Awaam - 7th June 2014)

 

Banning Dr. Taimur Rahman & Others in Pakistan... by SalimJanMazari


 LAHORE: Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid said here on Sunday that the ban on YouTube would be lifted soon because a software had been developed for blocking content that hurt people’s sentiments. The video sharing website was blocked in September 2012 after its administration and Google Incorporation refused to comply with a request by Pakistan and some other Muslim countries to remove a blasphemous video from the site. About the demand for checking broadcast of foreign content by some private TV channels, Mr Rashid asked civil society, owners of media houses and professionals to come up with proposals for resolving the issue because any step taken by the government could be construed as an attempt to gag the media. He said that he feared that discretionary powers could open the door to misuse of authority by officials. REFERENCE: YouTube ban to be lifted soon By The Newspaper's Staff Reporter Published Mar 17, 2014 http://www.dawn.com/news/1093717

Ansar Abbasi and  GEO TV on Swat Girl Flogging

 
Ansar Abbasi & GEO TV & Swat Girl Flogging by SalimJanMazari


Recently the Media Regulatory Authority in Pakistan PEMRA has slapped a ban on GEO TV and subsequently the GEO TV sued Ministry of Defence and ISI http://www.dawn.com/news/1110985/geo-news-sues-isi-for-defamation , Only in Pakistan that Journalists and Media Houses Obstruct Access to Information and not only that they hurl command as to what should Pakistanis read, watch and listen and the same Media Group raise hue and cry when they are at receiving end . 2012 On Saturday, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority directed local Internet service providers to make YouTube accessible. But by the afternoon, Geo, a private television news network that wields immense influence, reported that anti-Islam and blasphemous material was still available on YouTube. The criticism was led by Ansar Abbasi, a right-leaning journalist who often speaks out on morality and religion. Yielding to the criticism, Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf then ordered providers to again block access to the video-sharing site. The flip-flop drew an immediate rebuke from users and led to a flurry of jokes on Twitter about the government’s dithering and backtracking. “YouTube is a huge convenience for users, who benefit from it for educational as well as entertainment purposes,” Zubair Kasuri, the editor of Flare, a Karachi-based telecommunications magazine, said in a telephone interview. Mr. Kasuri expressed surprise over the government’s failure to install an effective firewall mechanism despite having months to do so. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/30/world/asia/youtube-ban-lifted-in-pakistan-for-3-minutes.html?_r=0
Quite an Irony that Pakistan Telecommunication Authority doesn't object on several venom spitting sectarian websites in Pakistan but suggest rather arbitrary ban Harmless Laal , Taimur Rahman and many other and even more amazing that Fedral IT Minister Ms Anusha Rahman suggestion that Council Of Islamic Ideology must be consulted on You Tube Ban whereas the same Council also encourages Child Marriage and if we accept Anusha's argument then we must also follow CII on Child Marriage in letter and spirit http://www.dawn.com/news/1107849

Taliban Journalists of Pakistan

 
Taliban Journalists of Pakistan by SalimJanMazari


Several activists questioned why Facebook had not blocked other Pakistani pages that incite sectarian violence, religious extremism or hatred against minorities. As examples, they pointed to pages administrated by supporters of Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat, a notorious sectarian groups that has supported attacks on Shiites; the sectarian militant group Lashkar e Jhangvi;and the Red Mosque, where a violent stand-off between extremists and government forces in 2007 left over 100 people dead, and where a recently opened library is named for Osama bin Laden. “These pro-Taliban pages are spewing hatred, and we are the people they shut down,” said Mr. Taimur Rahman , the singer. “It’s insanity.” REFERENCE: Facebook Under Fire for Temporarily Blocking Pages in Pakistan By DECLAN WALSH and SALMAN MASOODJUNE 6, 2014 http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/07/world/asia/pakistan-facebook-blocked-users-from-political-pages-and-outspoken-rock-band-laal-against-taliban-.html

How Dr Aamir Liaquat Hussain AND GEO TV Incited Masses (BBC Urdu)



How Dr Aamir Liaquat Hussain & GEO TV Incited... by SalimJanMazari


Pakistan Hate Speech Report 2014 by Bytes For All http://www.scribd.com/doc/228566361/Pakistan-Hate-Speech-Report-2014-by-Bytes-For-All Bytes for All : URL : “Hate speech: A study of Pakistan’s cyberspace http://content.bytesforall.pk/sites/default/files/Pakistan_Hate_Speech_Report_2014.pdf



Jang Group and GEO TV Murdered Salman Taseer (Abbas Athar BBC)

 
Jang Group & GEO TV Murdered Salman Taseer... by SalimJanMazari

 ’یہ قاتل میڈیا ہے‘ آخری وقت اشاعت: پير 10 جنوری 2011
http://www.bbc.co.uk/urdu/multimedia/2011/01/110110_abbas_athar_media_taseer_uk.shtml?bw=bb&mp=wm&news=1&ms3=22&ms_javascript=true&bbcws=2


Karachi, June 07, 2014: The uncontrolled spread of hate speech on the Internet and social media is reaching dangerous levels, threatening society on many levels. The first detailed research into online hate speech in the Pakistan context – “Hate speech: A study of Pakistan’s cyberspace” – was launched today at Avari Towers, in Karachi. Jahanzaib Haque, Editor, Dawn.com and author of the 63-page study presented the principle findings and recommendations, which consisted of two independent phases of research - an online survey on hate speech responded to by 559 Pakistani Internet users, as well as a detailed content analysis of published material and comments – both textual and iconographic – on high impact, high reach Facebook pages and Twitter accounts frequented by local audiences. [Key findings can be found on page 2 below]. Haque says “The need for such a study was paramount, given the real world impact online hate speech is having in Pakistan, whether that be the well-organized anti-Malala campaign online, how social media fueled sectarian divides during the Rawalpindi riots, the arrest of a professor on grounds of alleged blasphemy for posts run on Facebook, and even the most recent online campaign of hate against media persons. Clearly the issue needs to be addressed, but without regressive action such as state-led censorship and bans.” The event was attended by parliamentarians, leading media practitioners, journalists, human rights activists, civil society, researchers and major stakeholders in the online space. A panel discussion on the issue included Ch. Muhammad Sarfaraz, Deputy Director FIA, Cyber Crime Circle Lahore, Senator Saeed Ghani, Pakistan People's Party Parliamentarian (PPP-P), Faisal Sherjan, Director Strategy and Planning at Jang Group, Barrister Salahuddin Ahmed, President, Karachi Bar Association, and Gul Bukhari, B4A Gender Programme Manager. “We at Bytes for All hold Freedom of Expression very dear as an inviolable fundamental human right, but often see it being fettered in false paradigms of morality, security, national interest or even hate speech,” says Shahzad Ahmad, Country Director, Bytes for All Pakistan. “For the reason that speech is regularly gagged in Pakistan under these guises, and the fact that hate speech is the only real threat to Freedom of Expression, we felt it important to study online hate speech in Pakistan, to define it using the best standards, and obtain some idea of its incidence in the country. This is important to ensure hate speech becomes clearly defined, and not confused with national security, religious sentiment, morality or decency.” Ahmad further adds that, “We are proud to say this study is the first of its kind in Pakistan, and will form the basis for many more such studies to take this important work further. Much work in the coming years has to be done in this area to ensure that this threat does not impinge upon the freedoms we hold so dear.” REFERENCE: Press Release: Bytes For All launches Hate Speech: A study of Pakistan’s cyberspace posted by Admin on Sat, 06/07/2014 - 14:19 http://content.bytesforall.pk/node/134
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