2009: Saturday, September 05, 2009: MQM was established to counter Sindhi nationalists: Beg - LAHORE: Former army chief Mirza Aslam Beg said on Friday the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) was established as a political measure to counter the Sindhi nationalist movement following the hanging of PPP founder Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. Talking to a private TV channel, Beg said the MQM did not exist before 1978 and was established on the directions of General Ziaul Haq, then military ruler, only to counter Sindhi nationalists who had lost Bhutto after Zia’s military coup. He said the caretaker government under Ghulam Ishaq Khan had decided to support the Islami Jamhoori Ittehad (IJI) to counter the PPP in order to balance the political atmosphere. “I think the formation of the IJI was a right decision at the time,” he said. Beg said the IJI were the only means that could create a strong opposition at the time. He said former president Pervez Musharraf had created and supported the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) and the PML-Q to prolong his term in office, but no one had pointed that out. Beg said he believed the Bahawalpur plane crash that killed Gen Ziaul Haq was “sabotage”. REFERENCE: MQM was established to counter Sindhi nationalists: Beg Daily Times Monitor
Saturday, September 05, 2009 http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2009%5C09%5C05%5Cstory_5-9-2009_pg7_4
Nonetheless, after the PPP’s victory, the ISI never ceased trying to
unseat Benazir Bhutto. In October 1989, at the instigation of Hamid Gul
and in an operation named Midnight Jackals, the ISI tried to sway PPP
members of the National Assembly to back a no-confidence vote against
Bhutto and managed to convince the Mohajir Quami Movement (MQM; its name was changed later to Muttahida Quami Movement) to switch its support from the PPP to the opposition. The Mohajir Quami Movement (MQM) emerged on the Pakistani political scene in March 1984 from among the cadres of the former graduates of the University of Karachi known as the All Pakistan Mohajir Students’ Organization, which had been established in June 1978. Soon the new organization became a force to reckon with in Karachi, thanks to the availability of weapons owing to the Afghan war and the
encouragement of the intelligence agencies, which were trying to curtail the influence of the PPP and Sindhi nationalists. Although it owed its political existence largely to the military and the generous support of the ISI, the MQM has also been the target of the agency at times. When it became troublesome in the urban centers of Sindh in the late 1980s, the ISI armed some of the Sindhi nationalist
groups to fight the mohajirs and later managed to create a split within the
MQM itself. In December 1991, three dissidents of the MQM—Afaq Ahmad, Aamir Khan, and Badar Iqbal—received the support of the ISI, then led by Lieutenant General Asad Durrani, the idea being that “the MQM could be brought to heel only by terrorizing the terrorists.” The now two MQM groups soon were at loggerheads. The split was followed soon thereafter by a direct confrontation between the Altaf faction and the army. In 1992, the army extended an operation initially aimed at dacoits (bands of armed robbers) in rural Sindh to cities known to be MQM strongholds. Subsequently the MQM was forced by the military and the ISI to withdraw from contesting the 1993 national elections. This marked the beginning of the degeneration of the organization. By 1994, the MQM was no more than a label for a number of gangs
loosely hanging together. Violence constantly increased, claiming a thousand lives in 1994 alone. Peace was progressively brought back to Karachi by Interior Minister Nasrullah Babar in 1996. MQM continued to decline as a consequence. REFERENCES : ISI and the MQM: A Case Study - Reforming the Intelligence Agencies in Pakistan’s Transitional Democracy Frédéric Grare http://www.carnegieendowment.org/files/pakistan_intelligence_transitional_democracy.pdf
In 1990, Brig Saeed said, the MQM had quit the ruling coalition and PPP workers resorted to taking revenge from MQM for their political betrayal through the use of force. The MQM reacted even more violently through their armed political workers. PPP, MQM, PPI, JI and JSM activists were relentlessly killing each other. The daily death toll was 100-110. PSF, APMSO, IJT and JSQM had held activists of their rivals hostage and committed horrendous and inhuman atrocities on them like drilling holes in knee joints and burning their delicate parts with electric soldering machines.
Brig Saeed said he had held meetings with late MQM leaders Tariq Azeem, Dr lmran Farooq and Saleem Shahzad, Prof Ghafoor of JI, Dr Hameeda Khuhro and Mumtaz Bhotto of JSF, Abdul Waheed Aresar of JSQM and Mukhtar Awan of PPI and gave them a strong message that if they did not stop killing, arson and looting, the army would be forced to step in to restore peace. Initially, the belligerent forces denied their involvement in the unlawful activities, but when irrefutable evidence of their crimes was produced, they took the warning more seriously. Within one week killings reduced drastically from 100-110 a day to 20-30, the statement said. REFERENCE: Asghar Khan case verdict: An interesting peek into minds of then military bosses http://dawn.com/2012/11/09/sc-verdict-in-the-asghar-khan-case-an-interesting-peek-into-minds-of-then-military-bosses/
13 spymasters gather to stare at each other ISLAMABAD, Oct 8 It was an unusual dinner hosted by Javed Noor, the chief of the Intelligence Bureau, at a “safe house” of the civilian spy agency that brought together 13 former spymasters of the country. Sources told Dawn News television channel that none of the former spymasters opened up as they were probably suspicious of each other. The dinner, in sector F-7 of the federal capital, was arranged at a time when cracks are visible in civil-military relationship over the Kerry-Lugar legislation, but one of the participants insisted that during the entire evening none of the participants discussed this issue. The sources said that all the spymasters sat on sofas in a relatively big hall. At first soup was served as an appetiser.
No reason was given for this unusual gathering, but a source present at the dinner said the present Director-General of IB, Javed Noor, who is a grade 22 officer of the Police Service of Pakistan (PSP), arranged this dinner in the hope of setting a new tradition. No such get-together had happened in the IB`s 62-year-long history.
The gathering brought together a number of important characters who have been privy to some of the defining moments in the nation`s turbulent past. Perhaps the most well-known among them was Brigadier (retired) Ejaz Shah, who is regarded as one of the closest friends of former president Pervez Musharraf. Many believe that he had played a vital role in bailing out Mr Musharraf in the recent past, especially in the face of calls for his trial under article six of the Constitution.
Ejaz Shah`s presence at the meeting was significant for another reason — he was the man accused by the late Benazir Bhutto of hatching conspiracies against her. According to sources, Ejaz Shah spent most of his time with Col (retired) Iqbal Niazi. However, he also met Major Masud Sharif Khatak, another former IB chief who served under the second Benazir government. Mr Sharif is now being ignored by the Pakistan People`s Party simply because of criticising the party`s role during the pro-judiciary movement. When this correspondent approached Ejaz Shah, he refused to divulge any information about the dinner or his past role, saying he was bound by the official secrets act. The sources said that Masud Sharif shared a sofa with Maj-Gen (retired) Talat Munir, who served under the Musharraf government until Oct 2002 — when a civilian set-up was established after the general election. The man to succeed him was Col (retired) Bashir Wali, who was Mir Zafarullah Jamali`s nominee for the chief. The sources said Bashir Wali, who was replaced by Ejaz Shah, met all the participants, but avoided chatting up Ejaz Shah.
Most of the time he was seen talking with his old friend, Col (retired) Iqbal Niazi, another ex-IB chief who had served under Nawaz Sharif. Dr Shoaib Suddle, the incumbent`s predecessor, also graced the occasion. Best known for honesty and uncompromising nature, Dr Suddle is currently serving as federal tax ombudsman.
He used the opportunity by sharing memories with Chaudhry Manzoor, another spymaster who headed the intelligence bureau during the premiership of Nawaz Sharif. REFERENCE: 13 spymasters gather to stare at each other By Azaz Syed http://archives.dawn.com/archives/44377
Brig (retired) Imtiaz Ahmed, aka Billa, who recently grabbed headlines by making revelations on television about the wheeling and deal during the 1990s, also attended the dinner. Imtiaz relived the past with Masud Sharif. Both of them refused to make any disclosure. Brig Imtiaz, who was IB chief during the first Nawaz Sharif government, sat beside Maj-Gen Rafiullah Niazi, the man who replaced Masud Sharif and put him behind bars. Rafiullah Niazi was probably the only individual present at the dinner who had two stints as chief of the intelligence agency _ once under Nawaz Sharif and later under Pervez Musharraf. The sources said an interesting moment came when Col (retired) Iqbal Niazi, who headed the IB when Gen Musharraf overthrew the Nawaz government on Oct 12, 1999, came across Rafiullah Niazi, who replaced the former on that fateful day. Gen (retired) Niazi is known for passing on a controversial intelligence report about the first US missile attacks in Balochistan to prime minister Nawaz Sharif and was removed later. He again took over after Mr Nawaz`s removal. Last but not least, a word about the menu. Chinese cuisine dominated the table. But rice, kebabs, chicken boti and kheer were also present to lend a local flavour. The dinner ended with the serving of green tea. Most of the invitees were seen lighting their favourite brands of cigarette. REFERENCE: 13 spymasters gather to stare at each other By Azaz Syed http://archives.dawn.com/archives/44377
Bete´ noire´ - Something especially hated or dreaded; a bugbear. It has become an obnoxious habit amongst several leading Pakistani Private TV Channel News Anchors/Correspondents to create an imaginary threat and take a cover behind that imaginary threat to fulfill their own agenda e.g. that MQM is a Threat whereas the same Media whenever it desires "ruthlessly" attack MQM at will. Media Barons have created an imaginary threat to hide their own nefarious agenda whereas an alleged Islamist Newspaper of Karachi i.e. Daily Ummat usually publish extremely fiery rather outright Hateful news reports against the MQM in the same Karachi which is considered a dangerous city for reporting on MQM. Go through the contents of the last one week of Daily Ummat (which is allegedly Islamist too) and you may find Daily Ummat as if it is a pamphlet of a Nationalist party whereas the same Daily Ummat can hardly be quoted on Rinkle Kumari, Minorities, Misuse of Blasphemy Law and above all on Islamic Extremists rather if one may search the archives of Daily Ummat then it would emerge that the newspaper is rather outright opponent of any kind of Ethnic Politics. Jang Group/Geo TV/The News International is another joke in the name of Newspaper/TV Channel where Opinion and Conspiracy Theories are usually placed as "Super Head Line". Pakistan is passing through worst times but Media Barons are least bothered, and all they are interested in is Rating even if they can get through igniting Civil War in the country where Political Polarization has reached on a threshold where even a minor slip can put Pakistan's sovereignty in doldrums and Jang Group/GEO TV is very fond of inciting Ethnic and Sectarian Hatred via their newspaper Daily Jang's Opinion page and its Third Class News Channel GEO TV specifically the 24/7 news tickers they relay are nothing but hate mongering , here is a glimpse from WikiLeaks.
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2. Summary: Post believes the time has come to end the contract the BBG holds with “GEO TV Network” and move it to a responsible organization. GEO is owned by the “Jang Group,” a multimedia corporation owning Urdu and English language newspapers and magazines and Urdu television stations in all major media markets in Pakistan, with cable TV contracts in the United States and elsewhere. While claiming to be moderate and neutral to USG policies, the “Jang Group” recently has increased its criticism of the USG and its policies, has engaged in anti-Semitic behavior and has specifically targeted the Ahmadi religious minority group in a television program that resulted in the death of two (including one Amcit) Ahmadis.
3. We have evidence the Jang Group is consciously publishing and broadcasting false and inflammatory stories, without regard to the fact that they could encourage violence against Americans or against U.S. interests. It is purposefully using the reach of its television network to amplify unchecked hate speech and promote violence in a brazen attempt to uphold or even increase its market share in a down economy. Post requests that the BBG cancel its contract to disseminate VOA programming through GEO. [End summary]
4. The “Jang Group” is a multimedia corporation owning Urdu and English language newspapers, magazines, and television stations in all major media markets in Pakistan with a country-wide reach.
Founded at the end of the Second World War by Mir Khalil ur Rehman. The company consists of three groups: Independent Newspapers Corporation (Pvt) Limited, News Publications (Pvt) Limited, and Independent Media Corporation (Pvt) Limited.
5. The Group Chairman and Executive Director is Mir Javed ur Rehman, the eldest son of founder Mir Khalil ur Rehman. The Group Chief Executive and Editor in Chief is his younger brother, Mir Shakil ur Rehman. The Group Editor is Mehmood Shaam (Karachi).
6. The Independent Newspapers Corporation (Pvt) Limited owns the daily Urdu language “Jang” with editions issued in Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Quetta, Multan, and London. It has a combined estimated circulation of 300,000 plus (the largest in the country). Other papers owned by group include the Urdu daily “Awaz” (Lahore), evening Urdu daily “Awam” (Karachi), evening Urdu daily “Inqilaab” (Lahore), Urdu weekly “Akhbar-e-Jehan” (Karachi), English weekly “MAG” (Karachi), and the website www.jang.com.pk.
7. News Publications (Pvt) Limited owns the English daily “The News,” with editions issued in Karachi, Islamabad, and Lahore. Its combined daily estimated circulation is 50,000.
8. Independent Media Corporation (Pvt) Limited owns Urdu language “GEO TV Network.” The satellite TV channel is headquartered in Dubai, UAE, with studios and offices in Karachi, Islamabad, and Lahore. “GEO TV Network” started in 2002 with its flagship “GEO TV,” later branching into two channels “GEO News” and “GEO Entertainment” (dramas, sitcoms, etc.). It has subsequently launched “GEO Super” (24-hour sports), “Aag” (24-hour music) and international editions including GEO UK, GEO USA, GEO Middle East, GEO Canada, GEO Europe, and GEO Japan. The Chief Executive is Mir Ibrahim Rehman (based in Karachi), the son of Mir Shakil ur Rehman and the President is Imran Aslam (Karachi).
9. Post has watched with growing concern, as “Jang Group” media entities have grown more irresponsible running erroneous and clearly unsubstantiated stories against not only USG policies and the Embassy, but also a minority religious group in Pakistan, as well as espousing anti-Semitic rhetoric. While initially this could be seen as a flexing of new found media freedoms allowed under former President Musharraf — and continued under newly-elected President Zardari – we now believe these stories are intentional and put our people at risk. The Group’s outlets have frequently been the only media outlets in Pakistan to run, without modification or qualification, releases put out by the Taliban.
Among the more egregious acts:
– On August 27, 2008, Jang Group papers ran a story claiming all USAID offices in the FATA had closed due to a threat from Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan. Not only was the story a fabrication, but it also made baseless inflammatory accusations claiming Blackwater USA was handling security and identifying an American Peshawar Consulate employee as a Jew, stating that as a Jew he should close down his offices there, “since the presence of Jewish officials in FATA would not be tolerated in any case.” ISLAMABAD 00003712 002 OF 003
– On September 7, 2008, “GEO TV Network” aired the program “Aalim Online.” The date coincided with the anniversary of a change in Pakistan’s constitution in 1974 that officially classified the Ahmadis as “non-Muslims.” The host Dr. Aamir Liaquat Hussain egged on guests about the Ahmadis. One guest responded that, “As long as this sedition is alive and even one (Ahmadi) remains on this earth, there is a need to eliminate it.” Two other guests used the Arabic phrase “Wajb-ul-Qatal (duty to kill) to describe those who believe in the Ahmadi doctrine. Dr. Hussain did not intervene to moderate the views, and in his closing statement belittled the Ahmadi founder and agreed in essence with the guests’ contention that his followers were not true Muslims. No member of the Ahmadi community was invited to speak. Two prominent Ahmadi leaders, one of them an American citizen, were murdered in Pakistan shortly after the program was televised.
– After the September 20, 2008 Marriott Hotel bombing, English language paper “The News” ran a series of baseless pieces attempting to blame the bombing on the U.S., claiming that Post had been using the hotel as a base of operations for “hundreds” of “Marines,” carrying on about steel boxes that had been moved in and out of the hotel under cover of night. When those stories petered out, it claimed that the fire that raged throughout the night of the bombing, was started by chemicals in the guest room of the one of the Americans who died in the blast. None of this was ever substantiated in any way, yet ran on the front page of the paper and was echoed by “GEO TV.”. Few of these stories were picked up by any of the other media, and completely ignored by the international press here.
– On October 23, 2008, Post’s Information Officer received a call at 2200 on the mobile telephone he reserves for press calls from someone who would not identify himself, but claimed that he had just driven by the IO’s residence, saw there were cars there, and asked if he had not been invited to a reception. The individual then asked about a resolution that had recently been passed by the Pakistani parliament, and then asked to speak to the Ambassador.
The IO was then asked about a “Daniel Pearl Lecture” he had heard the IO conducted in Karachi earlier in the week, and then inquired if the IO was Jewish. The subsequent story in “The News” took the IO’s comments out of context in a clear effort to paint a derogatory picture.
– On November 17, 2008, “GEO TV” suddenly disappeared from the airwaves in Karachi. The blackout lasted about six hours. A senior “GEO” staffer told our senior information LES that the stoppage was a result of pressure being applied by one of the political parties due to “GEO” not airing a speech by one of its politicians. Post found out subsequently that another “GEO” official disclosed to an officer of a European diplomatic mission that they had taken themselves off the air in order to blame the political party, and garner support for the station.
10. We have protested directly to reporters, editors, and the Group Chief Executive and Editor in Chief Mir Shakil ur Rehman over the consistent inaccuracy of “Jang Group” reporting, as well as their refusal to apply the most basic standards of journalistic ethics, stating that we expect to be called about and to respond to any story any entity of the group is carrying about the Embassy or its activities, and even provided them with direct telephone numbers for the IO, the PAO, and the Ambassador. Despite these efforts, the “Jang Group” has not changed its practices.
11. All of this occurs under the eye of the Group Editor who has not exercised supervision or applied good journalistic practices when assigning and reviewing stories. When queried by Post’s IO he stated that they know that many of their reporters have political agendas, are paid by ISI, military intelligence, Jamaat-e-Islami, or other interests but that they prefer not to fire or reprimand these reporters.
12. The problem of reporting rumor, innuendo, and unsubstantiated allegations is bad enough when limited to the distribution numbers of “Jang” daily or “The News.” However, it is when these stories are amplified by the “GEO TV Network” that the truly negative influence expands to substantial numbers. And all of this by their own admission is calculated to maintain or increase their market share.
13. On a recent visit to “GEO TV Network” offices in Karachi, our IO had a conversation putting all of this into context. “GEO” sees
ISLAMABAD 00003712 003 OF 003
its behavior as win-win with sensationalism and hate speech generating ratings and any attempt by authorities to rein it in allowing them to exploit their circumstance by claiming censorship.
While they realize that we (like the GOP, Brits, Canadians and many of the international reporters) find their reporting reprehensible and dangerous, we have supported them in the past, especially when President Musharraf took “GEO TV” off the air during the 2007 State of Emergency, and believe we dare not stop them lest we be seen as hypocrites. Their calculus is that we are more cowed by accusations of actively trampling their freedom of the press than we are of tacitly supporting hate speech. Therein lies the rub for the USG – at what point do we cater to consistent, blatant hate speech and intentionally inaccurate and irresponsible reporting in major daily newspapers and a country’s largest broadcaster which threatens the safety of American citizens or U.S. interests?
14. We have discussed the issue with the GOP at different levels, including President Zardari, and all are concerned by the “Jang Group’s” coverage. While wishing to grant the benefit of the doubt in order to protect the right to a free press, we believe the utter lack of any journalistic standard or editorial restraint has now proven too much to overlook.
15. Action Request: In light of this calculated behavior, post believes it is time to terminate the BBG contract to disseminate VOA programming through the “Geo TV Network.” Post recommends finding a more balanced and responsible partner with whom to deal for our media program contracts in Pakistan.“ 2008: US criticised major media group for irresponsible reporting DAWN.COM | 1st June, 2011 http://dawn.com/2011/06/01/2008-us-criticised-major-media-group-for-irresponsible-reporting/
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HoshMedia has done a great service to media. They sat down with respected veteran journalist Abbas Nasir (Dawn) to talk about fundamentals of good journalism including the difference between opinion and fact, properly using anonymous sources and intelligence sources, and avoiding traps in the ratings race during times of tragedy. The advice in these short videos is excellent, and can really be summed up in one important reminder: As a journalist, your obligation is to the truth, not any particular agenda. But don’t take our word for it, we’ll let Abbas Nasir tell it: Abbas Nasir on Journalism Ethics http://pakistanmediawatch.com/2012/01/26/abbas-nasir-on-journalism-ethics/ Those in the media who had taken to flag-waving, sloganeering and other jingoistic mannerisms first during the Raymond Davis affair, then the OBL raid and finally following the Salala attack and had ferociously slammed what they saw as the government’s pro-US stance now seem to be at a loss. Perhaps, if their criticism had been well-founded through those episodes, it wouldn’t have been so difficult for them to have remained consistent. But some august members of the media appeared to have relied too heavily on the briefings by Gen Pasha’s psy-ops brigade. And now that GHQ, one could argue rightly, has changed its mind, the defenders of our sovereignty particularly in the media are feeling short-changed. In fact, they are so embarrassed that they are either accusing the government of mismanaging the issue or they aren’t addressing it at all. Now, if you ask me who I would blame for poor governance, maladministration, unaddressed corruption charges, the sharpest decline in major public-sector corporations, a breakdown of the law and order in many cities, I’d say the PPP-led government without much hesitation. Look no further than the recent ‘Lyari’ operation as a glaring example of the PPP’s incompetence. It was launched with so much fanfare but apparently so little planning that nobody knows what it aimed to achieve or did actually achieve in the end. All one saw was a police officer known for ‘extrajudicial’ killings claiming to the media everyday that the ‘criminals will be finished off by the end of the day’. After this, his men made sure the TV cameras got their dramatic footage share as they fired aimless volleys into the air from different angles. It was an abject failure which led to pointless, callous and criminal loss of life on all sides. At the same time, it brought misery to innocent citizens who feared getting caught in the crossfire and remained bunkered down in their homes with no power, food and water for days on end. But please don’t tell me the PPP is to blame for any shortcomings, indecision or outright failure in foreign, defence or even national security policies because rather spinelessly, it slowly but surely surrendered these to GHQ in a process initiated after the furore over the Kerry-Lugar bill. It can come in for criticism for having hived off to GHQ what should fall in the civilian domain according to the constitution. However, the realities of politics in Pakistan would also help you understand, even if not appreciate, what it means by its policy of ‘reconciliation’. ‘Reconciliation’ for a party that sees itself as besieged and believes it is under attack from every conceivable adversary at all times can best be described as a series of costly compromises to remain in power and build up support from this rather minimalist base. It is the triumph of realpolitik over ideological, principled politics. Therefore, I have my own, to me, exceedingly valid grounds to attack the PPP. But frankly the reopening of the Nato supply routes won’t form the central plank of my objections. Wouldn’t you have liked to see an illuminating debate in the media, particularly on the electronic platform, which placed a diversity of views, opinions and analyses before our many confused souls and informed and empowered them to reach judicious conclusions whatever they may be? What we are seeing instead is an embarrassed lot of media personalities, influential opinion-makers, ducking the main issue and instead discussing topics which are no more than distractions, given the magnitude of what we face. REFERENCE: When the media falls short From the Newspaper | Abbas Nasir | 19th May, 2012 http://dawn.com/2012/05/19/when-the-media-falls-short/
LONDON: Top British journalist Victoria Schofield and other speakers at a seminar on the May 12 violence in Karachi have said that the British government should take people’s concerns into account about MQM chief Altaf Hussain. They held the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) responsible for the Karachi killings, and drew comparisons between the cases of Altaf Hussain and the radical Muslims being extradited to face terrorism charges in the countries of their origin. A large number of MQM leaders, including Haider Abbas Rizvi, MNA, and Faisal Sabzwari, MPA, also attended the seminar organised by the May 12 Group at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), London, to discuss the events of May 12 in Karachi and their wider social and political repercussions in the future political landscape of Pakistan. The May 12 Group was launched by Pakistani students from the University of Oxford, London School of Economics, and SOAS in collaboration with leading journalists, financial and legal professionals, and businessmen. The group's membership soared as Pakistanis living in Britain and America and human rights organisations have associated themselves with its cause.
Speaking on the occasion, senior Pakistani journalist M Ziauddin said that President Pervez Musharraf, who was patronising Altaf Hussain, had once called him a traitor when the former was the Chief of the Army Staff in 1999. Ziauddin criticised the MQM for joining hands with feudal lords against whom it had launched a struggle. He also accused the MQM of working for the military establishment to counter the PPP power in Sindh. He claimed that the Army and the MQM were behind the recent threats to journalists in Pakistan and termed it dangerous for the freedom and independence of the media. He claimed that even the Chief Executive of ARY TV, Shaheen Sehbai, had to leave Pakistan once again after his name appeared on the hit-list. Ziauddin also highlighted historical perspective of Pakistan's politics and its relations with the emergence of the MQM in the 80s. He elaborated the MQM's sporadic involvement in violence in collaboration with the Army against the mainstream political parties for the past two decades, particularly ethnic polarisation in Karachi.
Responding to some questions from the audience, he said that he was alarmed by the silence of state institutions which led many to put May 12 violence's responsibility on the Musharraf regime in Pakistan. Ali Hasan Dayan, a representative of the Human Rights Watch, declared Pakistan a military state which, according to him, has no respect for the rule of law and human rights. He blamed the MQM and the Sindh government for the Karachi massacre. He also expressed concerns over human rights violations and attacks on press freedom in recent days by the MQM, a coalition partner of the government. He also questioned the Musharaf regime's legitimacy after the present episode of violence. Earlier, Victoria Schofield analysed the British government's policy vis-a-vis providing shelter to individuals and organisations, which are allegedly involved in terrorist activities abroad. She drew comparison between the cases of Altaf Hussain and the MQM and those of Muslim radicals, who were allegedly involved in inciting terrorism abroad, and who have been or are being deported to the countries of their origin. She asked the Labour government in the UK to look into the concerns of Pakistan's civil society about Altaf Hussain, and praised the May 12 Group for raising such an important issue. REFERENCE: London seminar slams MQM Rauf Klasra Sunday, June 03, 2007 http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=8289&Cat=13&dt=6%2F3%2F2007
LONDON: Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain is facing the danger of being tried in the UK courts over terrorism charges after the British media declared on Saturday that the MQM is run like the mafia from an office block in London amid accusations that the party had planned (the May 12) carnage which left 42 dead. This was declared in the findings of an investigative report of The Guardian. The MQM chief refused to meet its reporter when he tried to get his version on all these charges. His refusal strengthened the British media's view that the MQM is run like the mafia and whatever was being said about the party in Pakistan carried a lot of weight. On the eve of arrival of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan in London to file cases against the MQM chief, the UK media also splashed his demand that Altaf should face anti-terror charges. The Daily Telegraph was the first paper to run a four-column front page story against Altaf, headlined, Running Karachi from London. The Guardian had assigned two of its reporters to investigate charges against the MQM and its chief Altaf Hussain. One of them went to Karachi and the other visited the MQM's London office to meet Altaf in his party office. The first reporter visited Altaf's residence in Karachi and found only one telephone operator running the house. The second reporter was shown only certain rooms of the MQM office in London and told that Altaf Bhai was not available to meet him.
According to The Guardian, outside may be Karachi but inside the discreetly guarded room all minds are focused on London. The clock is set to British summer time and a pair of telephones connect to an office 5,000 miles away, from where a controversial leader runs his political empire. Altaf Hussain leads the Muttahida Qaumi Movement -- a powerful, popular and, critics say, thuggish political force that has a vice-like grip on Karachi. At "Nine Zero", the party headquarters in Karachi, his presence looms large. A giant poster hangs over the entrance and reverential acolytes speak of "Altaf Bhai". But the great leader is missing. The Guardian writes that for the past 16 years, Altaf has lived in self-imposed exile in the UK, first as an asylum seeker and now as a British citizen. Based in an office block on Edgware High Street in north London he rules by phone, directing his closest lieutenants in long, late-night conversations. But in Pakistan that arrangement has become a matter of controversy -- one about to land at the British government's door.
The Guardian said cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan arrived in London to try to have Altaf prosecuted under British anti-terror laws. Three weeks ago gunmen opened fire on a rally in support of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, triggering a day of bloodshed that left 42 people dead. Imran -- as well as lawyers, human rights activists and opposition parties -- accuse Altaf of orchestrating the carnage from his sofa in London. "The whole thing was planned. No British citizen is allowed to sit in London and direct terrorist operations abroad. So why should Altaf Hussain?" said Imran Khan who described the MQM as a fascist movement run by criminals. "If Pakistan has to arrest al-Qaeda operatives, then Britain has an obligation to pick up Altaf," added Imran, who plans to bring a petition to Downing Street. "There's a war on terror going on but here we have Pakistan's No 1 terrorist being given sanctuary by the British government," he said.
The MQM denies the charges, and insists it was the victim and not the perpetrator of May 12. The party says 13 of its own activists were among the dead, and last week it produced a video from May 12 showing apparent supporters of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) firing their guns in the air. "This is a conspiracy against us. Our decision to hold a rally on May 12 may be open to criticism, but we were not involved in armed attacks," said Dr Farooq Sattar, deputy convener of the MQM's Rabita Committee. But Altaf has little to say. At the MQM's International Secretariat on Edgware High Street -- a red brick office block opposite a supermarket -- a party official said the leader was not available for comment. But he was happy to show the Guardian around the offices, which he confirmed was Altaf's London headquarters, and he vowed to repel any court action by Imran.
The fight is getting personal. Back in Karachi, graffiti slurs against Imran appeared on walls and the MQM-dominated local government has banned him from the city for one month. The report said the MQM was founded in 1984 by Altaf, a former Chicago cab driver, and won broad support among the Mohajirs. The party prided itself on its well-oiled machine and its secular, liberal outlook. But since May 12 the party's aspirations of becoming a national force lie in shreds, and there are worrying echoes of past tactics. On Tuesday, three Karachi journalists with foreign news agencies found unmarked envelopes containing a single bullet on their car windscreens. Two of them had earlier been denounced as anti-Mohajir by the MQM-linked Muhajir Rabita Council. The Guardian asks, "Will Mr Hussain ever come home?" At Nine Zero, where beefy young men with baseball caps stand guard, there is little sign. "We do not want him to come back to Karachi; it is too dangerous here," said parliamentarian Faisal Subzwari. But there is always hope. A few doors down Altaf's deserted terraced house is waiting, protected by blast proof metal shutters. For now, though, it has just one occupant -- a 24-hour telephone operator. REFERENCE: UK paper blames MQM for May 12 carnage Rauf Klasra Sunday, June 03, 2007 http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=8280&Cat=13&dt=6%2F3%2F2007
LONDON: The new proposed powers to British police to use telephonic conversations as evidence in a court of law might land Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain in hot waters, or at least greatly affect his regular telephonic addresses to his followers in Pakistan. The British government has been bringing sweeping anti-terrorism laws to use telephonic addresses, secret conversations and email messages of individuals as strong evidence in the courts on the pattern of American and European laws. After the enactment of these new laws at least Altaf would be required to be very careful in choosing his words as these might be used as evidence by police, if someone accuses him of inciting violence. Pakistani opposition leaders, particularly Imran Khan, are already levelling allegations against Altaf for inciting violence in Pakistan through his telephonic addresses during the last 16 years since he arrived here in 1992. Parts of the proposals will be laid out in more detail on Thursday, when the outgoing home secretary, John Reid, will announce a consultation on the terrorism bill due this autumn. They include detaining suspects for more than four weeks without charge, allowing questioning after charge and the use of intercept evidence.
It is understood here that regular telephonic addresses of Altaf Hussain from London to Karachi were recorded by the secret agencies of Britain. But under the current laws, these conversations could not be produced as evidence in courts of law. According to available details of these proposals, now material gathered from intercepts, and transcripts of telephone and email conversations would be admissible in evidence in criminal trials. Currently, patterns of phone contacts — who called who, and how often — can be used as evidence, and lengthy schedules of calls are a common feature of criminal trials. At present telephonic conversation or emails can only be used as intelligence, which may act as a springboard for an evidence-gathering investigation. This prohibition has been enshrined in law since the 1980s. One of the proposals says police should be able to question terror suspects who have been charged and are awaiting trial. Under current law, police can arrest someone for an offence when the person is facing trial for a completely separate offence. However, the police are not allowed to question the person about the offence they have already been charged with, even if evidence emerges that was not available before they were charged. The shutter comes down when someone is charged. Another proposal is to make terrorism an aggravating factor in sentencing, in the same way that racial motivation is. This would have the greatest effect in cases that spin off from core terrorism inquiries, such as benefit or passport fraud, where there is intelligence about terror links but no obvious crimes of violence. Police want these lesser offences to be punished more severely if they can show the fraud was to help terrorists. One proposal calls for greater public scrutiny of the heads of MI5 and MI6. Currently, they are overseen by the Intelligence and Security Committee, which reports to the prime minister and conducts its work in secret. REFERENCE: New UK laws might affect Altaf’s telephonic addresses Rauf Klasra Tuesday, June 05, 2007 http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=8317&Cat=13&dt=6%2F5%2F2007
Altaf hussain involvment in Hakeem Saeed Murder case
LONDON: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Friday claimed that as the prime minister he knew that the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) had murdered Hakim Muhammad Said in Karachi on October 17, 1998. Talking to newspersons at the PML-N office here, he also alleged that Federal Minister Babur Ghauri was now secretly playing the role of a "messenger" between President Gen Pervez Musharraf and Altaf Hussain. He also claimed that Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz would soon ditch President Musharraf and join the opposition parties.Nawaz alleged that Musharraf and Altaf were busy hatching a conspiracy against Pakistan and their collaboration might harm the country. He said that he had made it clear to the MQM leaders, who were part of the coalition government then, either to surrender those who had murdered Hakim Said or quit the Sindh government. "After the refusal of the MQM to surrender the killers, I preferred to sacrifice the provincial government of Liaqat Jatoi instead of making compromises with those who had killed an honourable man like Hakim Said," he said. Nawaz said the MQM leaders were playing a dangerous game by collaborating with Gen Musharraf. "Being the twice elected prime minister of Pakistan, I have some understanding of politics, and my political intuition tells me that Altaf and Musharraf are working to harm the country's interests," he said. Nawaz said, on May 10, while addressing a press conference, he had warned that if the MQM was not stopped from holding a rally in Karachi on the arrival of the chief justice, many innocent people might be killed. He regretted that his timely warning was not heeded to. Nawaz disclosed that even certain elements had tried to warn Gen Musharraf about the likely bloodshed in Karachi if the MQM was not stopped from holding the rally. But, he claimed that instead of giving a serious thought to that logical advice from the intelligence quarters, Musharraf got furious and told them to leave the room. Nawaz said that these words gave a clear idea that Musharraf and Altaf had planned the massacre in Karachi. Nawaz also backed the movement of Imran Khan against Altaf and said his own hard-hitting stance on the MQM was known to everybody. He said that he was against the MQM since it murdered Hakim Said. Nawaz also disclosed that the ruling party leaders sitting in the government were secretly in touch with him to secure their political future after 2007 and claimed that soon Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz would ditch Gen Musharraf and join the opposition, as he was not a stranger to them (Nawaz and Benazir Bhutto) because, as a banker, he used to meet them regularly both within and outside Pakistan. "Look, you will soon see Shaukat Aziz ditching Gen Musharraf and joining the political leadership of the opposition parties," Nawaz told the press conference. Nawaz asked Benazir to attend the all parties conference in London, instead of sending a five-member delegation of her party, as he observed that her presence would make a difference. To a question, Nawaz dropped a hint at accepting some of the ruling party members, saying that he would be required to make a distinction between people like Sheikh Rashid and those who did not come out in the open to launch attack on the opposition leaders. However, Nawaz did not reveal who was in touch with him and whether they were federal ministers, MNAs or senators. Earlier, Nawaz Sharif blasted the top generals and heads of secret agencies who had filed affidavits in the Supreme Court. He wondered how could the generals make such claims in their written statements and that how could they all come to the office of the Army chief only on the phone call of the chief justice. Nawaz said that they could not dare enter the room of Musharraf unless he directed them to visit his office. He said that it was a ridiculous thing to say that the generals had come to the office of Musharraf on the telephone call from the chief justice and Musharraf had no idea about their likely visit to his office. He said the secret agencies had no role in the affairs of the chief justice, as no law allowed them to interfere in the legal and constitutional affairs. He said the heads of these agencies were also subverting the Constitution. Nawaz questioned the powers of heads of secret agencies to even discuss the reference issue with the CJ in the office of the Army chief as this was not their mandate and legal duty. He said that it was a laughable excuse that the chief justice wanted Musharraf to dissolve the assemblies as what kind of benefits a chief justice could get after the sacking of a Parliament. Nawaz said political change must come and come early in Pakistan but it should not be on the wishes and help of foreign forces like America or rest of the world. Nawaz said that former US President Bill Clinton had made him five telephone calls to persuade him not to conduct nuclear tests and had offered $5 billion as aid but he refused to surrender before pressure and Pakistan became a nuclear state. Nawaz said, on the other hand, just one telephone call from Collin Powell on 9/11 was more than enough for Musharraf to toe the US line. The former prime minister claimed that had Musharraf been the ruler of Pakistan on May 28, 1998, the country would not have become a nuclear power. REFERENCE: MQM murdered Hakim Said, claims Nawaz Rauf Klasra Saturday, June 09, 2007 http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=8391&Cat=13&dt=6%2F9%2F2007
Dr Imran Farooq said Hakeem Saeed was murdered on Nawaz Sharif Orders - GEO TV
LONDON: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and its leadership continue to be at the receiving end since the May 12 Karachi carnage, as the daily Guardian alleged that the party was linked to South African crime networks. The British paper's investigative report alleged that the MQM was linked to “extortion, gun smuggling and South African crime networks”.The British media has turned its guns toward the MQM; it never did this in the past 16 years. It did not care about Altaf Hussain or any other Pakistani politician living in the UK and doing politics from London. But, the prevailing judicial crisis followed by killings in Karachi has changed the perception of the British media, which is publishing regular anti-MQM stories almost everyday putting pressure on its own government and people to review policies on leaders who acquired British citizenship but still participating in the politics of their country of origin. REFERENCE: MQM linked with crime networks: Guardian our correspondent Monday, June 04, 2007 http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=8312&Cat=13&dt=6%2F4%2F2007
A half-truth is a deceptive statement that includes some element of truth. The statement might be partly true, the statement may be totally true but only part of the whole truth, or it may utilize some deceptive element, such as improper punctuation, or double meaning, especially if the intent is to deceive, evade, blame or misrepresent the truth http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/half-truth - The Board of intermediate and secondary education in Hyderabad resolved to make Sindhi the official language of the Board making the language compulsory. This led a wave of Mohajir protest against the University and the Board. Nawab Muzaffar Hussain, convenor of the Mohajir Punjabi Pathan Mahaz (MPPM-a political party founded in the 1960s and which won the elections in Hyderabad in 1970) led the Mohajir protest against the decision of the University and the Board. - Hyderabad was the provincial capital when Karachi was the federal capital of Pakistan, and is a city that has always been ripe with politics and political figures. During the pre- and post-partition years, however, just four families dominated the political arena in Hyderabad until the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) came into being: the Kazi Brothers, the Mir Brothers, the Memon community and Syed Mubarak Ali Shah (Moti Mahal). Later during the post-partition era, Nawab Muzaffar Hussein, who founded an alliance comprising the Mohajirs, Pukhtoons, and Punjabis to decrease the dominance of Sindhi-speaking people, became an important name. REFERENCES: Sindh Chronology - Page 8 http://www.safhr.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=73&Itemid=374&limitstart=7
September 18. Combined Opposition Parties (COP) stuns Ayub’s camp by nominating Miss Fatima Jinnah, popularly called "Mother of the Nation" as presidential candidate for the elections to be held in Jan, 1965. The 9 point program of COP includes restoration of direct elections, adult franchise, democratization of 1962 Constitution. After suffering a brief ban, the Jamaat-e-Islami does an about-turn on its established dogma of not accepting the leadership of a woman and supports Miss Fatima Jinnah for head of state against Ayub Khan. November. A round of political meetings with the Basic Democrats is underway, in which Ayub Khan and Fatima Jinnah appear before their electors in each area at different times but usually on the same days. While Ayub Khan is probably groomed by his oratorial Foreign Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto not to be bogged down by statistics (Ayub's tragic flaw) and instead focus on emotionalizing his speeches to his limited capacity, the Opposition Leader Miss Fatima Jinnah is coming out as a bitter critic of everything that smacks of a dictatorial stamp on it - from the personal traits of Ayub Khan to his son's alleged abuse of power for strengthening his 'Gandhara Motors' to the general character of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto whom she recently dubbed as 'inebriate and a philanderer.' Even Ayub stooped below his usual level of decorum when, at a press conference in Lahore, he exclaimed that Miss Jinnah has been leading an 'unnatural' life (obviously a reference to her spinsterhood) and was surrounded by 'perverts.' November 19. The elections for the Basic Democrats have ended today. Under the Constitution in force in Pakistan since 1962, it is these elected representatives of the people and not the people themselves who will vote in the forthcoming Presidential Elections. The Government earlier decided not to issue party tickets to the contestants of these elections, and the opposition is seeing it as a shrewd move: it is now more convenient to purchase the Basic Democrats. In the absence of a definite categorization of the Basic Democrats both parties are claiming victory. The official Muslim League claims that 80% of the BDs were Ayub's supporters while the Combined Opposition Party (COP) claims 90% of the winners to be its own. December 1. Ayub warns Urdu-speaking BD members from Karachi against voting for his opponents: "Agay samandar hai…" - Courtesy: Mr. Khurram Ali Shafique - The Chronicle of Pakistan Compiled by Khurram Ali Shafique 1964 http://pakistanspace.tripod.com/chronicle/1964.htm
January. As results of presidential elections are announced, Fatima Jinnah loses with 28,345 votes against Ayub’s 49,647. Mian Bashir Ahmad gets 65 and K.M.Kamal 183 votes. In a press statement issued on the eve of her defeat, Miss Jinnah says: "The system under which these elections were fought was initially devised to perpetuate the… incumbent of the Presidential Office. Neither does it provide room for the free expression of the popular will, nor does it conform to the known and established principles of democracy in the civilised world… There is no doubt that the elections have been rigged. I am sure that the so-called victory of Mr. Ayub Khan is his greatest defeat. The election campaign… was only the beginning of our march for the emancipation of the country from the shackles of an authoritarian rule. We shall, therefore, continue to work with renewed faith for the achievement of our destined goal and restore to the people their sovereignty which will usher in true democracy in the country." January 4. Ethnic riots erupt in Karachi as citizens protest against violation of Section 144 by President’s son and Pukhtoon transporters, who took out a procession to celebrate election victory. Aggressors raid colonies in the night. Bloody massacres are witnessed, yet official sources claim only six dead. Courtesy: Mr. Khurram Ali Shafique - The Chronicle of Pakistan Compiled by Khurram Ali Shafique 1965 http://pakistanspace.tripod.com/chronicle/1965.htm
Please also see the following report from Milwaukee Journal of January 19 1965 regarding Gohar Ayub Khan’s shamefule role in the violence in Karachi following the 1964-65 elections. He is a politician whose entire political career seems to consist of pitting his own constituents against other groups in the country just for his own short-term political gain. (Captain Gohar Ayub Khan shaking hands with his own Father i.e. Field Marshal (without fighting any war) and American Backed Martial Law Administrator of Pakistan "General Ayub Khan" (1958 to 1969)
"QUOTE"
Interview of Late. G M Syed on Sindh's Politics vis a vis Pashtuns and Urdu Speaking Communities.
Q. A large ntunber of Urdu-speaking people live in Sind. Will they be invited to join the SNA?
A. A group within us did not want the mohajirs to be included, since there is a section of mohajirs in Sind that was speaking out against the front. Another group wants to trust the Punjabis more than the mohajirs. However, the door is now open for non-Sindhi speaking persons to join the alliance. Before it was for Sindhi-speaking people only, now it is for those who live in Sind. I had talked about this to Nawab Muzaffar a longtime ago. And Isaid that with four conditions we could come together. The first was that we would like-to separate politics from religion. We believe i.n a secular state, a majority of mohajirs do not subscribe to this view. The second condition was that Muslims should not be viewed as a separate nation. The third was to refute the ‘nazariya e-Pakistan.-' At the time agreement could not be reached on those conditions. Those who came from elsewhere, they did themselves to be part of us. Their biggest leader now is Altaf Hussain. He came to see me in hospital, we are on good terms. But how we are to work together, this we did not discuss.
Q. Sind's urban situation has dramatically changed with the emergence of the MQM. What are your views on this phenomenon?
A. l see it merely as a change of tactics by imperialism and the ruling cliques. The same cliques who were operating the Mohajir-Punjabi-Pathan Mahaz during the Ayub regime are still active. They change their signboards and do the same thing all over again. At that time they created many problems for the people of Sind. They were always with me military, always with the ruling class. They have never changed their ideology. They opposed the quota system at that time. They are doing it now. They were opposed to Sindhi culture. They are still opposed to Sindhi culture. They are setting fire to the Sindhology Department, capttuing the cultural heritage of the Sindhi people, Hyderabad fort and all that. www.sanalist.org/Sangat/september1988.pdf
"UNQUOTE"
Nawab Muzzaffar's son Rashid Hussain Khan then joined PML (read IJI and you can also read Mehran Bank League), some say that Mohajir Punjabi Pathan Mahazthat was created by General Yahya during the last days of Ayub to counter movement against One Unit. To understand the complete background, here are few quotes from BBC Urdu
Altaf greets people of Sindh on birth anniversary of GM Syed - KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain has greeted the people of Sindh on 107th birth anniversary of veteran politician GM Syed. Altaf Hussain said GM Syed was a patriotic veteran politician, said a statement issued by MQM here on Monday. MQM chief said the veteran politician had struggled peacefully throughout his life, for the protection of the rights of the people. app Altaf greets people of Sindh on birth anniversary of GM Syed - Tuesday, January 18, 2011 http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2011\01\18\story_18-1-2011_pg12_12
Harron ur Rasheed (Jang Group) Spits Venom against Sindhi Community with Sweeping Statement.
Nazir Naji also use "Sweeping Statement" against Sindhi Nationalists without bothering to name them to warn People of Pakistan to beware from Short Sighted Sindhis.
Would Mr. Nazir Naji care to explain his very own Conduct Unbecoming.
On 14 July 2011, Hamid Mir, Haroon ur Rasheed and Nazir Naji (Jang Group) were discussing Ill mannered Zulfiqar Mirza and Waseem Akhter whereas watch this video and witness "the naked Verbal abuse of Jang Group Journalists":)
Would Mr. Nazir Naji put the blame of the violence mentioned below on "Short Sighted Sindhis"
Front line with Kamran Shahid Special – 16th August 2011 (PART - 1)
URL: http://youtu.be/QVpmPoP09KA
KARACHI: Life stopped for Pakistani cab driver Ghulam Mohammed when his seven-year-old daughter was shot dead on her way home from school, a victim of senseless political and ethnic violence sweeping Karachi. Shumaila was Mohammed’s only child, born after he and his wife struggled for 12 years to have a baby. It took two stray bullets to bury all the hopes and dreams they had for the future. “She was the one who gave meaning to our life. Now we have no reason to live,” said the tearful 36-year-old, a resident of Qasba Colony, one of a series of troubled neighbourhoods in western Karachi turned into a battlefield. Shumaila was one of 300 people whom the independent Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) says died in political and ethnically linked shootings in Karachi last month and one of the 800 killed since the start of this year. She was carrying her books when the bullets pierced her abdomen and splintered a rib. Seriously wounded, she was eventually picked up by an ambulance after medics struggled to access the street under gunfire. REFERENCE: Pakistan’s poor dying in Karachi violence AFP Yesterday http://www.dawn.com/2011/08/07/pakistans-poor-dying-in-karachi-violence.html
Front line with Kamran Shahid Special – 16th August 2011 (PART - 2)
URL: http://youtu.be/fxOHFOQ6qjo
“Someone told me my daughter had been shot and I rushed to hospital despite all the risks, only to find her dead in the morgue,” Mohammed said. Authorities appear powerless to stop the bloodshed, human rights activists say, pointing out that most of the victims are innocent civilians. “People have been killed because of their political affiliations, but it seems most are killed because of their ethnic background,” Zohra Yusuf, chairwoman of the HRCP, told AFP. “The majority of them are poor and destitute.” Shumaila was Pashtun. Her father arrived in Karachi from the northwest 20 years ago looking for work and then settled down and got married. Today the northwest is on the frontline of Taliban and Al-Qaeda-linked bomb attacks and the migrant flow to Karachi is even greater. Shumaila’s bereaved parents live on a congested street in a neighbourhood of Urdu and Pashtun speakers, where trigger-happy gunmen from both sides can quickly reduce the area into a battlefield. HRCP says Karachi suffers political, ethnic and sectarian “polarisation”. But the government blames vague mafias involved in land grabbing and drug pushing for the killings, and for creating “misunderstandings” among political parties and ethnic hatred. “It should not be called ethnic violence,” said Sharfuddin Memon, an official in the home ministry of the southern province Sindh, of which Karachi is the capital. “The mafias are killing people in such a manner that rival communities and parties are left with the impression of an ethnic war which is not there. The mafias do this to get stronger and weaken the writ of the state.” REFERENCE: Pakistan’s poor dying in Karachi violence AFP Yesterday http://www.dawn.com/2011/08/07/pakistans-poor-dying-in-karachi-violence.html
Front line with Kamran Shahid Special – 16th August 2011 (PART - 3)
URL: http://youtu.be/1GGxhiGsKZQ
The Urdu-speaking family of Anwer Ali, 22, say he was walking to work when unknown gunmen shot him dead. “He was the only bread earner for his mother and two sisters,” said his cousin Mohsin Ali. The family rent a one-room house in a squatter settlement near the area of Katti Pahari, a flashpoint for the most recent violence, and are deeply frightened about the future. It is not just shootings. People have seen everything they own go up in smoke, with their houses, buildings and vehicles set alight by arsonists. Despite the deployment of extra police and paramilitary forces, residents complain that the security personnel do nothing to help. “Mafias are involved in the killings, but armed wings of political parties have played a big role in creating the mess,” said Tauseef Ahmed Khan, who teaches mass communications at Urdu University. The armed wings work to maintain party influence, prevent rival groups from infiltrating their territories and force people to remain loyal, he said. “There are killings on ethnic grounds while most of the victims are poor people who don’t know the reason why they are being killed,” Khan said. REFERENCE: Pakistan’s poor dying in Karachi violence AFP Yesterday http://www.dawn.com/2011/08/07/pakistans-poor-dying-in-karachi-violence.html
Front line with Kamran Shahid Special – 16th August 2011 (PART - 4)
URL: http://youtu.be/sTZLV2-9J1Q
Statistics compiled by the HRCP Karachi chapter shows that a total of 1138 people have been killed in the city during the first half of 2011, with 490 of them falling prey to targeted killings on different grounds including political, sectarian and ethnic basis. “Karachi has been under the influence of political parties for the past several months and continuous surge in killings in the city reflects the government’s inefficiency to cope with the mounting threat of insecurity,” said Zohra Yusuf, Chairperson HRCP while sharing statistics during the press briefing at their office. For appeasing the ruling coalition partners, she noted, the government had failed to take any decisive action against culprits causing unrest in the city. Of the 490 victims of target killings, 150 were killed apparently for their association with various political, religious and or nationalist parties, 56 for their ethnic background and eight on sectarian grounds. According to the HRCP report, as many as 65 women were killed during first six months of this year – 24 of them were killed by relatives, 26 by unidentified culprits, four were set on fire, three killed on railway tracks, 2 each killed by robbers and Lyari gangsters, three on the pretext of Karo-Kari, while one woman was killed by police. Meanwhile 37 men lost their lives in the ongoing Lyari gang war this year. The report listed 56 ethnic killings which were reported this year. Of those targeted, 51 of the victims were male, while one female and four children were killed. The figure shows that 250 people with no political affiliation were also killed in Karachi this year while 139 killings were reported during the corresponding period of last year. This indicated a rise of 179% in the killings this year. The report detailed names of parties (political, religious, nationalist and banned organizations) or groups and the number of their activists assassinated during the first six months of 2011. It said 77 target killing victims belonged to Muttahida Qaumi Movement; 26 to Pakistan People`s Party; 29 to Awami National Party; 16 to Mohajir Qaumi Movement-Haqiqi; 7 to Sunni Tehreek; 9 to Jamaat-e-Ahl-e-Sunnat; two to Jamiat-e-Ulema Islam; one to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N); one to Jamaat-i-Islami (JI); one each to PML-Functional, Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz, and Punjabi-Pakhtun Ittehad and four to Sipah-e-Sahaba (banned). During the first six months of 2010, the figures were comparatively low as MQM-H had their 34 activists killed; MQM 22; PPP 11; PPP-S 2; Punjabi Front 1; ANP 16; Sunni Tehreek 4; PML-N 1; PML-Quaid-i-Azam 1; PML-F 1; JI 3; Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam 2; JSQM 2; PPI 1; Sipah-i-Sahaba (banned) 3; and Tehreek-i-Taliban (banned) 1. REFERENCE: HRCP report indicates rise in killings this year By PPI Published: July 6, 2011 http://tribune.com.pk/story/203309/hrcp-report-indicates-rise-in-killings-this-year/
Karachi Target Killing ki Front Line Se – 17th August 2011 (PART - 1)
URL: http://youtu.be/YUN6_PvdXqw
KARACHI: The wave of ‘ethnic violence’ that largely affected Orangi Town on Tuesday spread to other parts of the city on Wednesday, when the most gruesome incident of the day took place early in the morning in Gulshan-i-Iqbal where five men were found shot dead in a minibus. The minibus, of route D7, was found parked in Block 1 of Gulshan-i-Iqbal containing the five bodies, which the police shifted in a single ambulance to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre. The bodies were later identified as those of minibus driver Wali Mehsud, Ghulam Jan, Ahmed Jan and Niaz Jan. A spokesman for the Awami National Party said that the latter three were relatives. They hailed from Bajaur Agency and lived in Landhi. The fifth victim was later identified as Liaquat Baloch, a resident of Gulberg. His body was found stuffed in a gunny bag, police said.
They said the four men were shot in the head by unidentified assailants, while Liaquat Baloch had strangulation marks. Quoting the conductor of the minibus, who had jumped off the minibus and fled to safety, SSP Niaz Ahmed Khosa told Dawn that the minibus had started its journey at Sohrab Goth for Landhi. When it reached near the Fazal Flour Mill on Rashid Minhas Road, suspects riding two motorcycles stopped and boarded the bus and held the passengers at gunpoint. The ill-fated minibus was caught on CCTV cameras at three spots when it was travelling in Gulshan-i-Iqbal. The footage showed two motorcyclists tailing the minibus, a senior police officer told Dawn. In Gulshan Block 1, two men stopped a van of the Gulshan-i-Iqbal police station and informed the police that they had heard shots being fired inside the minibus as it passed by. Subsequently, the police van drove in the direction and soon found the minibus dripping with blood. The spot where the minibus was abandoned was also covered in the CCTV footage obtained by the police in which three suspects could be seen coming out of the minibus and running to the two motorcycles, the police said. “The minibus stopped at the spot at 5.57am and within a few seconds the three suspects disembarked it and escaped. Two minutes later the police van reached the scene,” said SSP Khosa. However, the body found stuffed in the gunny bag remained a mystery. Police collected seven spent bullet casings of 9mm and .30-bore pistols in the minibus.
The family of the murdered driver said Wali Mehsud, 26, had married about six months back. In other incidents of violence, the body of a young man bearing a gunshot wound was found within the remit of the Mauripur police station. The police said the victim was later identified as Nasir Khan, an ANP activist. The victim was a resident of Rasheedabad. Police said that later when the body was taken to his home in Rasheedabad, people in Baldia resorted to indiscriminate firing in the area that resulted in the death of Salman Shaikh, a factory worker who was going for lunch. The incident occurred within the jurisdiction of the Site-B police station. His body was taken to the Civil Hospital Karachi for medico-legal formalities.
In the Muslimabad area of Orangi Town, Sharafat was killed and two others were wounded when gunmen opened fire on them. A spokesman for the ANP claimed that Sharafat was a party worker. His body was taken to the Qatar Hospital in Orangi Town. Meanwhile, two persons wounded in Orangi Town on Tuesday died in the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital on Wednesday, hospital sources said. They were identified as Jahan Bibi, who was brought from Qasba 2½, and Rameez. In the early hours of Wednesday, Naresh Kumar, 23, was killed by unidentified assailants riding motorcycles within the remit of the Napier police station. The victim was a resident of Murad Memon Goth and had come to Lyari to attend a family gathering, the police said. Similarly, also in the early hours of Wednesday, another young man, Sha’aban, was shot dead in Khadda Market. The victim was a resident of Nayabad. On Wednesday, two men were targeted in a different incident in Gulshan-i-Iqbal and North Nazimabad, police said.
In the first incident, Haji Abdussalman, 25, was targeted by gunmen riding a motorcycle near the Dhaka Sweets shop in Gulshan-i-Iqbal. The victim was rushed to a private hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. The police said a pistol was found in the possession of the dead. In North Nazimabad, a man was killed within the remit of the Shahrah-i-Noor Jahan police station. The North Nazimabad SP said Asghar Khan, 40, was on the rooftop of his house when he was hit by a bullet. Police said he did not have any political affiliation. However, a spokesman for the ANP said that Asghar Khan, son of Umar Khattab, was the vice president of its Ward UC-2. Orangi Town SP Khurram Waris said that 12 suspects were arrested in different parts of the town and weapons were seized from them. As many as 10 people were killed and dozens others were wounded in violence on Tuesday. As firing continued and tension prevailed on a second day of violence, residents of Qasba Colony, Kati Pahari and other parts of Orangi Town remained confined to their homes and ran short of basic commodities of daily use. REFERENCE: CCTV cameras capture gunmen behind minibus massacre By S. Raza Hassan | From the Newspaper July 7, 2011 (3 weeks ago) http://www.dawn.com/2011/07/07/cctv-cameras-capture-gunmen-behind-minibus-massacre.html
Karachi Target Killing ki Front Line Se – 17th August 2011 (PART - 2)
URL: http://youtu.be/sNuWIilP_nw
With the world becoming increasingly connected, political correctness in ideas and behaviour is becoming essential for minimising frictions, and for that reason it also is becoming the hallmark of the educated. We Pakistanis often complain about the lack of “randomness” at airport security checks abroad and go livid at any generalisation linking Pakistanis to terrorism, but then sadly, this indignation is reserved for foreign lands only, the same is definitely not displayed within Pakistan. Pick up any mobile phone here, and it is bound to have SMSed jokes with the racist stereotyping of Pathans. While such stereotyping for the sake of humour is at times tolerable, one is simply astonished to find the same to be believed for real. During the recent spate of violence in Karachi, I was shocked to come across a very high proportion of educated Urdu speaking Karachiites who believe the Pashtun ethnicity to be nothing short of a deformity, and the Pashtun influx as a curse for Karachi. One of the main fears expressed, is that since Pashtuns are more likely to be associated with terrorism and theft, stopping their inflow would naturally result in a more peaceful Karachi. Besides being horrifyingly similar to the “all Pakistanis are terrorists” argument often used by anti-immigration groups in the West, this one stoops even lower as it seeks to quarantine fellow Pakistanis on the basis of ethnicity. This argument conveniently ignores the fact that if the profession of gate keeping and driving in Pakistan can be associated with one ethnicity, then it is the Pashtuns. While I am no fan of generalisations, but if one is to be done, then considering the typical Pashtun professions shouldn’t the generalisation be one of trust, rather than distrust?
Pashtuns are also held responsible for bringing the drugs and Kalashnikov culture into Karachi. This argument completely ignores the well-documented planning and financing of the so called “Afghan jihad”, furthermore, people who say such things basically consider Karachi as an entity separate from Pakistan. The arms and drugs trade was crucial in financing the jihad, and the inflow of drugs and guns was not something new just for Karachi, it was the same for Peshawar, FATA as well as the rest of Pakistan. Pashtuns as an ethnicity are facing the brunt of that blunder committed by our “strategists” in the 80s. But, to completely ignore that whole episode and blame it on the DNA of an ethnicity would be too ignorant a conclusion. It goes without saying that the response to an increase in violence and drugs is better policing and not racial discrimination. There also is a ridiculous belief that Pashtuns are somehow incapable of “culturally assimilating” into Karachi, reasons usually given are the inability to speak Urdu and having more conservative norms. To begin with almost all Pakistani Pashtuns are bilingual; it is very rare to find someone in Peshawar who can’t speak Urdu let alone find a Pathan in Karachi who wouldn’t. Furthermore, the norms of the Pashtuns might be considered conservative, but that is if compared with those of the Brazilians. Karachi is no Rio de Janeiro, as testified by the fluttering black burqas on Sea View and Gidani, and also as the former stronghold of Jamaat-e-Islami, Karachi can never be too liberal for even the most conservative of Pakistanis. Those who consider the Westernised bubbles of Clifton and Defense as the real Karachi are sadly mistaken.
These generalisations mask a worry, which emanates from rising Pashtun numbers in Karachi. Frustrated by wars and lack of economic opportunity, these Pashtuns are heading towards Karachi for a better life. But then, Karachi is not unique in receiving such migrants, just across the border, Mumbai is going through the same. Interestingly, the Urdu/Hindi speaking migrants from Uttar Pradesh, form the bulk of migrations into Mumbai. Those who are worried about this influx into Karachi, should consider the fact that Karachi used to have a Sindhi majority, a fact that changed after the Mohajir influx. If there was nothing illegitimate about that phenomenon, then assuming no bigotry, there should be no apprehensions about Karachi becoming a Pashtun majority city, because in essence the only difference between an Urdu speaking Mohajir and a Pashtu Speaking Mohajir is that of the date on their train tickets. Sadly, the expression of this apprehension is not limited to verbal racism, statistics on the ethnicity of the victims show that they are overwhelmingly Pashtun. Mehr Bokhari’s show on the 7th of July, 2011, revealed that in the violence till that point, 80 Pashtuns and 7 Mohajirs were killed. The irony of the situation is that those who are bent upon declaring the Pashtun as a separate species, also make a case for victimhood based on post-partition hostilities doled out to Pakistan’s Mohajir community. It should be obvious that the pre-requisite for claiming a higher moral ground based on those injustices, is not to rationalise the same (if not worse) that is being doled out to Karachi’s new Mohajirs. The writer is an Islamabad-based development economist. He blogs at iopyne.wordpress.com REFERENCE: Karachi’s Pashtun “Problem” By:Imran Khan http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2011/07/karachi%E2%80%99s-pashtun-%E2%80%9Cproblem%E2%80%9D/
Karachi Target Killing ki Front Line Se – 17th August 2011 (PART - 3)
URL: http://youtu.be/yMqPqYEbAUE
KARACHI, March 23: While parts of the city have been in the grip of ethnic violence once again for the past many days, it is observed that the victims of targeted attacks as well as patients belonging to certain communities were usually not taken to the nearest government hospital. The alarming trend where people with a certain ethnic background avoid some hospitals even if they are in a precarious condition has developed over the years, though it becomes noticeable during spates of ethnic killings and violence that the city often witnesses. “Yes, there is a clear pattern that Pakhtun victims of targeted attacks are not taken to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital for treatment; they even don`t allow the bodies of targeted killing victims to be taken to the ASH,” said a senior official of the medico-legal section of the Sindh government on the condition of anonymity. The official cited the recent killing of ANP general secretary of district west Advocate Mohammad Hanif Khan, saying that the victim was attacked in SITE`s Metroville area but was taken all the way to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, where he was pronounced dead.
A senior doctor of the JPMC also confirmed the pattern, saying that the JPMC received patients, including those with gunshot wounds, from as far as central and west districts of the city. “There have been several instances where the body of a targeted killing victim was shifted to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital mortuary but the heirs took away the body to another hospital,” charity workers said.
`Ambulance workers know`
Senior official of the Edhi Foundation Anwer Kazmi also confirmed to that the trend had been in evidence for the past many years. He said people belonging to a certain community avoided going to some hospitals. “Now even ambulance drivers have learnt as to which hospital the body of a victim from a certain ethnic background should be shifted,” Mr Kazmi said, adding that in case a friend or relative of the victim was present at the time of shifting the driver acted on their advice. “Generally people belonging to the Pakhtun community go to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre for treatment, while those belonging to the Urdu-speaking community by choice visit the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital,” he said. Former President of the Pakistan Medical Association Dr Habibur Rehman Soomro confirmed the trend, saying that certain ethnic communities avoided visiting some hospitals. “Everyone is witness to this alarming trend but no one is ready to point it out,” he said, citing the air of mistrust prevailing in the metropolis. He said the practice was followed not only by the Pakhtun community, but also by people from other ethnic backgrounds. He explained that if there was a conflict going on between the Urdu-speaking and Sindhi-speaking people, the Sindhi-speaking people would avoid visiting certain hospitals. The former PMA president said that the trend had been there for the past 10 to 15 years. He went on to say that certain private-sector hospitals were also following such a trend and were offering community-based services.
`Just an impression`
However, Sindh Health Minister Dr Saghir Ahmed dispelled the impression that Pakhtuns avoided going to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital for treatment. “A visit to the hospital would show you that the Pakhtuns are under treatment at the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital,” he said. He added that if statistics from the police surgeon office were examined, they would also dispel this impression. “There may be an impression, but it`s not true in reality,” he insisted. REFERENCE: Ethnic divide hits city hospitals By S. Raza Hassan | From the Newspaper March 24, 2011 http://www.dawn.com/2011/03/24/ethnic-divide-hits-city-hospitals.html
Karachi Target Killing ki Front Line Se – 17th August 2011 (PART - 4)
URL: http://youtu.be/eEM5Heok8ak
Story of a Short Sighted, Extremely Prejudiced and Narrow Minded Sindhi
"QUOTE"
Mutineer G M Syed with Patriot Muhammad Ali Jinnah
The Working Committee meets in Bombay, 1942
LATE. Mr. Ghulam Murtaza Shah AKA G M SYED [A DIE-HARD COMPANION OF LATE. JINNAH]
Read the Sindh Assembly Resolution:
“QUOTE”
SEVENTEENTH SESSION
RESOLUTION ON MATTERS OF GENERAL PUBLIC IMPORTANCE
On 3rd March, 1943, Mr. G.M. Syed moved the Historical Pakistan Resolution:-
“This House recommends to Government to convey to His Majesty’s Government through His Excellency the Viceroy, the sentiments and wishes of the Muslims of this Province that whereas Muslims of India are a separate nation possessing religion, philosophy, social customs, literature, traditions, political and economic theories of their own, quite different from those of Hindus, they are justly entitled to the right, as a single, separate nation, to have independent national states of their own, craved out in the zones where they are in majority in the sub-continent of India.
“Whereas they emphatically declare that no constitution shall be acceptable to them that will place the Muslims under a Central Government dominated by another nation, as in order the order of things to come, it is necessary for them to have independent National States of their own and hence any attempt to subject the Muslims of India under one Central Government is bound to result in Civil War with grave unhappy consequences.”
Walkout by Hindu Members
The Honourable mover of the resolution stated that his resolution was intended to convey the views and sentiments of only the Mussalmans of Sind and not of the entire population of Sind. The Chair also held that it was only the wish of the Mussalmans of Sind which was going to be conveyed by this resolution. In view of this ruling of the Chair that the Hindus had no interest in the resolution and that it was only the religion and sentiments of the Mussalmans of Sind that were to be conveyed through it, the following Hindu members left the House.
Mr. Nihchaldas C. Vazirani, Mr. Dialmal Doulatram, Mr. Ghanumal Tarachand, Mr. Partabrai Khasukhdas, mr. Akhji Ratansing Sodho, Mr. Mukhi Gobindram and Rao Bahadur Hotchand Hiranand.
Division
The Resolution was pressed to division.
RESULT OF DIVISION ON PAKISTAN RESOLUTION.
YES.
SHAIKH ABDUL MAJID
KHAN BAHADUR ALLAH BAKHSH K.GABOL
KHAN BAHADUR HAJI AMIR ALI LAHORI.
MR. ARBAB TOGACHI.
MIR BANDEHALI KHAN TALPUR.
MIR GHULAM ALI KHAN TALPUR.
HONOURABLE SIR GHULAM HUSSAIN HIDAYATULLAH.
KHAN BAHADUR GHULAM MUHAMMAD ISRAN.
SAYED GHULAM MURTAZA SHAH.
KHAN BAHADUR SAYED GHULAM NABI SHAH.
HONOURABLE PIR ILLAHI BAKHSH NAWAZ ALI.
NAWAB HAJI JAM JAN MUHAMMAD.
MRS. JENUBAI G. ALLANA.
S.B. SARDAR KAISER KHAN.
SYED MUHAMMAD ALI SHAH
HONOURABLE KHAN BAHADUR M. A. KHUHRO.
HONOURABLE HAJI MUHAMMAD HASHIM GAZDAR.
MR. MUHAMMAD USMAN SOOMRO.
MR. MUHAMMAD YURI CHANDIO.
SAYED NUR MUHAMMAD SHAH.
RAIS RASUL BAKHSH KHAN UNER.
MR. ALI GOHAR KHAN MEHAR.
MR. SHAMSUDDIN KHAN BARAKZAI
KHAN SAHIB SOHRAB KHAN SARKI.
NOES.
THE HONOURABLE RAI SAHIB GOKALDAS MEWALDAS
THE HONOURABLE DR. HEMANDAS R. WADHWAN
MR. LOLUMAL R. MOTWANI.
The Historical Pakistan Resolution was passed by the Sindh Legislative Assembly on 3rd March, 1943 during the Session, out of 38 Members 24 Members favoured and 3 Members opposed the Pakistan Resolution.
