Media under siege in Pakistan

Running Karachi - from London
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/05/14/wpak14.xml

HP writes <<< Only a crazy would assume that the US is not in any eqauation in Pakistan >>>

Well said, and as we know ``crazies`` are aplenty on Chowk. A prime example of such a ``crazy`` was the equation of ``toilet paper`` with the long history of US interference and geopolitics in this region, by Stuka, and a similarly stupid comment by PM. Such idiots are programmed to ignore facts, even when they strike them in their face and produce objective consequences in their lives. All that matters to them is some tamasha-bazi on TV. Their pathetic existence should be lamented. They are intellectually and morally dead, ``dead men walking``.

#13 rf786
Re: [[Next time Mqm ppl kill someone they too may raise the Takbeer..ALLAH-O-AKBAR and shoot to kill, will that make it Halal? For ppl like u it may, that helps no one or changes anything. ]]]

rf786(with multiple nicks)......sahib/sahiba

You see the trouyble with your kind of smind set is, you jump to attack others without even knowing who they are and what their cause is? Samething you`re doing here for me and you have had been doing in the past......I never attacked you personally....never....I am here for certainly a good cause.....

You are so much blinded by your unkown issues with me(god only knows what issues do you have with me? that you even agree with my posts,but, can`t stop your negative criticism....tsk,tsk,tsk...

Do you know me? No not at all..

Then why are you jumping your guns to label me as some sort of ignorant who is here to butcher people? this is really sad what you said about me....Anyway, I guess this is the way your mind is, exactly like MQM and Mushy........

#22 rafi_aamir Sahib

Thanks for your really sensible and good post.....This is very crucial time we don`t need any thrashing for eachother...We do need unity , fatih in each other and then and only then we can go forward to embrace democracy....which is the right of each and every respectable Pakistani................

Yes, I do agree with you on each and every word that you posted.....

Zia was the worst of all dictators and we are facing all this mes which was mainly Zia`s creation. MQM was created by Zia.....

BB and Nawaz Sharif and fazal ur rehman are a big NO, NO.....They should never ever be allowed to lead the nation....

The only choice we are left with is Imran Khan...And why not?If, all these Tom, Dick and Harry kind of Politicians can lead Pakistani nation , what`s wrong with Imran Khan being our head of state...His record is so far clean and he has very positive role and impact on society.....Just think about it.

We have to start this constant process of democracy with all the fairness of our hearts and let it continue......without any disruption.....Everyone has to finish his/her term till next election....this is the only way of ultrafilteration of corrupt politicians and encouragement for th enew faces to come forward and lead this country.........which has so much potential being wasted..........

We have become stagnant , we have become static.....we need to break this chain and start running with new hopes for the beter and brighter future...........thanks

#13 rf786

Why don`t you stick to your original ID? You and your wife are quite famous on chowk.....And you are dreaming of leading Pakistan...Let me tell you something..what you are doing here with your multiple ids is called intellectual dishonesty. You know I am right.

I can come up with dozens of IDs and start attacking you.But, there is a big difference here......I can not be dishonest....

Let me tell you something...you can never ever lead Pakistan, even in your wildest dreams and you know why?

I can write your original name here,but, then that would be embarrassement for you and I don`t wish to do that.
Just a request, if you have courage, come up with your original id......

Isn’t it amazing that three closest allies of the US- Egypt, Turkey and Pakistan are going through political turmoils at the same time.

While Turkish army has effectively put secularist vs. the Islamism in the street of Turkish cities, the Egyptian army is battling the trade unions and wave after wave of strikes against the Mubabrak regime. Here the Pak army has been successful in promoting political parties fighting with each other in the street of Karachi. The drama may be repeated in other cities.

Here is a report from Egypt:
``The longest and strongest wave of worker protest since the end of World War II is rolling through Egypt. In March, the liberal daily al-Masri al-Yawm estimated that no fewer than 222 sit-in strikes, work stoppages, hunger strikes and demonstrations had occurred during 2006. In the first five months of 2007, the paper has reported a new labor action nearly every day. The citizen group Egyptian Workers and Trade Union Watch documented 56 incidents during the month of April, and another 15 during the first week of May alone...``

With political turmoil brewing in Israel and possible trouble in Saudi Arabia, can we say that finally the pro US countries in the middle East will go through regime changes at the same time and count how many will survive the Islamist onslaught.

I hope Chowk publishes the new article by Parvez Hoodbhoy. It has some interesting observations.

Parvez hoodbhoy writes, “The Pakistani state has shown astonishing patience. It showed its displeasure in Karachi with bullets, while other challengers have been hit with air and artillery power. But the Lal Masjid clerics operate with impunity. No attempt has been made to cut off their electricity, gas, phone, or website - or even to shut down their illegal FM radio station. The chief negotiator appointed by Musharraf, Chaudhry Shujaat Husain, described the burqa brigade kidnappers as ``our daughters``, with whom negotiations would continue and against whom ``no operation could be contemplated``.

Interesting times…..

Re: # 37

Don Quixote La Mdm Zeena,

Stop chasing windmills for Godsake. I repeat, u have me confused for someone else, please rest assured there is no conspiracy against you or for the benefit of a certain individual that u mistakenly believe is secretly targetting you.

And please, lets get over with this suspense....spill the beans here...who do u think is behind this nick...lets c how smart u really are....or are u just bluffing.....I wager on the latter.....

Any person or institution that disregards the constitution of Pakistan MUST NEVER be considered loyal to this country. This is exactly the mistake that has been done time again again by many of us, our judiciary & some other institutions.

It`s about time we abolished the doctrine of necessity.

Back then in 1999, it was one man`s job at stake vs national institution(s) (no matter how they performed) & we know which one was saved and at a huge cost to us and our generations to come!

HP#38 quoting from hoodhbhoyBut the Lal Masjid clerics operate with impunity. No attempt has been made to cut off their electricity, gas, phone, or website - or even to shut down their illegal FM radio station. The chief negotiator appointed by Musharraf, Chaudhry Shujaat Husain, described the burqa brigade kidnappers as ``our daughters``, with whom negotiations would continue and against whom ``no operation could be contemplated``.

mqm and lal masjid: the two paws of the same cat!!

Mr. tahmed before you put MQM and lal masjid together, let me ask you these questions.
What happened to the supposed rally where other opposition leaders were coming. Did you see anybody or was every person belonging to those parties dressed as lawyers and were shouting anti-musharaff slogan. Do you really think that this is about CJ. if Musharaf steps down tomorrow, do you think these political parties will care about the CJ and his son. Do you think Benazir will like this CJ to be there when she called these courts ``Kangaroo``. What about Nawaz. What about his people attacking the Supree Court. Would they like the constitution when Nawaz and Bibi will be told that they cannot run for Prime Ministers again as it is AGINST THE CONSTITUTION.
What makes you believe that MQM was responsible for all this. Is it because all your beloved leaders like Nawaz, BB, Fazal, and Qazi along with Imran are shouting this. Have you seen the footage or the proof that MQM actually has that the people belonged to other parties. Secondly do you know why none of the leaders from any party were in Karachi. Can you also tell me why all of this started at exactly 12 when CJs flight landed. Can you also tell me why there were more ordinary people belonging to these corrupt parties who were there rather than lawyers who should be part of that group. So it is all right to use political parties and their goons to help CJ but if anyone wants to speak against the corruption and nepotism that this CJ has shown and if anyone wants to speak against these political parties who are using CJs case to build theeir own strength, then it is wrong.
These corrupt leaders historically have used Karachi as a battleground. The only thing that is saving Karachi from this Ghunda mentality is MQM. Why do you think that an incident like Lal Masjid can happen in any city of Pakistan (even Islamabad) but NEVER in Karachi. The trruth is these leaders have a problem with Karachi. They always had and always will. Benazir used Karachi and Hyderabad as a battle ground. Nawaz used Karachi as a money making well which he looted, MMA uses it to create disturbances. Have you forgotten the news item that 3-4 activists were sent to Karachi to create Mayhem. It came in DAWN. I dont know the exact dates but I can search for it if you want to look at it. Please dont repeat history where Karachi was raped by these leaders and people were told that MQM was not good. Please dont believe these leaders when they tell you that they care. Look at the history. Who has done the most for Karachi. Not PML(N) not PPP, not MMA, not PTI but MQM. Once again it is very easy to blame everything is Karachi on MQM. But when it comes to facts nobody wants to step forward. I have an appeal to every person here and to every leader. ``PLEASE LEAVE KARACHI ALONE - IT WILL NEVER BE THE SAME AS ANY OTHER CITY OF PAKISTAN. IT WILL NEVER BOW DOWN AND SUPPORT CORRUPT PEOPLE LIKE BENAZIR AND NAWAZ. IT WILL ALWAYS HAVE THE MOST MONEY. IF YOU JUST ASK, WE WILL SHARE. BUT IF YOU TRY TO DESTROY US, WE WILL FIGHT BACK. PLEASE DONT BLAME US FOR KILLING OURSELVES. THIS IS NOT PALESTINE PEOPLE. FIRST MQM PEOPLE DIE. THEN YOU BLAME MQM FOR KILLING THE SAME PEOPLE. STOP, THINK, AND THEN DECIDE. DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE THESE CORRUPT POLITICIANS. THEY ARE JUST PLAYING WITH YOU. BENAZIR ORDERED MASS MURDER OF 1200 MOHAJIRS IN ONE NIGHT. DO YOU STILL THINK MQM WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR KILLING ITS OWN PEOPLE. LOOK AROUND YOU. YOU COUNTRY WAS BANKRUPT AND DESTROYED BY THESE POLITICAL GENIUSES. PLEASE LET US LIVE IN PEACE AND YOU SHOUT DEMOCRACY AND ALLOW THESE IDIOTS TO RULE YOUR PROVINCE AND YOUR PEOPLE IN PUNJAB. WE LIKE WHAT WE HAVE IN KARACHI. ``

Re: # 42
hasanmahmood

You wrote, ``IT WILL NEVER BOW DOWN AND SUPPORT CORRUPT PEOPLE LIKE BENAZIR AND NAWAZ.``

How do you reconcile your claim with the fact that MQM has suported both the parties you mentioned at one time or another?

#42 hasanmahmood: ``What makes you believe that MQM was responsible for all this. ``

Instead of trying to protect mqm, you should join the rest of Pakistan in condemning their cold-blooded murder of those who came to welcome the cjp to karachi. You are not doing the mohajir people living in Pakistan any favor by trying to defend the murderous and dictatorial actions of mqm.

PTI to sue Blair for ‘harbouring’ MQM leader



By Our Reporter


LAHORE, May 14: Tehreek-i-Insaaf Chairman Imran Khan has accused President Pervez Musharraf and MQM leader Altaf Husain of bloodshed in Karachi and called upon the opposition to unite on one-point agenda of getting rid of Musharraf and dictatorship.

Addressing a press conference after presiding over a meeting of the Tehreek central executive committee here on Monday evening, he said the disturbance in Karachi was not unexpected because the issue had been raised in the National Assembly session only a day earlier, but the government did nothing to prevent the bloodshed.

“Instead of taking steps for maintaining law and order in Karachi, it got the MQM rally arranged intentionally to sabotage the reception of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry which was expected to be much better than Lahore.”

He said President Musharraf was not tired of talking about enlightened moderation on the one hand and had joined hands with “top terrorist” MQM leader Altaf Hussain on the other for remaining in power. “The hardened criminals of MQM set at liberty by the government continued firing bullets at the people but the police and the Rangers did not fire even a single teargas shell at them. Ten PTI men were among those who sustained bullet injuries and were under treatment in hospitals.”

The PTI, he said, was consulting lawyers to lodge an FIR against Gen Pervez Musharraf and Altaf Husain for the Karachi killings.

He said the PTI would also file a case against British Prime Minister Tony Blair in the UK for harbouring MQM leader Altaf Husain who “headed a fascist organisation and was living like a king there through the money sent to him from Pakistan. The MQM is a fascist organisation like Hitler’s Nazi Party. No body dared to challenge the Nazi Party because it got its opponents eliminated. The MQM first fired bullets on the people and then tried to portray itself as a victim.”

He said Pakistan People’s Party chairperson Benazir Bhutto had not played the Sindh Card, but President Musharraf continued playing the MQM card and was not tired of praising Altaf Husain in his speeches. “Innocent people were being killed in Karachi but there were jubilations in Islamabad at government expense.”

A column from The News:

After the Karachi mayhem
By Imtiaz Alam

The writer is editor current

affairs, The News, and editor

South Asian Journal

The terrorists were unleashed in Karachi to subvert a peaceful movement of the legal fraternity for the independence of the judiciary and rule of law. Most of those killed on May 12 were innocent people, if not all since some from among the killer’s gangs also became a victim of their own device. My heart goes out to that Edhi ambulance driver, carrying injured to a hospital, who was killed by the terrorists. My sympathies are with those who became the target of fascist guns. My salute to the staff of a TV channel who despite remaining under siege for hours dared to report uninterruptedly. My serious disappointment with the MQM, who a few weeks ago quite admirably raised the secular banner against religious intolerance, that despite being a middle class outfit became an instrument of authoritarianism against the first countrywide republican movement of the middle class lawyers. My gratitude to the Sindh High Court Bar who invited and stood by the Chief Justice, despite coming under tremendous pressure. Why all this mayhem in Karachi? Who is responsible for this madness? And what are going to be its consequences?

Maintaining law and order is essentially the responsibility of the executive or the government in power. But for the day (May 12), the coalition partners, especially the MQM, forgot that this is also its responsibility to keep law and order. Unfortunately, the visit of the Chief Justice of Pakistan to the Sindh High Court Bar in Karachi was taken as a D-day by the contending political forces to establish their claim over Karachi. If the MQM went back to its role of a party fighting on the streets with innumerable adversaries to keep Karachi under its hegemony as in the 80s and the 90s, the various opposition parties found it an opportunity to lay a fresh claim over the largest city of Pakistan.

A serious political challenge to the MQM’s control over Karachi was enough to provoke the party. Hence, Karachi was left at the mercy of the contending mafias and armed gangs who took to the streets and hostile localities to settle their old scores. Indeed, the onus is on the Sindh government and more specifically the MQM which abandoned its responsibility as a partner in the government. There was no justification whatsoever for its rally on the same day and on the same route as of the Chief Justice of Pakistan. Its sole responsibility was to maintain law and order and not to put the law-enforcing agencies in a state of paralysis to subvert the Chief Justice’s lawful visit to the city. Knowing full well the bloody consequences, nor should the opposition have come out on the streets on the same day. But in power politics, parties care less for human life than their own expeditious gains.

The most unkindest cut of all is that the chief justice and his lawyers are being accused of bringing Karachi to such a situation. Both General Musharraf and the chief minister’s advisor on home affairs, Waseem Akhtar, have blamed the chief justice for becoming a tool in the hands of those who wanted to push Karachi into anarchy. Nothing can be further from the truth than this. Did Justice Chaudhry ask the MQM to abandon its governmental responsibility, block the route of the CJP at many places, confine lawyers at the Sindh High Court premises, keep him confined at Karachi airport, unleash its armed gangs and refrain the law enforcing agencies from playing their due role? Who violated the Sindh High Court’s orders? Who terrorised the media? Who took to using guns? The MQM and PML-Q rallies were planned on the same day as of the CJP’s in Karachi to ‘counter’ a wave of sympathy for Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry. This ‘show of strength’ has backfired both in Sindh and Islamabad.

If the mayhem in Karachi has triggered a cyclical reaction in Karachi against the failure of the Ibad-Rahim government and the highhandedness of the MQM, the rented rally in Islamabad exposed the dubiousness of public support the Chaudharys of Gujrat were trying to drum up for the man-in-uniform. Hundreds of millions of rupees from taxpayers’ money and the entire government machinery, especially the local government funds and its employees, were used to bring ‘people’ on wage for a rented ‘show of power’. But the Musharraf administration by this grand ‘show of power’ has only revealed its real teeth. If the government can use all official resources and the administration to make a rally succeed, what will it not do on earth to manipulate the next general election? And if its allies, the MQM and Chief Minister Arbab Rahim, can go to such an extent to counter a political challenge, what will they not do to snatch the ballot boxes in Sindh? After these two grand ‘shows of power’, no opposition party will be ready to contest elections under the present dispensation.

I had counted certain casualties that have already taken place, in my last column that took place after the reference was filed against the Chief Justice. Now, yet another most important casualty, besides many, has been added to that list after these two grand ‘shows of power’. No fair elections will be possible under President Musharraf, even if he doffs his uniform, and his election by the current assemblies will now become altogether unacceptable for the people at large. But, to our misfortune, yet another casualty has taken place which is even more dangerous than the Karachi mayhem of May 12, i.e. the transition to democracy will not be peaceful. It will be, God forbid, bloody and full of mayhem as witnessed in Karachi.

There are other casualties too: the MQM, by counter-posing the lawyers’ movement, has damaged its middle class leadership and the liberal causes, and its efforts to extend beyond its ethnic base. The live scenes shown on television of armed gangs are bound to make many question the credentials of the party. It has also made itself a laughing stock by pledging to Bacha Khan’s philosophy of non-violence and opposing the military’s role in politics while allying with General Musharraf.

On the other hand, what has been quite remarkable about this movement of the lawyers is that it remained peaceful and restricted to republican constitutional demands. And what is quite disturbing about the evolving scenario is that it is generating into anarchy, thanks to the self-serving approach of the government and its allies. The country cannot afford to fall into the quagmire of anarchy only terrorists and extremists are waiting for it to fish in troubled waters. I am afraid about the re-emergence of the ethnic genie; ethnic riots, which had become a thing of the past, may break out in Sindh, and Balochistan may come out with its own demands, encouraging Pakthuns to react in the same fashion. I am worried about some unseen forces that may come into full play in the days to come that may change the whole scenario. The real challenge to the present dispensation is not from Chief Justice Chaudhry and the peaceful legal fraternity showing us the right path to follow. It is from the forces of anarchy that the government is itself unleashing.

The fact of the matter is that the present political dispensation has failed and is thoroughly exhausted. Any effort at perpetuating it will be disastrous for the federation and fatal for the existence of the country. It can even no more act as an honest agent of transition after losing all legitimacy and credibility. The earlier it bows out, the better. Is anybody listening? I had written this line at the peak of the Kargil crisis. Nobody listened, but the government changed and the country remained safe. I am repeating those lines: anybody listening, before it is too late, this time not for the regime but for the country.

Email: imtiazalampak@yahoo.com

Like I said before, you guys have no proof. I have read all those artic les. Imran Khan suing Blair does not prove anything. Also, tahmed you did not answer any of my questions but started blaming MQM again without proof. Regarding MQM supporting both parties, every political party does that. nawaz and BB sit on each other`s laps now. But of course because they are not MQM nobody cares. People never care about Punjab Student Association or Jiye Sindh or BLF or BNP or any of the other parties but of course MQM is to be blamed for everything. Mr. tahmad, I am a true Mohajir. I hate Altaf, I love my people, I have seen the extreme brutality of BB and the extreme indifference of Punjabis. I have seen Mohajirs killed by MMA, Balochis, Pathans, Punjabis and Sindhis. I have seen my fiend`s brain matter scatter on the walls; shot by PPP members. So dont tell me that I am doing injustice to Mohajirs. Like I said I hate Altaf as much as any Punjabi, but I also know that MQM people are not jusr murderers. I have asked a few questions in my previous post which I will not repeat. But please if you do come up with any answers do so.
Once again, everybody is coming out with full force to blame MQM without any proof. Why because people are scared and angry at seeing Karachi prosper. Once again I ask all of you who have posted these third rate articles. Where is the proof. Where was the other leadership. Where was Imran and MMA and all others. They were all hiding while they sent their goons to do what they did. Then they decided to gang up on MQM and blame them for killing their own people. Are you guys forgetting the red flags in people`s hand which were destroying a car and shooting in the air. Those flags do not belong to MQM. Yes you did see a guy picking another person up and taking him. he was wearing a flag of MQM. So please again before you blindly point fingers at MQM because the generations before you taught you that, stop and look around. Please see where the truth lies. Hate Altaf because he is an idiot. But also hate BB and Nawaz more. because they are not only idiots they are corrupt idiots. Hate the people who shot in the crowd of MOHAJIRS but dont hate Mohajirs for dying. Ask these leaders a simple question. Now that they are ready to sue Blair, should we sue them for sending their goons dressed up as lawyers to these rallies or should we sue BB and Qazi because their goons were the ones shooting innocent MAHAJIRS. yes people MOHAJIRS died. They did not kill, they died. There is a difference.
And if you guys cannot have a neutral look and you guys dont want to blame anyone but MQm then once again, PLEASE JUST LEAVE KARACHI ALONE. We will still provide you food, and industries, and port; and we will still take 100,000 of you everyday so you can come and plunder Karachi and then take its money and go back to your own cities but please just leave us alone. I am sure you guys guys are OK with losing East Pakistan but trust me you will not survive losing Karachi and Mahajirs.

By the way tahmed, I do condemn these murders. I blame MMA and PPP for these murders, NOT mahajirs.