The Price of Journalism

Just had this forwarded to me by a friend:

___________________

FYI............

TFT is back on the web and can be accessed at

http://www.dawn-usa.com/tft/

The original website was hacked at the behest of the government.

Ejaz

News Editor,

The Friday Times

_____________________

Re: Faraz, #39

You make a good argument that the responsibility for change in Pakistan lies with those living in Pakistan, and not arm-chair analysts like us, or the Western donors. Pakistan needs more Najam Sethis. Very true. However, we saw what happened to him. Feroz is correct. Nothing that has happened in Pakistan in the last 52 years indicates that something better will happen in the next 52 years. It is a hopeless country and it appears that the leadership there is making sure it remains that way for a long time to come. Good for India.

Re: Farz #33

Contary to your sense of a bright outlook for Pakistan, I do not share your argument. Pakistanis have not saved themselves for over fifty years and there is no indication that they will now.

The question I was attempting to broach with the idea of linking foreign development aid in Pakistan with its human rights improvement was to impose a regime of accountability on the government of Pakistan. Foreign aid is a political leverage which can, and should, be used to force Pakistani government to pay attention to these matters. If this is what it takes to make the corrupt leaders of Pakistan be accountable, then be it so!

The Pakistani government has to be accountable to someone and if that entity is western nations and they have the means to force that accountability on Pakistani leadership, they should!

re Ferozk & Godot

I am a little hesitant to pursue this discussion on this replies section, because I do not want to deflect attention from Mr. Sethi`s current ordeal. However, because we are talking about the best ways for concerned citizens like ourselves to exert some influence in such cases I think this discussion is worth while.

``Contary to your sense of a bright outlook for Pakistan``

I would not categorize my outlook as bright. While you seem to think that Pakistan can only be saved from the outside, I think IF Pakistan can be saved it has to come from within.

I also agree with you guys that a spontaneous revolution, or any meaningful grassroots action, in Pakistan is highly unlikely. But it is the only hope. Tieing aid to human rights is just not practical. Western governments and agencies have their own agendas (as they should) and cannot impact policy in Pakistan in the long run nor should they. For example, should all aid be stopped until Mr. Sethi is released? What qualifies as a gross violation and what qualifies as only a `regrettable` action by the Pakistani government. Not to mention, as Godot pointed out, the public`s lack of education makes them very easy to manipulate. Foreign pressure on governments has always been very effectively used by the right and the mullahs to delude the public. By bringing western policemen to enforce human rights, we lose a lot of legitimacy with the general public.

Pakistanis living in the U.S. and elsewhere can only do so much with phonecalls and faxes to senators. The real need is for more leaders on the ground. What we need most are not more Ferozks, Godots and Farazs ..but more Najam Sethis.

Faraz

Another attack on Journalism. The Fascist pakistani government has banned a Sindhi monthly magazine.

Government has imposed ban on ``Subuh Theendo`` (Dawn Will Dawn) Monthly
Magazine and its circulation has been prohibited with immediate effect.


According to daily Kawish and Information Department spokesman Subuh Theendo
has been banned due to it contents and articles published in November 1998,
December 1998 and January 1999 issues.

List of the articles published in those 3 issues:

List of the articles published in those 3 issues:


1- Education, IT and 21st Century-----Ashraf Rind
2- Peace or War-----Faiz Ahmed Faiz
3- Dreams Never Die, China LEAD Conference-----Ayaz Latif Palijo
4- Social Justice-------Robert Green Ingersol / Prof. Ameer Ali Qadri
5- Falsehood (Punjabi Short Story)------Mensha Yad
6- Rasool Bux Palijo`s Interview-------Translated from Daily Osaf Islamabad
7- Doomsday in Hiroshima-----Trans: Nawai Insan Lahore, Irfan Siddiqui
8- Handicapped-----(Pashto Short Story)------Sayeda Haseena Gul
9- Lahore session on Provincial Autonomy-----Irshad Ahmed Haqani
10- Basti Ghareeb Abad (Punjabi Short Story)-----Faruq Nadeem
11- G. Plekhanov-----Pratab Lal
12- Socialism & Revolutionary Romanticism-----Karam Kaloi
13- Pakistan Oppressed Nations Movement-----Sareer Sahto
14- Ishq is an Art------Zuber Rana
15- Deputy Commissioner`s Diary, Pagree------Qudrat-ul-Lah Shahab
16- PNRDP, Kalabagh Dam & NDP (Drainage Program)-----Maqsud Memon
17- Legends of Shah Latif-----Mamur Yousfani
18- Nadar Log------Abdullah Malik / Pervez
19- Free Legal Aid-----Ayaz Latif Palijo
20- Sustainable Development, Meetings & Workshops-----Abid Shah Oxfam Sindh
21- Education Workshop-----Shahab Abro

These acts of state terrorism are alarming and in complete violation of basic human rights.

Winter has brought hardships
The boots in uniform,
The heavy steps,
Audible from a distance.
Their march pauses at my door --

Intimidated hearts, impatient fools!
All the inhabitants tremble --

At my door is a persistant
Knock, knock
Knock, knock!

``I was telling you, Sir!``
And then the deaf shed their tears--
``Why do you write such poetry,
``That they put you in chains!
``They call you a secessionist,
``The liars tell tall tales about you`` --

At my door is a persistant
Knock, knock
Knock, knock!

--Sheikh Ayaz

so one thing is for sure that everyone is looking forward to change...

how and when that change will take place is still the main question n specially when the group with vested interests is strong n powerful...but thats what i said earlier that we as a nation have to be very careful that- that very change does not bring in some new faces with the same or even worse vested interests...

Re: Faraz, #33

Faraz, I bet 90 percent of those living in Pakistan haven`t a clue as to what`s going on in the country. The other 10 percent are utterly helpless for fear of reprisal. An enlightened revolution is a far fetched fantasy for Pakistan. That Najam Sethi got his ass kicked is a stark reality of Pakistan: the Pakistani citizens have no say whatsoever in the working of their country. Pakistan`s alms givers are the only agents of change for that country. As for those Pakistanis with vested interest, well, they are the ones who have the piece of the pie and they will make sure nothing changes. Survive the country will alright, for those with vested interests and for the countless poor souls making subsistence living, but not for you and me

I do agree with you, though, that the government grossly miscalculated in its handling of Najam Sethi. It is my secret wish that this miscalculation would be the spark they would ignite the fire of change for the better.

This incident is deeply disturbing.
Ibne Insha comes to mind.....hope some more Najam`s and Insha`s are born in Pakistan.

Insha ji utho ab kooch karo, is shehar meiN ji ko lagaana kya
Vehshi ko sukooN say kya matlab, jogi ka nagar meiN thikaana kya
Phir hijr ki lambi raat yahaaN, sanjoog ki to bus aik ghaRi
Jo dil meiN hai lab per aanay do, sharmana kya ghabraana kya
Is dil kay dareeda daaman meiN, daikho to sahi, socho to sahi
Jis jholi meiN sau chaid huay, us jholi ka phailaana kya
Shab beeti chaand bhi doob chala, zanjeer paRi darvaazay per
KiyooN dair ga`ay ghar aa`ay ho, sajni say karo gay bahaana kya
Rehtay ho jo hum say dur bohat, majboor ho tum majboor bohat
Hum samjhoN ka samjhaana kya, hum behloN ka behlaana kya
Jab shehar kay log na rasta deiN, kiyooN bun meiN na ja bisraam keraiN
DeevaanoN ki si na baat keray, to ohr keray deevaana kya

faraz

your last comment is good enaf to reveal your bias..well whatever i wrote did not base on any personal bias...the very fact that mr qureshi left was evident that he was not able enough to survive in an extrememly complex political environment like pakistan...he tried tho...he also indulged in nepotism when he brought in his younger brother sulman qureshi as his advisor and it was a common knowledge that sulman qureshi in turn was giving lucaritive assignments to his own friends in the federal government...

Re Ferozk and Godot

I realize this is a tangent but I disagree that ``Pakistan will be saved by outsiders and not by Pakistanis themselves.`` While, contacting Amnesty International and Senators may be worthwhile; you should be careful about the implications of involving foreign entitities in a political problem of this nature. I honestly feel that Mr. Sethi will be released soon...I think the government miscalculated how popular he is within the educated sections of society. However, if the goons in Isloo are getting pressure from foreigners to release a guy that they are eviodently portraying as a ``foreign agent``; you might inadvertantly help them sell their lies to the general public.

At the end of the day the only people that can force meaningful change in Pakistan are people with a vested interest in the survival of the country...and that are the Pakistani themselves and not NGOs and foreign governments.

Re: Godot

I agree. Pakistan will be saved by outsiders and not by Pakistanis themselves. I am already taking steps to contact people and see if this a possible as a policy option.

If each InterActer! call or e-mails Amnesty International, there would be enough grassroots support to warrant AI to act on the matter!

re sfa

Exactly how does Moeen Qureshi a failure? That he fulfilled his obligation and didn`t steal from the country. Can you name one other Pakistani leader in recent times that has not been accused of corruption? Also, the strength of a government is measured by its ability to effect meaningful change not to shamelessly silence its critics. That you think everyone who criticizes the government has an agenda, ie someone else they want to bring is appalling. Having read the Friday Times for a while now, I can assure that they are not partial to any political faction in the country.

Faraz

PS. DOWN WITH THE TIND!!

re sfp,

we need a strong govt, not a strong opressive dictatorship.

shandana

Produce Sethi, HC directs Sharif Govt

From PTI

ISLAMABAD, MAY 9: The arrest of the editor of an English weekly in Pakistan threatened today to turn into a full-blown war between the Nawaz Sharif government and media even as police and intelligence agencies denied their role in his detention.

The government had claimed that Najam Sethi, Editor of Friday Times, was arrested in Lahore by the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) on Saturday on charge of trying ``to endanger the sovereignty of Pakistan`` by making ``some statements`` at a seminar in New Delhi recently, and to inquire into his alleged links with the Indian Agency, Research and Analysis Wing (RAW).

As mystery surrounds the journalist`s whereabouts, the Lahore High Court has issued a notice to the government on a petition filed by Sethi`s wife, Jugnoo Mohsin, seeking production of Sethi in the court. The hearing will come up before the court on Monday.

``I am not aware of Sethi`s arrrest,`` a senior military official working in ISI`s Internal Security Wing was quoted as saying byEnglish daily The News.

Similarly officials of the civilian Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) also expressed ignorance about the raid at Sethi`s House and his arrest. The Lahore police also denied their involvement in his detention.

``Police have nothing to do with this raid and I have no information who conducted the raid and where they had taken Sethi,`` the Lahore SSP was quoted as saying by The Dawn newspaper.

Copyright © 1999 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.

Dawn report



The Friday Times Editor Najam Sethi arrested

Dawn Report

LAHORE, May 8: Senior journalist and editor of The Friday Times, Najam Sethi, was taken into custody by plainclothesmen at his Sir Maratab Ali Road residence in Gulberg in the small hours of Saturday.

A spokesman for the federal government, confirming the arrest in Islamabad, said Mr Sethi had been taken into custody for interrogation by Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) for his alleged connections with the Indian intelligence agency, RAW (Research and Analysis Wing).

On Saturday around 2:45am several dozen officials of ISI stormed into his house and held up the two armed watchmen. Some of them were in police uniform while the others in plainclothes. All of them carried automatic weapons. They severely beat up the watchmen and forced them to lead the way to Mr Sethi`s room.

Talking to Dawn Jugnoo Mohsin, wife Najam Sethi, said she heard her watchman shout that the police had raided the house. She said: ``As I opened the door at least eight persons forced their way in pushing me to the ground. Mr Sethi was in the bed and the intruders went straight to him. They attacked

him with batons inflicting heavy blows on the head, neck and shoulders.``

Ms Mohsin said: ``Two intruders were in police uniform while the remaining persons in plainclothes. One of the intruders was holding handcuffs and he used their chain to hit Mr Sethi.

``When I asked them to produce the warrants for arrest and entry into a private property, one of the intruders said, `we will kill him (Mr Sethi) instead of showing the warrants`,`` she added.

The intruders dragged Mr Sethi out of the room while continuously hitting him. One official grabbed hold of Jugnoo`s hands while the other tied her hands with a rope. Later, she was locked up in a dressing room.

Ms Mohsin said after a brief struggle she managed to free her hands and came out of the dressing room by breaking the lock. She said the watchmen told her that the intruders had come in at least 20 vehicles, some of them were police vans while others were private vehicles.

She said the intruders were operating under the command of an officer sitting in a white car bearing a government registration number plate. During the whole operation the officer did not came out of the car.

Ms Mohsin said while leaving the officials had also locked the main gate of the house with chain apparently to prevent anybody from going out or following them.

The arrest of Mr Sethi was being feared for the past few days. In a press statement issued on Friday he had expressed the apprehension that some miscreants belonging to Pakistan Muslim League might attack his offices situated on The Mall. Mr Sethi had stated that the Punjab chief minister, Shahbaz Sharif, and PML Youth Wing chairman, Khwaja Saad Rafiq, would be directly responsible for any harm to his property or person.

It could not be immediately ascertained who had taken Mr Sethi into custody. The police concerned were contacted but they expressed their ignorance about the raid. The police and FIA officials were contacted soon afterwards but they denied any involvement in the raid or the arrest of Mr Sethi.

Talking to reporters, the Lahore SSP, Saud Aziz, said he was not aware of any such operation and denied any involvement with the raid or the arrest.

He said: ``Police have nothing to do with this raid and I have no information who conducted the raid and where they had taken Mr Sethi.``

FIA officials, too, expressed their ignorance. The FIA Lahore Zone`s deputy director, Javed Noor, told reporters that no official of the FIA had participated in the raid.

The confusion as to who had conducted the raid cleared late in the evening when a spokesman of the federal government in Islamabad made a statement saying that Mr Sethi had been arrested by the ISI.

The spokesman said Najam Sethi`s recent statement in India was very damaging for the image of Pakistan and had not been expected from a journalist of his calibre. ``It is unexpected that he would deliver such a derogatory speech about his own country unless there is a nefarious motive behind it. He has been trying to endanger the sovereignty of Pakistan and has been condemning the creation of Pakistan.``

The spokesman said it was suspected that the journalist had some nexus with RAW. To unearth such links, it was imperative to investigate him in the matters of national security. Consequently, the ISI had taken him into custody.

Mr./Ms. sfa:

Pls inform us of whatever hidden agenda you are alluding to.

These interacts are ostensibly about our views on the dastardly abduction and terrocracy of the Pakistan Adminstration. Or are you the one who believes in shooting the messenger?

Veeresh:

I wish you had not written about the ``pirate`` radio station. I know somebody who has been working on an off-shore radio station to beam the news to Pakistan like it is. If this project materialises, the Knee-Jerkers would easily claim it is an Indian effort to sabotage the existence and integrity of Pakistan. For this very reason the Radio Azad Pakistan will not be based on Indian soil.

regards