Pakistan Political Crisis: who lost and who won ?

By Zaheerul Hassan

Prevailing political stalemate in the country with agitators of both Pakistan Tehrik-e- Insaaf (PTI) and Pakistan Awami Tehrik (PAT) observing sit-in at capital city of Islamabad, blocking sensitive Red Zone and threatening vital Govt buildings, have negatively impacted the entire nation causing fretful anxiety for all segments of society.

In fact, politicians have failed to resolve ongoing political crises, once again ruling elite asked Pakistan Army to intervene and facilitate in settling issues between Pakistan Muslim League PML (N), Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Pakistan Tehrik-e- Insaaf (PTI) and Pakistan Awami Tehrik (PAT). Interestingly, the said parties    and many other political parties at the start of their  names  proudly  use  word “Pakistan”  and claim  that after coming in power would toil for  the development  of the country and welfare of general public despite getting chance  of ruling  the country .

Unfortunately, politicians ruling elite was unable to resolve the deadlock in the negotiations, which resulted into aggressive violence in the capital.  On 1st September morning the violent protesters of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf and Pakistan Awami Tehreek stormed the Pakistan Television headquarters in Islamabad. They occupied PTV World at 11:14 am, while broadcasts of PTV News blacked out at 11:25 a.m. when Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif was on-air.

However, army managed to evacuate reached the protestors from the building.  Anyhow, across the world, the hostage of PTV building by the mob conveyed very negative message about the security of important installations. Although PTI and PAT chiefs denied the involvement of their workers in attacking the states’ building attack but facts revealed were against their proclamations. Anyhow both the leaders have strongly condemned the occupation of State Broadcasting institution.

On 31 August 2014 the shameful   stage has been set by the protesters and ruling elite when crackdown against   agitators wearing masks and carrying sticks, patrol bombs  moved for hitting parliament building, cabinet division building and Prime Minister House Anyhow violence started when crowed of both the parties started moving towards important government buildings. During this agitation three individuals killed, 320 people injured and more than 75 people also sustained injuries.  The police also thrashed media personnel who were busy in covering the riots.

The demonstrations would have been avoided but the Government (Govt) through its slow strategy could not grab the initiative to settle the issue through peaceful dialogue. On the other hand emotional speeches of Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri coupled with digging graves; showing coffin-cloth and Imran Khan’s hard stance on getting resignation of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, point at continuity of deadlock and impending perils of violence. Govt wasted vital time to address the rigging grievances of PTI, coldness and insensitivity to register FIR against concerned people responsible for killing in Model Town, Lahore.

Meanwhile, an unusual Corp Commanders’ Conference to review the ongoing political crises was chaired by Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif on 31 August 2014. The conference continued for more than three and half hours in which participants objectively deliberated the political and security repercussions of   the ongoing crisis in the county.  Another clarification has also been issued with regards to Hasmi’s allegations and criticism on army and ISI.  In this connection two separate press releases have been issued in which Army denied any kind of involvement in the ongoing political crises. From conference, we can make out that Army and ISI are impartial and nothing to do with the ongoing political confrontation. However, like other citizens, patriotic people might be interested that a politician should resolve the issue in the best interest of the country.

Recent failure of dialogue, Govt’s decision to use force against the protesters and resultant killings in Islamabad has further spoiled the situation. Mediating role of Army was acrimoniously politicized which brought embarrassment for Army high command and caused delay in resolution of crisis.   Some media analysts and political leaders tend to show their loyalties to top political leadership by mentioning about the possibility of military take over and they do not hesitate in insinuating against Army for its hidden role in present crisis. Such elements have an agenda to spoil civil-military relations. Army never sent any message to Imran Khan through Sheikh Rashid to join PAT leadership for marching towards PM House.  In fact, the entire episode of Javed Hashmi blame game reflects that he must be feeling alienated in PTI as perhaps competitors like Shah Mehmood Qureshi are getting encouraged by Imran Khan.

As PTI and PAT decided to demonstrate before the PM House, Javed Hashmi parted ways with PTI and asserted that Imran Khan was prompted by Sheikh Rashid to march towards PM House along with PAT. Javed Hashmi’s sensitivity towards Establishment is one thing but veiled pointing towards Army for having conveyed a message through Sheikh Rashid is a cynical thought and a jaundiced view point. It is an ugly attempt to spoil civil-military relations in the country. Army maintains a totally neutral and entirely apolitical stance. It is, however, deeply concerned on prevailing political turmoil. ISPR press release clearly expressed Army’s pro-democratic stance, asking the Govt to resolve the crisis through political dialogue and avoid violence and use of force.

Govt must take the initiative using comprehensive strategy and visionary approach to resolve the issue without using force and avoiding violence. The situation presents serious challenges to the political leadership who must find a political solution with open mind and selfless dexterity.

We must know that external elements are keenly studying the developments taking place in Pakistan and are preparing wicked schemes to damage Pakistan’s interests. Having cancelled scheduled secretary-level talks with Pakistan, Premier Modi asserted that Pakistan was too weak to fight a conventional war, ceasefire violations along LOC and least mentioning about Indian desire to conduct business and trade with Pakistan, indicate enemy intentions. Hence, there is a dire need to end the political impasses and learn how to hold our own Army in high esteem.

For long term solution, the few lines shared with me by one of my friend, Abdul Kundi, former President Pakistan Chamber of Commerce-USA & former member PTI Advisory Committee. These suggestions are closer to my thoughts and thus are being shared for decision makers to decide: the political and military leadership has to take certain steps in resolving the current crises like: military has already declared that they do not favour any person of party and will remain firmly standing behind the constitution and State irrespective of government since constitution and State are permanent.

PTI five points formula less Prime Minister’s resignation will help the political institutions evolve and deal should be signed in which all opposition parties and judiciary should become the guarantor.
Local government elections must be held as per the verdict of the Supreme Court. If these elections are held as per reformed system it will help test it.

PTI MNAs should withdraw their resignations and serve as a creditable opposition. Moreover, if judicial commission finds creditable evidence that there were gross irregularities in the general elections then new elections should be held. A parliamentary resolution should be passed defining red lines for parliamentarians and their rights of street protests. Rights of citizens to protest are different from rights of parliamentarians to protest. We must make this difference clear and binding on parliamentarians.  In short, the awareness has been created amongst the masses about irregularities in the electoral system and definitely will help in refinement of Pakistani democratic system. Thus, the ongoing political crises where it has brought miseries, there it would also definitely a new dawn for Pakistan.  Therefore readers themselves decide who won and who lost in the current political crises of 2014.

Israel-Gaza conflict: Israel may have committed war crimes, says UN's human rights chief

The two week offensive in Gaza, which has led to the deaths of hundreds of Palestinian men, women and children in the crowded coastal enclave, could have seen war crimes committed by Israel, the UN’s top human rights official has warned.

The remarks from UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay in Geneva came a week after Israel escalated its Operation Protective Edge – launched with the stated purpose of halting Hamas rocket fire – from aerial bombardments into a ground campaign that has resulted in a sharp increase in Palestinian casualties.

They raised the possibility that the military campaign, if it continues much longer or is escalated further, could turn into a public relations and diplomatic debacle for Israel as happened with its Operation Cast Lead campaign launched in Gaza in 2008 and 2009.Citing cases of Israeli air strikes and shelling of houses and hospitals, Ms Pillay told a UN session considering a resolution to set up an international inquiry into Israeli actions that “there seems to be a strong possibility international humanitarian law has been violated in a manner that could amount to war crimes”.

Referring to Israeli naval shelling that killed four Palestinian boys on the Gaza beach on 16 July, Mr Pillay added: “The disregard for international humanitarian law and for the right to life was sharply evident. Every one of these incidents must be properly and independently investigated.” Tonight, the UN council agreed to launch the inquiry.

According to Reuters, Ms Pillay was also critical of militant groups’ indiscriminate firing of rockets and mortars, which has killed three people in Israel and forced much of the country to seek protection in shelters and safety rooms. She said it was failing to distinguish between civilian and military targets. Israeli leaders dismissed Ms Pillay’s criticisms as reflecting an anti-Israel animus on the part of the council. “These are intolerably biased statements based on newspaper clippings, without a discernment of the facts,’’ said the Israeli foreign ministry spokesman Paul Hirschson. “They may pander to the more obscurantist members of the human rights council but they do a huge disservice to human rights.’’

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For the Israeli government  the criticisms had echoes of the 2009 Goldstone report on Israel-Hamas hostilities that year. It flayed Israel’s conduct of the warfare and concluded that both Israel and Hamas had committed potential war crimes. Israel rejected that inquiry and report as biased, but it had the result of encouraging the boycotting and delegitimisation of the Jewish state. The Goldstone inquiry was set up by vote by the UN human rights council.
Mr Hirschson took pains to stress his view that during the Gaza campaign, the Israeli military had “taken steps to safeguard civilians not taken by any military in modern history”.
These steps, he said, included warnings of impending strikes by leafleting, telephone calls and text messages “and sometimes suggesting where to move to a safe zone”. He said warnings to evacuate are amplified by firing non-explosive missiles on the roofs of homes that are being targeted.  Israel’s Justice Minister, Tzipi Livni, said her country was acting according to international law. “It is regrettable civilians are killed, but when we call on them to vacate and Hamas calls on them to stay, then that is what happens,” she reportedly told Israel radio.

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Palestinians say that warnings are not issued in some cases and in others there is insufficient time to leave. Mr Hirschson accused Hamas of “engaging in criminal behaviour by using their population as human shields and telling the population not to pay attention to Israeli warnings. It’s almost as if they want to generate civilian casualties to wage public relations war against Israel”.
However, all leading Israeli human rights groups are not convinced by these government explanations and their assessment of the situation is not far removed from that of Ms Pillay. Referring to reports of strikes against civilian targets, 10 Israeli human rights groups wrote to the Attorney-General Yehuda Weinstein on Monday that the “reports and data which have accumulated thus far regarding the nature of the strikes and level of injury to non-combatant civilians as a result of these strikes raise serious concern of severe violations of international humanitarian law and specifically the laws of war”. The groups said they were especially concerned about possible violations in Sunday’s fighting in the Shajaiya neighbourhood of Gaza City, during which more than 60 Palestinians and 13 soldiers were killed.
 
An Israeli 155mm self-propelled howitzer fires from southern Israeli into the Gaza Strip (EPA)
The army, for its part, issued a statement saying that Hamas had used a hospital, al-Wafa, to launch rockets against Israel, as a command and control centre and to keep weapons. “It is a modus operandi of Hamas to use institutions meant to be neutral in order to terrorise Israel and the Israeli forces sent to Gaza,” said Major Arye Shalicar of the army spokesman unit. Major Shalicar said that Israeli troops had killed all the gunmen that had fired on troops from the hospital after its staff heeded calls to vacate.

In other developments, a Thai agricultural worker on an Israeli farm was killed when a rocket from Gaza struck near the southern city of Ashkelon as Hamas and its allies kept up their bombardments. The army announced that two more soldiers had died in Gaza fighting on Tuesday, bringing the number of Israeli military men to die in the war to 29. At least 649 Palestinians and 31 Israelis have been killed in the past 15 days of fighting, officials say. The UN estimates that about 74 per cent of those killed in Gaza were civilians.

STRUGGLES IN THE MAKING OF A STATE: AZERBAIJAN

By Sabah Aslam

The early part of 20th century witnessed the collapse of the Russian Empire. This big fall of Russian Revolution 1917 led to chaos and unrest in all parts of the state including Azerbaijan. Hence under the slogan of ‘struggle against the counter-revolutionaries’ in March 1918, the Baku Commune of Armenians and Bolsheviks decided to completely eliminate the ethnical Azerbaijanis. Thus, the Armenians acted atrociously and killed thousands of innocent Muslims. That throbbing history is imprinted on the memory of the Azerbaijanis forever and it has left indelible marks on the history pages to give Azerbaijan a real boost to rise against all the odds and prove its substance, subsequently, it is beaming today with multidimensional colors of success and glory amongst the comity of nations. It was an opportunity availed in time and today that all Azerbaijanis hold the flag of grace for the generations to come and follow the footprints of this venerable legacy. 



Coming back to the history, the only option for Azerbaijanis to stop that violence against them was to establish their own very State. So, the Muslim National Council held its opening sitting in Tiflis (presently Tbilisi, Georgia) on May 28, 1918, and adopted the Declaration on Independence.  And subsequently the establishment of an independent Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (ADR) in south and southeast Transcaucasia was announced. The 1918 declaration became the first Constitutional Act in the history of Azerbaijan and affirmed Azerbaijani statehood in the form a Democratic Republic. On June 16, the National Council and the cabinet of the ADR got relocated to Ganja – the second biggest city of Azerbaijan. The primary goal of the government was to liberate Baku and the other cities of Azerbaijan, which were under occupation of Armenians and Bolsheviks after the March 1918 genocide.



The mission was carried out by the newly established Caucasus Army of Islam - united Azerbaijani and Turkish forces. Afterwards, twenty thousand Baku Soviet troops launched an all-out attack on Ganja. The Islamic Army entered a fierce battle with them. The Soviets were defeated and the Islamic Army advanced toward Baku and got it liberated on September 15, 1918. Over a thousand of Muslim officers and soldiers laid down their lives in the Baku battle. The losses of the enemy were huge.



The capital of ADR shifted from Ganja to Baku and on November 16, 1918, the Azerbaijan National Council resumed its function. On December 7, 1918, the first session of Azerbaijani parliament took place. That was the first parliament formed on the utmost democratic principles of that time in the entire Muslim East. Not only a true form of multi-party republican government was created, but also extended the suffrage (right to vote) to all persons, irrespective of ethnicity, religion or gender.  ADR was the first country in the entire Muslim world to give voting rights to women, even ahead of such advanced western democracies like the United States and the United Kingdom. It also guaranteed freedom of expression, assembly and religion, among many other liberties to the citizens of Azerbaijan.



The Supreme Council of the Paris Peace Conference on January 11, 1920 unanimously resolved to recognize de facto independence of Azerbaijan. Despite the lack of any previous experience in statecraft, the leadership of the ADR managed to form a well-operated state machine, establishing relations with more than twenty countries of the world, including Turkey, UK, USA, Italy, France Belgium, Holland, Greece, Denmark, etc. The Government adopted a national flag with white crescent and eight-pointed star with a three-stripe background. On June 26, the Government enacted the establishment of Azerbaijan Armed Forces. The process of army build up was completed by January 30 to include 30,000 of infantry and 10,000 of cavalry troops.



Functioning economy and independent financial system started to evolve. Educational reforms began, the Baku State University was founded; roughly half of the schools switched to use Azerbaijani language, which became a compulsory subject; hundreds of young students received scholarships to study in leading European universities. Preparations for constitution, development of comprehensive doctrine of national state building, and the criminal code with guarantees of universal rights and freedoms were under way. Bilateral formal relations were established with a number of foreign states and independent foreign policy reflecting the national interests of Azerbaijan was formulated and pursued. The Government established an extraordinary investigation commission to scrutinize the acts of genocide of Azerbaijanis by Armenians, adopted the official state symbols and regulation on Azerbaijani citizenship. The separation of legislative, executive and judicial powers was also confirmed. The establishment of Chamber of Appeals and Intelligence department became the vital pillar of the state-building process. The Baku-Batum oil pipeline was restored in 1919; the government issued a decree on free trade and gave a rebirth to the merchant fleet. The Caspian fleet of Azerbaijan was established in summer of 1919 as well.



The ADR fell under the military attack of Soviet Russia on 28 April, 1920. The resistance movement of Azerbaijani people was squashed. All government institutions of Azerbaijan were abolished. The independence of Azerbaijan was restored only after 71 years. The tri-colored flag with a white crescent and eight-pointed star of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic rose again.



Today, Azerbaijan is witnessing a rapid and dynamic development that is comparable with developed countries of the world. Rich of hydrocarbon reserves, the country exports them to Europe consequently taking part in ensuring of its energy security.  Having taken advantage of its geographical  location,  Azerbaijan became not only a main  point  for transportation of  crude and gas to Turkey and Europe  via diverse pipe-line net, but a transport corridor linking East with West as well.  A country with nine and a half million population has become a leading power in Transcaucasia and a main regional investor, financing multi-billion projects in different countries of the world. The economic growth of Azerbaijan goes accompanied by enormous construction boom, development of the industry, infrastructure, agriculture, sports, and tourism.



Azerbaijan carries on a balanced foreign policy, based on the interests of the country. Situated on the geographical border of Europe and Asia, Azerbaijan is integrated in the political structures of both continents. Being a member of the Council of Europe and the OSCE, Azerbaijan plays an active role in the OIC, ECO. It is also a member of Non-Aligned Movement, and last year completed its tenure as a non-permanent member of UN Security Council.



Pakistan and Azerbaijan enjoy close and cordial relations characterized by shared perception on major global and regional issues.   The two countries signed number of agreements to provide a framework for bilateral cooperation in all spheres including economy, trade, finance, information, culture and military fields. Both countries closely cooperate in international forum and support each other on their core issues.

The writer is Executive Director of the Islamabad Institute of Conflict Resolution.

Geo TV premeditated assault on ISI

 Asif Haroon Raja

    On April 19, 2014, Geo TV anchor and senior journalist Hamid Mir was attacked by unknown assailant (s) in Karachi when he was travelling in a car from the airport to Geo office. Out of 12 bullets fired, six bullets pierced his abdomen and legs. The driver who remained unscathed drove him to the hospital where he is currently under treatment and reportedly is out of danger. Such gory attacks by unidentified terrorists are a common phenomenon in Karachi where daily score of the target killers ranges from 6-12. Despite Rangers-Police combined targeted operation since last September, the gory practice has not been controlled. The dastardly attack on Hamid Mir is condemnable and we pray for his early recovery.

    While the attack on Hamid Mir was undoubtedly reprehensible, the unethical reaction of Geo TV was more shameful. Ironically, the Geo News channel’s onslaught began with a vengeance within hours of the incident when even on-spot inspection of the site and preliminary investigation had not been carried out and FIR was not registered. It seemed as if the TV channel was already waiting in readiness to spring into action and start a willful malicious media campaign against the DG ISI, ISI as an institution and the Army. What was detestable was that the photo of DG ISI was repeatedly flashed during the over 8-hour program aired without a break, indirectly holding him responsible for the attack. Ansar Abbasi in his exuberance demanded immediate resignation of DG ISI.

    Even a layman could make out that the program aired by Geo TV had been stage-managed and pre-meditated with the sole objective of tarnishing the image of DG ISI and ISI. The hidden purpose behind the vilification program was to create a gulf between the armed forces and the people of Pakistan in general and the government and the defence establishment in particular. The whole lot of tutored anchors trained their guns on the ISI and based their arguments on the statement of the brother of Hamid Mir who stated soon after the incident that Hamid had secretly expressed his fears within his family members and close friends and his employer that he was receiving threats from ISI and in case he was murdered, DG ISI Lt Gen Zaheerul Islam would be responsible. Surprisingly, none of the analysts bothered to consider any other possibility.

    Neither Hamid nor any of his family member or his organization deemed it fit to register an FIR, or even a complaint that he was facing life threat. If he was facing life threats, how come he was moving around so freely and boldly without a guard? Why did he continue to remain in an offensive mode and repeatedly put the blame of missing persons on intelligence agencies despite the threats? His body language and facial expressions never indicated any signs of stress. Some say, the time bomb found strapped under his car last year was a ploy to increase his popularity rating and ISI threat was also played up to enhance his rating. How come Hamid Mir and his TV channel came in bad books and felt threatened and none else? It meant something was wrong somewhere. Is it not true that the Geo in its blind urge to make big money has crossed the red lines and all limits of decency?

    Over a period of time, Geo TV has earned the reputation of being more of an Indian channel than a Pakistani channel promoting Indian themes/ agenda and maintaining an anti-Islam and anti-Pakistan stance. As opposed to spiteful role of Indian media against Pakistan, Geo TV stance towards India has always been soft and friendly. Jang Group owned by Mir Shakil-ur Rahman co-hosts highly controversial Aman-ki-Asha program with India which is RAW funded. Ansar Abbasi, one of the journalists of Geo News has recently come out with a bizarre revelation that Aman-ki-Asha is ISI funded. Geo TV and ‘The News/Jang’ newspapers are known for promoting secularism, creating rifts between the institutions and sowing seeds of doubts/ misgivings over settled issues like ‘Two-nation’ theory, Objectives Resolution, ideology of Pakistan, and making Quaid-e-Azam controversial by projecting him as a secular.

    While Geo TV glamorizes Hamid Mir, he is looked down upon by many for his anti-Army/ISI/FC stance, for espousing the cause of separatists wanting to make Baluchistan independent, overplaying missing persons issue and for his pro-India posture. In early 2009, while the then government was denying that Ajmal Kasab, falsely implicated by India in Mumbai attacks case in November 2008, was a Pakistani, Hamid Mir took the Geo team to a village in Punjab and broke the story that Kasab was a Pakistani born and brought up in village Faridkot. He sold the story despite the villagers showing their ignorance about Kasab. That way he strengthened India’s handle to beat Pakistan with.

    He is the one who blamed the ISI for burning down Ziarat Residency and would have kept spitting venom had BLA not claimed responsibility. Reportedly, he had poisoned the ears of Asian Tigers, a group affiliated with TTP who had taken late Col retired Sultan Amir Tarar, popularly known as Col Imam and Squadron Leader retired Khalid Khawaja hostage in March 2010. Based on the information given by Hamid Mir on a phone that Khawaja was an ISI agent and unreliable, the captors killed both of them in January 2011.

    ISI bashing by the Geo TV was fully capitalized by the Indian media as well as the British media and the trio worked in tandem to discredit ISI. Let it be known that the ISI is a world famed organization which is second to none and its effectiveness has been acknowledged even by the traditional adversaries. Since its birth in mid 1950s, it has stood as a guard against inimical forces striving to harm Pakistan. It acts as the first line of defence for the armed forces and has valiantly kept the outreach of anti-Pakistan CIA-RAW-MI-6-RAAM-Mosad-BND nexus at bay since 2002 and is also supporting the security forces fighting the war in the northwest and separatist movement in the south zealously. In the process, large numbers of its members have lost their lives at the hands of foreign paid saboteurs.

    The Army and ISI are defending the motherland stretching from the peaks of Siachin in the north to the deserts of Sindh and barren hills of Balochistan in the south under extremely adverse conditions. Under extraordinary stressful conditions when the very existence of the country is under grave threat, putting the premier institutions faced with an existential threat under further stress and strain through slanderous media campaign is highly undesirable.  

    The adversaries of Pakistan consider the armed forces and the ISI as the only bottlenecks in their way to accomplish their sinister designs against Pakistan. The US has invested $ 60 million to buy the loyalties of Pak media while India and Israel too have invested heavy amounts to influence leading TV channels and newspapers. The Christian Science Monitor dated September 2, 2011 reported that two journalists belonging to ‘Express News’ and ‘Dunya News’ filing reports back home from Washington drew their salaries from the US State Department funding through a nonprofit intermediary. Despite their best efforts they have been unable to weaken the trunk of these two organizations.

    Apart from demonizing Islam and secularizing the society through media, the other major task of paid Pakistani journalists, anchors and pseudo intellectuals is to build perceptions and create hatred against the Army and ISI. The invisible hand of sabotage and subversion has caused incalculable damage to the fabric of the country. The agents of subversion are busy polluting the minds of the people and weakening the country under a well-defined agenda. Unfortunately, a section of media is playing into the hands of our adversaries of Pakistan for the sake of material benefits.

    It is indeed surprising that the head of ISI was callously attacked by the media barons for 8 hours and the government as well as PEMRA remained mum and paralyzed. Other TV channels acted more responsibly. Response of civil society is very encouraging. I have received dozens of messages condemning Geo TV. There are wide calls to block Geo TV for defaming ISI. A petition has been filed in a law court seeking registration of treason case against Jang & Geo Group and his owner Mir Shakilur Rahman and Amir Ali, brother of Hamid Mir. 

    Being the member of Executive Committee of PESS headed by Lt Gen Hamid Gul, I am in a position to feel the pulse of well over 2.5 million retired officers, JCOs, NCOs and men. They all are highly perturbed and resentful over the perverse role of media and inaction of the government in taking to task the black sheep within media and controlling the unruly and undisciplined media indulging in yellow journalism. Government’s inaction has given rise to suspicions about its intentions and motives.

    A judicial commission has been established to probe the incident and come out with its findings. Till the finalization of the report by the Commission, all concerned parties should exercise restraint and refrain from drawing hasty conclusions. PEMRA should come out of its hibernation and start managing the media houses and guide them that instead of indulging in sensationalism, defamation and spreading despondency, they should play a constructive role in bridging divides within the society and promoting harmony between the State institutions.

    The writer is a defence analyst, executive member of PESS, member of MEASAC Research Centre, Thinkers Forum Pakistan and Opinion Maker. asifharoonraja@gmail.com                              

GEO - Going for a Settlement?

By Ishaal Zehra

Although the Hamid Mir dramatic event is dying down its own death because of inability of people in charge of this act to prove their accusations, but they should not be given an easy escape because this incident has shook all the nook and corners of Pakistan, hurting the feelings of a large number of the Pakistani community not only in cantonment areas of Pakistan but throughout the Pakistani community around the globe. Question must be asked who or what gave confidence to a mere private TV channel, one of the dozens in Pakistan, to launch such a damaging campaign against a premier intelligence agency of the country — the ISI.

Hamid Mir, whose earlier plan was to go to Quetta, changed his plans at the last couple hours and instead came to Karachi. Even Karachi police wasn’t aware of his new plans. Only a couple people in GEO Karachi office in admin were aware, or, the people who forced him to come to Karachi instead Quetta knew that. Instead of blindly accusing Gen Zaheerul Islam, Geo should have done an internal investigation first, if Geo or Mir Shakeel ur Rehman themselves were not involved in this drama.

Agha Iqrar Haroon has been working with national and international media houses for the last 24 years. His tenure as journalists includes 8 years in print media and 16 years in electronic media. He writes: Who knew change of Hamid Mir plan to go to Karachi instead of Quetta? Hamid Mir had a plan to go to Quetta from Islamabad. He changed his plan and travelled to Karachi and from where he was supposed to travel to Quetta. Change of his travel plan was known only by his close circle—mostly Islamabad and Karachi office of Geo Television. This is one the lead for initial investigation in the case of attack on Hamid Mir. It may be mentioned that involvement of Geo staffers also came on surface on the face of Wali Khan Babar case.

A friend of mine opined: if victim (Hamid Mir) has a solid proof, then he has every right to name the culprit no matter if he or she is a President, Prime Minister or a General. Now, it’s up to him to present proof or get punishment for maligning a national institution. No criminal should be allowed to take refuge under sanctity of any institution. 

Practically all the senior Pakistani journalists/ columnists and anchorpersons, leaving a few who are already well known for their “Foreign Agendas”, have expressed concern over the organized campaign against the security agencies by a section of the media in the name of the attack, saying this is a clear violation of journalistic values and code of conduct.  Human Rights activist Asma Jahangir and prominent media persons like Ayaz Amir, Talat Hussain, Shazeb Khanzada, Haroon Rashid, Mubashir Luqman and all others condemned the GEO channel for its non-serious handling of the issue. None of them said that inquiry should not be done but there are journalistic ethics to report any incident and verification of news with supporting proof should be there before establishing a fact. Interestingly, political parties are also against the way GEO has handled this episode. PMLN, though, apparently joined hands with PTI against GEO’s adventurism but the fact remains that they have not done anything credible to reprimand the doers.

Voice of Journalists say, new revelation in the GEO-ISI saga has come into light and it is alleged that Ansar Abbasi, a reporter of Jang/Geo news, secretly visited PEMRA office to draft the PEMRA notice against Geo. It is the same notice which was sent out to Geo after the Ministry of Defense sent a complaint against the said media house for bringing disrepute to state agencies.

It is alleged that Mr. Abbasi went to PEMRA office on 23rd April night around 2:18 AM and prepared the draft and or helped in drafting the show cause notice which was then sent to Geo. It is alleged that different versions of the drafts were discarded for being strong worded. The final draft version was then approved and sent out to Jang/Geo media house.

If matters are really moving the way they are being reflected then things are fishy inside the government machinery. PMLN government must check the status and take serious notice before the seriousness of the matter checks them instead. Rest assured, Pakistan really knows how to tackle its problems.

The Man Who Steered His Nation to the Pinnacles of Glory

Sabah Aslam

The name of Mr. Heydar Aliyev is progressively linked with the socio-political, economic and cultural uplift of the people of Azerbaijan, who has been able to leave indelible marks to change the successful course of history into the very lap of his nation, which is indisputably indebted to his unflinching efforts for the people of Azerbaijan.  He was a leader of the nation providing them hope and optimism in the era of despair and distrust. With his wise and foresighted policies, the great Azerbaijani leader has become an icon of honour, the architect of what Azerbaijan is today; independent, economically developed and strategically important amongst community of nations. President Heydar Aliyev was instrumental in playing an indispensable role in keeping the country united, independent and sailing smoothly on a steady path of economic development. Being a charismatic leader with impressive grasp of politics, he made all efforts to make his country important in the eyes of the west and equally secure relations with the east. Soon after becoming President of the country, the visionary leader was able to elevate the country’s status as an important global player.

Mr. Heydar Aliyev was born on 10 May 1923 in Nakhchivan city of Azerbaijan. Having started his professional carrier from Internal Affairs Division he later got shifted to the state security bodies where raised up to the chairman level in1967. In July, 1969 Mr. Aliyev became the head of the Azerbaijan SSR and in December 1982, First Vice Prime Minister of the USSR. He resigned from this post in October 1987, as a sign of protest against the policy pursued by Communist Party. 

On 20 January, 1990 Soviet troops stormed Baku killing unarmed civilians, who raised their voices against injustice made to them  Central Government. On the next day, Mr. H.Aliyev reached Azerbaijani Representation in Moscow and in his statement demanded to punish the organizers and perpetrators of this crime. In July, 1990, Mr. Aliyev was elected a member of Azerbaijan USSR Parliament and lead the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic’s Assembly.   Protesting the hypocritical policy of USSR leadership on Nagorno-Karabakh problem, in July 1991 Mr. Aliyev terminated his membership in the Communist Party.
     
On 15 June 1993, the day Mr. Heydar Aliyev assumed leadership at the persistent requests of the people at a time when the political, economic and social crisis of Azerbaijan’s independence brought it the brink of civil war. Mr. Heydar Aliyev was twice, on 03 October, 1993 and October 11, 1998, elected a President of Azerbaijan with overwhelming majority. The first years of Heydar Aliyev’s presidential tenure were most crucial. He became a President of the country with collapsed economy, internal and foreign rivals, with a neighboring Armenia occupying the districts of the unguarded country. In a short span of time, Mr. Aliyev formed a National Army, which was able not only to halt aggression but also liberate a significant part of the occupied lands.

One of the main achievements of Mr. Heydar Aliyev that paved way to the economic revival of the country was his oil strategy. It was based on making politically stable Azerbaijan with further attraction of the Western capital to the exploration of the huge on- and off-shore hydrocarbon reserves of the country and transportation them to the World markets via diversified routes.

On September 20, 1994, the oil contract, later called a “Contract of Century”, was signed with the Western oil companies in Baku. Neither coup attempt nor outside and inside pressures could break a will of the Azerbaijani leader.  This contract instilled a confidence to those who were full of doubts about the future of the newly born Republic.
As a part of the strategy it was decided to transport the hydrocarbons through different routes. Thus the Baku-Novorossiysk (Russia), Baku-Supsa (Georgia) oil pipelines were commissioned. Agreement for construction of Baku-Tbilisi-Jeyhan oil and Baku-Tbilisi- Erzurum gas pipe-lines were also reached. Thus, Mr. Aliyev undertook the next important step for ensuring long-term political and economic interests of Azerbaijan.
The visionary Azerbaijani leader took active steps for making country a regional transport hub as well. An ambitious interstate programme TRACECA aimed at supporting the political development in Black Sea, Caucasus and Central Asia by means of development of the international transport.
The successful integration into the global economy, economic liberalization in the country, Azerbaijan’s growing credit rating, the annually increasing state budget and foreign exchange reserves are strong indications of a stable economy built by Mr. Aliyev since 1993. Development of the non-oil sector is also a result of President Aliyev’s vision. By handing over the land to private ownership, Mr. Aliyev ensured the country’s food security.

Construction of a democratic, law-governed state, development of civil society, return to the national and spiritual values as well as development of science, education and culture in Azerbaijan are forever linked with the name of late president of Azerbaijan. The adoption of the Constitution and the principle of powers separation, the alignment of the legal framework and national laws with international standards are integral parts of the program implemented under the leadership of Mr. Heydar Aliyev.

As a result of Mr. Aliyev’s activity, Azerbaijan, capitalizing on its geo-strategic, economic and cultural potential, started to play the role of a reliable bridge between the East and the West and become one of the most dynamic economies in the world.

Leader of Azerbaijan introduced a balanced foreign policy, based on the interests of the country. Azerbaijan got integrated into the political structures of the East and West both. His successful foreign policy contributed to the growing international authority of the country, which is now perceived as a reliable partner, and to its promotion as a reformist and ambitious state. That was also during the presidential tenure of Mr. Heydar Aliyev when Islamic values, which were not much welcomed during the Soviet era, started developing. Construction of new mosques, reconstruction of shrines, setting Islamic education institutions goes to his credit.

The establishment of Pakistan – Azerbaijan relations is also linked with the name of Mr. Heydar Aliyev. His meetings with the then President of Pakistan Mr. Farooq Ahmad Khan Leghari and the Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto in1995 and 1996 accordingly, and agreements reached during the visits, formed a base of these ties.

President Aliyev passed away in on 12 December, 2003. People of Azerbaijan highly value the legacy of their National Leader. 15 June, the day when Mr. Heydar Aliyev returned to Baku is celebrated as a National Salvation Day. Heydar Aliyev Foundation lead by First Lady of Azerbaijan, Goodwill Ambassador of UNESCO and ISESCO, Mrs. Mehriban Aliyeva with the main goal to implement large-scale projects and programs in line with the late President’s ideas of Azerbaijan's progress was established on 10 May, 2004. In the framework of Foundation’s activity abroad, the number of projects in education, health, humanitarians’ fields in all provinces of Pakistan were implemented.

Inside Hamid Mir Episode

By Tariq Rizwan
 

GEO is a popular channel and seen across the country. It is providing employment to thousands of Pakistanis but its characterless owner Mir Shakil ur Rehman is bent upon closing the channel to deprive these employees of their bread and butter. The game started when a senior anchor person of ARY Channel Mr Mubashir Lucman has recently revealed that he has received life threat from MSR, five months ago.

MSR is a Pakistani media mogul and philanthropist. As a businessman, he is known as founder 24-hour news cycle network, Geo TV, as well as its executive. In addition, he is the owner of the Jang Group, that was started by his father Mir Khalil ur Rehman and part owner of the Independent Media Corporation. This media group publishes a number of Newspapers and Magazines in Urdu and English. IMC also owns the Geo TV network.

In late 1990s, during Nawaz Sharif second term as Prime Minister, MSR was found involved in tax evasion and cases were framed against his news group amounting to 40 million US dollars, followed by freezing of bank accounts and seizure of their assets. The government withdrew after some controversial phone conversations between government’s aides and MSR, which the later made public to blackmail the government and succeeded.

MSR established a Television channel network by the name of Geo TV in 2002. Achievements Business Week magazine, in a report published in the issue of 11 July 2005, selected MR in its list of 25 Stars of Asia, for their role in bringing change in their respective field in Asia. They wrote that Geo TV launched by MSR has become one of the most popular TV channels in Pakistan. The GEO TV network has quickly evolved into Pakistan’s biggest network of channels.

It is an open secret now, who were the killers of Wali Khan Babar; everybody knows about the group behind it. May be the same group behind Hamid Mir firing and MSR’s kidnapping. MSR (Owner of Geo and Jang) was kidnapped, sodomized and photographed in the past as revealed by PPP stalwart Dr Zulfiqar Mirza(the former Provincial Home Minister) in Sindh Assembly.

The video clip is a startling disclosure of the kidnapping of MSR by a gangster (Aman Dalmia) in Karachi. He was repeatedly sodomized and photographed for a number of years until he was rescued by Mr. Asif Ali Zardari , Dr. Zulfiqar Mirza, and Mr. Agha Siraj Durrani (now Speaker of the Sindh Assembly). Dr. Mirza has the damaging photographs in his possession as stated by him in the video. MSR was so scared that he neither challenged the video and the group involved nor took any legal notice against Dr. Mirza or to the Speaker of the Sindh Assembly. The video remains part of the records of the Assembly.

This event of abuse and repeated sexual assaults, humiliation and degradation has left lasting psychological effects on MSR making him bipolar. This has led to psychotic symptoms such as hearing voices, paranoia (of perceived threats) visual hallucinations and false beliefs of special powers or identity (Like he can no more change governments). He has taken it personal and became disappointed from the state authorities.

To pursue his wild imaginations of being a power player, he started interacting and befriending enemy intelligence agencies, taking funding from foreign governments to disseminate their agenda in Pakistan. Programs and editorial content that are contrary to the beliefs and principles of our nation and religion are propagated in Jang and Geo.

Subsequently, the financial and business sector of Pakistan continued its blackmailing game led by MSR and the Jang Group and involves a name of Jahangir Siddiqui in the scheme of things. MSR is mostly rallying on his confidants in the team like Hamid Mir, Saleem Safi and Ansar Abassi to forward the assigned agenda from abroad.

For the purpose of record, MSR’s daughter is married to Jahangir Siddiqui’s son Ali. MSR has been seen exerting his media power to support JS Group’s various fights with regulators in Pakistan like SBP and SECP and other business groups. The SECP has moved against the JS Group in the instances of a criminal case against the group in the Azgard Nine Scandal, inquiries against the group in the illegal transfer of shares of PICT to Switzerland causing a loss to mutual fund holders of the group and a huge bonus to Ali Jahangir Siddiqui are considered as frontline reasons which did not allow for the deal to go through. JS Bank has had a role to play in each of the above transactions. There are also indications that the group is being investigated for money laundering.

Recently, a story was leaked which is nothing but an egg in the face for MSR’s Jang Group and Jahangir Siddiqui. A report was published in Hindustan Times on September 29, 2013 that claimed that Dawood Ibraahim was behind the launch of an upcoming TV network in Pakistan and it was being fronted by Aqeel Karim Dhedhi. BOL TV network was also alleged to being set up by ISI in order to bring down the popular Geo TV. Hindustan Times did an internal inquiry and found out that the report was published by Hindustan Times at the insistence of MSR with Jahangir Siddiqui in their Mumbai office. Pakistan’s Express Tribune has shown some courage and placed the report as “Indian campaign on ISI exposed”

The ARY anchor person, Mubashar Lucman has done two programs on 25th and 26th October which have featured Aqeel Karim Dhedhi, the Pakistani businessmen who have laid bare the blackmailing by Mir Shakil ur Rehman and Jahangir Siddiqui and how that has affected his business interests. May be that firing  on Hamid Mir has been shot by foreign enemies to ignite the flames in the country’s economic hub, Karachi.

The writer is a freelance journalist based at London, UK