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Horror in heaven! honor killing or powerful’s revenge against the Weak?

Moeed Pirzada
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Moeed Pirzada |

When Khurram Rashid, District Police Officer (DPO) of Abottabad, was descending down the winding hilly pathway towards the ill-fated village of ‘Maqool Payin’ located few kilometers off Donga Gali, he had a sick feeling in his stomach. It looked so beautiful and so serene with calm sheets of green spread all around him, yet it felt horrible. ‘I don’t know why? but may be it was the sense of tragedy that occupied my mind’; he told me.

It took him almost 40-45 minutes of walking down, and down the twisted pathways before he reached the collection of 600-700 poorly constructed houses, at the very bottom of a cup shaped area, spreading up and down the small hills, that defines the village of ‘Maqool Payin’ anonymous, unknown and hidden from the world till its councillor, Pervaiz, reported to Police, on 30th April that a young girl had been found mysteriously burnt, with hands tied, in the back seat of a Suzuki carry van at a local bus stand. Suzuki vans serve as public transport for the village, that lies some distance off the main highway that connects Abottabad with Donga Gali and all that area that is known in rest of Pakistan as ‘Galiat’.

Read more: Honor killings: Pakistan’s continuing shame

A helpless figure of charred flesh, hands tied on the back, unmistakably the body of a young woman was soon identified to be that of 16 year old Ambareen, referred to as Amber in earlier reports. She dropped off from the local school after finishing 9th grade, her father, Riasat, is a poor laborer in Gadani (not far off from Karachi) struggling to feed the family. Her mother is now in jail, apparently on allegations of being an accomplice. Though Khurram Rashid while talking to Ayesha Khan, Dunya’s correspondent, defined Amber’s mother as a ‘helpless woman’ who could do nothing to defy the will of what has been defined as a ‘local jirga’

But was that really a ‘jirga’? A jirga is a traditional assembly of elders, in Pashtun culture, that meets, with representation of local community, assisted with religious figures, to reach consensus to avoid wider conflict amongst tribes or within that community. It has been claimed that ‘Jirga’ follows principles of Islam to reach conclusion but it may have predated the advent of Islam in the ancient areas of Bactria or Aryana now called Afghanistan. Most parts of KPK were not long ago Afghanistan; lost to the Sikh empire of Maharaja Rangit Singh and inherited by the British. So many parts of Pakistan, even beyond tribal areas, beyond KPK, still have the tradition of Jirgas.

A helpless figure of charred flesh, hands tied on the back, unmistakably the body of a young woman was soon identified to be that of 16 year old Ambareen, referred to as Amber in earlier reports.

But the ‘local assembly’ that announced the verdict that ‘Amber’ be drugged, strangulated and burnt in the same Suzuki carriage van in which her friend ‘Saima’ had escaped with her lover ‘Musa’ was not a Jirga. Neither this ‘hindko’ and ‘pahari’ speaking community Pashtoon in culture nor this savagery had anything to do with Islam or religion. It is not about mosque and madrassa either. This was merely an assembly of 15 strongmen, 15 local despots, 15 local enforcers who had thrust themselves on the village for quiet sometime. Village consists of three biradaris: Karlals, Abbassis and Awans. Both friends – Saima and Amber- belonged to ‘Karlal clan’ with one big difference: Saima was rich, Amber was poor.   There is another difference now: Saima is safe and Amber dead; Saima’s poor, weak dispossessed friend now shames Pakistan and haunts the world with the image of a charred female figure, mummified, breasts protruding, hands tied at the back.

Ayesha Khan, Dunya News reporter, who travelled from Islamabad to investigate with a team of cameraman and reporters in a Suzuki carriage Van similar to the one in which Amber was burnt had almost spent two days in and around ‘Maqool Payin’ when I was able to reach her on phone past midnight, in the early hours of 6th May. She had just left the office of DPO, Khurram Rashid – who brilliantly investigated and dug out the truth buried in the stink of Amber’s charred flesh, buried behind smiles of councillor Pervaiz, buried behind looks of surprise and horror on the faces of villagers who all knew what happened, but posed as if they knew nothing.

Read more: Pakistan’s Honor-Killing Law Isn’t Enough

Ayesha, who loves beating dusty roads, and who once joined me in my program from Muzzafargarh, reporting on an another grisly tragedy, against another young woman, found village, ‘Maqool Payin’ steeped in a time warp. As her team parked their Suzuki Carriage Van on the road overlooking the village, and as she descended down the winding pathways, used by Khurram Rashid, four days earlier, she could feel the disconnect, the mental isolation of a people, of a community living below the hills, below the world, below 21st century, below 20th century, below Pakistan, down, deep down the winding alleys unaffected by time, determined to preserve their values, their way of life. ‘Everyone knew what had happened, why it happened and who has done it, but all posed innocent, unaware’ She told me. But the look of horror on the faces of girls as young as eight or nine reflected the fate that awaits them.

Saima’s father was amongst the strongmen, who kept assembling at the house of local councillor, Pervaiz for three days before reaching the conclusion that their anger, their hurt feelings can only be satisfied by making a horrible example of the poor girl, Amber, who assisted Saima in her elopement or who knew Saima was escaping with Musa, but let it happen. In these three days, they were able to trace, Naseer, the Suzuki Van Driver in whose van Amber and Musa had escaped. Naseer disclosed Amber’s role and Amber confessed her crime: she had helped Saima to escape. Though Pervaiz is a PMLN councillor, but his political affiliation – and those of the others, his partners in crime – has nothing to do with the horrible act they perpetrated. This was not about PMLN, or KPK, or national politics of the day. It was about their ‘primitiveness’. What they did was revenge: pure and simple. It was apparently a revenge of their dishonor, their shame; it was also the revenge of strong exacted upon the weakest link: Amber, daughter of the poor laborer, Riasat in Gadani.

Read more: Continuing scourge of honor killing in Pakistan

But does it make it an honor killing? Samurai in medieval Japan who committed ‘hara-kiri’ more formally, ‘Seppuku’, in accordance with ‘bushido’ – the Samurai code of conduct, did it with their own bodies and spirits. Sudden disembowelment, sudden splitting open of the stomach, with a short sword, was to let the spirit escape giving back Samurai his honor. Sometimes an assistant, a second player, would deliver a swift decapitation with a trick that head of the Samurai would fall forward as if being carried in his own arms – as a sacrifice. But Samurai honor was never restored by killing his daughter or the daughter of another poor man. What happened in ‘Maqool Payin’ near Donga Gali, close to Abottabad, on 29th of April 2016 is not an honor killing; this was revenge. When Cane, the biblical farmer, killed his brother, Abel the shepherd, whose offering was accepted by God; it was an act of jealousy; Cane killed not to restore his honor but to avenge his anger.

But was that really a ‘jirga’? A jirga is a traditional assembly of elders, in Pashtun culture, that meets, with representation of local community, assisted with religious figures, to reach consensus to avoid wider conflict amongst tribes or within that community.

Councillor, Pervaiz, who first informed the SHO, Donga Gali, of the mysterious charred body of a young woman tried to mislead the Police. Being the politico, he loved moving around the uniformed men of the state. It enhanced his image and power. This is what local politics is all about. But KPK police is changing; DPO Khurram Rashid, of 32nd Commons, was suspicious of Councillor’s abundant smiles and his overbearing cooperation and his offers of lunches and tea. Suspicions turned into reality when Khurram’s police units resorted to siphoning ‘Call Data Records’ (CDR) of more than two hundred calls in and around the village on the night of 29th. And they found one strange call, at 1.26am, on the night of 29th April. Why was it strange? I asked. ‘Someone using a cell phone, at 1.26am, in this isolated, dark, sleepy part of the world was unusual’. This was a call made by Saima’s father, part of the 15 member gang of killers. And that call, and police queries that it initiated soon unravelled the mystery.

Once the ’15 member gang’ the unholy jury, that reminds you of ‘Salem Witch Trials’ or Hollywood’s horror movies, pronounced its verdict, Amber was snatched from her mother past 1 am. The verdict of death was announced upon the terrified mother and her hapless daughter. Amber was dragged to a forlorn house, then drugged with a cocktail of over the counter medicines – that involved things as innocent as ‘paracetamol’ – sleepy Amber was strangulated with her ‘dubatta’, tied at the back seat of the same Suzuki carry Van in which Naseer had taken Saima and Musa, eloping love birds, to their safety, and set to fire with fuels sprayed over her. She was made to sit on the ‘gas cylinder’ of the Suzuki so that it will burst and all evidence will disappear. The irony is that something as heinously pure as ‘Honor Killing’ was to be done in a dishonest fashion that looks like an accident. All criminals and crooks keep ‘Pakistani law of Evidence’ in mind, as they plan and execute their agendas. Some things are common from top to the bottom. But unfortunately for the ‘Gang of 15’ (sorry! not the Jirga) police has collected all the evidence – the fuels, the drugs, the ropes and all others including the CDR – and all of them – the Gang of 15 – are set to be presented to an Anti-terror court.

‘Gang of 15’ will meet their fate. This sounds like a ‘satisfying end to a gory drama’ but this rather rare happening is only becoming possible because while they were ‘strong’ and rich as compared to Amber and her mother, they are small fries as compared to KPK Police and system; as compared to all of us put together. When individuals – however strong they may look in a village – are pitted against the system, which is bigger than them, then justice and accountability is possible. When individuals become bigger than the system, then accountability and justice become only a theoretical, bookish idea. And when ‘individuals’ become bigger than the system, then no one is safe – not even those individuals.

 

Moeed Pirzada is prominent TV Anchor & commentator; he studied international relations at Columbia Univ, New York and law at London School of Economics. Twitter: MoeedNj. The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Global Village Space’s editorial policy. This piece was first published in Moeed Pirzada’s official page. It has been reproduced with permission.

Horror in Heaven!Honor Killing or Powerful’s Revenge against the Weak?

Admin
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Horror in Heaven!Honor Killing or Powerful’s Revenge against the Weak?

When Khurram Rashid, District Police Officer (DPO) of Abottabad, was descending down the winding hilly pathway towards the ill-fated village of ‘Maqool Payin’ located few kilometers off Donga Gali, he had a sick feeling in his stomach. It looked so beautiful and so serene with calm sheets of green spread all around him, yet it felt horrible. ‘I don’t know why? but may be it was the sense of tragedy that occupied my mind’; he told me.

It took him almost 40-45 minutes of walking down, and down the twisted pathways before he reached the collection of 600-700 poorly constructed houses, at the very bottom of a cup shaped area, spreading up and down the small hills, that defines the village of ‘Maqool Payin’ anonymous, unknown and hidden from the world till its councillor, Pervaiz, reported to Police, on 30th April that a young girl had been found mysteriously burnt, with hands tied, in the back seat of a Suzuki carry van at a local bus stand. Suzuki vans serve as public transport for the village, that lies some distance off the main highway that connects Abottabad with Donga Gali and all that area that is known in rest of Pakistan as ‘Galiat’.

A helpless figure of charred flesh, hands tied on the back, unmistakably the body of a young woman was soon identified to be that of 16 year old Ambareen, referred to as Amber in earlier reports. She dropped off from the local school after finishing 9th grade, her father, Riasat, is a poor laborer in Gadani (not far off from Karachi) struggling to feed the family. Her mother is now in jail, apparently on allegations of being an accomplice. Though Khurram Rashid while talking to Ayesha Khan, Dunya’s correspondent, defined Amber’s mother as a ‘helpless woman’ who could do nothing to defy the will of what has been defined as a ‘local jirga’

But was that really a ‘jirga’? A jirga is a traditional assembly of elders, in Pashtun culture, that meets, with representation of local community, assisted with religious figures, to reach consensus to avoid wider conflict amongst tribes or within that community. It has been claimed that ‘Jirga’ follows principles of Islam to reach conclusion but it may have predated the advent of Islam in the ancient areas of Bactria or Aryana now called Afghanistan. Most parts of KPK were not long ago Afghanistan; lost to the Sikh empire of Maharaja Rangit Singh and inherited by the British. So many parts of Pakistan, even beyond tribal areas, beyond KPK, still have the tradition of Jirgas.

But the ‘local assembly’ that announced the verdict that ‘Amber’ be drugged, strangulated and burnt in the same Suzuki carriage van in which her friend ‘Saima’ had escaped with her lover ‘Musa’ was not a Jirga. Neither this ‘hindko’ and ‘pahari’ speaking community Pashtoon in culture nor this savagery had anything to do with Islam or religion. It is not about mosque and madrassa either. This was merely an assembly of 15 strongmen, 15 local despots, 15 local enforcers who had thrust themselves on the village for quiet sometime. Village consists of three biradaris: Karlals, Abbassis and Awans. Both friends – Saima and Amber- belonged to ‘Karlal clan’ with one big difference: Saima was rich, Amber was poor.   There is another difference now: Saima is safe and Amber dead; Saima’s poor, weak dispossessed friend now shames Pakistan and haunts the world with the image of a charred female figure, mummified, breasts protruding, hands tied at the back.

Ayesha Khan, Dunya News reporter, who travelled from Islamabad to investigate with a team of cameraman and reporters in a Suzuki carriage Van similar to the one in which Amber was burnt had almost spent two days in and around ‘Maqool Payin’ when I was able to reach her on phone past midnight, in the early hours of 6th May. She had just left the office of DPO, Khurram Rashid – who brilliantly investigated and dug out the truth buried in the stink of Amber’s charred flesh, buried behind smiles of councillor Pervaiz, buried behind looks of surprise and horror on the faces of villagers who all knew what happened, but posed as if they knew nothing.

Ayesha, who loves beating dusty roads, and who once joined me in my program from Muzzafargarh, reporting on an another grisly tragedy, against another young woman, found village, ‘Maqool Payin’ steeped in a time warp. As her team parked their Suzuki Carriage Van on the road overlooking the village, and as she descended down the winding pathways, used by Khurram Rashid, four days earlier, she could feel the disconnect, the mental isolation of a people, of a community living below the hills, below the world, below 21st century, below 20th century, below Pakistan, down, deep down the winding alleys unaffected by time, determined to preserve their values, their way of life. ‘Everyone knew what had happened, why it happened and who has done it, but all posed innocent, unaware’ She told me. But the look of horror on the faces of girls as young as eight or nine reflected the fate that awaits them.

Saima’s father was amongst the strongmen, who kept assembling at the house of local councillor, Pervaiz for three days before reaching the conclusion that their anger, their hurt feelings can only be satisfied by making a horrible example of the poor girl, Amber, who assisted Saima in her elopement or who knew Saima was escaping with Musa, but let it happen. In these three days, they were able to trace, Naseer, the Suzuki Van Driver in whose van Amber and Musa had escaped. Naseer disclosed Amber’s role and Amber confessed her crime: she had helped Saima to escape. Though Pervaiz is a PMLN councillor, but his political affiliation – and those of the others, his partners in crime – has nothing to do with the horrible act they perpetrated. This was not about PMLN, or KPK, or national politics of the day. It was about their ‘primitiveness’. What they did was revenge: pure and simple. It was apparently a revenge of their dishonor, their shame; it was also the revenge of strong exacted upon the weakest link: Amber, daughter of the poor laborer, Riasat in Gadani.

But does it make it an honor killing? Samurai in medieval Japan who committed ‘hara-kiri’ more formally, ‘Seppuku’, in accordance with ‘bushido’ – the Samurai code of conduct, did it with their own bodies and spirits. Sudden disembowelment, sudden splitting open of the stomach, with a short sword, was to let the spirit escape giving back Samurai his honor. Sometimes an assistant, a second player, would deliver a swift decapitation with a trick that head of the Samurai would fall forward as if being carried in his own arms – as a sacrifice. But Samurai honor was never restored by killing his daughter or the daughter of another poor man. What happened in ‘Maqool Payin’ near Donga Gali, close to Abottabad, on 29th of April 2016 is not an honor killing; this was revenge. When Cane, the biblical farmer, killed his brother, Abel the shepherd, whose offering was accepted by God; it was an act of jealousy; Cane killed not to restore his honor but to avenge his anger.

Councillor, Pervaiz, who first informed the SHO, Donga Gali, of the mysterious charred body of a young woman tried to mislead the Police. Being the politico, he loved moving around the uniformed men of the state. It enhanced his image and power. This is what local politics is all about. But KPK police is changing; DPO Khurram Rashid, of 32nd Commons, was suspicious of Councillor’s abundant smiles and his overbearing cooperation and his offers of lunches and tea. Suspicions turned into reality when Khurram’s police units resorted to siphoning ‘Call Data Records’ (CDR) of more than two hundred calls in and around the village on the night of 29th. And they found one strange call, at 1.26am, on the night of 29th April. Why was it strange? I asked. ‘Someone using a cell phone, at 1.26am, in this isolated, dark, sleepy part of the world was unusual’. This was a call made by Saima’s father, part of the 15 member gang of killers. And that call, and police queries that it initiated soon unravelled the mystery.

Once the ’15 member gang’ the unholy jury, that reminds you of ‘Salem Witch Trials’ or Hollywood’s horror movies, pronounced its verdict, Amber was snatched from her mother past 1am. Verdict of death was announced upon the terrified mother and her hapless daughter. Amber was dragged to a forlorn house, then drugged with a cocktail of over the counter medicines – that involved things as innocent as ‘paracetamol’ – sleepy Amber was strangulated with her ‘dubatta’, tied at the back seat of the same Suzuki carry Van in which Naseer had taken Saima and Musa, eloping love birds, to their safety, and set to fire with fuels sprayed over her. She was made to sit on the ‘gas cylinder’ of the Suzuki so that it will burst and all evidence will disappear. Irony is that something as heinously pure as ‘Honor Killing’ was to be done in a dishonest fashion that looks like an accident. All criminals and crooks keep ‘Pakistani law of Evidence’ in mind, as they plan and execute their agendas. Somethings are common from top to the bottom. But unfortunately for the ‘Gang of 15’ (sorry! not the Jirga) police has  collected all the evidence – the fuels, the drugs, the ropes and all others including the CDR – and all of them – the Gang of 15 – are set to be presented to an Anti-terror court.

‘Gang of 15’ will meet their fate. This sounds like a ‘satisfying end to a gory drama’ but this rather rare happening is only becoming possible because while they were ‘strong’ and rich as compared to Amber and her mother, they are small fries as compared to KPK Police and system; as compared to all of us put together. When individuals – however strong they may look in a village – are pitted against the system, which is bigger than them, then justice and accountability is possible. When individuals become bigger than the system, then accountability and justice become only a theoretical, bookish idea. And when ‘individuals’ become bigger than the system, then no one is safe – not even those individuals.

[Written by Moeed Pirzada, Editor Strategic Affairs, Dunya News, with input from Ayesha Khan who travelled from Islamabad and Shaukat Salar who covered this from Abottabad]

“Role of Electronic Media for Investigative Reporting in Pakistan” – Lecture by Dr. Moeed Pirzada at Seminar on the “Use of Right to Information Laws for Investigative Journalism In Pakistan” at Preston University, Islamabad on May 04, 2016.

Moeed Pirzada
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“Role of Electronic Media for Investigative Reporting in Pakistan” – Lecture by Dr. Moeed Pirzada at Seminar on the “Use of Right to Information Laws for Investigative Journalism In Pakistan” at Preston University, Islamabad on May 04, 2016.

Dr. Moeed Pirzada gave lecture on “Role of Electronic Media for Investigative Reporting in Pakistan” at Seminar “Use of Right to Information Laws for Investigative Journalism In Pakistan” Organised by Sustainable Social Development Organisation (SSDO) in collaboration with Preston University, Islamabad on May 04, 2016. Dr. Moeed Pirzada emphasized on Right to Information (RTI) Law which can play a pivotal role in ensuring transparency and accountability at all levels. The ‘Right to Information’ gives people a wide choice to get information from any government organization, particularly the journalists can use it for investigative stories and for playing an effective role as watchdog of the society. It also gives an extensive option to journalists and mass communications students to take information from any public organization for their professional requirements. Dr. Pirzada’s lecture was attended by a large number of students who interacted extensively with him by asking questions related to role of media in current situation. They had many queries and complaints to make with regard to media conduct.

Information Commissioner from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) Abdul Mateen talked about the experience of KP in implementation of RTI law. He said that the commission is accepting complaints against all organisation performing public functions be it private or public. He said that the law has 89 per cent success rate and people have asked for all kind of information from the public offices. “People have asked questions about the cost of helicopter travel of chief minister and data on petrol expenditure of deputy commissioners. There was resistance from relevant departments in start but at the end, they abide the law on our insistence”. He stressed the need to create more awareness about the law among the general public so that the true benefit of the legislation can reach the grassroots level. “I accept the fact that awareness about the law is very low especially in rural areas”.

Managing Director Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) Masood Malik, addressing the seminar, said that APP was not only sharing information but also engaged in educating people on the issue.”For this purpose, we have agreements with other NGOs to make people aware of their rights”, he added. He said real democracy was must for the future of country, adding democratic process should continue to make it further strong and vibrant. He said due to the continuity of democratic process, a major party did lose the election of 2013 as it could not come up to public expectations.

Abbas, Executive Director Sustainable Social Development Organization (SSDO) informed the participants that ‘right to information’ was a tool to make any organization accountable to the citizens and media. Admiring the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governments, he said that both the provinces had passed a law regarding the ‘Right to Information’ adding that the Federal Government had also sent a bill to Parliament for right to information law. He said that the institutions were bound to share the information with citizens within fourteen days. In case of any failure, the pay of the concerned officer would be deducted on per day basis after the D-Day, he added. He said a campaign had been launched, after engaging university students, to inform people about the ‘right to information’ – “Haqooqe Aghahi” .

Tonight With Moeed Pirzada: An Exclusive talk With Imran Khan !!!

zeeshan khan
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Tonight With Moeed Pirzada: An Exclusive talk With Imran Khan !!!

This interview was recorded at Imran Khan’s residence at Banigala, on Saturday, 30th April, 2016, as soon as Khan finished this interview he set out on road, to Lahore where PTI is addressing a huge rally on Sunday 1st May to kick start a “Anti-Corruption campaign” against Nawaz Sharif, asking Nawaz to come clean on the allegations arising from Panama Leaks. But so far Nawaz is sitting tight lipped on his assets and transactions and his party and loyalists are throwing mud at everyone else; trying to prove that since everyone else is ‘corrupt’ too, so Nawaz Sharif and family need not divulge, need not tell, need not explain anything.

Dr. Pirzada grilled Imran Khan for being so naive that he again fell in the trap of a ‘Supreme Court Commission’ and that his own party stalwarts like Jehangir Khan Tareen are under fire for their children holding offshore accounts, just like Nawaz Sharif. Pirzada repeated his thesis that Nawaz Sharif’s speech of 5th April, was a ‘trap’ laid out for Imran Khan, since Nawaz knew in advance of the Panama leaks, several weeks in advance, and he knew that Imran will reject Nawaz’s offer of a Commission under a retired judge to demand under one under Chief Justice of Pakistan. Nawaz Sharif fully knows that any commission under Supreme Court will be equally useless, however once Imran agrees to it, the matter will go into a long protracted investigation and will gradually die. Imran did not agree. He argued that ultimately some forum is needed, and it all depends upon the ‘terms of reference’. He however added that Nawaz Sharif must declare his assets, taxes and transactions like David Cameron has done for all six year of power, so Nawaz should do it from the beginning of his political career, as he is facing charges of: illegal funds, money laundering and tax evasion. And he can land in jail.

Imran agreed that Jehangir Khan Tareen, Pervaiz Khattak and all those in PTI who have been exposed to executive role and political office must declare all their assets before and after the holding of office so that public can scrutinize. But he added that JKT has come up with details, of transactions and funds and Nawaz should do the same. He however emphasized again and again that accountability must start from the top, from Nawaz Sharif because he is the Prime Minister of the country and he must come clean. Everybody else comes after him. Regarding Punjab govt’s stern advice that due to security threat to Imran Khan, his rally should be held in Nasir Bagh, instead of Charring Cross outside the Punjab Assembly, he argued that the only person who is threatened by Imran Khan is ‘Nawaz Sharif’ and thus by implication if anything happened in Lahore on Sunday 1st May then Nawaz Sharif should he held responsible.

 

 

Tonight With Moeed Pirzada: Panama Papers & Dr. Tahir Ul Qadri 3 !!!

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Tonight With Moeed Pirzada: Panama Papers & Dr. Tahir Ul Qadri 3 !!!

Dr Moeed Pirzada talks to head of Pakistan Awami Tehrek Dr Tahirul Qadri on proposed Judicial Commission to investigate  off shore companies of PM nawaz sharif’ s children leaked in Panama Papers. Dr Tahirul Qadri is of the view that the proposed commission and its Terms of Reference will not be effective for the corruptions and money laundering allegations if it is formed under the inquiry act 1956 for the commissions as suggested by federal Government. The reason is that the commission will only give civil judges powers to the commission although it will be formed by Supreme Court and chief justice. He said government is only trying to make fool of people who don’t understand legalities of the commission suggested by the Governments.
Commission will not be able to prosecute anyone found guilty. Also it gives authority to federal government either to make the findings public or not. According to Tahirul Qadri chief justice should make commission under PREVENTION OF CORRUPTION 1947 Act.

Tonight With Moeed Pirzada: Panama Papers & Dr. Tahir Ul Qadri 2 !!!

zeeshan khan
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Tonight With Moeed Pirzada: Panama Papers & Dr. Tahir Ul Qadri 2 !!!

Dr Moeed Pirzada talks to head of Pakistan Awami Tehrek Dr Tahirul Qadri on proposed Judicial Commission to investigate  off shore companies of PM nawaz sharif’ s children leaked in Panama Papers. Dr Tahirul Qadri is of the view that the proposed commission and its Terms of Reference will not be effective for the corruptions and money laundering allegations if it is formed under the inquiry act 1956 for the commissions as suggested by federal Government. The reason is that the commission will only give civil judges powers to the commission although it will be formed by Supreme Court and chief justice. He said government is only trying to make fool of people who don’t understand legalities of the commission suggested by the Governments.
Commission will not be able to prosecute anyone found guilty. Also it gives authority to federal government either to make the findings public or not. According to Tahirul Qadri chief justice should make commission under PREVENTION OF CORRUPTION 1947 Act.

Tonight With Moeed Pirzada: Panama Leaks & PM Nawaz Sharif !!!

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Tonight With Moeed Pirzada: Panama Leaks & PM Nawaz Sharif !!!

DR. Moeed Pirzada in this segment raises some very basic questions for the government. He wondered why Nawaz Govt keeps crying against private media channels? Government has total control on Pakistan’s largest TV network; Pakistan Television, Ptv, which is the only tv in Pakistan with annual revenues of 7-8 Billion Rupees, because of license fee; Government these days also is aligned with another large TV channel which is now considered Ptv-2 by public, and with a large English paper which has assumed the role of erstwhile ‘Pakistan Times’; and a large Urdu paper which now reminds public of ‘Press Trust of Pakistan  papers like Amrooz. Why then  government keeps on protesting against private media in a way that amounts to brow beat them into submission? Why government needs to control few remaining channels of the private media when it has huge section of media under its control?

Pirzada played a video clip of Dunya News of 21st April, when he was commenting on Dunya News, and suddenly the tapping device by some government agency went berserk, with sounds of ‘auto-rewind’ becoming visible and audible showing how his phone was being recorded. These sounds were fortunately recorded by Dunya News. But does ‘evidence’ matters in a country like Pakistan where all authority is brutally vested in few hands?

Pirzada in this program analyzed how ‘Panama Papers Leaks’ have transformed Pakistani politics setting a bizarre and colorful circus in motion; how PPP leaders went to Sheikh Rasheed’s Lal Haveli, how Sheikh met ‘Bilawal Bhutto’ and how both conveniently forgot the awkward insidious comments Sheikh had been making presumably about the other. Pirzada also showed clips to prove that how a Doctor in London miraculously cured Nawaz Sharif first for shopping and now for his hectic political campaign across all of Pakistan. He concluded, by arguing with the help of videos and audios, that Nawaz Sharif is a street smart politician who has cleverly trapped Imran Khan into a ‘Supreme Court Commission’ – a Commission that will only provide relief to Nawaz Sharif; who desperately needs to clear his name.

Panama Papers & Pakistan’s Kingdom of Lies!

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Panama Papers & Pakistan’s Kingdom of Lies!

In the morning of 27th April, Pakistani public was bombarded with the front page stories in leading English and Urdu papers of a media group closely aligned with the government, stories that claimed that International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) that leaked the ‘Panama Papers’ has admitted that PM Nawaz Sharif’s name was wrongly implicated in the Panama Papers and that now it has been withdrawn.

This apparent ‘comedy show’ directed by Prime Minister’s Media Team – ironically on the day when the federal government banned film ‘Maalik’ for bad taste – was a spin as most urban educated Pakistanis and those active on social media have understood by now and as this piece will also further explain. But this ‘spin’ had a darker sinister side to it. And making sense of that ‘dark sinister move’ will help you understand as to where Pakistan is heading.

A cabinet meeting in the afternoon looked like a festival, a carnival, a party thrown to celebrate victory. And in this cabinet meeting, this ‘govt planted story’ which for all practical purposes appeared like a ‘handout’ rather than independent work by the paper became the basis, the justification for important decision making in connection with ‘Panama Leaks’. Ministers who were falling over each other, like courtiers in an ancient kingdom, to congratulate their PM for his great leadership, for extracting apologies and retraction from ICIJ then decided that now since PM’s name has been cleared of the ‘Panama Papers’ therefore there is no need even to seek consensus on TOR’s for the Commission. In other words, no need to revise the TOR’s in consultation with the opposition. See Dawn story by Khawar Grumman: Cabinet throws its weight behind PM

‘ICIJ Apologizing’ was a full comedy show, no holds barred, ‘Desi style’ but the irony of this is that it demonstrated once for all that now the Pakistani PM is so desperate for clearing his name that a ‘planted news story’ was being used as ‘psy-ops’ to set the stage for obtaining a ‘Subservient Commission’. The so called cabinet decision of unilaterally finalizing the TORs for the ‘Commission’ was nothing but a gimmick, another trick to increase pressure upon PTI and other opposition to persuade them to lend acceptability to a govt. created Commission. Reality is: without PTI’s acceptance, any Commission of Enquiry into Panama Papers will have no respect or legitimacy in the eyes of the public and the world.

On 27th April, I was one of the many Pakistani journalists, who sent emails to editors and directors of ICIJ in Washington and London enquiring if ICIJ had withdrawn Pakistani PM Nawaz Sharif’s name from Panama Papers, and Mr. Ryle, Gerard, Director ICIJ, promptly replied, in these words:

“We simply made it more clear that the link to the PM was through his children. That was already clear but we made it more clear. The News report is extremely misleading. As I understand from reading the report, it is claiming that ICIJ has issued an apology and withdrawn all mention of the PM being in the data. Let me be clear. The PM’s name is in the data, in reference to his children, and you can read about the Mossack Fonseca links here:

https://panamapapers.icij.org/the_power_players/?lang=en&autoresize=true#19

We stand by all of our reporting.”

That explanation was hardly needed. For any sane mind, the sheer stupidity, the pathetic script of the Pakistani govt ‘spin’ and its desperation was obvious and written large on the story itself. It was in the nature of claims. Anyone even slightly familiar with the Panama Files story, the discussion that followed world wide and the heated tv debates in Pakistan knew that awkward questions, allegations, doubts and suspicions around PM Nawaz Sharif all flow from his children possessing ‘Offshore Accounts’ or London properties.

Even in his own speeches, at least twice, Nawaz Sharif pointedly said that his name is not there; news stories in the same ‘friendly paper’ kept claiming that PM will clear his children’s name. PMLN ministers privately kept claiming that since children are not residents in Pakistan therefore ‘not much of a case exists’ since their transactions conducted abroad cannot be scrutinized. It was obvious that assets and accounts have been maintained in the names of the children, since 2006, as part of a legally thought out strategy. And it was obvious that a ‘Compliant Commission’ is needed where these children can safely appear in front of the ‘avuncular characters’ to say whatever they want to say and the matter can be hushed up, with a funny report after several weeks or months or years.

Overall strategy is still the same. It is only branching out into different tactics. PM Nawaz is desperately in need of a Judicial Commission, or a Court decision, or a parliamentary committee, an APC, something that looks like a ‘forum’ from where he could safely clear his name so that few weeks or months down the line, the State Dept spokesman in Washington can say: “Well, a Commission examined the charges against the PM Nawaz and has exonerated him”.

This strategy, like all strategies of ‘rich and powerful’ in Pakistan is patently a “legal defense”. It is not about facts and reality. That means you have to challenge all allegations not as facts but as points of law. Iceland’s PM had to resign, not because of legal issues but because facts of his case created doubts and suspicions; British PM David Cameron was never defending himself legally, he bravely explained the facts. PM Nawaz’s response of the past several weeks makes it obvious that he does not feel secure or confident about disclosing the facts of his assets, taxes, financial transactions and properties.

Troubled by his fears, unable to divulge the facts, Nawaz Sharif and his team are struggling with a ‘legal strategy’ of picking up fights, of threatening media critics, of pointing out flaws, however trivial they may be and then finally hiding behind the various provisions of law inside a ‘Pakistani Commission’ where accusers will have to bring evidences, where many questions will be time barred, previous allegations however credible will be ‘past and closed transactions’ and where countless other people will be dragged to prolong the proceedings and to create the impression that allegations against PM are just a tiny part of a large public trial or investigation of hundreds of others. Actions of the Nawaz govt. were also calculated to instill fears and insecurities in hundreds of Pakistani businessmen who are now afraid that they – for any reason whatsoever – can be hauled and harassed before a commission.

It was part of this ‘strategy’ of ‘legal defense’ and media disinformation that even an editorial correction, on behalf of ICIJ, that only straightens the sentence to make it clear that PM Nawaz is implicated not because of his own account but because of his children had to be used as a ‘big development’. Purpose of crying hoarse and loud is only to mislead the poor Pakistanis that live in small towns and villages. After all the ‘Public Contact Campaign’ is not for urban intelligentsia who cannot be fooled by such ‘comedy shows’ but for more disadvantaged populations.

Otherwise the urban intelligentsia and those with access to internet and social media also remember that Russian President Putin and Chinese President, Xi Jinping are named in Panama Papers only because of the accounts and activities of their relatives. David Cameron and Argentinian President are explaining the sins of their fathers. Name of Javaid Pasha (JP) rings bells about Asif Ali Zardari and so on. The whole Panama Papers is like this. No one in the whole world has reacted the way Nawaz Sharif has done. But then no Prime Minister had ever attacked his own supreme court.

And it is common knowledge that in corrupt Asian societies, top politicians, generals and other government executives keep their ill-gotten wealth in the names of their children and their families. Arguing that I don’t have accounts in my name, but in the name of my children is a pure, quintessential legal defense. It is good for a ‘Court’ or ‘Commission’ but it is of no use in a functional democracy. In a democracy, top politicians have to come clean in front of the public, parliament and the media. PM Nawaz is simply refusing to do that. If he is still hanging on, if no one can ask him to leave, if his party and opposition, and media are all helpless; if he is not even persuaded to disclose his assets and accounts and his transactions since 1981 or 1990, then its is only because Pakistan is not a democracy. After all in UAE or Saudi Arabia, Panama Papers, is not an issue. In China, we hear, these days, you can not search ‘panama’ on internet.

World outside ignores Pakistani absurdities because the argument is that Pakistan is a fledgling democracy. The only evidence to support this contention is that ‘Elections were held’. True! Elections were held. But in a system, where government can order state broadcaster not to broadcast the parliamentary debate on ‘Panama Papers’ or can force its version on private channels, where government can buy or threaten journalists and media houses, where government without any fear of accountability, can spend hundreds of millions in advertisement campaigns to defend a Prime Minister and his family facing corruption allegations, (as was done on 28th April) where senior bureaucrats are like ‘private servants’ or ‘naukar’ where politicians inside the political parties, like PMLN for instance, behave like the insecure employees of a ‘private limited company’ and where party or cabinet meetings are rare and most decisions are taken by the ruling family; in short all power is vested in few hands then how fair or credible elections can be? How can this system where all powers of the state are concentrated in few hands ever throw up a “Commission” that can examine the same powers?

Panama Papers, has exposed the nature of Pakistani politics and so called ‘democracy’. Whereas democracy is the best expression of mankind’s political thought and evolution, but ruling elite in Pakistan have specialized in running ‘dynastic family control’ in the name of democracy. It is in this milieu that the debate around ‘Panama Papers’ in Pakistan has to be understood. If the opposition, the media and the aware citizens succeed in braving the storm of bluffs and lies and ‘threats’ and succeeded in forcing the PM Nawaz to disclose his assets and transactions from the date he held public office then Pakistan will move on the road to become a ‘democracy’. Otherwise next elections, the elections after that and the next elections after that will all be meaningless. ‘Panama Papers’ is Pakistan democratic test.

An earlier version of this blog appeared on this website on 27th. Panama Crisis & Government by threats, bluffs and lies!

[Note: Moeed Pirzada is leading TV Anchor & Political Commentator in Pakistan. He is Editor Strategic Affairs with Dunya News; you can find his programs and writing on his official website: www.moeedpirzada.pk and he tweets at: MoeedNj]

Panama Papers & Pakistan’s kingdom of lies!

Moeed Pirzada
-
0

Moeed Pirzada |

In the morning of 27th April, Pakistani public was bombarded with the front page stories in leading English and Urdu papers of a media group closely aligned with the government, stories that claimed that International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) that leaked the ‘Panama Papers’ has admitted that PM Nawaz Sharif’s name was wrongly implicated in the Panama Papers and that now it has been withdrawn.

This apparent ‘comedy show’ directed by Prime Minister’s Media Team – ironically on the day when the federal government banned film ‘Maalik’ for bad taste – was a spin as most urban educated Pakistanis and those active on social media have understood by now and as this piece will also further explain. But this ‘spin’ had a darker sinister side to it. And making sense of that ‘dark sinister move’ will help you understand as to where Pakistan is heading.

Read more: Will there be any resolution on Panamagate?

A cabinet meeting in the afternoon looked like a festival, a carnival, a party thrown to celebrate victory. And in this cabinet meeting, this ‘govt planted story’ which for all practical purposes appeared like a ‘handout’ rather than independent work by the paper became the basis, the justification for important decision making in connection with ‘Panama Leaks’. Ministers who were falling over each other, like courtiers in an ancient kingdom, to congratulate their PM for his great leadership, for extracting apologies and retraction from ICIJ then decided that now since PM’s name has been cleared of the ‘Panama Papers’ therefore there is no need even to seek consensus on TOR’s for the Commission. In other words, no need to revise the TOR’s in consultation with the opposition. See Dawn story by Khawar Grumman: Cabinet throws its weight behind PM

‘ICIJ Apologizing’ was a full comedy show, no holds barred, ‘Desi style’ but the irony of this is that it demonstrated once for all that now the Pakistani PM is so desperate for clearing his name that a ‘planted news story’ was being used as ‘psy-ops’ to set the stage for obtaining a ‘Subservient Commission’. The so called cabinet decision of unilaterally finalizing the TORs for the ‘Commission’ was nothing but a gimmick, another trick to increase pressure upon PTI and other opposition to persuade them to lend acceptability to a govt. created Commission. Reality is: without PTI’s acceptance, any Commission of Enquiry into Panama Papers will have no respect or legitimacy in the eyes of the public and the world.

On 27th April, I was one of the many Pakistani journalists, who sent emails to editors and directors of ICIJ in Washington and London enquiring if ICIJ had withdrawn Pakistani PM Nawaz Sharif’s name from Panama Papers, and Mr. Ryle, Gerard, Director ICIJ, promptly replied, in these words:

“We simply made it more clear that the link to the PM was through his children. That was already clear but we made it more clear. The News report is extremely misleading. As I understand from reading the report, it is claiming that ICIJ has issued an apology and withdrawn all mention of the PM being in the data. Let me be clear. The PM’s name is in the data, in reference to his children, and you can read about the Mossack Fonseca links here:

https://panamapapers.icij.org/the_power_players/?lang=en&autoresize=true#19

We stand by all of our reporting.”

That explanation was hardly needed. For any sane mind, the sheer stupidity, the pathetic script of the Pakistani govt ‘spin’ and its desperation was obvious and written large on the story itself. It was in the nature of claims. Anyone even slightly familiar with the Panama Files story, the discussion that followed world wide and the heated tv debates in Pakistan knew that awkward questions, allegations, doubts and suspicions around PM Nawaz Sharif all flow from his children possessing ‘Offshore Accounts’ or London properties.

Even in his own speeches, at least twice, Nawaz Sharif pointedly said that his name is not there; news stories in the same ‘friendly paper’ kept claiming that PM will clear his children’s name. PMLN ministers privately kept claiming that since children are not residents in Pakistan therefore ‘not much of a case exists’ since their transactions conducted abroad cannot be scrutinized. It was obvious that assets and accounts have been maintained in the names of the children, since 2006, as part of a legally thought out strategy. And it was obvious that a ‘Compliant Commission’ is needed where these children can safely appear in front of the ‘avuncular characters’ to say whatever they want to say and the matter can be hushed up, with a funny report after several weeks or months or years.

Read more: Panama Case: Why German Paper’s disclosure may be extremely damaging for Sharif Family?

Overall strategy is still the same. It is only branching out into different tactics. PM Nawaz is desperately in need of a Judicial Commission, or a Court decision, or a parliamentary committee, an APC, something that looks like a ‘forum’ from where he could safely clear his name so that few weeks or months down the line, the State Dept spokesman in Washington can say: “Well, a Commission examined the charges against the PM Nawaz and has exonerated him”.

This strategy, like all strategies of ‘rich and powerful’ in Pakistan is patently a “legal defense”. It is not about facts and reality. That means you have to challenge all allegations not as facts but as points of law. Iceland’s PM had to resign, not because of legal issues but because facts of his case created doubts and suspicions; British PM David Cameron was never defending himself legally, he bravely explained the facts. PM Nawaz’s response of the past several weeks makes it obvious that he does not feel secure or confident about disclosing the facts of his assets, taxes, financial transactions and properties.

Troubled by his fears, unable to divulge the facts, Nawaz Sharif and his team are struggling with a ‘legal strategy’ of picking up fights, of threatening media critics, of pointing out flaws, however trivial they may be and then finally hiding behind the various provisions of law inside a ‘Pakistani Commission’ where accusers will have to bring evidences, where many questions will be time barred, previous allegations however credible will be ‘past and closed transactions’ and where countless other people will be dragged to prolong the proceedings and to create the impression that allegations against PM are just a tiny part of a large public trial or investigation of hundreds of others. Actions of the Nawaz govt. were also calculated to instill fears and insecurities in hundreds of Pakistani businessmen who are now afraid that they – for any reason whatsoever – can be hauled and harassed before a commission.

It was part of this ‘strategy’ of ‘legal defense’ and media disinformation that even an editorial correction, on behalf of ICIJ, that only straightens the sentence to make it clear that PM Nawaz is implicated not because of his own account but because of his children had to be used as a ‘big development’. Purpose of crying hoarse and loud is only to mislead the poor Pakistanis that live in small towns and villages. After all the ‘Public Contact Campaign’ is not for urban intelligentsia who cannot be fooled by such ‘comedy shows’ but for more disadvantaged populations.

Otherwise the urban intelligentsia and those with access to internet and social media also remember that Russian President Putin and Chinese President, Xi Jinping are named in Panama Papers only because of the accounts and activities of their relatives. David Cameron and Argentinian President are explaining the sins of their fathers. Name of Javaid Pasha (JP) rings bells about Asif Ali Zardari and so on. The whole Panama Papers is like this. No one in the whole world has reacted the way Nawaz Sharif has done. But then no Prime Minister had ever attacked his own supreme court.

And it is common knowledge that in corrupt Asian societies, top politicians, generals and other government executives keep their ill-gotten wealth in the names of their children and their families. Arguing that I don’t have accounts in my name, but in the name of my children is a pure, quintessential legal defense. It is good for a ‘Court’ or ‘Commission’ but it is of no use in a functional democracy. In a democracy, top politicians have to come clean in front of the public, parliament and the media. PM Nawaz is simply refusing to do that. If he is still hanging on, if no one can ask him to leave, if his party and opposition, and media are all helpless; if he is not even persuaded to disclose his assets and accounts and his transactions since 1981 or 1990, then its is only because Pakistan is not a democracy. After all in UAE or Saudi Arabia, Panama Papers, is not an issue. In China, we hear, these days, you can not search ‘panama’ on internet.

Read more: Imran Khan Rejects Judicial Commission on Panama Corruption Case & Demands a Five Member Supreme Court Bench

World outside ignores Pakistani absurdities because the argument is that Pakistan is a fledgling democracy. The only evidence to support this contention is that ‘Elections were held’. True! Elections were held. But in a system, where government can order state broadcaster not to broadcast the parliamentary debate on ‘Panama Papers’ or can force its version on private channels, where government can buy or threaten journalists and media houses, where government without any fear of accountability, can spend hundreds of millions in advertisement campaigns to defend a Prime Minister and his family facing corruption allegations, (as was done on 28th April) where senior bureaucrats are like ‘private servants’ or ‘naukar’ where politicians inside the political parties, like PMLN for instance, behave like the insecure employees of a ‘private limited company’ and where party or cabinet meetings are rare and most decisions are taken by the ruling family; in short all power is vested in few hands then how fair or credible elections can be? How can this system where all powers of the state are concentrated in few hands ever throw up a “Commission” that can examine the same powers?

Panama Papers, has exposed the nature of Pakistani politics and so called ‘democracy’. Whereas democracy is the best expression of mankind’s political thought and evolution, but ruling elite in Pakistan have specialized in running ‘dynastic family control’ in the name of democracy. It is in this milieu that the debate around ‘Panama Papers’ in Pakistan has to be understood. If the opposition, the media and the aware citizens succeed in braving the storm of bluffs and lies and ‘threats’ and succeeded in forcing the PM Nawaz to disclose his assets and transactions from the date he held public office then Pakistan will move on the road to become a ‘democracy’. Otherwise next elections, the elections after that and the next elections after that will all be meaningless. ‘Panama Papers’ is Pakistan democratic test.

 

Moeed Pirzada is prominent TV Anchor & commentator; he studied international relations at Columbia Univ, New York and law at London School of Economics. Twitter: MoeedNj. The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Global Village Space’s editorial policy. This piece was first published in Moeed Pirzada’s official page. It has been reproduced with permission.

Panama Crisis & Government by threats, bluffs and lies!

Admin
-
1
Panama Crisis & Government by threats, bluffs and lies!

 

This morning Pakistani public was bombarded with the front page stories in leading English and Urdu papers of a media group closely aligned with the government, stories that claimed that International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) that leaked the ‘Panama Papers’ has admitted that PM Nawaz Sharif’s name was wrongly implicated in the Panama Papers and that now it has been withdrawn.

This show, apparently written and directed by PM Media Team, was fantastic enough, but the architects of this comedy show did not stop there. Soon this was presented loudly on tv channels and talked about in a thunderous way to suggest that ICIJ has apologized, PM Nawaz’s name has been withdrawn from Panama Files, the ‘great spin story’ was treated as ‘gospel truth’ in a cabinet meeting (more cabinet meetings have happened in the past few weeks than in whole of 2015) and the twitter handle of CNN18 an Indian News Channel took this opportunity to declare that ‘ICIJ’ has exonerated the Pakistani PM from any wrong doing. Why Indians are so worried for a Pakistani Prime Minister is a scandal in itself, but let’s talk about that later.

‘ICIJ Apologizing’ was a full comedy show, no holds barred, ‘Desi style’ but the irony of this is that it demonstrated once for all that now the Pakistani PM is so desperate for clearing his name that a dubious news story, and twitter handle of an Indian channel are being used as ‘evidences’ of PM Nawaz being exonerated. So do we not need a ‘Compliant Commission’ any more?

For any sane mind, the sheer stupidity, the pathetic script of the ‘spin’ and its desperation was obvious and written large on the story itself. It was in the nature of claims. Anyone even slightly familiar with the Panama Files story, the discussion that followed world wide and the heated tv debates in Pakistan knew that awkward questions, allegations, doubts and suspicions around PM Nawaz Sharif flow from his children possessing ‘Offshore Accounts’ or London properties. Even in his own speeches, at least twice, Nawaz Sharif pointedly said that his name is not there; news stories in the same ‘friendly paper’ kept claiming that PM will clear his children’s name. PMLN ministers privately kept claiming that since children are not residents in Pakistan therefore ‘not much of a case exists’ since their transactions conducted abroad cannot be scrutinized. It was obvious that assets and accounts have been maintained in the names of the children, since 2006, as part of a legally thought out strategy. And it was obvious that a ‘Compliant Commission’ is needed where these children can safely appear in front of the ‘avuncular characters’ to say whatever they want to say and the matter can be hushed up, with a funny report after several weeks or months or years.

Strategy is still the same. It is only branching out into different tactics. PM Nawaz is desperately in need of a Judicial Commission, or a Court decision, or a parliamentary committee, an APC, something that looks like a ‘forum’ from where he could safely clear his name so that few weeks or months down the line, the State Dept spokesman in Washington can say: “Well, a Commission examined the charges against the PM Nawaz and has exonerated him”.

This strategy, like all strategies of ‘rich and powerful’ in Pakistan is patently a “legal defense”. It is not about facts and reality. That means you have to challenge all allegations not as facts but as points of law. Iceland’s PM had to resign, not because of legal issues but because facts of his case created doubts and suspicions; British PM David Cameron was never defending himself legally, he bravely explained the facts. PM Nawaz’s response of the past several weeks makes it obvious that he does not feel secure or confident about disclosing the facts, so he and his team are struggling with a ‘legal strategy’ of picking up fights, of threatening media critics, of pointing out flaws, however trivial they may be and then finally hiding behind the various provisions of law inside a ‘Pakistani Commission’ where accusers will have to bring evidences, where many questions will be time barred, previous allegations however credible will be ‘past and closed transactions’ and where countless other people will be dragged to prolong the proceedings and to create the impression that allegations against PM are just a tiny part of a large public trial or investigation of hundreds of others.

It was part of this ‘strategy’ of ‘legal defense’ and media disinformation that even an editorial correction, on behalf of ICIJ, that only straightens the sentence to make it clear that PM Nawaz is implicated not because of his own account but because of his children had to be used as a ‘big development’. Purpose of crying hoarse and loud is only to mislead the poor Pakistanis that live in small towns and villages. After all the ‘Public Contact Campaign’ is not for urban intelligentsia who cannot be fooled by such ‘comedy shows’ but for more disadvantaged populations.

Otherwise the urban intelligentsia and those with access to internet and social media also remember that Russian President Putin and Chinese President, Xi Jinping are named in Panama Papers only because of the accounts and activities of their relatives. David Cameron and Argentinian President are explaining the sins of their fathers. Name of Javaid Pasha (JP) rings bells about Asif Ali Zardari and so on. The whole Panama Papers is like this. No one in the whole world has reacted the way Nawaz Sharif has done. But then no Prime Minister had ever attacked his own supreme court.

And it is common knowledge that in corrupt Asian societies, top politicians, generals and other government executives keep their ill-gotten wealth in the names of their children and their families. Arguing that I don’t have accounts in my name, but in the name of my children is a pure, quintessential legal defense. It is good for a ‘Court’ or ‘Commission’ but it is of no use in a functional democracy. In a democracy, top politicians have to come clean in front of the public, parliament and the media. PM Nawaz is simply refusing to do that. If he is still hanging on, if no one can ask him to leave, if his party and opposition, and media are all helpless; if he is not even persuaded to disclose his assets and accounts and his transactions since 1981 or 1990, then its is only because Pakistan is not a democracy. After all in UAE or Saudi Arabia, Panama Papers, is not an issue. In China, we hear, these days, you can not search ‘panama’ on internet.

Why is there the popular confusion that Pakistan is a democracy? Because we do have elections. But in a system, where government can order state broadcaster not to broadcast the parliamentary debate on ‘Panama Papers’ or can force its version on private channels, where senior bureaucrats are like ‘private servants’ or ‘naukar’ where politicians inside the political parties, like PMLN for instance, behave like the employees of a ‘private limited company’ and where party or cabinet meetings are rare and most decisions are taken by the ruling family; in short all power is vested in few hands then how fair or credible elections can be? How can this system where all powers of the state are concentrated in few hands ever throw up a “Commission” that can examine the same powers?

Panama Papers, has exposed the nature of Pakistani politics and so called ‘democracy’. Whereas democracy is the best expression of mankind’s political thought and evolution, but ruling elite in Pakistan have specialized in running ‘dynastic family control’ in the name of democracy. It is in this milieu that the debate around ‘Panama Papers’ in Pakistan has to be understood. If the opposition, the media and the aware citizens succeed in braving the storm of bluffs and lies and ‘threats’ and succeeded in forcing the PM to disclose his assets and transactions from the date he held public office then Pakistan will move on the road to become a ‘democracy’. Otherwise next elections, the elections after that and the next elections after that will all be meaningless. ‘Panama Papers’ is Pakistan democratic test.

[Note: Moeed Pirzada is leading TV Anchor & Political Commentator in Pakistan. He is Editor Strategic Affairs with Dunya News; you can find his programs and writing on his official website: www.moeedpirzada.pk and he tweets at: MoeedNj]

Panama Crisis & Government by threats, bluffs and lies!

Moeed Pirzada
-
0

Moeed Pirzada |

This morning Pakistani public was bombarded with the front page stories in leading English and Urdu papers of a media group closely aligned with the government, stories that claimed that International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) that leaked the ‘Panama Papers’ has admitted that PM Nawaz Sharif’s name was wrongly implicated in the Panama Papers and that now it has been withdrawn.

This show, apparently written and directed by PM Media Team, was fantastic enough, but the architects of this comedy show did not stop there. Soon this was presented loudly on tv channels and talked about in a thunderous way to suggest that ICIJ has apologized, PM Nawaz’s name has been withdrawn from Panama Files, the ‘great spin story’ was treated as ‘gospel truth’ in a cabinet meeting (more cabinet meetings have happened in the past few weeks than in whole of 2015) and the twitter handle of CNN18 an Indian News Channel took this opportunity to declare that ‘ICIJ’ has exonerated the Pakistani PM from any wrong doing. Why Indians are so worried for a Pakistani Prime Minister is a scandal in itself, but let’s talk about that later.

Read more: ECP rejects disqualification references against Imran Khan & Jehangir Tareen

‘ICIJ Apologizing’ was a full comedy show, no holds barred, ‘Desi style’ but the irony of this is that it demonstrated once for all that now the Pakistani PM is so desperate for clearing his name that a dubious news story, and twitter handle of an Indian channel are being used as ‘evidences’ of PM Nawaz being exonerated. So do we not need a ‘Compliant Commission’ any more?

Panama Papers, has exposed the nature of Pakistani politics and so called ‘democracy’. Whereas democracy is the best expression of mankind’s political thought and evolution, but ruling elite in Pakistan have specialized in running ‘dynastic family control’ in the name of democracy.

For any sane mind, the sheer stupidity, the pathetic script of the ‘spin’ and its desperation was obvious and written large on the story itself. It was in the nature of claims. Anyone even slightly familiar with the Panama Files story, the discussion that followed world wide and the heated tv debates in Pakistan knew that awkward questions, allegations, doubts and suspicions around PM Nawaz Sharif flow from his children possessing ‘Offshore Accounts’ or London properties. Even in his own speeches, at least twice, Nawaz Sharif pointedly said that his name is not there; news stories in the same ‘friendly paper’ kept claiming that PM will clear his children’s name.

PMLN ministers privately kept claiming that since children are not residents in Pakistan therefore ‘not much of a case exists’ since their transactions conducted abroad cannot be scrutinized. It was obvious that assets and accounts have been maintained in the names of the children, since 2006, as part of a legally thought out strategy. And it was obvious that a ‘Compliant Commission’ is needed where these children can safely appear in front of the ‘avuncular characters’ to say whatever they want to say and the matter can be hushed up, with a funny report after several weeks or months or years.

Strategy is still the same. It is only branching out into different tactics. PM Nawaz is desperately in need of a Judicial Commission, or a Court decision, or a parliamentary committee, an APC, something that looks like a ‘forum’ from where he could safely clear his name so that few weeks or months down the line, the State Dept spokesman in Washington can say: “Well, a Commission examined the charges against the PM Nawaz and has exonerated him”.

This strategy, like all strategies of ‘rich and powerful’ in Pakistan is patently a “legal defense”. It is not about facts and reality. That means you have to challenge all allegations not as facts but as points of law. Iceland’s PM had to resign, not because of legal issues but because facts of his case created doubts and suspicions; British PM David Cameron was never defending himself legally, he bravely explained the facts. PM Nawaz’s response of the past several weeks makes it obvious that he does not feel secure or confident about disclosing the facts, so he and his team are struggling with a ‘legal strategy’ of picking up fights, of threatening media critics, of pointing out flaws, however trivial they may be and then finally hiding behind the various provisions of law inside a ‘Pakistani Commission’ where accusers will have to bring evidences, where many questions will be time barred, previous allegations however credible will be ‘past and closed transactions’ and where countless other people will be dragged to prolong the proceedings and to create the impression that allegations against PM are just a tiny part of a large public trial or investigation of hundreds of others.

Read more: Social media ban: Blasphemy or a political reason?

It was part of this ‘strategy’ of ‘legal defense’ and media disinformation that even an editorial correction, on behalf of ICIJ, that only straightens the sentence to make it clear that PM Nawaz is implicated not because of his own account but because of his children had to be used as a ‘big development’. Purpose of crying hoarse and loud is only to mislead the poor Pakistanis that live in small towns and villages. After all the ‘Public Contact Campaign’ is not for urban intelligentsia who cannot be fooled by such ‘comedy shows’ but for more disadvantaged populations.

Otherwise the urban intelligentsia and those with access to internet and social media also remember that Russian President Putin and Chinese President, Xi Jinping are named in Panama Papers only because of the accounts and activities of their relatives. David Cameron and Argentinian President are explaining the sins of their fathers. Name of Javaid Pasha (JP) rings bells about Asif Ali Zardari and so on. The whole Panama Papers is like this. No one in the whole world has reacted the way Nawaz Sharif has done. But then no Prime Minister had ever attacked his own supreme court.

PMLN ministers privately kept claiming that since children are not residents in Pakistan therefore ‘not much of a case exists’ since their transactions conducted abroad cannot be scrutinized. It was obvious that assets and accounts have been maintained in the names of the children, since 2006, as part of a legally thought out strategy.

And it is common knowledge that in corrupt Asian societies, top politicians, generals and other government executives keep their ill-gotten wealth in the names of their children and their families. Arguing that I don’t have accounts in my name, but in the name of my children is a pure, quintessential legal defense. It is good for a ‘Court’ or ‘Commission’ but it is of no use in a functional democracy. In a democracy, top politicians have to come clean in front of the public, parliament and the media. PM Nawaz is simply refusing to do that. If he is still hanging on, if no one can ask him to leave, if his party and opposition, and media are all helpless; if he is not even persuaded to disclose his assets and accounts and his transactions since 1981 or 1990, then its is only because Pakistan is not a democracy. After all in UAE or Saudi Arabia, Panama Papers, is not an issue. In China, we hear, these days, you can not search ‘panama’ on internet.

Read more: We Should trust Supreme Court to give us justice!

Why is there the popular confusion that Pakistan is a democracy? Because we do have elections. But in a system, where government can order state broadcaster not to broadcast the parliamentary debate on ‘Panama Papers’ or can force its version on private channels, where senior bureaucrats are like ‘private servants’ or ‘naukar’ where politicians inside the political parties, like PMLN for instance, behave like the employees of a ‘private limited company’ and where party or cabinet meetings are rare and most decisions are taken by the ruling family; in short all power is vested in few hands then how fair or credible elections can be? How can this system where all powers of the state are concentrated in few hands ever throw up a “Commission” that can examine the same powers?

Panama Papers, has exposed the nature of Pakistani politics and so called ‘democracy’. Whereas democracy is the best expression of mankind’s political thought and evolution, but ruling elite in Pakistan have specialized in running ‘dynastic family control’ in the name of democracy. It is in this milieu that the debate around ‘Panama Papers’ in Pakistan has to be understood. If the opposition, the media and the aware citizens succeed in braving the storm of bluffs and lies and ‘threats’ and succeeded in forcing the PM to disclose his assets and transactions from the date he held public office then Pakistan will move on the road to become a ‘democracy’. Otherwise next elections, the elections after that and the next elections after that will all be meaningless. ‘Panama Papers’ is Pakistan democratic test.

 

Moeed Pirzada is prominent TV Anchor & commentator; he studied international relations at Columbia Univ, New York and law at London School of Economics. Twitter: MoeedNj. The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Global Village Space’s editorial policy. This piece was first published in Moeed Pirzada’s official page. It has been reproduced with permission.

Pakistan’s Political Sunday? What lies ahead for PTI & PMLN?

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Pakistan’s Political Sunday? What lies ahead for PTI & PMLN?

Sunday 24th April probably deserves a small footnote in Pakistan’s political history.

With Imran Khan of PTI announcing a ‘Campaign against Corruption’ from Fatima Jinnah Park in Islamabad; Jammat-e-Islami organizing a ‘Dharna’ (Sit Down Protest) against Corruption in Lahore, with Mustafa Kamal’s, Pak Sarzamin Party (PSP) organizing its first mass congregation in Bagh e Jinnah in Karachi, a feeling of ‘something cooking, something in the air’ definitely hits you. Add to this the fact that ‘an under sieged Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’ facing the ‘God sent Curse’ of Panama Files has already announced a ‘Mass Contact Campaign’ (Awami Rabta Moham) from next week and you have an unmistakable evidence of ‘something happening’. But what that something is? And what it may become is the real question here.

Though the mythical 300,000 never materialized, PTI, on its 20th ‘Foundation Day’ was able to demonstrate large crowd mobilization. While importing young men from KPK, in hired transport, by a sitting PTI government — many of whom lost their minds and heads on finding themselves standing so close to beautiful emancipated Islamabad girls; something which PTI needs to address — should be less impressive, the significant  presence of people from Lahore and other parts of Punjab and very enthusiastic participation of men and women, often in the form of families, from Islamabad was a sign of party’s’ growing clout, urban middle class penetration and its ability to sustain the spirit of its young followers and professional classes despite repeated set backs at the hands of wily PMLN – PM Nawaz Sharif’s party, Pakistan’s version of GOP, well entrenched in Punjabi bureaucracy, military, media and judiciary.

While PTI’s crowd pull was definitely impressive, its event organization was poor. While Imran Khan was still speaking, and crowds from the McDonald end of Jinnah Ave were walking slowly, pushing and struggling to enter the park, hundreds of people were also seen emitting out of the single entry/exit on Jinnah Avenue. They told me that: there was insufficient space inside the park, it was uncomfortable to withstand repeated waves of push and pull, sound system was poor, Imran’s speech started very late and Khan Sb is repeating ‘old things’ they had heard before. Many complained that there should have been video walls/screens and speakers on the Jinnah Avenue itself. Why PTI did not do that? Perhaps it was not permitted. But there was a feeling that Imran’s speech was not ‘hard hitting’.

Though PMLN leaders, I later joined in Dunya News discussion, were blasting Imran for clandestinely using his ‘Party’s Foundation Day’ for attacking PM Nawaz, (what would an opposition leader do?) most PTI supporters wanted him to hit hard at Nawaz, the way he did in his press conference one day earlier, to come up with a game plan or perhaps demand Prime Minister’s resignation on Panama Leaks. They were disappointed for Imran – quite unlike his usual self – was cautious; he announced a ‘campaign against Corruption’ from Sindh, on 26th and a rally in Lahore on 1st, but regarding Nawaz, he only thundered: ‘Mian Sahib, apko jana paray ka’ (Mian Sahib, you will have to go). Perhaps he now realizes  that to push against Nawaz, he needs to develop greater momentum.

Or else, Imran is probably only reacting to the stage set by Nawaz Sharif – who has already announced his ‘Public Contact Campaign’. But Nawaz Sharif’s objective are clear. He desperately wants to shift the focus away from allegations of corruption that emanate from ‘Panama Files’. Public rallies will also demonstrate his ‘mass support’ to judiciary, bureaucracy military and to the diplomatic community. It will be a sort of ‘message’ to them all. If despite this maneuvering, ‘pliable commission’ still became difficult, if the pressure for ‘full & Complete disclosure’ kept mounting then these rallies may turn into a ‘pre-election campaign of sorts’ for a PMLN, that till the Panama Files was pretty confident of beating all its opponents in an electoral contest in Punjab; a province it rules – something which Law Minister, Zahid Hamid, argued in the cabinet meeting three days ago, prompting a laughter from all, except PM Nawaz. Public rallies, at national exchequer’s expense, by a chief executive, who appears to be dodging an investigation into allegations of corruption, is definitely a pugnacious idea, a kind of ‘Wag the Dog’ but everything is possible in Pakistan.

However, it raises a very interesting question: Is ‘Electoral Success’ a reprieve for criminal offense? Can public through vote forgive crimes of men in leadership positions? Is law only an ‘expression of popular will’? Can people of a village get together and forgive a ‘popular murderer’ through show of hands? Apparently in Pakistan, the idea is that ‘popular mandate’ washes all your sins. This was carefully planted into public imagination through print and electronic media, by a combination of self-serving politicians, writers, and media persons in the run up to ‘NRO’. Objective was to create space for acceptance of ‘National Reconciliation Order’ (NRO) which Benazir Bhutto needed to reenter Pakistani politics, and which Musharraf wanted to offer her in return for her support to stay on as president till 2013. History, like horror movies, is often cruel: She got murdered and her successors kicked out Musharraf.

But lets come back. Those self-serving crooks – disguised as ‘intellectuals’ mostly aligned then with PPP, who wanted to bail out BB and not Nawaz- who in 2005-7, built the case for disgusting ‘NRO’ in front of the Americans, argued that cases against politicians – both Benazir and Nawaz – were made purely on political grounds, politicians have suffered in jail (like Asif Ali Zardari) but nothing has been proved against them, and since they could not be convicted therefore they were innocent victims of ‘witch hunt against the politicians’. The term ‘witch hunt of politicians’ which you keep on hearing from all sides now and again – like by Ishaq Dar in Kamran Khan Show – was coined in that era.

Ironically these cases –like the famous Hudaibaya Paper Mill and the Swiss Cases – inherited by Musharraf, were mostly made by PPP and PMLN against each other. The allegations which we now find in ‘Panama Files’ against Sharif family originally surfaced in the FIA Report of 1993-96 which was the investigative work of PPP’s Rehman Malik – who now also finds his name in the Panama Files. How interesting?

But given the developments since then, all published and revealed by media, we now know for sure ‘Swiss Cases’ against Benazir and Zardari were true and genuine. If convictions were not obtained, it was not because of ‘political witch hunt of the innocent’ but because of the incompetence and corruption of Pakistan’s Criminal Justice System that was totally penetrated, compromised and bought over at all levels by the supposedly ‘innocent victims’ – who could completely manage it. Also, Sharifs struck a deal with Musharraf, courtesy Clinton and Saudis, in 2000, which then stopped all prosecution against them; and Musharraf, whose principal venom was against Nawaz, for his own selfish reasons, wanted to ‘go slow’ on Benazir, so that he can bring her into power sharing – to prolong his rule. This thinking, and mutual needs, lead to the infamous NRO – midwifed by the British & Americans.

Bottom line is that the ‘flawed and corrupt paradigms’ established by self-serving ‘hyenas’ who masqueraded as ‘intellectuals’ in the run up to a ‘Faustian Bargain’ between Musharraf and Benazir Bhutto for creating “NRO” may again be used now to continue the cycle of pain and misery. Is Pakistani state and people then the mythical ‘Prometheus’ being punished by God Zeus?

Question is: Will a new generation of Pakistanis, a decade later, will allow itself to be fooled again by the self-serving paradigms of ‘corrupt writers’ or will it cleanse itself like a smart CPU that routinely trashes the ‘corrupted files’ from its cache?

So lets sum up Pakistan’s Political Sunday. With Imran initiating his ‘Anti-Corruption Campaign’ from Sindh, with Jammat offering dharnas in Lahore, with PM Nawaz kick starting his ‘public contact campaign’ from KPK and with PPP’s Maula Bux Chandio shouting on Imran’s ‘Sindh yatra’ its clear that fault lines and alliances of Pakistani politics are being finally defined. PTI has apparently decided, without declaration, that PPP will leave it sooner or later; so let’s face today what confronts you tomorrow. Nawaz and Zardari will be natural allies, like they were since 2007. Its only that developing circumstances won’t allow them, anymore, to pose as ‘enemies’ and ‘opponents’. Next few weeks and months are thus momentous in shaping the coming decade of Pakistani politics. Though everyone tells me that in a country as illiterate, as elite controlled and as corrupt, as Pakistan, history will only repeat itself. Prometheus will remain chained to the rock, with Zeus’s  ‘mythical eagle’ eating away his liver. I am not that sure. I think you can fool all the people some of the time, some people all the time but you cannot fool all the people all the time. Something that worked out in 2006-7, wont work in 2016-17. Even then Benazir got murdered and Musharraf was kicked out by her successors.

Tonight With Moeed Pirzada: Post Analysis on PM Nawaz Speech Part 3 !!!

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Tonight With Moeed Pirzada: Post Analysis on PM Nawaz Speech Part 3 !!!

Mr. Irshad Arif, on the other end of the line, was of the opinion that the Prime Minister has backed out of the statements he made on the 5th of April. Mr.Arif commented that the Prime Minister is playing street smart, amidst blazing allegations he is playing calmly.
Mr.Arif said that if the government creates a commission of their choice and structuring, it won’t be acceptable by the opposition and the general public.
The editor also said that the Prime Minister has been amply pressurized. What follows, is a test for the opposition. The opposition is now being scrutinized as to how far it would go to push the PM off the ledge.

Tonight With Moeed Pirzada: Post Analysis on PM Nawaz Speech_Part 2 !!!

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Tonight With Moeed Pirzada: Post Analysis on PM Nawaz Speech_Part 2 !!!

Lawyer, Author, Senior Analyst and Pakistan People’s party leader Aitzaz Ahsan and Senior editor Roznama Dunya offered their analysis on the Prime Minister’s second address to the nation in a month.

Mr. Aitzaz Ahsan was of the opinion that the Prime Minister acted delusional and it was a show of extreme political immaturity. Mr. Ahsan said that he was very disappointed and the Prime Minister was speaking out of incoherence. He also stated his disagreement on the Supreme Court commission proposal. He said that if the Justice Nasir-Ul-Mulk case is quoted to back this decision, then it should also be considered that a special law was made to accommodate that commission.
Mr. Ahsan commented on the Prime Minister’s remark about shut cases; he said that no courts have issued their verdict yet on any of the cases against the Sharif brothers. The Prime Minister’s son has accepted the properties and the family should stand honorably in face of the allegations, and prove their legitimacy if they are adamant on their innocence in the whole affair, the lawyer said.
Mr. Ahsan maintained that he does not support the fact that the Chief Justice is to probe this matter.

Mr. Irshad Arif, on the other end of the line, was of the opinion that the Prime Minister has backed out of the statements he made on the 5th of April. Mr.Arif commented that the Prime Minister is playing street smart, amidst blazing allegations he is playing calmly.
Mr.Arif said that if the government creates a commission of their choice and structuring, it won’t be acceptable by the opposition and the general public.
The editor also said that the Prime Minister has been amply pressurized. What follows, is a test for the opposition. The opposition is now being scrutinized as to how far it would go to push the PM off the ledge.

Tonight With Moeed Pirzada: PM Nawaz Speech !!!

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Tonight With Moeed Pirzada: PM Nawaz Speech !!!

Dr Moeed Pirzada comments on PM Nawaz Sharif announcement during Address to nation regarding Panama Leaks. PM Nawaz sharif made announcement that government was writing letter to Supreme Court to form Judicial commission regarding probe into matter of panama leaks in which PM’s children names appeared for having offshore companies abroad. Dr Moeed raised the questions that PM Nawaz didn’t clear in the address that he and his family moved to Saudi Arab after striking a deal with Gen Musharaf and all his cases of corruption charges were withdrawn as result of this deal.
Awami Muslim League president Shaikh Rasheed criticized decisions of PM Nawaz Sharif about delaying formation of Judicial Commission. He said that government was buying time from past twenty days so that Law Secretary gets retired and chief justice starts his visit to turkey.

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