US leaders assured of operation against TTP, Haqqani Group

WASHINGTON: Before initiating the recent North Waziristan offensive, the top Pakistani leadership took the US in confidence, saying that Pakistan was ready to take action against all the militant groups, which included the notorious Haqqani Network. The US has been watchful of the ongoing operation but remains sceptical of the reported results given the history of distrust between the countries.

Over the last few weeks, senior officials of the two countries addressed the issue in different meetings, where the political as well as military leadership of Pakistan assured the US officials about their decisive action against the militants.

The assurance came not just from one quarter but from almost all the stakeholders tasked with security of the country.Ambassador James Dobbins, the US Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, told the US Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs on Wednesday: “We have been assured by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, army chief Raheel Sharif, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar and the head of the ISI Gen Zaheer.”

Dobbins went on to say that according to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Rashad Mahmood, “They [Pakistan] are going to treat all militant groups similarly and that they are going to force all foreign militants out of North Waziristan and Pakistan.”General Mahmood is visiting Washington this week, and has had numerous meeting with state and defence department officials.

Answering a question raised by Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Sen. Robert Menendez about the willingness of Pakistan to confront the Haqqani Network during the operation, Ambassador Dobbins said that there were concerns that were justified but “we will be examining this carefully, we have gotten the right assurances but there is a historical pattern of activity which indicates that there are habits here that are going to be difficult to break.”

Referring to the military action against the militants, he said: “We have made our position clear that it’s a right thing.”For years, the United States has been pushing Pakistan to root out the Haqqani Network, who allegedly were given sanctuary in the country’s tribal areas. The State Department in its latest country report on terrorism highlighted the issues once again: “Afghan Taliban and Haqqani Network leadership and facilitation network continued to find safe haven in Pakistan, and Pakistani authorities did not take significant military or law enforcement action against these groups.”

Lately, the US has also linked military aid, including the Coalition Support Fund payments to Pakistan, directly to an operation in North Waziristan. According to the terms of the National Defence Authorisation Act for the upcoming year, senior US officials had to issue a waiver certifying that “Pakistan has undertaken military operations in North Waziristan that have significantly disrupted the safe haven and freedom of movement of the Haqqani Network.”

Testifying before the committee members on US policy in Afghanistan, Ambassador Dobbins said: “It’s notable that among the targets that Pakistan is going after vigourously are the Uzbek groups.”

He also said that the civilian and military point of view was to give the TTP a chance to disarm and respect the Constitution. The US, he said, had no objection to it. The move was to appeal some of the elements of the insurgency off, Dobbins said adding, “They needed to go into the massive operation of this sort — which was going to produce a lot of refugees, a lot of cost, a lot of damage to innocent people as well as to the guilty, on the basis of a strong national consensus.”

Dobbins said that Pakistan now had a strong national consensus. He maintained that civilian and military leadership in Pakistan had had their differences but the said operation suggested that both parties were on the same page now.

“Historically, there has been a strong distinction between civilian and military leadership, and while this has not gone entirely away, the two are a lot closer and civilian authority over the military is gradually being demonstrated,” Dobbins said, adding that “the prime minister has authorised and directed this particular action, while I think military might have had a different view throughout this period they saluted and done what they have been told.”

Jang group vehicle attacked in Rawalpindi

RAWALPINDI: Vehicles of the Jang group continue to be targeted across Pakistan. In the latest attack a vehicle carrying the group’s newspapers was first hijacked and later burnt in Rawalpindi.

The incident took place at 2:00 AM on Murree Road. The attackers hijacked the vehicle and the driver was assaulted. According to the driver Muhammad Razzaq he was delivering newspapers to Islamabad when his vehicle was stopped by four armed men. Razzaq said he was blindfolded and was told he would not be allowed to deliver the papers.

After being assaulted, Razzaq was left on the roadside. The driver reached the Jang building in Rawalpindi and the hijacked vehicle was recovered at 9:00 AM. The attackers had set the vehicle and newspapers on fire. The newspapers were reprinted and sent for delivery.

This is the latest in a series of attacks targeting Jang group newspaper delivery vehicles. On May 25 a vehicle was attacked in Lahore. Attacks have also taken place in Karachi and Rawalpindi.

Treason charge: Geo/Jang Group serves Rs50 bn notice on govt, ISI, Pemra

 

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s most popular and most loved media group Geo and Jang Group has served a legal notice on the Ministry of Defence, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) for defaming and maligning the group by accusing it of working on an anti-Pakistan agenda, inciting and fuelling violence against the group, pressuring cable operators to black out Geo channels, the failure of Pemra to get the Supreme Court order to restore Geo channels implemented, and has asked all to publicly apologise within 14 days and pay damages of Rs50 billion.
In its legal notice, the group — which played a role in the Pakistan Movement, in the creation of Pakistan and came into existence much before these institutions — has alleged that because of the uncalled for, baseless allegations of being traitors and furthering an anti-Pakistan agenda, more than 8,000 journalists, workers and professionals attached to the group and their families are not only being harassed but also attacked and tortured across Pakistan.

Geo and the Jang Group have served the notice on the Federation of Pakistan and the ISI through the Ministry of Defence and on Pemra and have demanded that all must publicly apologise to the group and all its workers and their families for levelling absolutely baseless, wrong and shameful allegations without any proof and endangering the lives of thousands of professionals attached with the group.

The lawyers of the Geo and Jang group have made it clear in categorical and the strongest terms in the legal notice served on the ISI and Pemra that the group shall initiate appropriate legal proceedings against all of them in a court of competent jurisdiction for direct damage to repute caused to their clients (Geo and Jang Group and its workers) and also actual losses that they are suffering on a daily basis.

The legal notice served by Geo and the Jang Group on the Ministry of Defence, ISI and Pemra on June 5, 2014 reads;“Legal notice under section 8 of defamation ordinance, 2002.”“We, on behalf and instructions of the Independent Media Corporation (Pvt) Limited (IMC), Independent Newspaper Corporation (Pvt) Limited (INCL), News Publications (Pvt) Limited (NPL), Independent Music Group (Pvt) Limited (IMG), (hereinafter referred to as ‘our clients’) are writing to address you as follows:

“1. That together all our clients along with dozens of other companies from the ‘Jang/Geo Group’, the leading electronic and print media group of Pakistan broadcasting TV channels with the highest rating namely ‘Geo News’, ‘Geo Entertainment’, ‘Geo Tez’, ‘Geo Kahani’ and ‘Geo Super’. The Jang Group also publishes newspapers having the widest circulation in Pakistan namely “Daily Jang” and “The News”.

“2. That our clients are actively involved in the field of journalism, making and broadcasting national/international news, articles, interviews, mega events and current affairs and are considered as the most reliable sources of information by the public at large and enjoy an incontrovertible, overwhelming, unequivocal and an unparalleled reputation both at the national and international level.

“3. That on 19.4.2014, one of the leading columnists and anchorpersons of Pakistan, Hamid Mir, who is associated with our clients, was attacked in Karachi. In the environment of extreme tension and under tremendous pressure of the family of Hamid Mir, our clients’ channel Geo News broadcast a statement of Hamid Mir’s brother Amir Mir.

“4. That subsequent to the above, ISI sent a complaint to the Ministry of Defence which without even providing any evidence/proof, contained baseless and untrue allegations that “Geo Network has a history of acting illegally in furtherance of anti Pakistan agenda.”

“5. That upon receipt of the complaint of ISI, the Ministry of Defence immediately without verification of the allegations levelled in it, forwarded the said complaint containing the allegations regarding our clients having a history of acting on an anti-Pakistan agenda, as it is, to Pemra seeking immediate suspension and cancellation of Geo News’ licence.

“6. That after receiving the above complaints from the ISI through the Ministry of Defence, Pemra too, without seeking any proof/evidence of anti-Pakistani activities of our clients, issued a show cause notice to our clients, accusing them of being involved in anti-Pakistan activities.

“7. That the show-cause notice of Pemra was distributed all over Pakistan including the media of Pakistan that has caused great reputational loss to our clients.

“8. That despite our clients’ various requests to the ISI, the Ministry of Defence and Pemra to provide them evidence on the basis of which such a heinous allegation was levelled by them against our clients, no proof/evidence has been provided to them so far.

“9. That all of you have thus defamed our clients by levelling such false statements to injure their reputation, to lower them in the estimation of others and to reduce them to ridicule, unjust criticism, dislike, contempt or hatred against which this statutory notice is being served to all of you.

“10. That in addition to the reputational loss that our clients have suffered at your hands, this false and malicious allegation due to the current tense political situation in the country, was deliberately aimed at provoking and inciting the masses to engage in physical violence against our clients and thousands of their employees including journalists, putting all their lives at serious risk. You have succeeded in achieving the purpose of the false allegations as soon after having levelled them a smear campaign against our clients has also been started on the ground that our clients are traitors/anti-Pakistan.

“11. That due to your illegal threats and pressure on the cable operators of the country, they first shuffled/showed on last number of the spectrum, the transmission of our clients’ channels, ‘Geo News’, ‘Geo Entertainment’, ‘Geo Kahani’ and ‘Geo Tez’ and now the transmission of these channels have been completely suspended throughout the country.

“12. That similarly, distribution of our clients’ newspapers has also been disturbed/banned in different parts of the country. The newspapers’ distribution vans of our clients are being set ablaze on a daily basis and the employees of our clients have also been threatened and tortured in various parts of the country, on the pretext that our clients are Anti-Pakistan.

“13. That despite our clients’ repeated requests, Pemra and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in utter violation of the statutory provisions have failed to restore the transmission of Geo News and other channels of our clients on their previous position.

“14. That in the above background, our clients have approached the Supreme Court of Pakistan. On 26.05.2014, the Supreme Court disposed of our clients’ application on the basis of Pemra’s counsel, Ibrahim Satti and Pemra’s head legal department, Zahid Malik’s undertaking that Pemra “shall abide by the terms of order dated 13.08.2012 passed in Constitution Petition No 51 of 2010, by which the report of Javed Jabbar, the mediator, was made part of the said order and that the Pemra will ensure that there is no shifting of the channels contrary to or in violation of the order dated 13.08.2012.

“15. That it is, however, regretfully noted that despite clear direction of the Supreme Court, Pemra has till to date not ensured implementation of the SC order in letter and spirit which shows that all of you, in collusion to each other, are bent upon damaging our clients.

“16. That due to your illegal actions, our clients are on a daily basis suffering huge financial loss as transmission of their channels has been illegally suspended and distribution of their newspapers has also been disturbed due to which they are not receiving any advertisements.

“17. That we on behalf of our clients request you to immediately provide our clients all the documentary evidence/proof in support of your allegations that our clients are involved in anti-Pakistani activities.

“18. That in view of the foregoing, our clients having no other option hereby call upon all of you to do the following within 14 days of this legal notice:

i. To stop levelling such defamatory statements;

ii. To broadcast or publish retraction or clarification for accusing our clients as traitors or anti-Pakistan;

iii. To publish an apology in a newspaper and make one through a TV interview in the same manner and in the same prominence;

iv. To restore the transmission of our clients’ channels ‘Geo News’, ‘Geo Entertainment’, ‘Geo Kahani’ and ‘Geo Tez’ to their previous positions all over Pakistan;

v. Not to harass cable operators to illegally suspend the transmissions of our clients’ channels;

vi. Though the defamation caused is immeasurable in monetary terms however, to pay our clients direct reputational damage and actual damage that come around almost to be Rs50,000,000,000 (Fifty billion rupees only).

“20. That if you fail to do the above within 14 days from the date of this legal notice, we have strict instructions from our clients to initiate appropriate legal proceedings against all of you in a court of competent jurisdiction for direct reputational damage caused to our clients and also actual losses that they are suffering on daily basis.

“21. That this legal notice is being served to you without prejudice to all the rights that our clients may be enjoying against you under the prevailing laws.”

Another Jang Group vehicle torched in Karachi

 

KARACHI: A vehicle of the Jang Group of Newspapers was torched by unidentified miscreants in the Aziz Bhatti Police limits in the wee hours of Monday.
Thousands of copies of Jang and The News were burnt to ashes. After coming to know about the incident, the Jang Group management printed the newspapers again and distributed these in the market.The incident of burning of the vehicle took place near Hassan Square, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, at about 4:30am.

New Town’s Sub Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Nasir Lodhi said responding on information, the police immediately rushed to the spot where they found a hi-roof on fire and a driver was standing near it.

Police immediately called the fire fighters and extinguished the fire. Later, they questioned the driver of the van, Mohammad Nisar, who narrated that he was an employee of the Jang Group and it was his daily duty to deliver the copies of Jang and The News at various stalls of the city.

He said as per his daily routine, he was supplying copies of the newspapers at different stalls when near Hassan Square two unidentified armed miscreants came to him and asked about his identity.

The driver said he told the miscreants that he belonged to the Jang Group after which the miscreants took out a bottle of chemical and poured it on the vehicle which suddenly caught fire. The miscreants fled afterwards. The hi-roof contained thousands of copies which were reduced to ashes in the incident.Police have lodged an FIR and are investigating.

What AI revealed was earlier censored by Jang Group

ISLAMABAD: The Jang Group was not publishing my stories for the last many days giving full details with evidence that Pakistan Army officials working for the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) were directly, and in some cases indirectly, contacting cable operators and pressurising them to put the Geo News and other Geo channels off air without waiting for the decision of the constitutional governmentNow my exclusive stories are wasted, as an independent and credible international body, Amnesty International has come up with its report disclosing most of these facts.
I always wondered as to why Geo and Jang Group was not carrying my stories about ISI’s role in challenging the writ of the government and in shutting down Geo TV despite the fact that Geo channels were being blacked out across the country and Group was being badly pressed — one of the worst attacks on freedom of expression and independence of media following General Musharraf’s November 2007 Geo-specific censorship during which Geo News remained off air for 72 days.

This has been a basic principle across the world that intelligence agencies work under cover. But, during course of our investigative journalism, we easily tracked down the ISI networks, which, instead of working to ensure national security, were busy taming street cable operators to disturb Geo channels, and later close them. They were even found involved in incidents of kidnapping and torture, and evidence of such acts are present. Severe threats were being hurled at cable operators and others concerned to ensure that Geo remains blocked. All these facts were being reported but Jang Group’s top editorial management remained hell bent not to publish factual stories being filed with evidence and versions.

While Amnesty report came on scene on May 30, the investigative reporting to this fact that media is being badly censored and pressurised in Pakistan by the powerful institution of ISI were being filed since April 30. However, the Group continued to censor the stories in the name of national interest, while the Constitution, liberty of citizens, basic human rights, right of access to information, right to freedom of expression and independence of media were being compromised.

Not only involvement of the ISI officials in the instances of controlling cable operators, in some cases regular army officers, came on scene but also army vehicles were used to pressure the officials of the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra), the regulatory body of electronic media.

It didn’t stop here. Two of Pemra private members, who are active against Geo, were in constant contact with intelligence agency officers. PPP leaders say that lawyer of ISI Babar Awan got Israr Abbasi inducted as member Pemra during the PPP government and now he remains in touch with the intelligence agency. He himself admitted that his initial so-called 13-pages fact finding report was prepared by officials of the intelligence agency.

Any highest level probe can check call records of these members, cable operators and officials to verify some of the facts. However, most the stories filed were stopped or edited in a way that name of the ISI was deleted or edited and people remain deprived of the facts.

Even the federal government was repeatedly asked to take action against officials of the intelligence agency and stop them from interacting with the cable operators or Pemra officials directly, as, in this way, writ of the government was being challenged. However, a weak prime minister and a weak government remained unmoved and silent and never initiated any action against the ISI officers or Pemra officers involved, and thus compromised its own writ. In latest events government officials are being attacked and tortured. A senior federal minister himself told this correspondent that a senior government official was kidnapped and later badly tortured. However, so far no action has been taken and despite having a democratically elected heavy mandated government, Pakistani citizens and media is being harassed by a state institution, and there is no one to help.

Jang Group being silenced apparently on military orders, says Amnesty

 

ISLAMABAD: Amnesty International, the world human rights watchdog, has said that up to 80 percent of the Jang Media Group’s distribution in print and on the airwaves has been disrupted by media industry bodies, apparently under the orders of the Pakistani military.
The Pakistani authorities should immediately investigate the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), the military’s premier spy agency, over its alleged involvement in journalist attacks, said the Amnesty International on the third anniversary of the abduction and killing of journalist Saleem Shahzad.

“Failure to investigate such incidents thoroughly, impartially and transparently and to hold perpetrators accountable fosters a culture of impunity for attacks against independent media in Pakistan,” said David Griffiths, Asia-Pacific Deputy Director at Amnesty International.

In an open letter, Amnesty International and nine other human rights organisations called on the Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to fulfil his promise to end the impunity enjoyed by individuals and groups who attack journalists.

The nine other organisations are: Article 19 (UK), Human Rights Watch, Committee to Protect Journalists, Freedom House, International News Safety Institute, Internews, Pakistan Coalition on Media Safety, Pen International and Reporters Without Borders.

“Saleem Shahzad’s killing was one of the worst manifestations of the threats journalists face across Pakistan every day. The authorities’ inability to investigate officers of the ISI properly and bring to justice those responsible for Shahzad’s death is unacceptable – he was abducted in broad daylight in the heart of Islamabad, the national capital,” said David Griffiths.

“Pakistan must immediately restart the criminal investigation into Shahzad’s death, as has been promised by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on multiple occasions. Events of the past few weeks have again highlighted how precarious the situation for Pakistani media is. Continued impunity will only fuel the violence.”

Last month journalist Hamid Mir narrowly escaped an assassination attempt in Karachi. He has accused the ISI of being responsible for the attack.

“According to Amnesty International’s research, the ISI is the state organ most regularly accused by journalists of carrying out harassment, intimidation or abuse against them or their colleagues. This does not necessarily mean that the ISI is always to blame. But if ISI officials are innocent of the accusations they have nothing to fear from thorough investigations and due process,” said David Griffiths.

“We cannot determine who exactly is responsible for these high-profile attacks against journalists until there is proper investigation. All suspects must be presumed innocent until proven guilty and afforded a fair trial in line with international standards.”

To demonstrate their expressed commitment to the rule of law and respect for human rights, Amnesty International calls on the ISI and all other state institutions to cooperate fully with the criminal investigations into the Shahzad, Mir and other attacks.

Saleem Shahzad, an Asia Times Online correspondent, was abducted on 29 May 2011 in Islamabad, and his body was found dumped two days later bearing marks of torture. Shahzad had written articles on a range of sensitive national security issues, including alleged al-Qaeda infiltration of the Pakistani military and the state’s relationship with the Taliban.

Less than a year before his death, Shahzad had told colleagues of an alleged death threat from the ISI. The Pakistani government in 2011 set up a high-level investigation into his death but key evidence mysteriously disappeared and no one has yet been brought to justice.

At least 34 journalists have been killed in relation to their work in Pakistan since the restoration of democracy in 2008, but in only one case during this period have the perpetrators been brought to justice.

In a report released last month, Amnesty International documented how media workers in Pakistan live under the constant threat of harassment, violence and killings from a range of state and non-state actors.

Since the release of the report, a standoff between the country’s largest private broadcaster Geo TV (part of the Jang Media Group) and the authorities has intensified after the network accused the ISI of being behind the assassination attempt on journalist Hamid Mir.

Several Jang Media Group journalists have told Amnesty International that they have received daily threats and harassment by unknown individuals by phone and in person. Many dare not enter their offices or identify themselves as belonging to Geo TV or other Jang Media Group outlets for fear of being attacked.

“There is absolutely no justification for the vicious, organised campaign of harassment against Jang Media Group staff across Pakistan,” said David Griffiths.“It is particularly disappointing that rival media channels and some political parties have joined the chorus to attack Jang Media Group, rather than demand a full and impartial investigation of the circumstances surrounding the attack on Hamid Mir.”

Some government officials have also tried to pull Geo TV off the air over allegedly “anti-state” and “blasphemous” content, and up to 80 percent of Jang Media Group’s distribution in print and on the airwaves has been disrupted by media industry bodies, apparently under the orders of the Pakistani military.

“Attempts to take Geo TV off the air are clearly politically motivated, and constitute a serious attack on freedom of expression in Pakistan,” said David Griffiths.“The last thing Pakistan needs now is a mudslinging campaign against Geo TV, the ISI or anyone else. Pakistan’s long-suffering journalists deserve protection from attacks and justice when they fall victim to abuse. It is the responsibility of Prime Minister Sharif’s government to deliver both. They should start by immediately resuming the investigation into Shahzad’s death.”

Following is the text of the letter:

OPEN LETTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER NAWAZ SHARIF

Joint statement of shared concerns about attacks on journalists in Pakistan

29 May 2014

Dear Prime Minister

Three years ago today, journalist Saleem Shahzad was abducted a short distance away from his Islamabad home and later found dead, his body bearing marks consistent with torture. We, the representatives of the undersigned group of civil society organisations working in human rights and media, call on you to fulfil your promise to end the impunity enjoyed by individuals and groups who threaten, attack, abduct, torture and kill journalists in Pakistan. In order to address these attacks on journalists, we urge you to follow through on the commitments you made in March, and as a first phase country for the UN Action Plan on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity, and to take further concrete steps along the lines set out below.

Based on our collective experiences monitoring human rights globally, Pakistan is one of the most dangerous countries in the world for journalists, judging by the severity and extent of threats and attacks on media professionals due to their reporting. Dozens of journalists have been killed in Pakistan in direct response to their work over the last decade. At least eight journalists have been killed since your government came to power in June 2013.

Journalists and other media workers from across Pakistan face harassment, abduction, torture and attempts on their lives by state intelligence officers, members of political parties and armed groups like the Taliban. Journalists reporting on national security and human rights, and those reporting from the conflict-affected northwest, violence-ravaged Balochistan and the city of Karachi are most at risk as they rarely enjoy protection from the state or support from their employers.

We are deeply concerned at the failure of successive Pakistan governments to carry out prompt, impartial, independent and thorough investigations into abuses against journalists, or to bring those responsible to justice. Attempts on the lives of Hamid Mir and Raza Rumi and the abduction and killing of Saleem Shahzad exemplify the enduring challenge to justice when journalists come under attack: as far as our organisations are aware, no one has been brought to justice for any of these attacks. Only in two cases of journalist killings have the perpetrators ever been convicted in Pakistan.

The failure to bring those responsible for attacks on journalists to justice sends a signal that the media can be silenced through violence and that the perpetrators can literally get away with murder and other abuses. It also has a chilling effect on freedom of expression in Pakistan, with journalists increasingly resorting to self-censorship to avoid the risk of harm.

It is the Pakistan government’s duty under international law to protect the rights to life, liberty and freedom from torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment of all individuals within its territory and under its jurisdiction, including journalists. As a state party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), Pakistan must also ensure the media is free to carry out its critical function of facilitating and promoting freedom of expression, as guaranteed by Article 19 of the ICCPR. Journalists play a vital role in exposing human rights abuse. Ensuring that journalists are able to undertake their work free from harassment and abuse is therefore an essential cornerstone in the protection and promotion of human rights in Pakistan.

We call on your Government to urgently take the following steps, in line with Pakistan’s international legal obligations, so that journalists may carry out their work free from harassment and abuse:

* Re-start the criminal investigations into the abduction and killing of Saleem Shahzad, as promised by the current Pakistan government, and ensure that all potential suspects, including members of any military and intelligence authorities, are subjected to a full, independent and impartial investigation.

* Ensure prompt, thorough, independent and impartial investigations into human rights abuses against journalists, including abductions, enforced disappearances, torture and other ill-treatment, extrajudicial executions and other unlawful killings.

* Ensure that all persons suspected of crimes involving human rights abuses against journalists, regardless of their status, rank or affiliation with state or non-state groups, are brought to justice in fair trials without recourse to the death penalty.

* Implement the Prime Minister’s announced plan to establish a public prosecutor at the federal and provincial levels tasked with investigating attacks against journalists, and ensure that it is independent, adequately staffed and resourced, and has authority to investigate the military and intelligence services in addition to civilians. Also implement the Prime Minister’s commitment to expedite the prosecution of the killers of journalists by changing trial venues and expanding witness protection programs.

* Ensure, in line with the United Nations Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity, that media companies adhere to requirements on due diligence, health and safety, among other standards in national law and policy; and introduce systemic legal and policy reforms where such requirements either do not exist in national law or are inadequate.

We welcome your concern about the situation for journalists in Pakistan and look forward to the Pakistan government taking real steps to improve the working environment for journalists in Pakistan.

Yours faithfully

1. Amnesty International – Salil Shetty, Secretary General

2. Article 19 (UK) – Thomas Hughes, Executive Director

3. Committee to Protect Journalists – Joel Simon, Executive Director

4. Freedom House - Karin Karlekar, Project Director, Freedom of the Press

5. Human Rights Watch – Brad Adams, Executive Director, Asia Division

6. International News Safety Institute – Hannah Storm, Executive Director

7. Internews – Jeanne Bourgault, President

8. Pakistan Coalition on Media Safety – Owais Aslam Ali, Head of Secretariat

9. Pen International – Ann Harrison, Programme Director

10. Reporters Without Borders - Christopher Deloire, Secretary-General

Pro-army protest camp in front of Jang Group offices

KARACHI: In order to intimidate the employees of the Jang Group, a pro-army protest camp by a little-known organisation was set up on Wednesday at I.I. Chundrigar Road, just opposite the buildings that house several offices of Pakistan’s largest media house.

Calling themselves the “Citizens of Karachi”, the people in the camp blared national songs on loudspeakers for hours. The banner hoisted at the white marquee tent of the camp demanded the closure of Geo News.

Some posters of senior officials of Pakistan armed forces were also displayed at the camp. The employees of the Jang Group were visibly scared by the presence of people who were showing their hatred for the Jang Group in unequivocal terms.

Several employees were scared of coming out of their workplace as the ‘protesters’ kept a close eye on the movement at the gates of buildings. The banner accused Geo of blasphemy, a charge which the Geo and Jang Group had unreservedly apologised to Allah Almighty and the Muslims around the world.

The security of the employees of Jang Group became a major concern after certain sections of the media whipped up hate propaganda against the Group on the pretext of religion. Protests and demonstrations were held in many parts of the country and the Geo TV channel was illegally taken off the air and still continues to be absent from the cable in many parts of the country.

Geo/Jang Group gains sympathy among Baloch leaders, people

QUETTA: Sympathy for the Geo/Jang Group has increased in Balochistan in the wake of the campaign launched against it throughout the country.

Despite all efforts of powerful elements, journalists here are united and demonstrations are also being held for the freedom of the press. The BNP of former Chief Minister Balochistan Akhtar Mengal held demonstrations across the province in favour of Hamid Mir while opposition leader of the JI Maulana Abdul Wassay moved a resolution in the Balochistan Assembly against the attack on Hamid Mir which was unanimously approved by both the ruling and opposition parties. Besides this, leaders of various parties and organisations expressed solidarity with the Geo/Jang Group.

Different columns and editorials were written in favour of Hamid Mir, Jang and Geo in the local newspapers of Balochistan.

In the past, politicians and people belonging to other areas were suspicious of the views of journalists, especially those of the Punjab, but now their attitude is changing. Discussions are held at different levels and it is being said that earlier many Baloch politicians, especially nationalists, were called traitors but it is astonishing to see that today a patriotic journalist Hamid Mir is being declared a traitor. Due to this, anti-federal forces in Balochistan are becoming more powerful.

It is also the subject of discussion that a campaign is being carried out against Jang and Geo for their courageous and bold stand on different issues such as missing persons, the discovery of mutilated bodies and the law and order situation. On the other hand, a campaign is being launched through ‘Tanga’ parties and nameless persons. This campaign does not have any impact on the people.

Courts block moves against Jang Group, Geo

 

 

ISLAMABAD: Similar petitions filed against the Jang Group and Geo in different parts of the country were blocked by the courts on Monday.
In Islamabad, Justice Riaz Ahmad Khan of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) suspended the order of an Additional District and Sessions Judge (ADSJ) and Justice of Peace Muhammad Jehangir Awan who had directed the Islamabad police on May 3 to register an FIR against Geo officials and journalist Amir Mir.

In Rawalpindi, Justice Sardar Tariq Masood of the Lahore High Court (LHC) Rawalpindi Bench, dismissed a petition and an application of a private person seeking Pemra to proceed against Geo TV.

In Bahawalpur, District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Rasheed Qamar dismissed on Monday a petition under Section 22-A for the registration of an FIR against Geo TV and the Jang Group. It was filed by one Ghulam Abbas, a resident of Bankers Colony, Bahawalpur.

In Faisalabad, Additional District and Sessions Judge Muzaffar Hussain Gul disposed of a petition submitted by Arshad Ali Awan advocate for the registration of a case against Geo News.

In Lahore, Additional District and Sessions Judge Ghulam Abbas Sial directed the SHO concerned to proceed strictly in accordance with the law.The Islamabad High Court bench also issued notices to the respondents in the two applications challenging the order of the ADSJ.

Faisal Iqbal Khan, Amir Abdullah Abbasi and Behzad Haider, legal counsel for the Geo officials and Amir Mir, contended before the court that the petitioner has no locus standi and the Ministry of Defence has already lodged a complaint with Pemra in this regard.

They argued that to file a complaint, it is necessary to access the police for registration of an FIR before coming to court. A station house officer (SHO) had intimated the ADSJ that the police received no such application but even then the judge ordered the registration of an FIR.

The lawyers argued that the attack on Hamid Mir was also outside the territorial jurisdiction of Islamabad.Meanwhile, Justice Sardar Tariq Masood of the Lahore High Court (LHC) Rawalpindi Bench, dismissed a petition and an application of a private person seeking Pemra to proceed against Geo TV under Sections 27, 30, 33 and 34 of the Pemra Ordinance 2002 and against the Ministry of Interior for lodging a complaint in terms of Section 196 CrPC against the management of the Geo TV network.

The petitioner through another application sought from the court to direct Pemra to stop Geo TV from airing programmes allegedly against the ‘sensitive’ institutions.LHC Rawalpindi Bench, however, dismissed both petitions and a detailed judgment is yet to come.

Petitioner Syed Khalil Hussain Shah Kazmi, a resident of Jhelum, made Pemra, the federation through the interior and information secretaries, Geo TV and the Ministry of Defence through its secretary respondents. He described himself as a social worker.

The petitioner alleged Geo TV has violated the provisions of the Pemra Ordinance. “Controversial and objectionable programmes” telecast by Geo TV after the attack on Hamid Mir are also covered by section 120-A, 120-B, 121 and 123-A of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), he contented.

The petitioner said that it is the primary duty of the federal government to defend and protect national institutions, particularly the institutions of national security and the armed forces.

The petitioner pleaded that the government should have not only ensured proceedings under the Pemra Ordinance but also launched a complaint under Sections 196 Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) against the management of Geo TV and others. The petitioner prayed to the court to direct the Ministry of Interior to lodge a complaint in terms of Section 196 CrPC against the management of the Geo TV network.

Ameen Abbasi adds from Bahawalpur: District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Rasheed Qamar dismissed a petition under Section 22-A for registration of an FIR against Geo TV and the Jang Group filed by one Ghulam Abbas, a resident of Bankers Colony, Bahawalpur, on Monday.

Before dismissing the petition in preliminary arguments, the judge asked the petitioner and his counsel, Zafar Iqbal Awan, whether the petitioner is an aggrieved person, and what locus standi he has for moving this application. He also asked if the two petitions about the same occurrence, filed by different persons before the Islamabad High Court and Sindh High Court, have been dismissed or not.

The judge asked whether the governement has not already moved an application to Pemra and whether a high-powered judicial commission, comprising three Supreme Court judges, has not been constituted for a judicial probe into the same matter. When the counsel was not in a position to explain the status of the petitioner and stated that he has no knowledge about it, the judge dismissed the petition.

The court observed that the petitioner, being a private person, has no locus standi to file this petition and ordered for filing the petition to the record room.

Our correspondent adds from Faisalabad: Faisalabad Additional District and Sessions Judge Muzaffar Hussain Gul on Monday disposed of a petition submitted by Arshad Ali Awan advocate for the registration of a case against Geo News.

The court asked Arshad to contact Pemra which was the appropriate forum. The Sargodha Road police told the court that the incident did not take place in their jurisdiction. So a case could not be registered on this application. After hearing the police version, the court disposed of the petition.

In the petition, Arshad took the stance that the army and the ISI had been ridiculed against the backdrop of an attack on Hamid Mir. The petitioner said he contacted the police for the registration of the case and submitted the petition after the police refused to file it.

The petition had made the Faisalabad capital police officer, Amir Mir, Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman, Geo directors and the Sargodha Road SHO party to the case. Our Correspondent adds from Lahore: Additional District and Sessions Judge Ghulam Abbas Sial on Monday directed the SHO concerned to record the statement of the petitioner on the plea seeking the registration of a criminal case against the management of Geo News, Amir Mir (brother of Hamid Mir) and other group officials.

The judge directed the SHO Islampura to record the statement of the petitioner and proceed strictly in accordance with the law if any cognizable offence was made.Earlier, the SHO Islampura had submitted his statement contending that the matter did not fall in his jurisdiction, while there had also been no cognizable offence. He had said a commission had been constituted on the issue and police could not take any initiative before the findings of that commission. The application which was submitted to him was not maintainable, the SHO added. Moreover, the competent authority in the matter was the Defence Ministry which filed a complaint before Pemra — the competent forum to redress the points raised by the petitioner.

The Geo News counsel, Salman Faisal, had argued that according to the Pemra Act, no petition could be filed; therefore, the application had no standing and was not maintainable.As per the case details, the petitioner, Aftab Virk, had alleged in his petition that Amir Mir intentionally spoke against a state institution without any solid evidence.

Jang Group boycott by PTI chief a bid to fool nation: PPP leader

LAHORE: Hyder Zaman Qureshi — senior vice-president of PPP south Punjab — said the press conference by PTI chief Imran Khan in which he announced a complete boycott of Geo News and Jang Group after one year of the general elections was another gimmick to fool the nation.

In a statement issued on Saturday, Qureshi said the abrupt position vis-a-vis a media group and the former CJP almost a year after the general elections was shocking and equally disturbing to say the least as it raised many questions for the PTI brigade to answer.

He asked what had happened that forced Imran Khan to blast and target a media group and the former chief justice of Pakistan (CJP). “Does Khan Sahib think the people of Pakistan are so naive and ill-informed or does he think he can play around with their perceived political immaturity or a memory lapse phenomena?”

He asked why it took Imran 12 months to finally realise and identify the real bad guys behind the alleged election rigging and the warehouse where the punctures were sorted out. “Did Khan not know this when he was all praise for the former CJP in Court Room No 1 and rendering an unconditional apology to the former CJP and when he had to eat his own words,” questioned the PPP leader.

Qureshi further asked if Khan had not spotted the so-called rigging nexus (Geo and the former CJP) when he used to praise the media group and its coverage and programming content and independence in dozens of media programmes, including ‘Capital Talk’.

Qureshi also questioned the timing of the sudden move and said Imran opted to speak against the Jang Group at a time when it was being targeted and involved in an unpleasant situation with the armed forces that mattered for all Pakistanis.

“Did Khan realise and formulate conclusively that the media group was the real engine of rigging and for creating perceptions in favour of the PML-N in winning the elections,” the PPP leader asked.

Geo/Jang Group is a big organisation, we’re proud of it: Sharjeel

 

KARACHI: Sindh Information and Local Government Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon on Saturday said that the Pakistan People’s Party’s government in the province would never accept the shutting down of the publication of Daily Jang or the closure of the transmission of Geo TV as it would be in sheer violation of principles of freedom of the media.
Speaking at a function to mark the World Press Freedom Day being commemorated globally on May 3, organised by the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) here at a local hotel, he said that the Geo-Jang Group is a big organisation and we are proud of it, adding that the PPP always supported the cause of freedom of press.

Memon said the PPP government would always be tolerant to criticism, due or undue, being propagated by Geo News but it would never accept the complete shutting down of transmission of the channel. He said the all television channels and outlets of the media should be at complete freedom to criticise governments but they should never be penalised in the form of shutting down their transmission.

The Sindh information minister said the present situation in the country, where different institutions and sections of the society had become highly polarised in the aftermath of the attack on Hamid Mir, had been going highly in favour of enemies of the country. He regretted that nobody was available on the current scenario to defuse the situation in an amicable manner through talks and negotiations. Rather every other person is found active on the scene trying to add fuel to the fire.

Memon said that he would never support the latest stance of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan for boycotting the Daily Jang and Geo TV as such a decision would be completely against the spirit of freedom of the media and the principles of democracy.

He said the media and journalistic fraternity in the country should observe complete freedom and solidarity among their ranks to give support and uphold the cause of freedom of the press. He said the ensuring freedom of press was a compulsory condition for the continuity of democracy in the country.

He said that media institutions, TV channels and newspapers should not be subjected to censorship or restrictions as the media should embark upon the course of self-regulation, self-reform, and self-discipline as has always been the norm in a democratic regime.

On the demand made by another speaker of the forum Owais Aslam Ali, chairman of the Pakistan Press Foundation, Sharjeel Memon said the trial court proceedings related to the murder case of slain media person Munir Sangi, belonging to Larkana, would be shifted to any other town of the province in accordance with the demands of heirs in the family of the deceased media person. The demand for shifting the venue of trial court proceedings of the case of slain media person was made in the context of the case of slain Geo News TV journalist Wali Khan Babar as recently convictions were secured against the killers of Wali Babar by shifting his trial court case to a town in interior Sindh.

Other speakers at the forum said the media and journalists’ fraternity would never accept shutting down any newspaper or television channel by the establishment as such an act would create serious repercussions for the independence of the press and for the existence and future of other media institutions in the country too.

They also eulogised the journalistic services of injured Geo News senior anchorperson Hamid Mir, saying that the armed attack on his life on the evening of April 19, 2014 could only be perceived as the attack on the freedom of press in the country. They said the only crime committed by Hamid Mir, owing to which he was attacked, was that he had become the representative voice of downtrodden Pakistanis especially because he had upheld the cause of the people of Balochistan struggling for their long-denied rights.

They said that the military-led establishment in the country had no right to award certificates of loyalty and patriotism to different sections and people of society neither could the same establishment compel the media regulator to rescind licence of any particular TV channel while branding it disloyal to the state.

They said the journalists’ fraternity, regardless of the conflicting business interests of media houses, had complete unity in their ranks for the cause of freedom of press and in no way were they ready to accept any propaganda being aired regarding the attack on the life of Hamid Mir.

Also speaking on the occasion, Editor of Daily Jang Nazir Leghari said the establishment, which at present had been trying to brand Jang and Geo TV as disloyal to the state in the past had declared the leaders of East Pakistan A K Fazlul Haq and Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy, who in fact had been at the forefront in the struggle for the creation of Pakistan, as traitors. He said the same tyrannical fashion of the state for unduly awarding certificates of disloyalty had dated back to the times of Socrates as the famous Greek philosopher had been sentenced to death while declaring him an enemy of the state.

He said the 180 million population of the country would never be affected by the propaganda of the establishment as it would always hold Hamid Mir in high esteem as the torchbearer of the struggle for securing the rights of the people of Pakistan.

He said the dissenting voice of the media had not been stifled during the draconian and repressive military and martial law rule of the 1980s in the country and in the present modern-day, no state authority would be able to shut down publication of newspapers or transmission of TV channels through the coercive means.

He said it was high time that the owners of media houses and publishers of newspapers sort out their mutual and conflicting interests for the greater cause of freedom of media.

Tahir Najmi, Editor of Daily Express, said the journalistic fraternity had only one consensus opinion about the attack on the life of Hamid Mir that the incident was highly condemnable, tantamount to curbing the freedom of press, while the criminal elements and conspirators behind the attack, regardless of their influence or status, should be brought to justice without any undue delay.

He said the business interests of owners of media houses had been behind the present situation of division and polarisation persisting on the national media scene following the attack on Hamid Mir.

He said the working journalists and their representative associations like Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists had always been in the forefront in the struggle against censorship and curbs on the media and press but associations of editors and newspaper publishers had never played their due role in securing the freedom of press.

Saeed Khawar, Resident Editor of Daily Nawa-e-Waqat Karachi, said the media institutions should show harmony in their relationship with each other so that there should be no damage to the cause of freedom of the media.

He said the shutting down of any TV channel or newspaper in the country would be perceived as an act of the state in total disrespect of morality and ethical norms being considered necessary for freedom of the media in the country.

Owais Aslam Ali said the armed attack on the life of Hamid Mir had massively damaged the cause of freedom of the press and also compromised the cause of safety and security of media institutions, which was required for their independent functioning.

Dr Jabbar Khattak, secretary-general of CPNE, said the democratically elected governments had always been tolerant to criticism of the media and press against their policies while military regimes in the country had always tried to stifle the voice of the dissenting media.

Aamir Mahmood of CPNE also said the CPNE as the representative forum of working and publisher editors in the country would never accept the present form of Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra), and its repressive laws, mainly due to abnormal constitution of the electronic media regulator. He said Pemra in the present form was not in a position to consider any application forwarded to it for revoking the license of any TV channel.

Vice-president CPNE and chairman of its Sindh Committee Shaheen Qureshi said that World Press Freedom Day in the country should be observed from next year as the day to commemorate Shuhuda (martyrs) of journalism in the country as over 100 journalists in the country had so far laid down their lives for upholding the cause of freedom of the press.

Imran boycotts Jang Group, accuses it of influencing polls

 

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman, Imran Khan, on Friday accused Geo TV of being a part in rigging during the 2013 general elections and announced to boycott the Jang Group and the channel.
Talking to media persons here, Imran said that no PTI representative would appear on Geo or subscribe to the Jang Group newspapers till the time the private television apologised for its role in the rigging.

Imran demanded of the government to investigate through an independent commission the foreign funding coming to the media houses, including Geo, which had allegedly received money from the US and other foreign sources.

He justified his party’s decision to take to the streets against the “unprecedented rigging’ in the last year’s general elections and singled out the returning officers (ROs) for their role in the irregularity, saying that he would not let this go without a probe.

Imran noted that PTI candidate for NA-118 had to pay a total of Rs5.2 million for thumbprint verification of voters, the election tribunal and lawyer fee, and it was found that out of 325 bags, 170 were opened while only 69 had all the requisite documents.

He continued that out of 170,000 votes cast in the constituency, only 81,000 had either partial or complete record and more importantly, 70 bags did not belong to the Election Commission of Pakistan but were altered.

The PTI chairman pointedtribunals to going to the Supreme Court (SC) and raising the issue in the National Assembly.“This was simply because the PTI did not want to destabilise the government. Never at any time did the PTI accept the rigging that had clearly taken place in general elections 2013,” he noted.

Imran asserted that almost a year had passed and neither the tribunals nor the SC had given any decisions on their petitions. PTI’s demand for thumbprint verification in only four constituencies had still not been acceded by the ECP and the petition for the same remained undecided by the SC.

The PTI chairman said that his party had been left with no option but to come out on to the streets to protest the rigging so that future elections were made transparent and fair, or people would lose faith in the entire electoral process.

“Others will assume that the only way to win is through rigging. And the unprecedented turnout of youth and the urban professionals who came out to vote will again retreat and they won’t bother to cast their votes. This bodes ill for the future of democracy in Pakistan and the PTI will not allow this to happen,” he noted.

Imran pointed to the ‘questionable role’ of the ex-chief justice of Pakistan, the ROs and the Election Commissioners from the Punjab and Sindh in aiding and abetting rigging, along with the now infamous 35 punctures of the then Punjab acting Chief Minister Najam Sethi, who had been duly rewarded.

He drew attention to the comprehensive PTI White Paper on rigging as well as the Fafen report.The PTI chief recalled when thumbprint verifications were ordered and then Nadra chief complied in NA 118, Babar Sattar stated that the Nadra chief was threatened by Rana Sanaullah and then removed. The IHC decision on Nadra chief’s removal corroborated this statement.

It is interesting to note that for other reasons, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), which was in power, had also boycotted Geo for some months but had to return to it on its own. PTI’s boycott of Jang Group was discussed during the recently held Core Committee meeting and more deliberations were held in a select group of party leaders.

Party insiders told ‘The News’ that the boycott of the leading media group, which been in the forefront in projecting the PTI, would be counterproductive, as ultimately Imran would have to end it, as had the PPP.

Jang and Geo largest media group, won’t be banned, says Sana

 

TOKYO: Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah Thursday said the issue of restrictions on Jang and Geo should end after Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif’s final and clear statement on it.
In a special talk with Jang ere, he said the Jang-Geo Group is the largest media group in Pakistan and it won’t be closed, adding, the government had no intention to ban any media group. He said the circumstances originating from the murder attempt on Hamid Mir were troublesome but the government stuck to its stand on the freedom of expression, as press was an important pillar of democracy.

He further said everyone was satisfied with the recovery of Hamid Mir and the Centre was assisting the provincial government in investigating the attack and arresting those responsible for it.

Rana Sanaullah remarked that the army and the media both were national institutions which had to resolve matters through mutual understanding, avoiding blame-game.He said Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif had formed an exemplary system for resolving the problems of overseas Pakistanis and its fruits would become visible in the near future.

If Geo-Jang Group is anti-state, it should be banned

 

 

 

 

ISLAMABAD: If the Jang-Geo Group is really anti-Pakistan or is working on enemy’s agenda, it has no right to operate in Pakistan.
Since no less than the premier intelligence agency of the country — the ISI — has charged the Geo network with these serious allegations, it is now the agency’s responsibility to bring all the required material against Jang and Geo in the court of law and get them banned.

The ISI, in its petition filed with Pemra against Geo, charged, “Geo network has a history of acting illegally in furtherance of anti-Pakistan agenda. If required, material can be provided to the regulator.”

Why ‘if required’? It must be done because as per the claim of the ISI it involves the “furtherance of anti-Pakistan agenda”. If the ISI is so sure about the anti-Pakistan agenda of Geo and has all the material to prove its case, suppressing such material and not doing anything against Geo and Jang Group is like hurting the national interest.

The ISI should not wait for a call from Pemra. One is really astonished why the ISI has not provided the material showing that Geo-Jang is anti-Pakistan to the present government or the previous governments earlier.

Ironically, Imran Khan, the PTI chairman, leveled similar allegations in a public meeting on Friday. He has given credence to the ISI allegations. Only a few months back when Khan was provided “material” against Geo by a TV anchor in a live show, Khan was formally offered by the Geo management to get all these allegations probed by a committee of his choice and then decide if these allegations had any truth.

Asad Umar, a senior PTI senior, was also in the knowledge of this offer from Geo but despite the lapse of over two months, no probe has been conducted by the PTI leader.

I have raised these issues with the Geo-Jang management quite a few times and always found them confidently dismissing these charges. Instead, they say that the Jang-Geo management has already approached the court of law against such allegations. Here is a chance for the PTI leader, the ISI and anyone else who has any such material against Geo and Jang group to prove these allegations before the court of law. It would not only be a great service to Pakistan but a special favour to the employees, including me who think otherwise.

Last year when some of the allegations against Geo-Jang Group made headlines with respect to the Media Commission’s report, the Supreme Court sought details from Pemra, which had apologised to the Supreme Court over the statement regarding Geo TV’s awareness campaigns, including ‘Aman Ki Asha’ and ‘Zara Sochiye’.

A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by the then Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and comprising Justice Jawad S Khawaja and Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed, was hearing the case regarding a Pemra official’s statement that ‘Aman Ki Asha’ and ‘Zara Sochiye’ were foreign funded programmes.

Counsel for Pemra Zulfiqar Maluka had submitted a written apology before the bench and stated that Pemra apologised over its statement regarding members of media commission as they were respectful. The then Chief Justice had remarked that it was the non-serious attitude of the Pemra officials, as they should behave in a responsible manner.

Hamid Mir and Absar Alam, the petitioners in the case, had told the SC that they did not seek an apology from Pemra. Instead, they said they wanted Pemra to present evidence to prove its allegations.

These serious allegations are hurled time and again but there has been no probe as yet. As it has not been done earlier, the ISI and the PTI should get it done now for the sake of Pakistan.

Abducted Iran border guards freed by militant group

TEHRAN: A semi-official Iranian news agency is reporting that an al-Qaida-affiliated militant group Jaish al-Adl operating in a lawless frontier area along the Pakistan-Iran border has released Iranian border guards abducted two months ago.

Friday´s report by the Fars news agency quotes an unnamed official as saying the guards were handed over to Iranian officials in Pakistan. It did not elaborate.

According to Pakistan's Interior Ministry sources this was Iran's internal matter and the guards were released as a part of Tehran's prisoner swap with Jais al-Adl.

In February, the Jaish al-Adl group abducted five Iranian guards outside Sarbaz, a town in Iran´s restive Sistan-Baluchistan province near the border with Pakistan. The guards were reportedly taken to Pakistan.

A local official said last month that one of those abducted was killed. Also in March, Iran´s President Hassan Rouhani phoned Pakistan´s Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif asking for "serious action" to free the guards.

Karachi: Banned group local leader killed in police encounter

KARACHI: A local leader of a banned outfit has been killed in an alleged police encounter that took place in the limits of Sohrab Goth police station, here on Tuesday.

According to police, the deceased has been identified as Muhammad Ameen.

The accused had been staying in Karachi since Swat operation, the police added.

Pakistan be made part of Nuclear Suppliers Group, says Nawaz

 

THE HAGUE: Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif on Monday said Pakistan had the expertise, manpower and infrastructure to produce civil nuclear energy and called for the country’s inclusion in all international export control regimes, especially the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).
Speaking at the third Nuclear Security Summit here, he said Pakistan had been running a safe and secure civil nuclear programme for more than 40 years and attached the highest importance to nuclear security because it was directly linked to its national security.

“Pakistan is a responsible nuclear state and pursues a policy of nuclear restraint, as well as credible minimum deterrence,” the prime minister said.Leaders from 53 countries, the United Nations, the European Union, International Atomic Energy Agency and Interpol are attending the summit.

“Our region needs peace and stability for economic development that benefits its people. That is why, I strongly advocate nuclear restraint, balance in conventional forces and ways to resolve conflicts,” the prime minister said.

He said Pakistan’s nuclear security was supported by five pillars — a strong command and control system led by the National Command Authority (NCA), an integrated intelligence system, a rigorous regulatory regime, a comprehensive export control regime and active international cooperation.

The prime minister said Pakistan’s security regime covered physical protection, material control and accounting, border controls and radiological emergencies.He said Pakistan’s nuclear materials, facilities and assets were safe and secure and the country’s nuclear security regime was anchored in the principle of multi-layered defence for the entire spectrum — insider, outsider or cyber threat.

The prime minister said Pakistan had established a Centre of Excellence that conducted intense specialised courses in nuclear security, physical protection and personnel reliability. He said Pakistan was ready to share its best practices and training facilities with other interested states in the region and beyond.

He also paid tributes to President Barack Obama for launching the nuclear security summit process four years ago.“As prime minister, I feel that energy deficit is one of the most serious crises facing Pakistan. As we revive our economy, we look forward to international cooperation and assistance for nuclear energy under the IAEA safeguards,” he added.

He said international treaties and forums should supplement national actions to fortify the nuclear security.He said Pakistan was a partyto the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material (CPPNM) and worked closely with the IAEA to deal with safety and security of radioactive sources and illicit trafficking of nuclear materials.

The prime minister said Pakistan regularly submitted reports to the UN Security Council’s 1540 Committee on the measures the country took to exercise control over transfer of sensitive materials and technologies.

“Looking back, we can say with confidence that our decisions and commitments have spurred national action, promoted international cooperation and fostered nuclear security culture,” the prime minister said, adding that Pakistan has constructively contributed to this process.

The prime minister said all leaders gathered here wanted nuclear security, which was a national responsibility and a global priority.He said all the countries should continue to take measures to secure all nuclear facilities and materials and prevent any perceived nuclear terrorist threat.

“We all need radioactive sources for hospitals, industry and research but should be vigilant about radiological threats,” he added.Premier Nawaz also met the US President Barrack Obama, Chinese President XI Jinping and Turkish President Abdullah Gul on the sidelines of the two-day summit and discussed with them matters of bilateral relations and mutual interest.

He is accompanied by Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Syed Tariq Fatemi and Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry.Meanwhile, talking to media persons after meeting with the US Secretary of State John Kerry on the sidelines of the summit, Nawaz Sharif said he had informed John Kerry of Pakistan’s desire to use a third party to resolve the Kashmir dispute with India.

“The Kashmir issue should be resolved. India is unwilling to use a third party to resolve the issue. The US needs to play a role in normalising relations in the region.” The prime minister said the purpose of his visit to Afghanistan was to create a ‘positive atmosphere’ between the two countries.

“Some people are trying to derail this process,” Nawaz said. The premier said he had expressed Pakistan’s praise for the US policy of stopping drone attacks in the tribal areas. “The policy of restraint adopted by the US should continue.”

Kerry told Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif that the United States will continue to work with Pakistan for the elimination of terrorism. He also assured the prime minister of cooperation to meet its energy needs.

Speaking to the media following their meeting, John Kerry said the two countries were “deeply engaged.” “We have great confidence in Pakistan’s nuclear security,” Kerry told reporters. Prime Minister Sharif said: “There are a lot of challenges and we are meeting these challenges.” The prime minister also mentioned his positive meeting with US President Obama a few months ago in Washington, DC.

IAG airlines group flies into profit

LONDON: International Airlines Group soared back into net profit in 2013 on a strong performance from its British Airways unit and from recently-acquired Spanish budget carrier Vueling, it said Friday.
Profits after tax stood at 122 million euros ($167 million) last year also as its main Spanish carrier Iberia narrowed losses, IAG said in a results statement. IAG had suffered a net loss of 716 million euros in 2012.
Revenues grew 3.1 percent to 18.7 billion euros and fuel costs slid 2.5 percent to 5.95 billion euros.
"In 2013, we strengthened the group by acquiring Vueling, embarking on Iberia's transformation and enhancing British Airways' revenue performance," said chief executive Willie Walsh.
"This has led to a strong financial recovery and return to profitability." Group operating profit, stripping out taxes and one-off costs, stood at 770 million euros compared with a loss of 23 million euros in 2012.
BA benefited also from additional slots at London's Heathrow airport following integration of bmi, the no-frills carrier that IAG purchased in 2012 from German rival Lufthansa.
At the same time, Iberia slashed its operating loss to 166 million euros compared with 351 million euros last time around.
"Iberia has made huge progress on cost control as its restructuring takes shape and great credit should be given to all those involved," Walsh said.
He added that recent pay agreements between Iberia and its pilot and cabin crew unions were key to reducing the airline's costs further and "providing the foundation for profitable growth".
Iberia employee costs down:
Last year, Iberia's restructuring saw 2,500 staff leave the airline via a voluntary redundancy programme, while salaries were reduced by between 11 percent and 18 percent.
As a result, Iberia's employee costs were down 14.3 percent compared with 2012.
London-listed IAG also noted that Vueling was a "great asset" which had helped to increase IAG's capacity by 5.2 percent, primarily in domestic and European markets.
BA's capacity meanwhile increased by 2.0 percent after the introduction of the Airbus A380 and Boeing 787 into the airline's fleet.
"The new aircrafts' economic and environmental performance has been excellent and customers love them," Walsh said.
Looking ahead, IAG forecast that it would make "steady progress" this year towards its 2015 group operating profit target of 1.8 billion euros.
Despite the impressive annual results, IAG's share price sank on Friday as investors took the opportunity to take profits after the stock almost doubled in one year.
In afternoon deals, IAG shares price shed 3.27 percent to 437.02 pence on London's FTSE 100 index, which was 0.15 percent lower at 6,800.45 points.
"For now, IAG is progressing," said Keith Bowman, analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown Stockbrokers.
"The removal of costs remains central, with labour productivity and aircraft fuel efficiency still topping the agenda.
"Passenger revenues have again grown, whilst expected growth from Asia and Africa remains firmly in management sights."
IAG was formed in January 2011 when BA and Iberia merged in a tie-up that was aimed at slashing costs. The group has 431 aircraft in service and employs more than 60,000 people.