Moves on to weaken independent media, democracy

ISLAMABAD: The intriguing but matching timing of an attack on the most influential media group in Pakistan — the Jang/Geo Group — and the street agitation of the Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Awami Tehrik (PAT) have raised many eyebrows here.

This situation raises the fundamental question of whether the stage is being set to hurt the democratic process and make the civilian leadership dance to the tune of the military establishment.

On the one hand the independent media is being muzzled through coercion, division and harassment; on the other people are being encouraged to come onto the streets to express their discontent with the system.

In a calculated fashion, the post-Hamid Mir attack scenario is being created in a manner where Geo and the Jang Group are portrayed as anti-army and anti-Pakistan. Such a manoeuvre would help discredit the most influential media house of the country, which is known for its contribution towards the rule of law, the upholding of the Constitution, democracy and an independent judiciary.

Damaging the Geo and Jang Group means hitting the freedom of the press in Pakistan and making it so vulnerable that the media cannot effectively serve as a protector of democracy, the independent judiciary and the rule of law. During recent weeks, certain players of the military establishment have already succeeded in badly dividing, like never before, the media of Pakistan.

With such serious divisions being created within the Pakistani media, political entities like the PTI, PML-Q and PAT etc. are already out to support the Pakistan Army and the ISI in what has been smartly created as a fight between the army and the Jang Group despite the latter’s repeated statements that it respects the institutions of the Pakistan Army and ISI.

Some proscribed organisations have also been pushed to hold demonstrations to get the Jang-Geo Group discredited.While such efforts are continuing to weaken the independent media in Pakistan through “tamed media” and “political allies”, the political situation of the country is also being vitiated through street agitations and protests. Though the announcement of the PTI and PAT protest campaigns from May 11, 2014 seem disconnected, not many believe this. Already discussions are under way if Imran and Qadri could join hands for the “reformation” of the system. The PML-Q is also expected to join in.

As against the serious doubts about the PAT linkages with the military establishment, Imran Khan’s PTI had better credentials till recently when it surprised all and sundry initially by reiterating the ISI’s serious charges against the Jang/Geo group. It furthered such doubts by levelling what could be termed as hilarious allegations of rigging on the Jang and Geo group and announcing to hold a rally on May 11 in Islamabad. May 11 is also the countrywide demonstration day for the PAT.

Leading political parties, including the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Awami National Party (ANP), have already lashed out at the PTI for its call to protest against the alleged rigging at this point of time.

The PPP Senator Farhatullah Babar said Imran Khan’s move to resort to protest the alleged rigging was incomprehensible after one year of the elections. The PPP leader said it was his party’s formal stance that it will not become part of any protest rallies. Many in the PPP see it as an effort to derail the democratic system.

According to media reports, the PPP leaders held in-depth discussions on the protest politics of the PTI and ongoing rallies in the country aimed at destabilising the elected government. Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Syed Khursheed Shah was also quoted to have said in a press talk that those who were used to bring out sponsored rallies in the past are now active and it is not a good omen for the country. Shah added that these rallies are being sponsored and not being taken out on their own as those who are behind these rallies have their own agenda.

The ANP leader Mian Iftikhar Hussain said the PTI chief Imran Khan should not indulge in the politics of opportunism. The PML-N leader and Punjab Minister for Law Rana Sanaullah is quoted to have said that the PTI and PAT have planned to launch an agitation movement on ‘someone’s’ directives.

How independent are the police in KPK

ISLAMABAD: When a provincial police chief reached to attend an already scheduled meeting, he found political bosses waiting for him. Other than the chief minister, a top leader whose party governs the province was also in attendance.

Asked the reason for his late arrival, the police chief who had taken charge weeks ago said he was on an inspection tour to five districts. ‘How was it,’ a follow-up question was raised by the ruling party leader. Performance of District Police Officers (DPOs) was satisfactory except the one who runs the district of chief minister, he replied. ‘What you have done?’ was another question from the party leader. Reply: ‘I have removed him.’

The CM intervened at this point: ‘You should have at least informed me.’ ‘I am informing you now Sir’, the police chief responded.This is the story of Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa (KP) province, a testimony of change in the police culture where the top cop is at liberty to call the shots, something still unimaginable in Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan and also in Islamabad.

Nasir Durrani was serving in Punjab before his appointment as IG KP. Punjab CM preferred a pliant police chief to the likes of Durrani and Zulfiqar Cheema for fear of any tension with them in the event of political interference.

Durrani accepted to lead KP police only on the condition of no political interference in his business. To his good luck, Imran Khan was looking for a man like Durrani and was happy to note about his decision of the removal of DPH Nowshera on performance grounds. CM KP showed the grace by honouring the decision of his police chief instead of nurturing any grudge. Not only the DPO was removed, Durrani sent three names to CM to pick one of them as replacement. It is a legal formality, though not highly appreciated by independent-minded police chiefs, to send a panel of names to CM when a new DPO is to be appointed, no matter which district.

Again, this process is rigged in favour of politicians as the panel is formed through verbal consent and after including the choice names to be named later as DPO. It however did not happen in the case of appointment of DPO in CM KP’s district.

IG KP had to face a gigantic challenge following the transfer of DPO Mansehra, Ghafoor Afridi, a brave and honest police officer. The notification of his appointment as RPO Dera Ismail Khan sparked shutter down strikes in Mansehra and PTI also joined hands with the protesters demanding the reversal of transfer order. However, Durrani refused to budge. He said a valiant officer commanding integrity like Afridi is direly needed in the volatile area of DI Khan bordering with FATA hence the decision would not be reversed.

Earlier, he removed DPO Lakki Marwat Abdul Rasheed on corruption charges, as incidents of extortion were rife in the district under his watch. A corruption inquiry against him is in progress. Durrani has been giving sleepless nights to corrupt elements since he assumed charge. “Around 123 policemen have been dismissed during last five years,” reported Javed Aziz Khan, The News correspondent in Peshawar. Another 46 policemen have been given major punishment, 43 cases are yet to be decided while 32 policemen were exonerated of charges. Those punished included DSPs down to constables whereas four DPOs have been removed, his report said. PTI-led government ‘deserves the credit for improving the situation to some extent in most of the government departments, especially in the police,’ the report said.

Ukraine’s Crimea seeks to become an independent state

crowd chanting "Rossiya! Rossiya!" and waving the Russian tricolour.

The Crimean parliament voted on Tuesday that the Black Sea peninsula will declare itself an independent state if its residents agree to split off from Ukraine and join Russia in a referendum. Crimea’s regional legislature today adopted a “declaration of independence of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.” The document specified that Crimea will become an independent state if its residents vote on Sunday in favour of joining Russia in the referendum.
Western nations have said they will not recognise the vote as legitimate. But the move might be used as an attempt to ease tensions with Crimea existing as a self-proclaimed state without Russia moving quickly to incorporate it into its territory.
After a brief war between Russia and Georgia in 2008, some leaders sin Georgia’s breakaway provinces of Abkhazia and South Ossetia also asked to join Russia, but their request was never granted. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s acting president today called for the formation of a national guard and for the mobilisation of reserves and volunteers into the country’s armed forces.
Oleksandr Turchynov asked the national parliament to approve turning the country’s Interior Ministry troops into a National Guard “to defend the country and citizens against any criminals, against external and internal aggression.” Turchynov said that the mobilisation will include those who have previously served in the army and volunteers. Russian forces have strengthened their control over Ukraine’s Crimea region in the run-up to a referendum set for Sunday on whether to split off and become part of Russia.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk, who will fly to Washington to meet with Barack Obama tomorrow, called on Western nations to defend Ukraine against a nation “that is armed to the teeth and that has nuclear weapons.”