World media bodies, rights watchdog slam Geo’s closure

WASHINGTON/PARIS/ISLAMABAD: Rights watchdog Amnesty International and international media organisations on Friday condemned the suspension of Geo News licence by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) and termed it politically-motivated and an attack on the freedom of press.

The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists condemned the Pemra’s decision and termed it politically motivated and against the commitments made to it by the Nawaz government. “We are troubled by the decision by Pakistan’s regulator to suspend the Geo News’ licence,” said CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon.

“The move to shut down one of Pakistan’s largest media outlets is short-sighted and politically motivated and runs counter to the spirit of commitments Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif made to the CPJ,” the CJO statement said.

A CPJ delegation met with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in April and secured commitments to combat risks to journalists in Pakistan. Other US-based news organisations also expressed their shock and decried the Pemra decision.

Reporters Without Borders condemned Friday’s decision by the Pemra to suspend all broadcasting by the Geo News for 15 days.

The decision was taken in response to a Defence Ministry’s complaint to Pemra, accusing Geo News of waging a “vicious campaign, libelous and scandalous in nature” after its star talk show presenter Hamid Mir was badly injured in a targeted shooting on 19th April.

“Suspending a TV station’s licence is a grave violation of freedom of information especially when it is the country’s leading news channel,” Reporters Without Borders said.

The suspension follows a major smear campaign against Geo News that began after it broadcast claims that the intelligence agencies were behind the attack on Mir. Both the defence ministry and the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) responded by accusing the Geo News of being “anti-state.”

On 20th May, several Pemra members ordered the closure of Geo News and two of its sister channels, Geo Tez and Geo Entertainment, and the withdrawal of their licences, but they were immediately overruled by other Pemra members.

Amnesty International said the Pakistan government’s suspension of Geo TV, the country’s largest private broadcaster, was a politically motivated attack on the freedom of expression and the media.

“The suspension of Geo TV is a serious attack on press freedom in Pakistan. It is the latest act in an organised campaign of harassment and intimidation targeting the network on account of its perceived bias against the military,” said Amnesty International’s Asia Director Richard Bennett in a statement on Friday.

“The Pakistani authorities must immediately reverse this ban. If there are concerns about the content of Geo TV broadcasts, the authorities should address this in line with international human rights standards – not simply move to silence a critical voice.

“The suspension of Geo TV sadly fits an all too familiar pattern in Pakistan. State authorities and other political actors use any means they can to silence critical reporting, from the use of anti-state and anti-religion provisions of the law to physical attacks and violence,” said Richard Bennett.

In a report released on 30 April, 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.

Several Jang Media Group journalists have told the Amnesty International that they have received daily threats and harassment by unknown individuals by phone and in person.Many said they dare not enter their offices or identify themselves as belonging to Geo TV or other Jang Media Group outlets for fear of being attacked.“Pakistan’s vibrant media scene deserves better protection, and journalists must be able to carry out their legitimate work without fear or interference,” said Richard Bennett.

Sethi had nothing to do with selling PCB rights: Imran hospital audit body chief

 

LONDON: The former president of the International Cricket Council (ICC) and a senior Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) adviser Ehsan Mani has said that Najam Sethi, ex-PCB chairman, had nothing to do with the bidding procedures or sports rights for the cricket series against Sri Lanka.
Geo TV’s detractors and Najam Sethi’s critics, without presenting any evidence, have alleged that Sethi, who hosts one of the most watched current affairs shows on Geo called ‘Aapas Ki Baat’, may have helped Geo Super get the sporting rights for the Pakistan-Sri Lanka series held in the United Arab Emirates last year.

But in an exclusive interview over phone with this correspondent from France, Ehsan Mani, who was the head of the PCB committee that approved the Geo Sports’ bid for the Sri Lanka/South Africa series, expressed shock that such baseless allegations were aired without giving any thought to the facts.

Ehsan Mani is a board member of Imran Khan’s Shaukat Khanum Memorial Hospital and a friend of Imran Khan — who has led the campaign of allegations against the Jang and Geo Group, accusing the group of being involved in election rigging and winning favours from Nawaz Sharif — but Mani said he was astonished that such allegations were being made knowingly by some whose aim was to malign rather than to do anything good.

But the stern rebuttal by Ehsan Mani will come as a shock to Imran Khan who faces court cases from Jang and Geo over these allegations.

Ehsan Mani clarified: “The committee that I headed comprised Justice Shabbar Rizvi, an ex-Lahore High Court judge, Ahmed Hussain and a lawyer. It had three PCB management members Subhan Ahmed, COO, Badar Khan, CFO, and Salman Naseer, PCB’s internal legal adviser. It has had an ex-PCB Board member Bughio, a close aide of Zaka Ashraf.

“It was on my request that renowned accounting firmErnst & Young was taken on board to oversee all the process and to ensure that the whole bidding process was independent and transparent. The aim was to ensure transparency so that no bidder should be given undue advantage. Ernst and Young made the final report with recommendations and sent it to the PCB.”

Ehsan Mani said that the highest bidders were Ten Sports and Geo and they were recommended on the basis of the merit of their bids, the highest amounts they put down to win these rights. “Najam Sethi wasn’t involved at any stage. He had nothing to do with the bidding at any of the stages. There was only one PCB representative Bughio who sat in the meeting as an observer. Najam Sethi didn’t have any influence at any stage. There was no pressure, corruption or manipulation. Everything was independent and the bid was open, negotiations were opened and on board. Everything was on record and minutes were taken down.”

After the bids were received, Mani said, the committee only recommended to the PCB board that the South African series shall go to Ten Sports and the rights for Sri Lanka shall go to Geo Super. “We had no power other than to make recommendations. The PCB governing body finalised the decision. There was no interference at all at any level, there’s no question of any pressure. It was not possible. The highest bidder won and it’s simple. The terms and conditions were provided in writing in advance to all the parties involved.”

Ehsan Mani refused to disclose how much money was offered by Geo Super and Ten Sports because it was “confidential” but he stressed that the rights were won by the highest and the most competitive bidders. “There is no doubt about that. This is all on the record. Ernst & Young witnessed the negotiations and recorded everything. Their report was confidential and private which we didn’t see. Everyone involved was satisfied with the procedures and no objections were raised.”

When asked if the chairman PCB could manipulate at any stage using his powers, Ehsan Mani said that the process of establishing committees was such that the chairman couldn’t do anything. “The PCB chairman cannot manipulate. When I was approached to be a part of this committee, I said I will help.”

Mani said that he has been helping the Pakistan cricket since 1992 and had been involved in many deals and at various stages. “My only condition was that this committee will be independent and the PCB chairman will not be involved. The committee was completely independent and any involvement from any quarter was out of the question. I had done the ICC deal for $500 million in 2000. In 2006 and 2007, I was asked again by the ICC to help with their rights and one of the deals was done for $1.1 billion. When my reputation is so high and I am trusted so much, then why would I do anything untoward?”

When asked again if Najam Sethi had anything to do with the bidding process, Ehsan Mani said that Najam Sethi had no involvement. “Najam Sethi had absolutely no involvement. He couldn’t have done that. We followed a transparent procedure. No bidder knew who was offering what amount. No one knew what was on board. We wanted maximum money. We wanted maximum money for the PCB and that was our aim. Those who failed our targets failed to get the rights. All bidders were there and they knew what was going on.”

Ehsan Mani’s interview has proved the allegation leveled by Imran Khan, Mubashir Luqman and several TV channels as a complete lie. Several channels, particularly ARY, were alleging that Sethi favoured Geo in getting the cricket rights. Imran Khan leveled this allegation in his several TV interviews. He particularly attended Mubashir Luqman’s programme at ARY and repeatedly leveled this baseless allegation.

The Jang Group’s response to this allegation was present at its website, parts of social media and even published several times in newspapers, but no anchorperson ever asked any question from Imran Khan about the role and stand of Ehsan Mani, who is the chairman of the audit committee of Shaukat Khanum Hospital.

As Imran’s allegation has been proven a lie, the lawyers community in the UK is discussing what would be the worth of Imran’s other allegations against the Geo and Jang Group. They think Imran, who enjoys respect in the UK, will face embarrassment on failure to prove his charges against the Geo/Jang Group in the UK courts.

‘US state machineries involved in suppressing civil rights’

DALLAS: The Executive Director of Bill of Rights Defense Committee and a prominent civil rights and human rights activist Shahid Buttar has claimed that US State machineries including secret agencies, CIA, NSA and administration are involved in suppression of civil rights in the country.

“As US citizens we should stay engaged with our representatives, Congressmen and Senators to remind them to act in public interest and to protect our civil liberties and human rights.”

Shahid Buttar was talking to attendees of a meeting of several Dallas Fort Worth Human Rights activists, at the residence of American Muslim Democratic Caucus Co-Chairman Syed Fayyaz Hassan.

Buttar said that CIA and NSA senior officials mislead and lie to Congress. The recent episode where CIA officials lied to Senate Intelligence Committee in investigations of spying on civilians is one in a chain of deception and manipulation which is going on for a long time.

He said a number of stories have come out over time which later were proven to be correct. Even Obama administration is kept in dark over some issues and even top level reports don't include their activities, he claimed.

“Senator Feinstein was correctly been annoyed from CIA's impeding her committee's investigations into civilian's spying programs.”

He said these actions are truly violations of constitution and Bill of Rights.

A local civil liberties activist and President of "Mothers against Police Brutalities (MAPD)" Mrs. Collette Flanagan also addressed the meeting where she said that that recent trends in Dallas Fort Worth are taking the society into a police state.

She said that a large number of Police officers need psychological attention as their behaviors are not conducive to our society. She informed the group on procedures of police retention does not require any drug testing. So an officer goes through drug testing only during hiring which is beyond logic.

Addressing the group, she said that she has lost her son to police brutality where his 25-year-old son was brutally killed by police officers without any reason. Her son was unarmed and was not resisting any officer. She said that she has formed the group so that no mother looses her child against the brutality of armed policemen.

Among present on this event were Muslim Democratic Caucus Texas President Aftab Siddiqui, South Asia Democracy Watch Directors, Raja Zahid Khanzada, Raja Muzaffar Kashmiri, Asif Effendi, Siraj Butt, Ghulam Nabi, Muslim Community Center's Chairman Dr. Basheer Ahmad, local leader Mr. Lateef and Shahnaz Lateef, and Dallas Peace Center's Hadi Jawwad, who introduced Mr. Buttar and Mrs. Flanagan.

 

Sri Lankan rights activist Sithie Tiruchelvam passes away

Sithie Tiruchelvam and Neelan Tiruchelvam were committed constant engagement for peace and social justice.

Noted lawyer and Sri Lankan human rights activist Sithie Tiruchelvam, wife of the internationally respected academic Neelan Tiruchelvan, passed away here on Saturday after a brief illness.

She was 69.

Ms. Tiruchelvam, along with Neelan Tiruchelvam — one of the foremost, erudite activists of Sri Lanka who worked on a devolution package and championed the political rights of Tamils — is known for her deep engagement with the cause of social justice and peace.

In addition to collaborating with him at Tiruchelvam Associates, a leading Colombo-based law firm that they established together, Ms. Tiruchelvam contributed significantly to the International Centre for Ethnic Studies (ICES) and the Law and Society Trust. The institutions are highly regarded research and policy organisations founded by Tiruchelvam, who served the Sri Lankan parliament in the 1990s representing the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF), before he was assassinated by the LTTE in 1999.

Friends and colleagues fondly remember Ms. Tiruchelvam as one of the most committed rights activists who passionately created a space for interaction of intellectuals not just from Sri Lanka, but from all over the world. “Their living room was open to everyone,” said Radhika Coomaraswamy, former U.N. Under-Secretary-General, and close friend of Sithie. “She provided an intellectual space for people from all ethnic groups. She would go the extra mile to help someone.”

Terming her death a big loss to the legal fraternity and to human rights activism, Jayantha Dhanapala, member of the Friday Forum, a prominent Colombo-based civil society organisation, said “Sri Lanka cannot afford to lose people like her.”

Ms. Tiruchelvam was on the board of several leading companies in Sri Lanka. In addition to law and human rights, she was deeply interested in literature and arts. She also mentored young lawyers and activists, giving them a solid grounding in politics and contemporary social issues. Friends observed that her efforts in running the Neelan Tiruchelvam Trust, set up after the assassination of her husband, were remarkable in carrying forward his intellectual legacy.

Report exposes rights abuse by Sri Lankan forces post war

Military is still waging a campaign of persecution using abduction, arbitrary detention and sexual violence’

A report by rights groups on Friday said there was enough evidence that the Sri Lankan military was still waging a war against Tamils.

The report — published by the UK Bar Human Rights Committee of England and Wales and the International Truth & Justice Project, Sri Lanka — is one of the first documents to detail alleged rights abuse by the Sri Lankan armed forces in the post-war context.

Five years after the brutal war ended with the defeat of the rebel Tigers, the military was still waging a campaign of persecution, resorting to abduction, arbitrary detention, torture, rape and sexual violence, the report said.

Leading South African human rights lawyer and U.N. adviser Yasmin Sooka compiled the report, based on interviews with 40 Tamils who were reportedly held in custody by Sri Lankan authorities and who later sought refuge in the U.K.

The report, ‘Unfinished War: Torture and Sexual Violence in Sri Lanka, 2009- 2014,’ comes ahead of the U.N. Human Rights Council debate in Geneva on a U.S.-led resolution, calling for an international investigation into alleged war crimes and rights abuse in Sri Lanka.

“Sworn statements, along with medical and psychiatric examinations, have been gathered from dozens of Tamil men and women who sought refuge in the U.K. after being subjected to abuses in Sri Lanka. Almost all incidents they described took place after the war, some of them as recently as February 2014,” the report said.

Their accounts, documented by nine independent lawyers from western and Asian countries, established a case to answer for post-war crimes against humanity involving torture, rape and sexual violence — including anal rape and forced oral sex — by the Sri Lankan military, the report said.

South African rights activist Archbishop Desmond Tutu, in his foreword, said it “gives the lie to the Sri Lankan government’s propaganda that it is reconciling with its former enemies.”

The Sri Lankan army has been denying allegations of war crimes and rights abuse, maintaining that it was part of an anti-Sri Lanka campaign by some sections of the Tamil diaspora that supported the LTTE.

Rajshri-Salman Khan-Star Plus in talks regarding satellite rights of the film

Salman Khan

With Salman Khan having signed a 500 crore deal with Star Plus, it was widely speculated that Sooraj Barjatya has sold the satellite rights to Khan, who is in agreement with the channel to telecast all his films. While the channel has confirmed that all of Khan’s film releasing between 2012 to 2017 will be aired on Star network, the official spokesperson of Rajshri Productions said that talks are in progress to work out the nitty-gritty of the deal and an announcement will be made soon. “A decision will be made by next week. Soorajji, Salman and the channel have to arrive at a consensus. Nothing has been finalised as yet. Regarding whether Salman will waive off his fees, will be decided at the meeting. I cannot comment on it.”
The untitled film will go on floors in June with a 90 days schedule in Mumbai and about 10 to 12 days shoot in Gujarat. The film is slated to release in November 2015, around Diwali . Describing it as a light entertainer, the film that will see Salman Khan in a double role, will be more on the lines of Maine Pyaar Kiya. “It will be a light entertainer, with equal dose of romance and action. Nowadays, family dramas are seen mostly on television. I do not think that the audience is interested in watching it on the big screen,” states the spokesperson. Refuting rumours that Arman Kohli has been signed to play Khan’s brother, the spokesperson said that, “it is Neil Nitin Mukesh who will play Salman’s brother.” The film also stars Anupam Kher, Deepak Dobriyal and Swara Bhaskar in pivotal roles.

Iran warns Austrian embassy over Ashton meeting with rights activists: IRNA

DUBAI: Iran has warned the Austrian embassy in Tehran after it hosted a meeting between the EU foreign policy chief and Iranian human rights activists during her first visit to Iran over the weekend, the state news agency IRNA said on Monday.
Ashton met several human rights activists including the mother of Iranian blogger Sattar Beheshti at the embassy on Saturday, which coincided with international women's day.
Beheshti died in jail a few days after he was arrested in 2012 over a blog critical of the government.
"These actions (the meeting) will lead to an increased suspicion between our people and the West and it doesn't help relations between Iran and Europe," Iranian foreign ministry spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham was quoted as saying by IRNA.
Afkham had conveyed an official warning to the Austrian embassy in Tehran over the "unplanned meeting," IRNA said, without elaborating. Ashton's two-day visit was the first by an EU foreign policy chief since 2008.
Ashton had said after meeting Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif there was a potential for a dialogue with Tehran over human rights issues in the future.
Human rights activists fear that Tehran's rapprochement with the West since pragmatist President Hassan Rouhani's election in June could lead to a relaxation of international scrutiny of its widely criticised human rights record.
At least 80 people and perhaps as many as 95 have been executed in Iran already this year, a surge in the use of the death penalty that has dampened hopes for human rights reforms under Rouhani, the United Nations said on Feb. 21.

PM pledges protection of women rights to make them valuable citizens

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif has said that his government is committed to ensuring empowerment of women as their participation in all walks of life is necessary for sustainable development.
"This is our national duty to protect the interests of women and provide them equal opportunities without any discrimination. I reaffirm my pledge for protection of women's rights in the country to make them valuable citizens and productive members of the society," said the Prime Minister in his message on the occasion of International Women Day, observed on Saturday.
He expressed the pleasure that Pakistani nation also joined the international community in celebrating the International Women's Day.
He said being a state party to the Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), Pakistan was committed to implement its provisions in true spirit. The government has already taken concrete measures to ensure women's rights as envisaged in the CEDAW, he added.
The Prime Minister said being cognizant of the situation of women, the government was continuously undertaking reforms so as to enable women to participate in all walks of life.
He said Pakistan had enacted effective legislation to address women issues with a view to safeguard their rights.
"I am glad to note that the Ministry of Law, Justice and Human Rights is making all out efforts for protection and promotion of women's rights in collaboration with all the relevant stakeholders," he said.
Nawaz Sharif said he felt pride in stating that Pakistani women were participating in all sectors and many of them had excelled in their respective fields, not only in Pakistan, but also on the international level.
He urged all concerned to sincerely undertake legislative, administrative and social sector reforms to further create an enabling environment for women.
He also appreciated the UN agencies and non-governmental organizations for their efforts for continuously advocating and highlighting the women's rights and hoped that they would continue pursuing this important mission with the same zeal and vigour.

Govt committed to protect rights of minorities: President Mamnoon

ISLAMABAD: President Mamnoon Hussain on Wednesday reiterated firm resolve of the democratic government to protect and uphold the rights and privileges of minority community as enshrined in Constitution of the country.

This was stated by the President during a meeting with a delegation headed by Bishop Tony Rubinson, Bishop of Wakefield and Chairman of Pakistan Focus Group setup by the Arch Bishop of Canterbury UK here at the Presidency.

The President said minorities were equal citizens of the country and all possible steps were afoot to bring them into the mainstream of national life.

The delegation included Canon Yaqub Masih Board of Directors, West Yorkshire Police Community Trust in UK, Elvin Jalal Din Chairman Pakistan Christian Concern Pakistan, Samule Payara President Bright Future Society, Chief Coordinator Rehabilitation Response UK, Wajid Nadeem, Project Director, Governor's Clean Water Initiative and M. Akmal Hameed and Pervez Barkat.

The President lauded the role being played by the minority community in the socio-economic development of Pakistan and said Pakistan values their invaluable contributions in nation building and that the government would continue to work for protection of rights of all non-Muslim citizens.

He reaffirmed government's commitment towards the welfare and uplift of the Christians and all non-Muslims living in Pakistan.

The President called upon all concerned especially leaders of all faiths and schools of thoughts to play their role in promoting interfaith harmony and said that need for religious harmony and tolerance was never as great as it was today.

He said religious tolerance was the best way to create interfaith harmony as all religions stress tolerance and co- existence of people of all faiths, the President said.

Discussing UK-Pakistan relations, the President said that the two countries enjoy close and fraternal ties encompassing diverse areas of cooperation, adding that Pakistan considers UK as a close friend and genuine development partner.

The President welcomed Bishop Tony Rubinson on his visit to Pakistan for the great cause of inter-faith harmony and also appreciated his noble gesture to inaugurate clean drinking water and water treatment plants at Gojra, Punjab.

Bishop Tony Robinson appreciated the various steps being taken by the government for the welfare and betterment of the Christians and minority community in Pakistan. The delegation also appreciated the efforts being made by the government for promoting harmony among various faiths and religions.