On the occasion of hearing of the case on Thursday, the petitioners and their counsel did not appear before Justice Riaz Ahmed Khan.The petitioners, Saqib Javed and Arshad Hussain, residents of Khanewal and Islamabad, made the prime minister, the defence and information ministries, Pemra chairman, Jang and Geo Group and senior journalists including Amir Mir and Ansar Abbasi, parties in the case.

It was held that the allegations levelled on the ISI were against the security and sovereignty of the country and were tantamount to hatching conspiracies against the institution. The petitioners said that the prime minister, the defence ministry, the information ministry and Pemra failed to perform their responsibilities as they did not take action against Geo.Because neither the petitioners nor their counsel appeared before the court, the petition was disposed of.

The News

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.

The News

The “Khaki Power” using the same e-mail address –khaki@safe-mail.net — has also threatened another senior columnist, whom he told to stay within the limits and warned: “Abbasi crossed a very real red line, and he would shortly see the consequences of that.”

The new e-mail message to Abbasi has also been forwarded to the FIA, whose officials say there are difficulties in tracking the sender, as the IP address is registered in the US.About the FIA’s capabilities, even the faceless and coward internet thug has no doubts as he conveyed to Ansar Abbasi: “Do you believe some babu sitting in FIA is going to “trace” anything for you? Welcome to try. You are smart enough to know that chasing ghosts is a futile exercise. Journalism is one thing, but mischief is another.”

In his threatening e-mail to the senior columnist, who does not want to be identified, he boasted: “If you were a betting man, you’d be wise to wager on the chance that you and yours are easier to find than any little ‘khaki power’ email address.

“It’s an easy job to run a trace on an IP address yet Dr. Cloueseu and his squad have so far come up with nothing but their family jewels in their hands. Ha! Why is that? Because we’re better, we are smarter, and when it comes to it, there are some limits that even FIA babus know better than to cross. Ask your chum.”

In his latest e-mail to Ansar Abbasi, the “Khaki Power” initially claimed that nobody had threatened him (Abbasi) but added in the same breath, “You are free to do your job (responsibly) just as others would be free to do their’s…. But make no mistake; there are some very real red lines. Do not cross them again.”

However, in his e-mail sent to the senior columnist, he advised the journalist “to not grow bigger than your boots”, and warned, “But remember there are some red lines, and crossing them will be utterly devastating. You can run around making a fool of yourself which you do so well on your own, it’s just rubbish. But Abbasi crossed a very real red line, and he would shortly see the consequences of that.”

Referring to the family members of the senior columnist, the threatening message added, “And what will happen if we do go near them? Nothing you can do about it. Hulla gulla in Wah really only served a temporary purpose it seems. You learned nothing.”

The columnist was also told, “And do you really want to kick sleeping dogs? During your time ‘commanding the press wing’ in the UK (I use the term commander with sarcasm), you were far from angel. Nobodies an angel.. yet you all walk around huffing and puffing as if there are no skeletons in your closet. You know what I mean, you bloody well do.”

“Be wise. Or opt to have wisdom thrashed into you. No red lines,” the senior columnist was threatened.This Internet bullying is a routine in Pakistan as there is no effective law to check cyber related offences in Pakistan. Such threats are taken seriously everywhere in the world but here its a free for all domain for everyone.

The News

In a joint statement here Sunday, they called on the government and the law enforcement agencies to expose the elements hurling threats to the independent columnists who were rendering huge service to the country and the nation. He said the effective measures should be taken for the security of the newsmen.

Addressing a seminar organised by the Jamiat-e-Ittehad-ul-Ulema at the Ulema Academy, Liaqat Baloch impressed on the government and the Taliban to continue efforts for peace and the country’s solidarity without making anything an issue of prestige. He advised the Taliban not to opt for any other course after ceasefire.

The News

Noorani was sent abusive messages and threats by a retired brigadier of the Pakistan Army Tarik Niazi on Twitter and Facebook. The account used by Brigadier (retd) Tarik Niazi is a known account which he usually uses to run different campaigns and spread messages.

Tarik Niazi in his threatening and abusive message said that he was in Islamabad and invited the journalist to meet him to settle scores. However, some sources say that Niazi often stays in Canada and initially belongs to Rawalpindi.

The journalist’s complaint to FIA also discusses three threatening calls made between 2310 hrs and 2336 hrs on April 12, 2014 on his home mobile number. The mobile number used to make threatening calls 0333-1212346 was also given to the FIA with all relevant details.

Identifying and tracing any person using a cell number is quite easy and now it is up to the FIA to investigate, arrest all criminals and also inform the general public about the matter as some circles also insist that all these attempts to harass journalists could also be a move to malign and defame the institution of the Pak Army by some vested interests.

It should be noted that Noorani received threatening calls a day after Editor Investigations of The News Ansar Abbasi received a threatening email. Ansar complained to the FIA immediately but no official of the agency contacted the senior journalist despite the passage of almost 48 hours.

The News

Received from “Khaki Power” via the email address “khaki@safe-mail.net”, the message clearly said: “This is not a reminder but a serious suggestion”.The Interior Ministry as well as the FIA Cyber Wing have been formally informed of this threatening message.

The e-mail received at 11:42 am at Abbasi’s official address ansar.abbasi@thenews.com.pk reads: “This is not a reminder, it is a serious suggestion. Behave yourself and weigh the pros and cons of your words. Sometimes its hazardous to bite the hand that once fed it.

“Skeletons can fall out of anyone’s closets miraculously from the heavens and effectively ruin a ‘journalists’ career. And we all have skeletons. Good day.”

It is for the authorities to find out if this message from the unidentified “Khaki Power” has been authored by some frustrated soul unhappy with the work of Ansar Abbasi, by a pawn of the security agencies, by some disgruntled elements within the military establishment or by someone who wants to smear the name of the Pakistan Army.

However, the fact is that this e-mail has been received by Ansar Abbasi within a few days of his writings in The News and Jang where not only he was among the first ones in the media to have disagreed with the recent controversial statement of the Army Chief General Raheel Sharif but had also exposed General (retd) Musharraf and how he had hurt the institution of the Pakistan Army.

Ansar Abbasi had warned that General Raheel’s statement would lead to misunderstandings between the civilian and the military leadership.

He had also observed that the army chief’s statement would be exploited by those elements, including General Musharraf and his men, to fuel the fire and lead the country towards yet another martial law.The senior journalist also differed with the view that General Musharraf’s trial should be treated as the trial of the institution of the Pakistan Army.

Unfortunately, the social media is grossly misused in Pakistan but there is no law to check the crimes and wrongs done through this medium of communication. Although in this case the e-mail and other relevant details have been forwarded to the FIA Cyber Wing, the agency has hardly solved or caught anyone in such a case before.

The News