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

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