This is the heading from yesterday's daily Jang about Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani trying to reassure people - dreading a government-Supreme Court showdown in court today (October 13) - that nothing bad would happen. The headline reads: "13 March Ko Kuchh Nahin Hoga..." [Nothing will happen on March 13...].
(Thanks to Maaz Abdullah for sending this to us.)
Just so you're assured that YRG didn't actually flub the month himself, this is how Dawn reported it.
I guess the Jang Group was too focused on the Geo-spearheaded 'Get Zardari' campaign to get their months correct. A sample of this campaign is reproduced below, this one invoking Muslim history to shame Zardari about the concept of justice (it ran on the front page of the Jang Group publications yesterday, thanks to Muhammad Shahid Khan for sending it to us). Other 'public service messages' on Geo question the constitutional immunity granted to the president, as if that immunity is something Zardari drafted himself.
Living with Justice and the Jang Group
As you may have heard, the governmental spokesperson Fauzia Wahab has announced that the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) will from now on boycott Geo and Jang (what's the soft corner for The News all about?) because of their "partisanship." Fair enough, as long as that boycott means simply that PPP leaders will not appear on Geo's programmes or give interviews to Jang (it's their prerogrative) and does not mean stopping government advertising to them. Government advertising is state-controlled advertising and should have nothing to do with a particular party's stances.
But here's my problem with the government... Ms Wahab also goes on to state that:
"the Jang group was a defaulter of Rs8 billion and evader of taxes amounting to Rs1.68 billion."
So why don't you arrest its owners and put them on trial? What's with brandishing this as a smear tactic? If it's true (and it better be for you to say it Ms. Wahab), what stops you from taking action against the group? Or are tax laws only for the less powerful? Also, while you're at it, you may want to get those 25 ministers and countless rich parliamentarians (on an average worth over 8 crores each) who pay either no or incredibly little taxes to cough up their dues too.
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18 comments:
Well written and I agree with you on the point where Fouzia says about tax and all the crap, but why would they do that, it is just like they like scratching each others backs and do nothing.
Even today I saw a prominent PPP Minister chatting with Hamid Mir in Sarena Islamabad and they were acting as the know nothing of sorts.
Good post, XYZ. But look at it this way: There are many army men out there who openly break tax (and other) laws. Can any government touch these buggers? Nope. well, at least not if it doesn't want the top generals on its ass!
Same thing with Geo/Jang. There is no secret anymore about who backs MSR and co.
I'm not going get into a conspiracy theory mode, but really, think: Do you think an ass like Kamran Khan or any other nut on Geo going literally bizerk about Zaradri, can do so without the backing of at least some big guns in the intelligence agencies?
Well, all I can say is this idiotic God complex that Geo has for long been striken with has really started to take its toll. Now more than irritated, I actually find the whole channel playing like a 24/7 black comedy.
straight up awesome post.
I'm waiting for Nawaz Sharif to respond on his Facebook....oh wait, he has. He said that he's ponied up about 6.8 bn in taxes in the last 6 years or so. Anyone verify?
Dear Cafe Pyala,
What Fauzia Wahab said in her press conference was that Jang Group owes Rs 1.68 billion in sales tax dues (Income tax kee to baat hee na karayn, because they show themselves as loss making entities) and it owes Rs 800 million plus to banks on which they have wilfully defaulted. She even said that they had taken a stay order on both the matters from SHC and are prolonging the same. The idea of a boycott has been mulled many times but the 12th October ad nailed it.
We as supporters of the party had even proposed that there be ads on the following three lines in response to the ad against the president:
http://criticalppp.com/archives/25747
1.Mir Shakil’s picture requesting him and his organization to pay the Rs. 1.68 billion in Sales Taxes which they haven’t and sought to seek a respite through a stay order in the Sindh High Court
2.Mir Shakil’s picture requesting him and his organization to pay back the Rs. 800 million owed to banks as well as pay the profits. After all, the shareholders of those banks are suffering
3.Mir Shakil and his entire team’s picture holding them responsible for the death of a Muhammad Saad Khan while filming a reality show for Geo TV in Thailand
4.Mir Shakil and Hamid Mir together being shown as complicit in the killing of Khalid Khwaja and may more.
The party people decided against such options and simply decided on a boycott. Remember, they cant sell without controversy.
The problem is MSR feels that he cant get rid of any government anytime he wants.
Well said, Al. Those would be lovely ads.
Geo has really reached absured levels of reactionary garbage.
Another important point is that the nation has become so gullible. People are not realizing the economic impact of the campaigns and partisanship being displayed by Jang Group, which whether we like it or not, has 2/3rd+ market share in the country. Most irresponsible.
He should be called S@leh D@afar:).
The word "agencies" written along his name is also comical.
Com.
off the topic, but are you going to write something about the story that has developed recently?
http://timesofindia.hotklix.com/link/Entertainment/Television/Mumbai-cable-operators-block-Bigg-Boss-telecast
Actually cafe pyala, anon 12:09's Indian link made me think, why not ask the government to re-allow Indian channels to air? I mean it's quite obvious that Pakistani channels are shoving propaganda down our throat, and the consumer is more annoyed than motivated (witness no great "movement" against the PPP as Jang Group would like). So if we're exposed to Indian propaganda, why not let it in, it's not as if the Pakistani public, if not swayed by Indian propaganda, will certainly not be swayed by Indian propaganda. Aside from the fragile egos of our politicians and bureaucrats, no-one will really care if Indian propaganda gets thrown Pakistan's way. So stop banning Indian channels, and let the viewers decide.
TLW and pyala people one more thing i fail to understand, Indian channels are banned, but chote ustaad, khatroon kah khilari, and now bigg boss rights are been taken by private channels to telecast? and of course at weekends indian movies are being aired as well. What is the logic behind that? ad revenue?
The reason the government doesn't go after MSR and other tax thieves is because they themselves are the biggest tax evaders and load defaulters in Pakistan.
In a weird way I am glad that a third force, the media, has emerged which has become a real pain in the ass for all - specially the government. I find great joy in watching Talat Hussain display the sheer incompetence of certain government officials and how their treatment of our poor citizens who are in desperate need of assistance. This has been the most obvious during the government's response to the floods.
I know our media is corrupt and on quite a few are on the take but this third force has definitely changed the equilibrium of power in Pakistan for better good of the society.
What third force?
What is this middle-class facination of creating imaginery 'revolutionary forces?'
Snap out of it. These media people are perhaps the biggest assholes out there.
hypocrites people don't lash out with insanity counter with sanity ...
what is / was your point of view when...
when this MSR started printing adds in 1998/99 against Nawaz / Ehtasab Bureau?
When he started airing / printing adds in favor of New Hadood Ordinance (zara sochie campaign 2006/07)?
When he started airing Geo Musharraf / Gene do Musharraf campaign in 2007/08 ?
You all are confused Pakistanis, we all know Jang Group is douchebag i.e. Someone who has surpassed the levels of jerk and asshole...they are FOX News of Pakistan. Current breed of our journalists are Assholes of highest order they will not go after story rather wait in their offices to receive call from government / Agency to publish shity things and use Press Release (PR) as real story...
take example of PEPCO. PEPCO issuing PR every day stating Demand & Supply of Electricity in country. have any media personalty try to reconcile the data that how is it possible that Elec Demand which was 15,500 MW in July-Aug is still 15,000 MW in October? I can present many examples like that....
sanity, what we need.....
On a more sane note, check this out. It's good ol' NFP splashing fresh paint on Geo and co.
http://blog.dawn.com/2010/10/14/talking-knees/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=diM8r2XKY0w&feature=youtu.be
Anon October 17, 2010 10:41 PM...
Bravo, you spotted it well :)
also what you say about following U-Fone ad, it seems first Gay ad of Pakistan ??
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRsCUG7Ccnc
like McDonald's French Gay ad
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBuKuA9nHsw
I know our media is corrupt and on quite a few are on the take but this third force has definitely changed the equilibrium of power in Pakistan for better good of the society.
I Only Have To Say, Hang Out The Corrupt People.
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