Um...Is That Who We Think It Is? (Updated)

Some new evidence has come to light related to 'Memogate' that we think should be placed in front of the Commission investigating whether any crime was committed and if there is enough evidence to charge former Pakistan ambassador Husain Haqqani for it... Hey, with Blackberry's parent company RIM dilly-dallying about handing over crucial data, might as well go with whatever evidence you can scrounge...

The bit we're focusing on begins around the 02:45 mark... Thanks to @shehryar69 via @shahidsaeed for it. Enjoy:




: : : Update : : : 

This old video seems to have really caught the public imagination (how could it not!). And has also led to Mr Mansoor Ijaz confirming to the Associated Press (AP) that it is in fact him in the 2004 video. Of course he thinks it's been publicised at the behest of his current nemesis Mr Husain Haqqani in order to discredit him, which fits in perfectly with our earlier assessment of what ails him. We would just like to assure him that we do not have Mr Haqqani goading us on and neither do, we think, any of the people on Twitter who first discovered and shared the video out of a love for, ahem, house music. We would like to admit that we did find it - and him in it - really funny.

Even funnier, however, are the statements being made in earnest by him and on his behalf. Particularly upset about the uncensored version of the video - which reveals all - we have Ijaz telling AP:

"I was never present for any part of the video where those naked girls were shown."

That's the equivalent of Bill Clinton saying that when he smoked marijuana in his younger days, he didn't inhale. Hey, dude, what's the problem even if you were there? Apparently this:

"Ijaz provided the AP with 2004 email correspondence between him and the producer of the video in which he threatens legal action unless the producer removes him from the clip that contains nudity. "Given my political and public profile in the United States and around the world, it is impossible for me to appear in any part of any video clip with nudity of any type," he wrote. He included a reply from the producer, who assured Ijaz he would cut his role from the X-rated version and remove it from the Internet."

Oops. (And boy, talk about being anal about emails!)


Since he's so adamant about not ever being around any nude people, here's a 'Making Of' video of the video (thanks to @Rezhasan). We'll let you judge for yourselves.




Our favourite quote, however, comes from the loquacious Akram Sheikh, Mr Ijaz's lawyer in Pakistan:

"So what if my client has been dancing on the Internet," said Sheikh. "What difference does that make?" 

Now that's what we call fighting wrestling spirit.

Sleazebag Flippancy of the Day

I have to say I am almost speechless.

Was watching a long wrap up report today on Geo News about Hillary Clinton's visit to Pakistan and her various engagements while here. And suddenly, over images of her visiting the Bari Imam (or was it Data Darbar) shrine - where she laid a ceremonial chadar and then paid her respects by raising her hands in 'dua' - the correspondent's commentary went something like:

Hillary at Iqbal's tomb: Not what I'm talking about

'Hillary Clinton ke shauhar Bill Clinton ne unn se Monica Lewinsky aur doosron ke saath bewafaii ki thi...unhon ne dua ki hogi ke woh raah-e-raast pe rahein.'

[Hillary Clinton's husband Bill Clinton was unfaithful to her with Monica Lewinsky and others. She probably prayed for him to remain on the straight and narrow.]

I mean, this is a SERIOUS news channel? Can Geo get any more sleazy and flippant?

Can't we pray that Rah-e-Nijaat rid us of such reporting too?

Update 1:

Thanks to Huma Imtiaz's diligence, below is the full report as seen on Geo. The bit about Bari Imam is at around 5:02 but there's another bit of speculation about Hillary's thoughts at Iqbal's tomb right before as well. The exact words of the commentary were (sorry for the rough memories earlier):

"Hillary, jin ke shauhar Monica Lewinsky se dost ban kar biwi se baywafaii kar chuke hain, yahaan Hillary ne haath baandh kar kayi ke nazdeek apnay shauhar ki hamaisha raah-e-raast par rehnay ki dua ki."

[Hillary, whose husband was unfaithful to his wife by pretending to be friends with Monica Lewinsky, in the presence of many, clasped her hands together and prayed for him to forever remain on the straight and narrow.]