With Friends Like These...

On Geo's Aapas Ki Baat show today, Najam Sethi referred to an interview that Imran Khan gave a few days ago and expressed incredulity that more notice had not been taken of the explosive claims the PTI chief had made. In it, Sethi said, Khan had claimed that a message had gone out from the army chief General Kayani to the Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Chaudhry not to drag the army into its battles with the government, and specifically that if the Supreme Court invoked Article 190 of the constitution (requiring all executive and judicial authorities to come to the aid of the Supreme Court), it should not expect the army to come to its aid.

I was truly surprised because I too had not heard about this claim anywhere and, if true, Sethi's incredulity would be absolutely spot on. Leave aside the whole question of what Article 190 actually states - for the record, there is no mention of the military in it and, in any case, even if the SC invokes 190, it does not automatically translate into calling upon the army to intervene - if true, Imran Khan's claims should have amounted to a scandalization of the Supreme Court. Not only was he claiming that there were backdoor contacts between the army and the SC, he was actually saying that the court was willing to take into account political considerations in its judgements (yes, yes, let's leave the snide comments for the time being).

Once I started searching for where these claims appeared, it quickly became clear to me why more notice had not been taken by the media and the public over these comments. The said interview was on Dr Shahid Masood's new show on Express News, called Shahidnama, which aired first on July 27. I mean, who watches Dr S&M anyway (new hair notwithstanding)?? Perfectly understandable that it went under the radar for most people...

In any case, here is the clip... the relevant portion begins around 02:20 into the clip.




For those who do not understand Urdu, this is a translated transcript of the operative part of the interview:

IK: If the Supreme Court goes towards 190 and demands that state institutions come to its aid, which is in 190, I say the army should stand with the Supreme Court. My information is that, last October, when the Supreme Court was moving ahead on the NRO [National Reconciliation Ordinance], a message was conveyed from the army to it, that if you invoke 190, we will not come [to your aid].
SM: You're saying a very big thing here...
IK: This is my information.
SM: How reliable is it? Do you believe on [sic] it?
IK: I think it's very reliable. They gave this message then that if the Chief Justice...because then the Chief Justice backed down. I believe that...
SM: One minute Imran, let me repeat this. The army sent a message to the court not to move ahead on this, otherwise 'we will not stand with you'...
IK: Yes, 'we will not allow destabilization'. Meaning they would not let democracy be destabilized...
SM: So, the judges...
IK: ..and now they've completely ruined democracy..
SM: No, but listen to me. Why did the judges back down?
IK: Look...
SM: This is very strange...
IK: The amount of pressure this government has put on Chief Justice Iftikhar.. neither did the friendly opposition come to his aid, because in the 18th Amendment they also sat on /sided with [unclear] the Parliamentary Committee...
SM: Imran wait...
IK: Listen to me...
SM: People like us get killed in the crossfire of these silent messages. I often get killed personally. I have shared this in private with you and you know, I have often got killed in the crossfire. I mean, the message goes across to 'them' and we get hit in the crossfire...

It goes on but you get the idea. So not only did Imran Khan claim that the SC was open to receiving messages from the army/ outsiders influencing it, but that the learned judges who are supposed to dispense justice on the merits of the law without fear or favour or other extraneous considerations, allowed that message to influence their judgements. As Sethi pointed out, forget the media not taking this up, neither did the Supreme Court take notice of this clear scandalization, nor was any clarification ever issued by the ISPR, denying any of this.

Unwittingly, Immy bhai has dealt a real body blow to the institution he claims to want to strengthen. Can the Supreme Court allow this open contempt of court to pass? Can it afford not to haul Immy bhai up on charges of scandalizing the court, especially while threatening the government and others with possible contempt and condemning bureaucrats left right and centre on the same charges? Can the military afford to continue to keep mum? Let us see if DrS&M really does get hit in the crossfire once again or not.

Loco in Motion, Again?

So, Dr S&M sent us an email this morning asking us to place his statement on our website. At first we weren't quite sure whether it was the real McCoy or someone just putting us on though it did sound like him. But since the same statement is also to be found on his own official website (as well as featured on the pkpolitics website and on the presspakistan email group), and since there has been no denial all day from him or from ARY, we assume that it is. Most of you have probably read the statement by now but in case you haven't, and to honour his request, we are reproducing it here, typos, banalities and all. It's a bit long-winded and self-promoting but hey, that's Dr S&M for you, what do you expect?

Dr S&M in his latest avatar

We do have a couple or four observations about it, but will come to them after the statement itself:

"December 24, 2010



A Decade of Distinction



Dear fellows, colleagues, well-wishers,

This year is important to me as a personal milestone- a turning point in both my career, my life as well as the fact that I shall also be commemorating a decade of my association with television broadcast this coming 9/11.

I must admit how it has been a tedious but a momentous journey- testing, trying and rewarding as I learned the ropes and gained rich and eventful experience of more than 13000 hours of being in front of the camera, controversies and commotion. Needless to say, this is my distinction over a decade of self-discovery in my quest for seeking the truth.

My story began on a day that shook the world. September 11, 2000. The airplanes that crashed in to the Trade Towers had set about to redefine the world's geopolitical and socio-religious texture and in so many ways, perhaps the true beginning of private News television industry in Pakistan as I started my show on then ARY - Pakistan’s first private TV channel.

The repercussions for the world, the consequences of that eventful day aside, I was also overwhelmed by the experience, the fact that I was to go on-air and comment, present facts that are unbiased and based of factual but fast changing reality. I still get goose bumps when I remember those long hours and a young beginning wrapped with all the excitement and the freedom with responsibility that came with it. It was a moment of actualization for me, giving me the much needed confidence to reach out to all of you through my shows.

Jets flew off docked aircraft carriers, bombs formed the clouds of death, chaos and decent set the order of despair, hope it seemed had admitted defeat. It was all happening so fast that often I was not talking but speaking to you- I found myself connecting on a human level, an unmistakable feeling of empathy and helplessness, fears of future that formed the dark clouds hovering over our part of the world. I was engaged much passionately, as a cause, a belief with my friends, adversaries, critics and importantly my viewers who allowed me to touch upon these subjects.

The journey to a never-ending future awaited my presence.

I began to bring to you news reports from war fronts and forums alike. I travelled to where the news took me, no matter at what odds. I retraced the footsteps of the human story, misgivings, injustice and oppression. From the war in Afghanistan to the Civil war in Lebanon, from the infamous Referendum to Elections of 2002 and the tragic unfolding in the aftermath of the 2002 Earthquake in Pakistan.

I must admit how Views on News was more than a show for me. It was a personification of my conviction, that it was time that Pakistan's media liberated the ‘information-control’ and the ‘mind-control’ of ignorance. Time, I felt, had come when the viewers became in control of what they wanted to see and hear.

As I look back gently now, I can not thank ARY Television Network enough for all the opportunities and trust they had put in my abilities; or the lack of it- but there encouragement had certainly propelled, Dr. Shahid Masood in the making. I was being observed. I was being noticed. I was being watched. Heard. In between criticized too. But unlike many who would seem to fume at a single mention of them in the negative, I maintain that Criticism is very important to me as I feel that it is always true for anything that attempts to redefines the norms and cause a stir in status quo of perceptions.

I may have not realized what I was to champion in times to come back then, but it sure was a slow but definite sinking reality that my viewers had come to expect me to redefine the reality for them, I was to shake the myths and mysteries that had so conveniently enshrouded our past and our present.

All hindrances, set backs and shocks aside, I was resolved in wake of challenges despite the fatigue and exhaustion in my Pursuit to seek knowledge for myself first and then for my viewers. It is nothing less than a sacred trust. Something that I have cherished to this day and shall always, for times to come.

With an urge to experience a new idea, a new setting and to allow more people come in the industry, rather than to have blocked them from a opportunity by being at ARY, I parted ways amicably with my media alma mater, my first home to find myself at Pakistan's number 1 network, 'Geo'.

Change is never easy, change is both a challenge and a chance. I took both in the same stride as I embraced my leap of faith and as many of you would recall, I was to be on-air with a more 'opinionated' Dr. Shahid Masood. It was the world according to me, called, ‘Meray Mutabiq’, I can safely say that it was my catharsis televised- It was a true depiction of the world around us as people, as a country. I took great pains just as much as the management did as well in leaving no stone unturned to make it a huge success.

But success in fluidity can cause commotion. Meray Mutabiq was to soon set history in another dimension. Closed done by a ban for three long months, the show was unceremoniously pulled off-air! But I have no regrets, because I know that when one forebears the standard, the march is always uphill.

I had witnessed also the closure of Geo, the lawyers movement, the days of batons and long march all embroiled with political temperatures had consumed me to be involved to a level of dedication to the cause. The barricades mimicking sign board saying ‘Constitution Avenue’. Time is a great historian, and I shall let it record history, but for now, it brings me to put on record that I am thankful to Geo Television Network to have had stood beside my program in recognition of my contribution as a anchor. Thank you Geo for your trust, it has and will always mean a lot to me.

I remember reading some where, that 'life is what happens to us while we are busy making other plans'. My life too, was to experience a great honor in this prolific media industry- when for the first time in the history of State run, Pakistan Television, I was to be given the responsibility and charge to galvanize the organization’s spirit as both its M.D and Chairman.

On one hand, the accolade of holding the dual titles at PTV along with doing a TV show as well, were a humbling experience, since I were to be the first since 1960’s, and yet on the other hand were my audience, my viewers who were choking my inbox with their emails. They were resentful of this move. They wanted Dr. Shahid Masood to let go of the honor, the ‘firsts’ that he was making. They wanted him to be on the other side of the media divide. This experience made me let go of all the titles, honors and state recognition. And I do not regret any of it, as I was to choose to stand side by side with my real strength, my audience.

It is in this state of mind that I to be mindful of people's expectation poising a question in my mind. Truth beckons courage, and hence, in the end, I find no reason is stronger than belief- unless belief itself is the reason.

Soon after relinquishing my responsibilities from PTV, I was to serve as the adviser to the Prime Minister. Something that I thought I will not be good at, and my doubts proved just about right. Pakistan’s flag full-mast on my car was a great honor and yet, the voices of people called me back, to be ad mist them. In hope, in faith and in belief that there shall be a better tomorrow.

I stepped out of that car, and drove down the streets of Islamabad in a car not much different to yours.

The car I drove that day, got parked again at the Geo News Studios.

‘Meray Mutabiq’ was to begin again. Much to my delight, I was again amongst family. But times had not changed. If at all, it went more hostile towards our newly earned freedom of speech- or the expectation of 180 million people seeking both, the truth and the answers.

My show was to be shut on instructions of the powers to be.

Meray Mutabiq, its team and I, we were to experience the next 12 weeks like wandering gypsies. A show here, another there, motivated but tired. Courageous but in face of great opposition, threats looming large... friendly advises perverting the will... nevertheless the show continued for weeks like this.

With all resources marginalized, stepped up pressures and antics, never was there a moment of lull, despair or destitute. Each program seemed like a edifice of resolve.

Each episode a reason to believe- to be, to do more and not look back.


Your emails, your messages, your texts allowed me to brave the consequences against all odds. I may have made many adversaries, I admit. But in this profession, the choices one makes are founded on principles and not rumor mills. I have shied from public statements, I have by nature, withstood the propaganda, the laments and at a odd few times slurs hurled at me by my opponents.


Allow me to say, 'opponents in perception', as unfortunately, those who have, have done so without meeting me or knowing me. But, I smile at each of their assumptions, and feel there is never a need for a rebuttal! I find it not consummate to my vision or stature. I am sure, you'd all agree that restraint is the strength of a humble man.

In between these times, I felt obligated on a personal level and voluntarily opt out of Geo again in my sincere attempt to allow them the space to continue their broadcast without let or hinder.

Soon enough, I was the President of ARY Television Network and back on the screen with the new version of Views on News. I am certain, some of you have been privy to, or receiving a lot of emails and needless speculations, ranging from controversies on hiring, firings and resignations all the way to some using their time and energy to discuss me.

I am pleased to announce that I will be a colleague and a co-worker with some of you very soon in my capacity of 'CEO and President' for an upcoming Media Group.

This Group, is a Media House that will bring out quality TV channels, Dailies and Periodicals besides establishing of Media University of international standard. But honestly none of this would really have been possible, if there was not a Group behind my dream.

In the forefront of this initiative is the man leading this Global consortium, whom I must thank for his having agreed to venture in this media enterprise. Mr. Sadruddin Hashwani a name you are all familiar with. Someone we have all come to respect as a man whose patriotism makes us proud, whose resolve makes us believe more in our own selves. A role model to have risen above the rest as a self made man who now wishes to set a precedence in media, reinventing, reinvigorating and reviving our industry bogged down by lethargy.


Mr. Hashwani leads this consortium of giants from the Middle East and Europe. A unique and impressive list of notable personalities and business conglomerates who have both put their resources and trust behind Mr. Hashwani and of course through him- in me, and through me- in and on all the working media professionals of Pakistan.

I must admit that this introduction to Mr. Hashwani or the international consortium is no justice. And I fail in introducing them to the hilt that they deserve an introduction, but I do intend on introducing them in more details that I shall share with all of you soon.

It is history in the making, it is a hard task. And I know. But let me admit, let me confess....here perhaps, I am in need for your support and well-wishes, more than any other event in my 10 years of being associated with the media industry.


I am embarking upon a journey to redefine Media History in Pakistan as we know it. Never before, had a working professional in Media could dream of being a stake holder in equity in a big Media Group before, I am to set the precedence.


This precedence is not to boast the achievement, but share that dreams can be dreamt and turned true. This is not my achievement, but a victory to all of you, my fellow colleagues, anchors, that intent and perseverance against animosity can find its own ways to collective benefit of the media industry.

I thank you once again, for all your support, your prayers and well wishes. I know I could not have been able to do any of this without the blessings of Allah, and all the people who have helped me in my eventful journey including Mir Shakilur Rahman, Mir Ibrahim Rahman and Salman Iqbal.

I look forward to your continued feedback and suggestions.

Sincerely.


Dr. Shahid Masood
President & CEO
Pearl Communications (PVT) Ltd
Shalimar 5 Agha Khan Road Islamabad
www.drshahidmasood.com"

Now, if genuine, this letter / statement raises some rather interesting questions:

1. During that entire episode with ARY only a couple of days ago, when DrS&M was denying rumours he had been sacked and even that he had resigned, and reposing his trust in ARY CEO and MD Salman Iqbal, obviously the good doc had already been in negotiations with Sadruddin Hashwani for this new media venture. And wasn't he made President of ARY only a few months ago? What does that say about him and his professional integrity?

2. In fact, one of the commenters on the PressPk email list had hinted that the chaos at ARY had something to do with TWO new media ventures about to be launched in Pakistan and the recruitment drive being carried out by these ventures. Since we had no information to confirm the veracity of this, we had decided to not include this in our earlier post. The two powerful and monied men mentioned as behind these upcoming ventures were cited as Sadruddin Hashwani and Mian Mohammad Mansha. If this letter is genuine, at least one of those hints has turned out to be true. We wait with bated breath for the second to come true.

3. It seems not a little bit odd to us that this new venture should be announced in this way. Shouldn't it actually have been Mr Hashwani to announce his venture?

4. Finally, we have to say that money obviously does not buy anyone any sense. If Mr Hashwani is actually venturing into the media in a big way, surely picking up an opinionated blowhard with so much baggage as the face of it can't be a good omen. I mean, really, what exactly are Dr S&M's qualifications or achievements? That he put out loco shows that fewer and fewer people watched as time went on, because there's just so much lunacy people can take (the last few episodes of his Views on News programme featured that master-wanker Zaid Hamid again!)? That he failed miserably at PTV and managed to turn everyone against him? That he can hold forth about End of Days? But it someone wants to crash and burn with their money, hey, who are we to stop them.

We do have one final question for Dr S&M himself though: What is going on with your hair, dude? Are we to take it that you are going the route of the Sharifs? And if so, is this presaging a mid-life crisis?

Storm in ARY's Teacup (Updated)

The journo bulletin boards are abuzz about confusing goings-on within ARY.

According to the reports (among them, this one from JournalismPakistan), the ARY's longtime Lahore Bureau Chief Nasrullah Malik has either resigned or been sacked, along with at least four other staffers. An email letter circulated among staff by CEO ARY Network Salman Iqbal warns them about Mr Malik calling up staffers in other bureaus to urge them to resign in his support and says Mr Malik's claims that he had resigned over delays in salary payments and other work-related issues are not true. The letter calls upon the staff to pay no heed to the attempts to tarnish ARY's reputation. There are unconfirmed reports also of ARY's Director News Mohsin Raza having also submitted his resignation. Earlier rumours of Dr S&M having similarly turned in his papers seem to have been, unfortunately, untrue.

According to unverified sources, Mr Malik was either forced to resign or sacked for allegedly misappropriating funds meant for the needy, particularly the flood-affected, under the umbrella of the ARY-set up Khwaja Ghareeb Nawaz Trust. Mr. Malik apparently denies the (whispered) allegations and has threatened to take ARY management to court. There are also rumours of other staff demanding their pending dues to be cleared immediately and that the current problems are associated with certain recently announced administrative appointments. Whatever the truth of the matter, there seems to be plenty of storm raging in the ARY teacup at the moment.

Anyone know what's really going on?


: : : UPDATES AND CORRECTIONS  : : :

It seems we got some of our information - culled from the bulletin boards - incorrect. Salman Iqbal did, in fact, accuse Nasrullah Malik in writing of embezzlement. We now have access to the actual letters written to and fro, which we are reproducing below without any editing whatsoever. Readers may judge their worth themselves.


From ARY Network CEO and MD Salman Iqbal:

From: Salman Iqbal

Date: Sun, 19 Dec 2010 17:45:40 +0000

Subject: Nasrullah

Dear All

With a very heavy heart I am writting this email to all of you. I would have never writted this email, and this issue would have gone to the grave with me. But after what all has happened I have no choice but to write this email to all off you.

As you all know that nasrullah malik has resigned, and with him he made 4 other reporters resign. Not only that but he has been calling all the reporters in all the bureaus to resign to show his strength, not only that but he has also made phone calls to Dr shahid and many others saying that I salman Iqbal has fired Dr shahid. Let me reiterate with the strongest heart that this is not true. I have neither fired dr shahid not intend to, and nor have I made any list to fire any other reporter or people on the desk. These are all rumors spread by one person to make our organization week.

I am really proud of the boys who did not listen to nasrullah and worked with all there spirit and good heartdness as always.I thank them once again The actual fact why nasrullah resigned is because he was asked to do so. Nasrullah has worked for over 8 years in our organization and was an integral part of it. Nasrullah was actually a face of ARY news in punjab. Half of the province actually thought he was the owner or a shareholder of ary. You all would thinking why was he asked to resign. I with a very heavy heart now have to disclose the truth.

He was asked to resign cause he had stolen money in the name of charity of KhwAja ghareeb nawaz trust. He was confronted by me personally on the phone and he accepted it. Thru ammad I had asked him to come to karachi last to last friday when I was there. And he said he would come. When I spoke to him on the phone he accepted his crime and promised it will never happen again. To which I didn\'t agree. I told him to quietly resign and leave and nothing will happen to him nor will this ever come out.

Resign he did, which I accepted with a big heart. This story would have never come , but what he did after his resignation is not accpetable and neither is professional. He is telling everybody that he resigned due to non payment of salaries and other issues. Which is not true. He was aksed to leave cause even previously I use to get many calls from people that he use to take bribes for his work. Although his brother was convicted for a murder in punjab I tried my level best to get him released from jail, and we got successful in doing that. When I use to hear such things I never believed it and always use to write it off. But when I actually got proof os him stealing money in the name of charity and using it for his personal gain, that was it.

The sad part here is that I had forgiven him for his sins, but he instead of departing quietly started creating panic in our organization, in every level possible. From top level status of dr shahid, to even sweepers in ARY lahore. Which was very heart breaking and that\'s why I had no option but to tell the whole organization of his sins.

I really sorry that I had to disclose the truth to all of you, cause I had no other option. Today is a sad day at ARY, and it is very sad for me in 3 counts. One I had to let go of my very close person nasrullah, and the second cause he stole from us and third he tried to break us in two.

I am grateful that I have a strong team that\'s why nasrullah failed to break us in to 2. People who have left under nasrullah\'s influence are week and dependent on him, and they have no standing of there own. And they were scared that without nasrullah there weakness would have been seen by everyone. I love my team and I know all of you are loyal people. And all of you tried really hard to get nasrullah back into ARY. You all should now know that\'s the reason why nasrullah shut his phone for 5 days and even though being in dxb did not have the courage to meet me or even call me when a lot of his colleagues asked him too. You all must have gotten your answer, cause he had confronted to me for his theft, and he had no words to talk to me.

Let\'s put our head down, and work really hard to bring this organization back to no 1. Let\'s stand together and fight these rumors off. And I am really grate to dr shahid for his strength that he has shown in this whole turmoil, by standing besides me and helping me thru all this.

Thank you all

Yours

Salman iqbal

CEO and managing director.

ARY Network.

Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

 Reply from Nasrullah Malik, former Lahore Bureau Chief ARY News:

From: Nasrullah Malik

Date: Mon 20 Dec 2010

Mr. Salman Iqbal

Keeping in view our long relation and personal association I wanted to quit my job in a dignified manner so I resigned on December 14, 2010. You Know it well how you and your cronies beg me to withdrew my resign and return to my job. Everyone Knows inside and outside ARY the way my team and I served the organization even with our blood wherever required. Being owner of a channel network it is your prerogative to hire and fire people. But in the same way it is a right of an employee to decide if he wants to continue or quit his Job. Obviously you can not own people. It is always mutual trust that works both ways. With salaries delayed and working environment deteriorating it was impossible for an honest journalist to continue job in such a channel.

However, it was beyond my imagination that you could slip down so much to come up with such a pack of lies against me. Unfortunately my approach about you was wrong because the family in which I groomed I am taught to trust friends and reciprocally individual like you having love for money alone and no regards for any moral value or manners have shown your true face.

By the grace of Allah Almighty, I am confident that people who know both of us having courage to give honest opinion will stand by my side on all your false accusations against me. I challenge you and anybody else who is of your opinion to prove even the smallest of false charge you leveled against me in my whole professional career. Further, I am ready to declare all my assets at any forum and I challenge you to come forward and do the same.

After reading those lines you wrote about me, I have doubts about your mental health. For instance, you blamed me of embezzling money from Kh. Ghareeb Nawaz Trust which is solely owned and operated by your family. Those who know your family can be witness to what I have said. I suppose after earth quake of 2005 and recent flood it is high time that you and your family made accountable to give the details of single penny that was donated by people from allover the world.

As for as the matter of my taking bribe or favors is concerned, it is not in my blood. Further, I belong to that group of thought who earn and take to their homes all what is Halal. I do not come from your family and I do not have NAB References against me. I have not committed any fraud with individuals, banks and companies in UAE. It is not my nature to stab friends in the back the way you did. People know that I am in Lahore where I have been living for over two decades but your family has absconded from Dubai after embezzling money and dishonoring of cheques. Allah knows well who is honest and who cheated even his family.

Those four journalists you try to label as vermin, actually served ARY over the years with their utmost dedication and best of abilities. Most experienced and reputed among them is Mr. Suhail Shahryar son of a noble family. In his over twenty years of journalistic experience before joining ARY he also served as Bureau Chief of Online Int. News Network in Lahore for seven years.

Similarly, Mian Mohammad Aslam is also a seasoned journalist known for his accurate and exclusive reporting among the journalist community in Lahore. He served in three major national dailies before joining ARY. He has remained a major contributor of exclusive stories to the channel. Two young stars of journalist community in Lahore are Asad Sohaib and Zulqarnain Sheikh whom you blamed for being parasites.

I am really ashamed that you wrote that you supported me in false murder case against my brothers. The fact is that you haven’t done any thing for me in that case and the government of that time witnessed me fighting it all alone without any favor from any body. I believe on merit and it was my conviction that Allah helps those who are on the right path. People know how you are trying to settle your nab and fraud cases with the help of media and official support.

I will now show your true face to whole of Pakistan, especially people in the media. On the false allegations you leveled against me Allah will make you answerable. At the same time I am approaching independent judiciary in the country to make you accountable for baseless charges against me and I am going to file a liable suit against you in the court.

Nasrullah Malik

20th of December 2010

Lahore.

As a superfluous aside, please note the following two missives from Dr S&M sent immediately after Salman Iqbal's letter to the staff:

First email from Dr S&M, President ARY Network:

From: Dr Shahid Masood

Date: Sun, 19 Dec 2010 16:42:28 +0000

Subject: My status/position

Dear All,

We in organisation are all aware of a situation which emerged after some of our colleagues resigned from lahore. It was followed by another unpleasant incident in islamabad office.

During last one hour I received calls from media industry including one very important one (about which I informed salman sb immediately). I was involving my own status. Although salman sb categorically denied and we both are on same page in all decisions taken during last few days/months. Even then I" offer" my resignation if it can be helpful in resolving the issues.

I request all the team members to avoid creating/listening to rumours.

Best wishes.

Dr Shahid Masood

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Second email from Dr S&M, President ARY Network:
 

From: Dr Shahid Masood

Date: Sun, 19 Dec 2010 17:16:59 +0000

Subject: Re: My status/position

Dear All,

Just to clarify the resignation word in my previous email. Its just an"offer",as I haven\'t resigned. The purpose was to convey a message that no one is above the organisation,including myself. As Winston Churchill said"let our advance worrying become advance thinking and planning".

Regards.

Dr Shahid Masood.

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The Discovery of Pakistan

First I would like to share with you all a letter we received from one of our readers, Saad Siddiqui, on August 7. It's written so well that I thought it best to just reproduce it here:

"Dear Cafe Pyala,

Last night -- for reasons I cannot explain to myself -- I found myself watching ARY News after 11PM. They were airing a live celebrity charity drive for the floods in KP, and had Shahid Masood on location in Nowshera. He was standing at a school where he could not get over the fact that the road behind him was precisely where [Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain] of KP lost his son. Anyway, the school was being used as a shelter for families, and Masood walked up to the principal of the school who seemed to be in charge. He said "Salam" and was greeted back with a "Aap ke aanay ka maqsad kya hai?" [What is the purpose of your coming here?] in a very indignant tone. That part threw Shahid Masood off so bad that he couldn't recover for the next hour or so, and went on to give everyone a textbook lesson on how NOT to report events/disasters affecting vulnerable populations. Examples include:

1. Bursting into a classroom full of families trying to sleep (it was almost midnight)  with his camera/light crew while the women hastily tried to cover themselves; keep in mind that he had earlier reported the school as housing families while single mard hazraat [men] without families slept outdoors.

2. Rifling through possessions of the displaced people and commenting on their lives with his own presumptions.

3. Saying "Yeh dekhein in logon ke paas kapray bhi nahin hain!" [Look, these people do not even have clothes!] and then having his camera crew zoom in to a child asleep shirtless on the floor.

All this at around midnight, and on repeat for many other classrooms in the building. Some very distressing scenes included women trying to get away from the light and trying to find their chaadars."

But the buffoonery of Dr S&M is not what I want to discuss today and, to tell the truth, his stupidities are not really a representative sample of the coverage of the floods we have been seeing on television on most channels. In fact, despite hiccups here and there, the coverage has been a vast improvement over the follies of the early earthquake coverage in 2005.

The scale of the devastation is almost unbelievable (Photo: Saood Rehman /EPA)

I have been wondering if it is even appropriate to be discussing problems with the media coverage of the floods at this time, given the scale of the on-going disaster and the generally commendable and all out efforts that channels have poured into raising awareness among the wider public about its impact. But I came to the conclusion that we would be remiss in not pointing out the issues at least in the spirit of constructive criticism. Particularly because some of the problems are getting more acute with the passage of time.

Consider the following instances of reportage to which I am a witness myself (in the interest of making this not about particular channels but about the larger issue, I am not indentifying the channels):

1. Flood affectees in Sindh complain to reporter about timings of food service (apparently 2pm for lunch, 11pm for dinner) and menu (only rice, no roti).

2.  Flood affectees being sheltered in a proper school in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) complain about the stoppage of supply of pre-cooked food by the government, which has happened after authorities provided basic essentials like rice, lentils, oil etc to them so that families can cook food for themselves.

3. Flood affectees in Matta (Swat) who seem to have adequate food and shelter complain about menhgayi (inflation).

4. Flood affectees in a camp in Punjab complain that while they have received shelter and food, they haven't got monetary compensation yet.

5. Flood affectees in KP complain about the lack of reconstruction activities and demand they begin immediately.

6. Everyone complains about ministers not having visited them.

Now, I know things are extremely difficult, in some cases desperate, for those displaced by the floods - and hell, these floods have wreaked destruction on an unprecedented scale - but is our media making us into a nation of complainers and dependents? I mean, I have yet to see any coverage of the public - and I'm not talking of just these floods - where the presence of the camera and mike does not elicit a litany of random complaints. Please don't take this the wrong way: I know people have genuine grievances and in no way am I trying to belittle the tragedy that people are going through right now. But looking at the above cited instances, you have to wonder if the spectacle of people complaining is not, directly or indirectly, being encouraged by the presence of the media, irrespective of whether the complaints themselves make any sense.

Desperate flood affectees clamber for food in Nowshera (Photo: Behrouz Mehri / AFP-Getty)

With respect to the above, for example:

1) I mean, yes times are hard, relief workers are scrambling to meet the swell of demand, and there are even affectees who are not getting any food at all. Is a slight delay in the timing of food provision and the menu really the most pressing issue at the moment?

2) Isn't officials providing basic food items to the families so they can cook their own food a far better solution than providing bacteria-laden precooked food that has probably had to travel for miles in the heat? Why must both be provided?

3) Yes, inflation is a major issue. But it's not just flood affectees who are having to deal with it. This is hardly a tale of woe that the channel was hoping to show. Incidentally, it almost seemed that in the absence of dire examples of flood-related displacement problems, the people being interviewed felt it incumbent on themselves to complain about something.

4) Here's another instance of jumping the gun. Thanks to the media, we have come to expect that if your house has been swept away in the morning, you should have a compensation cheque in your hand by the evening. Often, the money assumes far more importance than everything else, including basic survival.

5) Reconstruction?? Hello, the flood waters have not even receded yet, the monsoon is still very much on and isn't the first order of business rescue and relief?

6) Ok so people want to see their representatives sharing their grief and the response of those elected has been largely abysmal, but is it even logistically possible for ministers, MNAs and MPAs to meet each and every displaced person? I am in no way trying to defend the lethargic response of government officials but won't channels always be able to find people who have not seen their elected representatives? And why is visiting the affected more important than ensuring the provision of services to them?

The problem of this kind of coverage partly has to do with the inability of television reporters to separate the wheat from the chaff, so to speak. To provide the sort of contextual filter that print reporters often can. And also perhaps the unwillingness of channels to dilute sympathy-inducing reports or to waste footage that they have spent a lot of money to gather. But not every complaint is worthy of being aired. And the danger is that the airing of such obviously naive / superfluous complaints and resentments nurtures a babble that obscures the real issues.

Here, for example, is an excellent report from Dawn which provides a much needed layer of complexity to explain why many relief activities come to naught. Here is another which helps explain how unscrupulous elements can make it difficult for aid to reach those most in need.

But there is another problem which is something that channels must grapple with. And that is the naivete of city-based reporters covering rural or semi-rural environments. Simply put, many television reporters seem ill-equipped to understand the reality of much of rural Pakistan, which leads not only to certain idealistic assumptions, but also to an inability to separate fact from fiction.

Do city-based reporters even understand rural realities? (Photo: Khalid Tanveer / AP)

I have seen a number of reports covering the flooding of the 'kacha' (riverine) areas of Sindh that have never bothered to contextualize the fact that the kacha areas suffer flooding almost every monsoon season. The people who dwell there know this and expect it but the reports treated the flooding as if it were the first time the residents were being driven out of their homes. There is also no context provided about why so many more people are affected in the kacha / sailabi areas than in the past, how our hydrology works have actually shrunk river widths so that previously riverine areas are being mistakenly used for permanent settlements or how laws against permanent dwellings in these areas are no longer enforced thanks to a breakdown in state power.

Another anchor-turned-reporter expressed his shock that a local councillor in the Punjab had stated that the health and sanitation conditions of the communities in his rural area were nothing great to begin with. Now, one may genuinely be shocked at the conditions most of Pakistan lives in, but technically what the councillor said was not incorrect and has a direct bearing on what relief efforts can practically hope to provide. But somehow, the impression one comes away with from many of the reports is that without provision of bottled mineral water and top-of-the-line medical facilities, all is lost. Incidentally, this anchor-turned-reporter added that the unnamed councillor had also said that it was 'no big deal if the communities drowned.' I seriously doubt any official could have said this and it seems to me this was an exaggeration the reporter tacked on to bolster his indignation. If the councillor did actually say this, the reporter should have named him specifically. If he didn't say it, the reporter's inflammatory exaggeration is, of course, deplorable.

Another reporter summed up her report from a relief camp by beseeching the government to provide "secure houses with food" to the flood affectees rather than the tents currently made available. Does the reporter have any idea about housing in general in Pakistan? Or about economics and social indicators in the country? Or about the requirements of such a large-scale relief operation? It's one thing to express sympathy for the displaced and homeless. But can we at least stop living in la-la land?

'Hukoomat kuchh nahin kar rahi' (Photo: Behrouz Mehri / AFP-Getty)

It is a similar issue with the media quickly jumping on the Kalabagh Dam bandwagon at the prompting of certain quarters within the Punjab. Leave alone the inter-provincial issues of trust (which Umair Javed tackles in his blog here), this campaign - which claims to offer a solution - obscures the larger institutional issues that have resulted in this disaster, the lack of thoughtful planning, the lack of on-ground enforcement of existing precautions, the inability of the state to even work existing infrastructure, and the perennial habit of misdiagnosing problems leading to faulty solutions. Mushtaq Gadi had an excellent piece on this very issue in Dawn.

To sum up, these floods are indeed a catastrophe of unprecedented proportions which is going to have long-lasting effects on the entire country. And the tragic tales of death, displacement, disease and loss of livelihood certainly need to be told by the media so that other people, both within and outside the country, are made aware of the exact nature of the crises Pakistan is confronted with. But at the same time, the electronic media also needs to be a little more circumspect about how it reports what it reports and whether what it is reporting is actually adding to the sum of viewers' knowledge or simply confusing issues. A crash course about Pakistani rural realities for urban reporters may also not be a bad idea. At the very least, however, it needs to exercise more editorial control so that the information it is so commendably providing has a context and clarifies what needs to be done, rather than lead to a dispirited population and inflammatory but often vague rhetoric.

Jaahil Offline, Enter Super King

You can generally tell where a media organization is headed by the kind of people it hires in a moment of crisis. And ARY - which has really suffered in the last year or so because of competition from newer channels like Dunya and Express - really seems to be plumbing the depths to snag the worst "talent" on offer on Pakistani television.




As if appointing conspiracy nutcase Dr S&M as President of the network were not scraping the barrel enough, ARY's latest "golden catch" is the amazingly insufferable Aamir Liaquat Hussain, formerly of Jaahil Online and currently spending his gap weeks selling ghee. The Haji seths of ARY seem to think the way to get Geo's viewership is to buy off their nutcases. (I wait with bated breath for Saleh Zaafir to make the transition.) The publicity hungry fake doc will begin his stint on the network in Ramzan.

Offline, but a jaahil nonetheless

But perhaps even more intriguing is how Geo managed to rid itself of the poisonous buffoon.

According to inside sources, there had been an ongoing tussle for quite some time between Geo owner Mir Shakilur Rahman (MSR) and his Karachi American School- and Babson College-educated son Mir Ibrahim Rahman (MIR) over Mr Jaahil himself. Mir Ibrahim was said to have been incensed particularly after Aamir Liaquat called Ahmadis wajib-ul-qatl (liable to be killed) on his programme and the strong denunciation that followed from civil society. However, MSR, for reasons best known to him, resisted his son's plea to remove him from the channel. In many matters of business, MSR just did not think the young MIR was experienced enough.

A couple of things seem to have made MSR finally relent. One was his discovery that Aamir Liaquat - who apparently used to snivel for raises every six months or so - was in negotiations with ARY. Secondly, the ratings of Jaahil Online had actually plummeted in the past few months, which made cutting ties relatively painless business-wise. A tangential element in the whole episode was probably that MIR, who had gone away for a year for an MBA a Masters in Public Administration course at Harvard, had come back and made his dad uber-proud with his achievements, the evidence for which was the almost full page of The News and Jang devoted to MIR's praise and graduation speech, among other things (nice to own newspapers, isn't it?). Simply put, son had earned the right to have his way.

Whatever the reasons for throwing a charlatan out, I guess better late than ever.

Meanwhile, guess who takes over Aamir Liaquat's duties to make money for Geo during special Ramzan iftar broadcasts? Believe it or not, host-of-his-own-show on both television and radio cum washing powder seller extraordinaire to housewives, Sahir Lodhi. In addition to being the brother of Dr Shahista Wahidi (the host of the morning transmission on ARY Digital) and thinking of himself as Shah Rukh Khan, this is how his biography on his own website describes Lodhi:

"Sahir heart throb of millions of people. Glittering face of Pakistan has a fan frenzy appearance, He is successful but his success story is as same as any run-of-the-mill around. Once while interacting with young students at a school ceremony, he expressed, “I pray for you all that one day you become Sahir Lodhi or better…” Sahir always articulates common man’s language. Over his life, he has always believed in making so many people one people. His fans, not cynically or ironically but with fervent and zealous love, refer to him as a Super King."

Super King Aalim Online?

Well, Super King seems to fulfil at least the super-size ego criteria that Geo's Ramzan programming hosts seem to need to satisfy. Seriously though, bizarre as it may sound, Sahir Lodhi's Jay Leno-inspired show on TV One has apparently one of the top ratings for its time slot. Could this be the precursor for a permanent shift to Geo? Can he manage to get the daagh on (at least some of) Geo's religious programming out as easily as he did while selling Ariel in the streets?

Meanwhile, even as Super King gives his Geo screen test, the search is on for a replacement for the programme now without a host. Some interesting (read: out of the box) names are also apparently in the mix. Watch this space.

After Paul the octopus, can we now have a Zardari-hating kangaroo?

So a German octopus has been more adept at predicting the outcome of matches in the football World Cup than a thousand highly paid human pundits. And now the eight-tentacled Paul has competition from Mani, a parakeet from Singapore, a female octopus, Pauline, from Holland, an Estonian chimpanzee (Pino) and an African Red River Hog.

Paul: just one of many oracles

Almost as exciting as speculation about the ultimate winner on Sunday is the parallel side match between these oracles from the animal kingdom: for example, Paul has wrapped Spain in his tight embrace, while his feathered rival has pecked Holland. Should a gambler now rush to be smothered by Paul, go for Mani in the hope of feathering his nest, or hog the limelight with the African beast?

I have it on good authority that Geo has cottoned on to this exciting development and has decided to embark on a new cost-cutting. crowd-pleasing drama. Negotiations are currently under way between the leading media group and a bewildering array of animals, minerals and vegetables, to take over the slot vacated by Dr Shahid Masood. Geo is now apparently talent-hunting for a creature who goes hysterical and loses his marbles every time the name Zardari is mentioned. According to inside sources, a kangaroo who punches anyone who says the 'Z' word is tipped for the coveted slot. The only problem is that kangaroos don't particularly scream too much or have any particular ideological affinity to General Hamid Gul. The other main candidate is a big fat bee that not only drones on and on but unfailingly stings PPP sympathisers on prime time as a divine sign of imminent doom for their party.

Highly unreliable sources claim that a top channel has also hired Kaka, a Lyari mule, to spot a fake degree from a mile. The animal is known to kick wildly in the air when someone's degree is from a dodgy online university ('Dr' Babar Awan and 'Dr' Aamir Liaquat got the treatment in a pilot study) and expel a load of dung when the degree in question is a downright forgery. When confronted with the newly re-elected honourable PPP member from Muzzafargarh, Kaka is believed to have contracted severe diaorrhea. As they say on PIA, apna Dasti samaan saath le jaana na bhooleye.

Not to be left behind, other channels have also got in on the act, with Samaa torn between hiring a screeching parakeet or a hyena to replace Meher and Jasmine, and ARY negotiating with a chhipkali to take over from Dr Danish on his night off without too many people noticing the swap. Not only can these creatures screech or slither on cue, but they can tell you the exact date on which we will be rid of this fascist democracy and get a good, decent authoritarian regime in its place. 

Express TV was talking to a big bug-eyed right wing creature but discovered that he is already on their staff and is ostensibly human. He goes by the name of Javed Chaudhry. Aaj continues its search for a fish oracle that witnessed a brave Pakistani journalist's exploits aboard a Gaza-bound flotilla attacked by Israelis. The creature is meant to leap up in the air every time Talat Hussain is within a half-mile vicinity and scream " death to Israel".

Unfortunately, Geo got there first. The cuddly, extremist-spotting blind dolphin from Sukkur that was witness to that episode during its Mediterranean holidays, was about to bag a major slot on the Jang Group's channel, but has developed certain irreconciliable differences with Hamid Mir. The normally peaceful creature, blind fool that it is, even developed shark-like tendencies and attacked poor Ansar Abbasi the other day. Mr Mir would prefer to hire an ostrich who can't spot a Taliban horde even if it is hit on the head by one. Sadly, the big bird has opted instead for a senior position in the Punjab government.

Any ideas about novel animals our channels can hire to liven things up?

Jithay Di Khoti...

So, after suffering the ignominy of being relegated from a daily show to a thrice-a-week show over the weekend, windbag Dr. S&M has finally jumped back to the mothership. Yes, that's right, regular viewers of Geo News will perhaps not be forced to switch to some other channel at 11pm on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays when the quack doc used to come on. He's gone back to whence he originally came from, the Haji Razzak and family-owned ARY.





You may remember that ARY was where he first got his big break as the pompous predicter of the Day of Judgement in religious and political terms. He fed the never-ending appetite of Pakistanis for esoteric conspiracy theories in what was then a newly liberalized electronic media. The Haji brothers - who, like most conservative memon businessmen, believe fiercely in superstitions keeping their businesses going - were rather heart-broken when he scooted over for a better salary to Geo, since they thought of him as some sort of lucky mascot. A brief and controversial stint as MD and Chairman of Pakistan Television - which probably came his way only because the government wanted his crap off the much-watched Geo - ended with him slinking back to Geo with his tail between his legs. He soon shed this humiliation to emerge as the most vengeful attacker of his previous patron, President Asif Ali Zardari and his PPP government.

Unfortunately for Dr. S&M, however, he and the Geo management soon discovered that they weren't in Kansas anymore. Viewers seemed to have moved on from the excitement of fire and brimstone posturing by television anchors, a novelty in the early part of the decade but a cliche by now. More and more viewers were choosing to switch away from the political opinion shows to straightforward news reporting or light-hearted fare such as Dunya TV's Hasb-e-Haal, which poked fun not only at the real politicos but also at the media's politicians. Soon, abysmal viewership figures for his Meray Mutabiq (billed rightly as Pakistan's most opinionated show) saw the blowhard's show reduced to an afterthought, put in the weekend slum slot. Government pressure had also forced him to shut down his set in Dubai. By the end, he seemed to be doing the show from what seemed like a small room at the Aga Khan Hospital.

So now, the quack doc has wheedled his way into not only having ARY reviving his old 'Views on News' show, but also assumed overall presidency of the ARY Network. All I can say is Geo's gain is ARY's loss.

A Bit of His Own Medicine for the 'Doc'

Came across this bitterbitterbitter attack on Youtube on Dunya TV's popular programme Hasb-e-Haal, which incidentally is the No. 1 ranked programme in terms of viewer ratings for its time slot. The ire of the poster has been kindled by the Hasb-e-Haal team making fun of Geo TV's Dr S&M a.k.a. 'Blowhard of the Decade.'

Thought I'd share the video with you. I don't know about anyone else but if Asif Zardari was actually responsible for Aftab Iqbal and Sohail Ahmed taking the mickey out of Dr S&M (for which there is absolutely no proof of course), my respect for him has really rebounded.

Is Something Brewing?

Something surely is brewing in Islamabad. Forget for a moment the "historic" judgement against Musharraf's November 3 actions handed down yesterday and its implications for the government, President Zardari in particular. Yes, I do know that most of the judges sent packing by the Supreme Court are close to the party in power. Yes, I know that by putting the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) back in the parliament's court, the Supreme Court must be giving Zardari and all those who benefited from that repugnant law, sleepless nights.

But my reasons for conjecture have simply to do with certain developments in the media. Or to be more precise, certain sections of the media known as bellwethers for things brewing behind the scenes.

First it was Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani announcing his independence through the trusted mouthpieces of Rauf Klasra of The News and Hamid Mir of Geo. That of course set tongues wagging around the land about what exactly YRG meant. Then it was YRG's daughter, waxing eloquent and nonsensical in The News, about "the epitome of perfection" that is Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. Today, we had the return to "investigative" print journalism of the redoubtable Kamran Khan, regaling us in (where else) The News and Jang, about the monstrous alleged corruption plaguing state-run enterprises such as Pakistan Steel, Pakistan International Airlines, the Trading Corporation of Pakistan, the National Bank etc.

The windbag himself

But one bit of the puzzle that most people probably missed was the July 29 article in Jang (you might be getting the picture now) by Dr. S&M (Shahid Masood to you newbies). I normally steer well clear of this windbag's programme on Geo, aptly named Meray Mutabiq [According to Me], as well as his columns in Jang of the same name. But was forced to go back and read his latest on someone's recommendation. And what a shock was in store for me!

I have attempted to translate the important bits of the Urdu piece here for you, dear readers, keeping the breathless, convoluted overall style of its author. But before I share it with you, you should know certain things as background information, in case you don't already.

Dr. S&M is of course the same longtime Peoples Party activist who at one point used to man the phones at 70 Clifton but whose world view is probably closer in philosophy to the conservative Jamaat-e-Islami (and its obsessions with conspiracy theories) than the liberal PPP. He rose to media fame on the ARY channel in the early 2000s first doing a series of programmes detailing how the signs of the Day of Judgement were nigh, but then was encouraged to carry his windbag nature into political analysis particularly during the 2002 elections. He incurred the wrath of General Musharraf's army regime when he openly sided with the hardline militants of the Taliban and FATA. Staying true to it's policy of picking the most sensationalist idiots ever, the Jang Group then lured him away at a fabulous salary to run his own programme of sensationalist nonsense. When Musharraf imposed his "mini martial law" his programme was also shut down and he seemed to be out in the wilderness. Not for long though, since he was soon plucked out of nowhere to be made the Managing Director of Pakistan Television. Suddenly, he was pals with General Musharraf, who even dropped in on a reception in honour of the windbag.

It turns out, he wasn't just pals with General Musharraf (he was of course heading the state-run television under him!). Apparently he was also very close to Asif Zardari and, according to himself, Benazir Bhutto. He now claims he was in on the negotiations going on in Dubai between Musharraf and Bhutto which led to the NRO. Some journalists vouch for the fact that he was often with Zardari when they called him in Dubai.

When the PPP won the elections in 2008, not only did he continue in his position at PTV, he was also concurrently made the Chairman of the organization - a post that by law is an ex-officio post for the Information Secretary. Clashes with the then Information Minister Sherry Rehman eventually led to him resigning and, as with all such people, landing up back at the Jang Group, which not only restored his programme, but also gave him his own column in its flagship paper, Jang. Nevertheless, despite his humiliation, he continued to express his support for the PPP government.

Now. Take a gander at how his latest column titled "Jiye Bhutto" begins:

“What are you on about the Party? When I was in jail, where were all of them? It was only my friends who stood by me at that time! What your party did with me, I will do the same to it.” (Recent historic words from the most powerful personality usurping the corridors of power).

If the largest and most popular political party could not be finished off after the hanging of its founder leader by General Ziaul Haq, who put in place an Establishment that continues to rule for decades after him; if the traitors who stabbed the party in the back and betrayed the Bhutto family at the most critical times could not destroy it; if jails, batons, lashes, torture chambers and hangings could not subdue the beat of Dhamadam Mast Qalandar that its diehard party workers danced to; and if a senseless Pervez Musharraf, attempting to split up the Party by creating cracks through enticements and threats, himself perished after the martyrdom of the Party’s leader… then what chance does a small, crafty and criminal gang imposed on the heads of hundreds of thousands of the Party’s workers and more interested in preserving its international interests, have to demolish the Party, even with the blessings of the Establishment?

WTF?!? Exactly. Usurper? Criminal Gang? You understand why I think this is important enough to translate? Dr. S&M first goes on to delineate the amazing qualities of compassion and idealism that Benazir Bhutto embodied, pointing out:

Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto’s circle of friends was incredibly wide, comprising innumerable friends, childhood girlfriends and old family acquaintances. But she always kept the matters of the Peoples Party separate. When did she ever give precedence to her school friends over Party loyalists like Naheed Khan, Safdar Abbasi or Munawwar Suhrwardy Shaheed?

Then, he gets down to business. After claiming that he had personally, always been opposed to the NRO while it was being negotiated, and had made his discomfort with it known to Benazir herself, he says:

The majority of those who gained advantage from the NRO and who, along with Zardari sahib, have been imposed on the most important positions in the country, would never even have dared approach the corridors of power were Mohtarma still alive. She had given Zardari sahib only the [insignificant] responsibility to organize students within the Peoples Party and, in her last days, had in fact bid him to stay in Dubai to look after the kids. So, after the NRO was agreed to, Zardari sahib suddenly managed to rid himself of his heart disease and came to Dubai from New York… Before Mohtarma’s return to Pakistan, there was an attempt to involve him in an extremely limited way in security matters, and that too only so that he would not be seen sitting uselessly and without purpose among the crowd of workers.

In the Dubai house, there were two separate areas set aside for guests, and the small room in which Zardari sahib used to sit and shoot the breeze with his friends was only accessible from the back entrance of the house. All the important leaders of the Peoples Party used to enter the house from the front entrance and hold the party meetings along with the Mohtarma in the big drawing room, where Zardari sahib and his friends – now appointed on important posts – were not allowed to set foot.

Are you following my train of thought? Here is a man who has never had the cajones to take anyone on. When pressured, he not only gave up his pro-Taliban, pro-Hameed Gul line but became a mouthpiece for General Musharraf. Later on, he gave up Musharraf and became a chamcha of Asif Zardari. When he was forced to resign from PTV, he accepted the position of Special Assistant to the Prime Minister rather than cutting all ties. And yet he finds it within himself to directly, and brutally, belittle the sitting President? With words that could land him in mortal danger if not under the threat of a lawsuit? I don't think so. But wait, it doesn't just end there. He then goes directly for Zardari's jugular, by attacking all his cronies. First off, Rehman Malik:

After her return to the country, she was also set to finish off some seemingly very important characters – those about whom she was convinced that they were more loyal to those opposed to her than to her, and who were pretending to be close to her by mediating in negotiations. She was very clear in her mind about the person who, as a security adviser, is the most dubious character in her martyrdom. Had he been the future interior minister in Mohtarma’s mind, he would at least have been successful in procuring a ticket for the National Assembly!!!

Next in the firing line, the head of Ziauddin Hospital in Karachi (where Zardari often ended up while in jail) Dr. Asim Hussain (now also minister of petroleum and natural resources) and Landhi jail doctor Dr. Qayyum Soomro:

The one who, as minister of the most important petroleum ministry, has sent billions of rupees abroad during the negotiations with Iran over gas, and who, while selling gas permits, receives the fruits of his services in a 75/25 sharing scheme after sundown at a local hospital – would he have been able to even conduct a five minute conversation with Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto? Zardaris sahib has appointed to this most important ministry of the current era, a person who openly proclaimed that “I have neither ever had any association with any party named the Peoples Party, nor, Inshallah, will I ever.”

Doctor Abdul Qayyum Soomro, till this day associated with the Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Islam, was inducted many years ago as a medical officer on the recommendation of Maulana Fazlur Rehman. After he had himself transferred to Landhi jail, he began to serve Zardari sahib. Today, he is considered one of the strongest personalities in the Presidency and whose power to get the most important decisions implemented through a single phone call and whose growing personal assets over the last one year, are the talk of everyone in Islamabad!

Dr. S&M then twists his literary knife deeper into the back of the PPP's discontented rank and file:

The world knows Khurshid Shah as a serious and thoughtful Peoples Party leader. But who is this Islamuddin Sheikh? Rashid Rabbani has been making sacrifices for the Peoples Party for years. But where did Faisal Raza Abidi come from? Shehla Raza has struggled since her student days. But what is background to Sharmila Farooqui? Where has Taj Haider gone and where did Zulfiqar Mirza come from? Khalil Qureshi, Comrade Ishaq, Mirza Maqbool and Sohail Ansari – where did they disappear to? And what is the background to Mustafa Memon and Obaid Jatoi – who are now negotiating deals as the front-men of the country’s most powerful personality.

Kareem Khwaja, who for years and years, had been celebrating Bhutto’s birthday by setting up medical camps, who knows where he is now? And all the while, Shaukat Tareen, who has been associated with money-laundering and is preparing, at this stage of his life, to throw the nation into the clutches of the IMF and World Bank, is being made minister, adviser, then Senator, and then joining the Peoples Party.

The windbag that the good doctor is, he ends with the following regurgitation of his opening lines:

“What your Party did to me, I will do the same to it.” (To be Continued)

Meaning, that there was more that Dr. S&M wanted to write (or has written) but Jang ran out of space. Now here comes the more interesting bit. It's been 3 days so far and there has been no second installment of the piece. Sources within Jang tell me that the piece has caused an explosion within the organization, with some questioning how something like this even went out in the first place. Given how tightly the owner Mir Shakilur Rahman monitors the paper, I find it extremely hard to believe it would not have been sent to him first for vetting. Even if somehow, inconceivably, the piece slipped in without anyone realizing its impact and implications (in which case, the entire editorial staff should be fired), it still does not answer the question of what exactly Dr. S&M is up to in Dubai (where he is currently ensconsed) and what his (new) agenda is. This is not the simple peeve of a man out of a job.

Put all of the media pieces together, coalescing in time at the same point, and you would have to come up with the conclusion, especially given the chequered history of the Jang group, that something is afoot. Mark my words.