Benazir Bhutto’s murder: Whose narrative is Mubashir Lucman propagating? – by Shaista Aazar
Mubashir Lucman (weird spelling) is a very strange figure in term of political affiliation, his sympathies and criticism, his praise and hunt for various political figures.
He was part of General Musharraf’s interim cabinet and unlike his other friends, he still is a fan of him, he’s an admirer of MQM and its leader Altaf bhai, he also wrote in support of President Zardari and has also shown his appreciations for Benazir Bhutto.
One thing is for sure, he has utter dislike for Mian brothers of Lahore. He has shown it umpteen times, and has conducted shows with Rehmat Shah Afridi, the Frontier Post editor and shows on Mian Shahbaz Sharif’s style of administration, the police state of Punjab, the fake encounters by the Punjab police.
He also has a strange relations with the Ahl-e-Hadith scholar Ibtisam Elahi Zahir, who is the most frequent visitor of his shows.
But all these strange mixes were left behind when he invited Safdar Abbasi in his talk-show, Point Blank, via telephone.
The show was about Benazir Bhutto’s assassination, one of the most debated political murders in Pakistan’s history.
BB’s assassination tragedy has two narratives, one is the narrative of the Pakistan Peoples Party leadership and its workers, which is also shared by neutral defence and political analysts of Pakistan and the world; it was also endorsed by the UN fact finding commission via its report submitted to the UN Secretary General.
Another is the Pakistan’s military establishment’s narrative described by General Musharraf, ISPR, retired Army generals, ex-ambassadors and beaurocrats and their subsidiaries in political parties and the media.
This whole narrative revolves around the sun-roof lever of BB’s vehicle, black mercedes, BB’s Blackberry, hers will and other similar things.
Now coming back to the Point Blank, I mean Lucman’s show.
The way he was investigating the Mr Abbasi was to prove the establishment’s narrative to hold BB responsible for breaching the security by exposing herself to the shooter by appearing through the sun roof, and very weirdly blamed Mr Abbasi and others with BB in the vehicle for allowing her to appear through the sun roof.
He invited Safdar Abbasi to talk on what happened on the fateful day. Mr Abbasi was in that bulletproof Land Cruiser BB was travelling in. He described details of the whole incident. He has nothing new to tell the viewers, but his account of the whole story was missing some details and he failed to answer some questions regarding these details.
As Mr Abbasi was asked who opened the hetch of the sun-roof, he for some unknown reasons refrained to name or perhaps he forgot as he said in the programme, but the fierce anchor was running a “No Mercy” episode. He grilled him for his inability to answer the simple question. He also held him responsible for slowing down the vehicle and gathering of workers around the vehicle as Mr Abbasi was shouting slogans on the megaphone and the workers around were answering these slogans, and BB appeared through the sun-roof to laud the workers and as a result, suffered the fatal bullet injuries.
Mr Lucman was very aggressive in this whole episode. Mr Abbasi was a bit defensive, giving the impression that he was upset with Lucman’s style of grilling.
The episode as expected was liked by the audience and the TV channel decided to show carefully selected parts of it in the hourly and half hourly news bulletins the whole day, and telecasted the episode more than once. An article also appeared in the newspaper of the same media group to further propagate that narrative. A few PPP workers also liked it for its grilling of Mr Abbasi.
Mubashir vs Mubashir; What are they up to?
Another channel (TV One) in their programme, interestingly by another Mubashir (Prime Time with Rana Mubashir), provided Mr and Mrs Abbasi an opportunity to rebuild their dented image and to answer the unanswered questions. Mr and Mrs Abbasi suggested that an FIR coulkd be lodged against them if anyone has a doubt about their involvement.
Now what was the aim of this collaborated effort by the Mubashirs duo and the couple, Mr and Mrs Abbasi?
If our readers have watched the show, the target was not Mr Abbasi. The target was the UN report. The anchor repeatedly was calling it a useless practice and urging that if Mr Abbasi should be handed over to the Punjab Police to tell the whole truth. (Mr Lucman has conducted various shows on the atrocities of Punjab Police.)
In the whole episode, he did not mention the contents of UN report and the alleged involvement of the Military Intelligence and ISI. He also very foolishly blamed Mrs Naheed Khan of preventing the police from the post-mortem, ignoring a very simple fact that in criminal cases, state itself is the party and it does not need approval for any necessary steps taken, which can help the investigation. But unfortunately here the state and its spy agencies are a party, which has in fact impeded the investigation. The UN commission report has described that several obstacles and hurdles were put in their investigations.
But the macho-man, Mr Lucman carefully ignored all such aspects, and instead promoted a new conspiracy theory. Therefore, Rana Mubashir has to be brought in for ‘damage control’ because Mr and Mrs Abbasi have not yet lost their attraction for the circles who have been investing on them to be used in their anti PPP plots, although not unlike their other counterpart Mr Aitzaz Ahsan, they too have failed miserably.
Thanks Abdul for giving space to my random thoughts at your esteemed blog.
You are welcome, Sheen Alif. I really liked the way you neatly highlighted the pro-establishment narratives and choices of Mr Mubashir Lucman.
Excellent article Sheen! Very well argued and much needed perspective.
excellent analysis
میری یہ تحریر الف شین صاحب کی تحریر پر تبصرہ نہیں ہے بلکہ ان کی تحریر پر ایک سرسری نظر ڈالنے کے بعد ذہن میں ابھرنے والے خیالات کا اظہار ہے
بھٹو کا قاتل کون تھا ؟ مہروں کے پیچھے ہم کتنے ہاتھ بھی تلاش کرلیں ، اس وقت سامنے صرف ایک چہرہ تھا ، ضیاء الحق کی قیادت میں متحد ملٹری ایسٹبلشمنٹ ، یہ قتل کسی قبائلی کا قتل نہیں تھا اور نہ ہی یہ کسی انقلابی تحریک کے رہنما کا قتل تھا ، بھٹو انتخابی سیاست میں یقین رکھنے والے ایک ایسے سیاست دان تھے جو اپنا ووٹ ان طبقات سے لیتے تھے جن کو پاکستان کی اسٹبلیشمنٹ حق فیصلہ دہی کے قا بل نہیں سمجہتی تھی ، مرتضی اور شاہنواز نے اس قتل کو قبائلی انداز میں لیا اور پھر وہ اسی انداز میں خاموش کر دئیے گئے ،کچھ لوگوں نے بھٹو صاحب کی لاش پر انقلاب کی بنیاد رکھنا چاہی لیکن ان کی آوازیں عقوبت خانوں میں دب گئیں ، بھٹو صاحب نے اپنا وارث بے نظیر کو بنا یا تھا اور بے نظیر ہی پارٹی کو لے کر آگے بڑھی اور پھر ملٹری ایسٹبلشمنٹ نے بے نظیر کے ساتھ ہی معاملات طے کیے ، بے نظیر کا قا تل کون تھا ؟ میرا جواب وہی ہے، ضیاء الحق کی حامی ملٹری ایسٹبلشمنٹ براہ راست اور پرویز مشرف کا حامی گروہ بالواسطہ ، زرداری پارٹی کو لے کر آگے بڑھے اور پھر اسٹبلشمنٹ نے ان کے ساتھ ہی معاملات طے کیے، اقوام متحدہ کے ذریعے تحقیقات زرداری کا خواب تھا لیکن دنیاوی حقیقتوں نے چند مہینوں میں ہی زرداری کی آنکھیں کھول دی تھیں ناہید خان ، صفدر عبّاسی اور چوہدری اسلم کے معاملات کیا ہیں مجھے اس سے کوئی سروکار نہیں ، ہاں مجھے یہ معلوم ہے کہ ایسٹبلشمنٹ یہ ثابت کرنے پر تلی ہوئی تھی کہ بے نظیر کے قتل میں زرداری کا ہاتھ ہے اور ناہید خان اور صفدر عباسی اس کے لیے جواز فراہم کر رہے تھے ، یہ ان کی سیاست تھی ، جواب میں آخر کآر ہمیشہ کی طرح عبّاس اطہر صاحب ناہید خان پر حملہ آور ہوئے اور کچھ لوگوں نے ناہید عبّاسی اور صفدر عبّاسی کو یہ بتانے کی کوشش کی کہ مشکوک تو تم بھی ہو سکتے ہو ، یہ جوابی سیاست ہے ، رہی یہ بات کہ بی بی گاڑی کے لیور سے مری یا قا تل کی گولی سے یہ ویسا ہی سوال ہے کہ بھٹو صاحب کو تارا مسیح نے مارا یا فوجیوں کے تشدد نے ، حقیقت یہ ہے کہ بھٹو صاحب کو پاکستانی ایسٹبلشمنٹ ما رنا چاہتی تھی انہوں نے کسی بھی طرح مار دیا ، رہا بی بی کے قتل کا قبائلی انداز میں بدلہ، تو کسی نے ناہید عبّاسی ، صفدر عبّاسی اور چوہدری اسلم کا ہاتھ نہیں پکڑا وہ بی بی کے قاتلوں سے بدلہ لینا شروع کر دیں ، وہ یقنا جانتے ہوں گے کہ چوہدری اعظم نے بھٹو کے قاتلوں کو کس طرح چن چن کر مارا تھا اور آخر کار خود بھی ذاتی جھگڑے میں ہالینڈ میں قتل ہو گیا تھا ، بی بی نے شاید ہی کبھی کسی سے پوچھا ہو گا کہ اس کے یتیم بچوں کا کیا ہوا؟ اور نہ ہی بھٹو صاحب کی برسی پر اس کی تصویریں لہرائی جاتی ہوں گی . اور پھر لوگوں نے دیکھا کہ اسی چوہدری اعظم کے عزیز مسلم ق میں ظہور الہی کے بیٹوں کے ساتھ سیاست کر رہے تھے ، اس لیے کہ یہی انتخابی سیاست ہے
An excellent article and excellent comments by Mr. Qais Anwar also.
mubashir luqman has no right to question any body on the assassination of our leader he and his Express team are trying there best to protect MUSHARAF. and also the police officers who are very good friends of luqman ,he said becharey police waley. i could only lol on that because it was the police who changed the route by blocking with their cars and it was the police who sent its commandos which were ment for BBs security, to Islamabad. and then it was the police who washed the crime scene within an hour but still this asshole thinks that the police has nothing to do with it .he is a part of it so y wouldn’t he protect them .the most important thing is how he sidelined the UN report the only reason behind it was musharaf and the black Mercedes Benz which left BB when she was dieing ,these two have asked this man to clear them from the assassination of BBS .and by the way luqman it was not safder abbasis job to open the sunroof .and it was not sader abbasi who made the car or gave it to BB it was MALIK RIAZ who gave it to rehamn malik and then rehman malik gave it to BB .and once makhdoom amin faheem and naheed khan asked BB that she should protect her self as much as she can and she should not get out of the car and BB said that if both of you are afraid then you can go home .after that nobody ever dared to say that again.
@Sheen Alif Excellent writing style, i liked your observation and analysis. Your article exposes journalistic hypocrisy and self-righteousness[of our Anchorpersons]as well as their connections and services to hidden forces and how they shamelessly carry their narratives and agenda.
Sheen Alif, you once again rock. Stay Blessed
“Zardari didn’t allow postmortem of BB.” http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\12\19\story_19-12-2010_pg7_4
It gives a hint who is behind her murder.
A very just evaluation of the case Sheen Alif…
Well I had a bit different perspective on that Interview which I would like to share with you…
I know about Mubashar Lucman’s close relation with Musharraf and I knew that he was trying to protect Musharraf with this interview.
I have been watching many interviews on various news channels( Pro Establishment) and they have all tried to indoctrinate their version of the story in which Musharraf was solely behind the assassination of Muhtarma Benazir Bhutto, and I even saw Safdar Abbasi and Naheed Khan and some other PPP mutineers and the mercenaries of the establishment enforcing the agenda.
Now I thought that Lucman was trying to save Musharraf because the establishment and the so called “mutineer generals” by Musharraf were trying to use him as a scapegoat to protect themselves from the charge.
I even saw the PPP Media Sindh promoting the interview on my cable, which reinforced my opinion. Now I have read this article of yours and you raised a quite crucial point on Mubashar’s repeated attack on the UN report and concealment of it’s matter.
I would kindly want to be enlightened by views and comments on this.
Thankyou !
Mubashar Lucman may be educated but in his glibness he is as idiotic as he is cynical. The way he was interrogating – it cannot be called interviewing – Safdar Abbasi, was against all norms of a decent public discussion. Undoubtedly he came across, as he does in most if not all of his other shows, as a self-obsessed thanedar/SHO of the notorious Punjab Police he kept continuously referring to in the said programme. Suppose, for an argument sake, Safdar Abbasi had opened that roof hatch, it would still not prove anything as to who was really behind the BB’s murder. If she really wanted to acknowledge the cheering crowd milling around the car, someone had to open that hatch to allow her to do that. This is clearly not seeing the wood for a tree. The big picture, as pointed out in the UN Report, need to be properly understood before analyzing the nitty gritty.
Mubashar obviously doesn’t think that critical forensic evidence, the tampering or damaging of it, as significant as the opening of the hatch. This amounts to toeing the same line of argument as the comment of Pervez Musharraf soon after the tragedy that had BB not got her head out of the sun-roof, she would have been alive! Is Mubashar not unwittingly or knowingly defending the former President’s reasoning or justification for the assassination?
One wonders if Mubashar has the gall to devote one or more programmes of Point Blank in which he may grill an ISI or military establishment suspect or for that matter a relevant Punjab Police official with the same unfettered gusto and rudeness about:
1. who ordered the hosing down of the crime scene?
2. who was responsible for scuttling the post mortem not only of BB but of other workers who died in the blast?
3. where is the missing dupatta of BB?
4. what’s the truth about the original medical report?
5. what is the true opinion of the doctors who did the tracheotomy?
Etc.
@Abdul, Abid and Junaid
Thanks for the encouragement.
@Shoaib Mir
You have raised very significant points. Till now, the UN report is the most comprehensive document on it. All these questioned will be addressed if investigation were continued on the basis of the facts established by the report, and the same was main purpose of the whole practice.
Anyhow we all now UN report is one of the most significant documents of Pakistan political history.
A slap on the faces of key players of the deep state. PPP got what it has wanted.
GOOD Post Analytical Style !
@ Qais Anwar, Sheen Alif
Wonder whose narrative is Salman Taseer reinforcing?
http://criticalppp.com/archives/34446
Jinho Ney Unn Ko Governor Banaya Hei…..
lol. true.
It is really entertaining to see our civil society types showering uncritical applause at Salman Taseer’s (opportunistic) photo sessions with Aasia bibi.
And then I saw him celebrating the failure of Indian space rocket. Indeed a great patriot and a champion of human rights!
امیر شہر غریبوں کو لوٹ لیتا ہے
کبھی بحیلہ مذہب کبھی بنام وطن
————–
Update: Just read this tweet:
@SalmaanTaseer big fan of your liberal political struggle. Id join u tomorrow if u lead a rally against blasphemy laws on mall road