Did Governor Slaman Taseer forge a political alliance with Sipah-e-Sahaba?
We at LUBP are pleased to post the following “press release” by the DGPR (Director General Public Relations) of the PML-N’s Government in Punjab, which was published in The News:
Leader of defunct outfit speaks at Taseer’s election rally
Updated at: 0200 PST, Wednesday, March 10, 2010LAHORE: A leader of the defunct outfit Sipah-e-Sahaba spoke at the election gathering organized by Governor Punjab Salaman Taseer, Geo news reported.
A footage, released by DGPR in this connection, showed that the Deputy Secretary of defunct Sipah-e-Sahaba Punjab group Rao Javeed Iqbal was making announcement to join PPP at an electioneering rally in presence of Governor Salman Taseer.
That rally being part of election campaign was organized by Governor Salman Taseer at Fort Abbas.
According to DGPR, the Deputy Secretary of defunct outfit Sipah-e-Sahaba Punjab Rao Javeed Iqbal addressed the electioneering gathering on March 8 at Fort Abbas wherein he announced to support PPP’s candidate Kashif Naveed in elections.
Meanwhile, Salman Taseer talking to Geo news denied recognizing Javeed Iqbal, adding that the above-mentioned man did not introduce being associate of a defunct outfit, if it were so, he would be thrown out from the gathering.
He said the government of Punjab wants to malign him in order to conceal its sins.
Punjab government spokesman Pervez Rasheed said Governor was trying to become innocent.
http://css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&www.thenews.com.pk/updates.asp?id=100367
However, we would also like to publish what Governor Taseer had to say on the above press release by PML-N:
Governor slams ‘dirty election stunt’
Staff Report
LAHORE: The Pakistan People’s Party has never had anything to do with any sectarian groups and any assertions to the contrary are baseless propaganda, Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer said on Tuesday.
He was referring to a video – issued by DGPR, Punjab – allegedly showing a worker from the banned Sipah-e-Sahaba group addressing a PPP rally at Fort Abbas in the presence of the governor. Taseer said the man, who has been identified by DGPR as Sipah-e-Sahaba Punjab Deputy Secretary Rao Javed Iqbal, came onto the stage during the rally – claiming to be from the Jamaat Ahl-e-Sunnat – and announced his full support for the PPP. He said there were no Sipah-e-Sahaba flags at the rally, adding that his party would never allow such groups anywhere near their party functions.
He termed the release of the video a diversionary tactic and an attempt to take the spotlight off Rana Sanaullah’s public appearance with the leader of a banned group during an election rally in Jhang. Calling it “a dirty election stunt” a night before the by-elections, he accused the DGPR of “planting the man there”.
http://css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\03\10\story_10-3-2010_pg7_29
Furthermore, we would also like to highlight the fact that while Rana Sanaullah, the law minister of PML-N in Punjab, openly admits and defends PML-N’s political alliance with Sipah-e-Sahaba, terming Maulana Muhammad Ahmed Ludhianvi, the patron-in-chief of Punjabi Taliban of Sipah-e-Sahaba, as an ‘azeem alim-e-deen’ (great Islamic scholar), this is what Governor Taseer had to say about the Sipah-e-Sahaba:
“Salman Taseer talking to Geo news denied recognizing Javeed Iqbal, adding that the above-mentioned man did not introduce being associate of a defunct outfit, if it were so, he would be thrown out from the gathering.”
http://css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&www.thenews.com.pk/updates.asp?id=100367
has anyone actually seen this video?
@ rabia
i have seen the video , it was aired on dunya news . i doesn’t suggest ppp backing support from sipah sahaba or vice versa.
i have no doubt in my mind even if ppp leaders neogitate with these grup for electoral alliance our workers will never support this move and would have voluntarily thrown those murders out of the jalsa .
humza
if it was indeed rao javed iqbal speaking at a PPP jalsa then it’s beyond shameful.
@Rabia Thanks Rabia for pointing this out. It is a matter of great shame indeed.
Dawn newspaper archives from 2002 suggest (pointed out by Rabia) that this man Rao Javeed is a veteran terrorist of Sipah-e-Sahaba:
BAHAWALPUR:Local police have arrested a number of activists and leaders of the banned religious parties and groups besides sealing their offices in various localities in the Bahawalpur district.
Police sources said that a number of SSP supporters were already under custody and their district president Rao Javed Iqbal was in the New Central Jail, Bahawalpur, on judicial remand.
Dawn Report
January 14, 2002
http://www.dawn.com/2002/01/14/nat1.htm
Shame on Salman Taseer.
In particular, shame on local leadership of PPP in Bahawalnagar and Bawalpur.
Thanks for article on Salman taseer’s version of political opportunism though it went too soft on him for some reasons
@Abdul Nishapuri
Good to see yours unbiased criticism regardless of political affiliations
@rabia indeed its shameful. it has really dissapointed me. i’m moraly , emotionaly drained .
it also an eye opener for party top echoleon ;we have to be creative while awarding tickets to electoral candidates .