Geo TV gets censored…by Geo TV: Najam Sethi’s show and the out of bound topics – by Maula Bux Thadani
Related articles: LUBP Archive on Najam Sethi
GEO TV often paints itself as the underdog, the scrapper that is crusading against the “all-powerful” President and Prime Minister. Even if this image is laughable in the light of the billions of rupees of tax liabilities that GEO manages to avoid or the fact that it is the home of the most prominent bigots and conspiracy theorists of Pakistan posing as journalists. Anytime questions are raised about its financial improprieties (in terms of Tax avoidance) GEO often makes up smut about the PPP government that last a fortnight and which are then proven to be fake and planted stories.
The following link has the amounts owed to the tax authorities by various media houses. Geo tops the list as of June 2010 with Rs 1.8 billion or USD 21 million approximately. Tax defaulters in Pakistani media: E&C Division-V RTO, Karachi. Please note that there is no update on the current outstanding as the government has not come up with the latest figures. One can assume that Rs. 1.8 billion would be close to Rs. 2 billion or USD 23.25 million.
Recently, GEO, under pressure to maintain a substantial grant from Voice of America (VoA) has gotten Najam Sethi as well as Dr. Maleeha Lodhi on board to provide a pseudo liberal veneer and to balance the virulent anti-American screeds of their jingoistic jihadi journos like Ansar Abbasi, Hamid Mir and Kamran Khan. Apparently, the Jang Group, one of the oldest news houses of the sub continent, has converted into a gossip mongering enterprise run by a dynasty of three generations of opportunists. Many consider it a tabloids publisher now. What is most astonishing is that the Group sees no ethical dilemmas in accepting US Government and off course their tax payers’ money to the tune of possibly billions of while using its Jamaat-e-Islami and Taliban cheerleaders to promote US bashing as the next most popular sport amongst the urban bourgeoisie after Bhutto bashing!
The following link is about the introduction of Khabron Se Agay (in English, Beyond the Headlines), the VOA program that is run on Geo TV and now also being shown on another channel operated by a separate group. Khabron Se Agay
Last night (Feb 22nd, 2011) GEO showed us all how acute it is to irony. For a channel that often paints itself, without evidence, as the victim of alleged (imagined would be a better) PPP suppression, it then goes on to suppress its own show with the most visible censorship!
Najam Sethi’s show suddenly went off air last night while he was talking about the media-judiciary nexus, before it resumed after approximately 33 seconds. This certainly did not appear as a technical fault as the viewer was subjected to the awful tuneless GEO jingle. How come there are no such faults when the likes of Ansar Abbasi and Kamran Khan are entertaining us with their tales of Taliban romance and PPP pulp fiction?
Muzzling one’s star journalist (the token “liberal”) whilst constantly imagining itself to be under attack by a hapless government really takes the cake! I guess it proves what many of us have been saying all along; that in the current environment one can only abuse the hapless and helpless PPP but dare not talk too openly about the establishment and its media and Judiciary proxies. To use khaki terminology, these are “out of bound” areas and GEO, beholden as it is, NOT to public interests but to the security establishment, complied faithfully in censoring its own.
Mr. Sethi has to realize that in order to reach a “larger audience” it is important that they hear his baritone and pompous analysis and not the awful GEO jingle that is dutifully placed to edit the part of the show when Mr. Sethi goes beyond his typical politician bashing and starts highlighting the real source of the problems; the media-judiciary alliance.
Critical readers may consider why media-judiciary nexus is not talked about and that specifically on Geo can be gauged from the fact that the Sindh High Court and Supreme Court have given Geo relief related to showing of World Cup Matches on their Geo Super whilst giving confusing judgements. These judgements have been used as a ploy to hurt the interests of state owned PTV as advertisers have been reluctant to advertise on the state owned, terrestrial channel due to the confusions being created by the courts. For a detailed review of the alliance between the three Jeems (Judge, Journalist and Jornails), you may wish to consult the LUBP Teen Jeem Archive.
It is Part 4 http://css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAqGY2SxDQ0 from 1:52 to 2:25 about 33 seconds.
Aapas Ki Baat, February 22, 2011 – Part 4
Transcript of the question by Muneeb Farooq and reply of Najam Sethi when the censorship took place:
منیب فاروق …. ایک آخری سوال تھا سیٹھی صاحب ، یہ جو سیاسی عدم استحکام کے حوالے سے ہم بات کررہے تھے کہ میڈیا اس وقت کیا کررہا ہے، کتنا رول پلے کررہا ہے، بہتری کی طرف کچھ کررہا ہے یا صورتحال کو مزید بگاڑ رہا ہے؟۔
نجم سیٹھی …. یار یہ تو گھر والی بات کردی تم نے، اب میں کیا کہوں اس پر، دیکھئے! جمہوریت میں میڈیا ایک پوزیٹیو(POSITIVE) رول ادا کرتا ہے اور ہمارا میڈیا بھی جنرلی پوزیٹیو (POSITIVE) رول ادا کررہا ہے مگر میڈیا کے اندر ہمیشہ اس قسم کی ٹینڈینسیز(TENDENCIES) بھی ہوتی ہیں کہ وہ غیر ذمہ داری کے ساتھ کارروائی کرتا ہے اور آج کل سچویشن(SITUATION) یہ ہے کہ کیونکہ میڈیا اور جوڈیشری(JUDICIARY) بڑے قریب ہو چکے ہیں، جوڈیشری میڈیا کو پروٹیکٹ(PROTECT) کررہی ہے اور میڈیا جوڈیشری کو پروٹیکٹ(PROTECT) کررہا ہے اور یہ دیکھتے نہیں ہیں کہ ایشو کیا ہے یا کیا نہیں ہے، آنکھیں بند کرکے ایک دوسرے کو سپورٹ کررہے ہیں، بُری بات نہیں ہے اچھی بات ہے مگر ساتھ ساتھ یہ آنکھیں بند کرنے والی بات مناسب نہیں ہے۔ دونوں کو سوچ سمجھ کر چلنا چاہیئے، یہ نا ہو کہ نقصان میڈیا اور جوڈیشری کا ہو جائے، اگر اتنی غیر متوازن کیفیت پیداکردی گئی جوڈیشری نے اور میڈیا نے، دیکھیے! میڈیا میں آپ ہر روز کہانیاں پڑھتے ہیں، اتنی کرپشن اتنا یہ، میں کہتا ہوں جہاں دھواں ہو وہاں اس کا مطلب ہے کچھ آگ تھی یا آگ ہے تو جہاں آگ ہے وہاں دھواں ہے تو دھواں تو ہے اس میں کوئی شک نہیں ہے اور ہر روز کہانیاں آپ سنتے ہیں، مگر میں دیکھتا ہوں جب بھی میں یہ کہانیاں۔
(اس کے بعد نشریات اچانک منقطع کردی گئی، اور وقفہ کے بعد دوبارہ دوسرے موضوع پر بات کی گئی)
Money Talks
Guess who was spotted on November 9 in Washington D.C. at a reception for American and Pakistani media personnel thrown by US AfPak ambassador Richard Holbrooke’s media assistant Ashley Bommer? Mir Ibrahim Rehman, scion of the house of Jang and CEO of the Geo TV Network. He walked in with The Friday Times editor and Dunya TV’s Najam Sethi but stayed long after Sethi left the party.
Mir Ibrahim (MIR) apparently jetted in for a mysterious three-day visit to the US, during which, our sources say, the main objective was to convince the US administration that Geo was neither anti-US nor anti-democracy, the line being peddled by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) government. MIR also wished to gather official American support for the Jang Group against the PPP boycott of the group as an instance of an assault on freedom of the media.
Our sources claim that MIR did not find too much traction among US officials against the idea of a media boycott, perhaps because the Obama administration itself has a similar boycott against Fox News (albeit without the shoe-throwing rent-a-demos and vile grafitti scrawls against Fox News owners). However, what is particularly interesting about the Jang Group’s attempts to woo the American establishment is the fact that there has been apparently a lot of discussion within the US government about whether it should support and even subsidize a media group that has no qualms about running shrill propaganda against the US, and sometimes even promoting a pro-Taliban line. In particular, Hamid Mir’s contribution to whipping up Blackwater hysteria in Pakistan, Ansar Abbasi’s rants about Western puppets, and the space given to nutjobs such as Zaid Hamid (Aag TV) and Ahmad Quraishi (Aag TV and The News) have apparently raised quite a few eyebrows in the US administration.
The Americans have reason to be upset with the Jang Group, and MIR has reasons to find their upset unsettling. The running of the banal American propaganda Voice of America (VoA) programme Khabron Se Aagay [Beyond the Headlines] as an ‘advertorial’ on Geo since 2005 has netted the Jang Group and its owners, by some accounts, millions of US taxpayer dollars. Although the exact ‘compensation package’ doled out to Geo by the US government is still secret, it should be noted that the deal between Geo and VoA was mediated during the Bush-Musharraf era by the then Information Secretary Anwar Mahmood and advertising whiz-kid Asif Salahuddin, the latter of whom is reputed not to touch ‘small’ deals. Apparently, part of MIR’s discussions with the US administration included those on the future of the Geo-VoA deal.
Incidentally, while Najam Sethi was ostensibly in the US for medical check-ups and may have been present at the Bommer reception only coincidentally, as we have reported in the past, he too has been trying to persuade American-backed NGOs to fund a new ‘liberal’ channel to be headed by him.
Coming back to MIR, it seems that more than American upset, a potential threat of withdrawal of lucrative financial support may be the trigger for a panic at the Jang Group. As they say, bullshit may walk but it’s money that talks. I have a strong feeling that you may well see the (media) house line shifting very soon. If you suddenly begin to miss the casual anti-US vitriol in the group’s publications and on Geo, you’ll know why.
http://cafepyala.blogspot.com/2010/11/money-talks.html
The MD of GEO TV, Azhar Abbas, is a brother of the ISPR Chief Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas; n wonder some programs on GEO TV look like scripted by ISPR or ISI.
NadeemfParacha Nadeem F. Paracha
@najamsethi suddenly went off air for 5 mins tonight while talking about role of judiciary. I hope it was a technical fault? Hello, Geo. .
22 Feb Favorite Retweet Reply
NadeemfParacha Nadeem F. Paracha
Military-Mullah-Media Alliance (MMMA) namanzoor!
AliRind Ali Rind
RT @NadeemfParacha seems @najamsethi enjoyed a cup of coffee with Ansar Abbasi before his show tonight. G for Ghairat, G for Geo, G for GHQ
3 hours ago Favorite Retweet Reply
DECEMBER 26, 2010
Changing Course?
I had been contemplating writing an update on Geo for over a week but the latest news has forced my hand. According to our very credible informer @Mehmal, former Daily Times editor Najam Sethi has resigned from Dunya TV and signed up with Geo, though the official announcement has yet to be made. According to our various sources, his last show with Dunya will be on January 6 and he will be hosting a show three times a week on Geo thereafter.
Najam Sethi: moving from Dunya to Geo
Now this news is rather big news, not only in and of itself – after all, Sethi is a big hitter for Dunya to lose and Geo to nab – but also because of what it indicates about the direction of Geo. You may recall our post in November about Geo CEO Mir Ibrahim Rahman’s (MIR’s) mysterious trip to the US, wherein we had expressed our assessment that you may soon see a decidedly less antagonistic-to-the-Americans line from the Jang Group (read the earlier post to understand why). In that post we had also pointed out that, intriguingly, MIR had arrived at an American reception in Washington D.C. along with Sethi, who had also been in the US for some separate work but who himself has been wooing the Americans to support a more liberal media. It seems our observations were more prescient than even we realized and our predictions about the Jang Group are being proved true.
Even before the latest signing, news filtering in from within the Jang Group indicated that head honcho Mir Shakilur Rahman had begun to exert more control over the editorial content of Jang and The News. Apparently of particular concern for him were the over-the-top anti-Western diatribes of some of his correspondents such as Ansar Abbasi and all such potentially ‘controversial’ news pieces are regularly first vetted by him.
Add to that the appointment (announced December 16) of former The News editor and Pakistan’s ambassador to the US, Dr. Maleeha Lodhi, as the Jang Group’s ‘Special Adviser International Affairs.’ According to the official announcement, she will “lead efforts to establish new platforms for global discourse and enhance the Group’s global engagement and international profile.” Basically, what that means is that she will lead the public relations effort for the Jang Group, especially with the US.
But what I had really wanted to comment on was this unprecedented front-page write-up on December 17 in The News and Jang (unfortunately a poor translation) by Geo News Managing Director Azhar Abbas. Abbas has never written for the Jang Group publications since he first began heading Geo and also has probably not written anything since he left his reporting days behind at least a decade ago. But what makes the piece even more intriguing is its between-the-lines condemnation of the machinations of elements within the military intelligence services which, according to the piece, are back to their old tricks of attempting to manipulate public opinion in favour of hawkish positions through the media, as well as its plea for providing space to liberal voices.
For the Managing Director of the largest television news channel to make these accusations and plea publicly is surely worth noting. It also is worth remembering that Abbas’ elder brother, Athar Abbas, is a serving major general in the army and head of the military’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), which surely shows the sensitivity that Geo’s Abbas was willing to breach with his piece. Our information indicates, however, that the piece was directly instigated and approved by the top echelons of the Jang Group (could Lodhi’s joining have something to do with it?), which should also give people an idea of how the group is attempting to make a break with its ambivalent past.
Just to provide an idea of the line Azhar Abbas took in his piece, here is a selection of some of its main points:
“Political and security observers believe a concerted effort is once again being made to encourage and promote a typical extremist mindset. Some analysts-cum-anchors have re-emerged from quasi-oblivion. Many journalists and analysts are briefed and encouraged to take an aggressively anti-West, especially anti-US, stance. Experts, who ‘preach’ extremism in disguise, are encouraged to participate in talk shows.
…
“Many analysts point to the shortsighted policies of our successive governments, especially true for our military rulers, who have led us to the disastrous situation of today. Unfortunately, even after suffering so much, especially in the last few years, there is still no realisation that using people in the name of religion will backfire once again. “It is not a water tap or an electric switch that you can turn on and off whenever you want. Once put in motion, it acquires its own momentum and is very difficult to control,” a former security official said.
…
“It is no secret that there were those in the media and clergy who openly opposed the Army’s campaign against the militants in Swat and tried their best to put the armed forces’ objectives and intention in doubt. Cajoling the same elements from the right, for short-term tactical objective against our eastern neighbour or to ward off a mounting US pressure to act decisively against the Taliban and al-Qaeda in the country’s western backyard is certainly fraught with dangers.
…
“We should be clear that giving space to elements sympathetic to militants would squeeze space for those who genuinely support efforts to eliminate the extremist forces in the country. If pro-Taliban elements are to be pampered and used as a tool to influence the United States to come to term with Pakistan’s legitimate interest in post-US Afghanistan, it may have a reverse effect. Apparently, not realising this, a misplaced nationalistic and patriotic theme is being propagated. It may be an easy sell in the short term, but the impact at the strategic level will be disastrous.”
Does the reintroduction of nutjobs like Zaid Hamid as political commentators on mainstream channels such as ARY make more sense now? Does the re-emergence of Jamaat-ud-Dawa nee Lashkar-e-Taiba chief Hafiz Saeed at the forefront of the right-wing protests against any amendments to the anti-blasphemy laws make better sense? Abbas also had this dire warning as the conclusion of his piece:
“Many observers believe that in the days to come, one should again expect a rise in the extremist mindset. This will not just be restricted to the print media or TV screens, but will be visible on the streets of Pakistan as well. It may be a welcome sign for those who wanted it as a tactical move. But the coming months and years will tell us how flawed a move it is.”
Certainly, this does not whet the appetite about the coming days but there may be a silver lining in all this if Geo and its parent Jang Group actually change course. Who better to reel back the madness than the group which has played a large part in promoting it?
As for Sethi, whose show had only recently moved into the 8pm prime time slot on Dunya, I have to admit that whatever other reservations one may have about him or his past, his show on Dunya is among the most watchable and sensible on Pakistani media at the moment. It may lack the fireworks and hysteria of his competitors, but that is a VERY GOOD thing in my book. It is generally well-researched, questions accepted political ‘truisms’ in an often gentle but logical manner and more often than not provides insight into what a certain part of the establishment is thinking (and by that I mean the non-Zaid Hamid lunacy loving establishment). It seems other viewers too had begun to appreciate having a non-screeching, non-hysterical, non-agenda-blinkered option and his show’s ratings had been consistently going up. Dunya TV will indeed be sorry to see the back of him.
http://cafepyala.blogspot.com/2010/12/changing-course.html
خبروں سے آگے روزانہ | [email protected] پاڈ کاسٹ
پاکستان اوراس کے گردو نواح میں وائس آف امریکہ کا ٹیلی ویژن پروگرام’خبروں سے آگے‘ پسندیدگی سے دیکھا جا رہا ہے۔ یہ پروگرام ہفتے میں پانچ بار حالاتِ حاضرہ کا پس منظر، سیاق و سباق اور تجزیہ جدید اور معیاری طرزِ پیشکش کے ساتھ نشر کرتا ہے۔
جدید دور کے تقاضوں سے ہم آہنگ’خبروں سے آگے‘ ہفتے اور اتوار کےسوا ہر روز شام ساڑھے سات بجے جیو ٹیلی ویژن پر دل چسپ اور منفرد انداز میں تازہ ترین خبریں، معاشرتی اور سماجی موضوعات پر مبنی رپورٹیں، انٹرویو اور تبصرے دکھاتا ہے۔
علاوہ ازیں ہمارے پروڈیوسروں کی ٹیم حالاتِ حاضرہ، عالمی منظرنامہ، فن و ثقافت، تفریح اور دوسرے موضوعات کا بھی احاطہ کرتی ہے۔ ہمارے پیش کاروں میں سے بیشتر کا تعلق پاکستان سے ہے جو اپنے ساتھ نیا زاویہٴ نگاہ اور اندازِِ فکر لے کر آئے ہیں۔ ہماری مشترکہ کوشش ہے کہ’خبروں سے آگے‘ کو بیک وقت مقامی اور بین الاقوامی رنگ دیا جائے۔
http://www.voanews.com/urdu/programs/tv/47903002.html
Geo got so many decision in its favor from suprem court recently.there is a nexus between Geo and Judiciary.SC gave cricket world cup screening rights to Geo instead of PTV.it was PTV right to get screeing rights because it reaches to every house in pakistan But Akram sheikh went to SC and got decision in favor of Geo within one day.Geo got 12 billions tax case agaiNSt them but judiciary has given them stay order for last 2 years and they not proceding the case.In return Geo support all decisions of sc and does lobbying for judiciary.Any one who raise questions about judiciary and its conduct Geo and Jang/news starts character assasination of that person and make him scared and quite.They tried that on Asma jahangir in recent bar election but failed. Jang and Geo is lobbying very hard for Khalil ramday’s appointment as adhoc judge.They both protecting eachother’s interests very well.
کیا معاملہ سلجھ رہا ہے؟
نجم سیٹھی
شواہد تو یہی بتاتے ہیں کہ سپریم کورٹ حکومتِ پاکستان اور پارلیمنٹ سے علیحدگی کی راہ پر گامزن ہے؟ کیا یہی تصور قانون دانوں کے ذہن میں تھا جب وہ ” آزاد عدلیہ “ کے لیے جدوجہد کررہے تھے؟
سوال یہ پیدا ہوتا ہے کہ اس علیحدگی نما آزادی کے پیچھے کیا محرک ہے؟ کیا یہ حکومت اور ارباب اقتدار کو نااہلی اور بدعنوانی کے گناہوں پر موردِ الزام ٹھہرانے کا اقدام ہے یا زمامِ اختیار اپنے ہاتھوں میں لے کر معاملات درست کرنے کی کوشش؟
یہ تلخ سوالات ہیں لیکن موجودہ سیاسی عدم استحکام اور اسلام آباد میں اداروں کے ٹکراؤ کے ممکنہ خطرے کے پیشِ نظر ہمیں حقائق کی سنگلاخ وادیوں میں اترنا پڑے گا۔ حالیہ دنوں میں ہونے والی پیشرفت خاصی معنی خیز ہے۔
لاہور ہائی کورٹ کے چار اضافی ججوں کی مدتِ ملازمت میں توسیع کے پارلیمانی کمیٹی کے فیصلے، جس کی جوڈیشیل کمیشن نے منظوری دی تھی، کو سپریم کورٹ نے معطل کر دیا ۔ اس کی وجہ کیا ہے؟ پارلیمانی کمیٹی جوڈیشیل کمیشن کی سفارشات کو مسترد کرنے کی وجوہات بتانے کی پابند تھی۔ کیا یہ معطلی ضابطے کے مطابق ہے؟ اگر سپریم کورٹ پارلیمانی کمیٹی کے فیصلے کو چیلنج کرنے والی درخواست کو اتنی جلدی قبول نہ کرلیتی بلکہ اٹارنی جنرل کو ہدایت دیتی کہ پارلیمانی کمیٹی کے فیصلے کو مسترد کیے جانے کی قانونی وجوہات تلاش کرے تو کسی کو بھی اس معاملے پر کوئی تشویش نہ ہوتی۔ اس کی بجائے ایسا لگتا ہے کہ محاذآرائی کا اکھاڑہ سج گیا ہے کیونکہ اگر سپریم کورٹ پارلیمانی کمیٹی کا فیصلہ قبول نہیں کرتی تو اور کیا ہو گا؟ جوڈیشیل کمیشن کے ادارے،جس میں چیف جسٹس اور اُن کے رفقاء جج صاحبان کو بالادستی حاصل ہے، کا قانونی پہلو اور پارلیمانی کمیٹی جو مساوی تعداد میں حکومت اور اپوزیشن ممبران پر مشتمل ہے ، نے ایک غیر جانبدار عدلیہ اور خود مختار پارلیمنٹ کے تصور کو برقرار رکھنا ہے۔ لیکن اگر اب سپریم کورٹ پارلیمانی کمیٹی کے فیصلے کو مسترد کرتے ہوئے اپنا فیصلہ سنا دیتی ہے تو اٹھارہویں اور انیسویں ترامیم سب بے کار جائیں گی
اور سپریم کورٹ کے نقادوں کی رائے جو کہتے تھے کہ سپریم کورٹ غیر جانبداری نہیں بلکہ آزادی چاہتی ہے، درست محسوس ہوگی۔
اس کے علاوہ سرکاری افسران کی ریٹائرمنٹ کے بعد مدتِ ملازمت میں توسیع کا معاملہ ہے جس میں سپریم کورٹ آڑے آرہی ہے اور اس کا کہنا ہے کہ ایسی توسیع غیر قانونی ہے۔ اس نے بے شمار وفاقی اور صوبائی افسران کو معطل کردیا ہے اور اس طرح نوجوان افسران کے لیے راستہ ہموار کیا ہے جن کے کیرئیر سینئر افسران (جو اپنے عہدوں پر اپنی مہارت یا سفارش کی بنا براجمان تھے)کی وجہ سے ترقی نہ کر پا رہے تھے،کو اچھا موقع مل گیا ہے۔ ان افسران کے بارے میں کہا جاتا ہے کہ وہ اپنے سیاسی سرپرستوں کے لیے ناگزیر تھے اور یہ مہارت ظاہر ہے سپریم کورٹ کو ایک آنکھ نہیں بھاتی ہے۔یہ سب بہت خوب مگر اس سے ایک اور تنازع پیدا ہو گیا ہے ۔سوال یہ کیا جاتا ہے کہ یہی پیمانہ سپریم کورٹ کے اپنے گھر میں مستعمل کیوں نہیں ہے اور فاضل عدالت ایڈہاک ازم کے تحت جسٹس خلیل الرحمن رمدے اور رحمت حسین جعفری کے لیے دوسری مرتبہ توسیع کی کیوں طالب ہے؟ اس میں کوئی شک نہیں ہے کہ جناب جسٹس رمدے موجودہ چیف جسٹس آف پاکستان کے دست راست ہیں اور کئی ایک مشہور فیصلوں میں شریک ہیں لیکن جیسا کہ سپریم کورٹ بار ایسوسی ایشن کا کہنا ہے کہ اب وقت آگیا ہے کہ ایڈہاک ازم ،دہرے معیار اور افراد کو نوازنے ، چاہے وہ کتنے ہی ناگزیر کیوں نہ ہوں، کا کلچر ختم کیا جائے اور سرکاری اداروں ، خاص طور پر عدلیہ کو اس سے مبرا ہونا چاہیے اور اس کے فیصلوں اور معاملات میں بے لچک انصاف نظر آنا چاہیے۔ ناقدین کا کہنا ہے کہ اگر سپریم کورٹ پر نااہل حکومت اور اربابِ اختیار کی بدعنوانی کی وجہ سے لیے گئے سو موٹو نوٹس کی وجہ سے کام کا بوجھ بڑھ گیا ہے تو اس کا مناسب حل یہ ہے کہ قانون میں ترمیم کر کے سپریم کورٹ کے ججوں کی تعداد سترہ سے انیس یا بیس یا جتنی بھی چاہتے ہیں مقرر کر لیں۔اٹھارہویں ترمیم میں ججوں کی تقرری پر سپریم کورٹ کے تحفظات کو انیسویں ترمیم نے ختم کر دیا ہے۔ اگرسپریم کورٹ میں ججوں کی تعداد کوئی مسئلہ ہے تو اسے مناسب وقت پر مناسب فورم کے سامنے اٹھایا جائے ، بجائے اس کے کہ محاذ آرائی سے بچاؤ کرتی پارلیمنٹ پر اس طرح ایڈہاک ازم مسلط کیا جائے۔ چنانچہ یہ پوچھنا بے محل نہ ہوگا کہ اعلیٰ عدلیہ مدتِ ملازمت میں توسیع نہ کرنے کے اصول پر خود عمل کیوں نہیں کرتی؟ مزید یہ کہ یہی اصول فوج پر لاگو کیوں نہیں ہوتا جہاں آرمی چیف جنرل اشفاق کیانی، ڈی جی آئی ایس آئی جنرل احمد شجاع پاشا اور ڈیفنس سیکریٹری جنرل سید اطہر علی
سب نے مدتِ ملازمت میں توسیع لی ہے۔
سپریم کورٹ کا ایک اور متنازع فیصلہ نام نہاد پی سی او جج صاحبان کے بارے میں ہے جنہوں نے نومبر2007ء کو حلف اٹھایا اور تین نومبر2007ء کو چیف جسٹس جناب افتخار محمد چوہدری اور چھ اور جج، جنہوں نے جنرل پرویز مشرف کے دوسرے شب خون کو کالعدم قرار دیا تھا، کے فیصلے کی خلاف ورزی کی۔ یہ جج صاحبان اب توہین عدالت کے کیس کا سامنا کر رہے ہیں کیوں کہ اُنہوں نے سات رکنی بنچ کی خلاف ورزی کرتے ہوئے نئے پی سی او کے تحت حلف اٹھایا تھا۔ یہ معاملہ کئی ایک پر زور وجوہ کی بنیاد پر متنازع ہے۔ تین نومبر کے فیصلے کی خلاف ورزی کے مرتکب اُس وقت کے کور کمانڈر اور موجودہ آرمی چیف بھی ہیں۔ اُن کی قسمت کا فیصلہ وقت کی زنبیل میں لپیٹ کر رکھ دیا گیا ہے اور پھر ایک اور غیر معمولی”شوکاز نوٹس“ سپریم کورٹ کے چار جج صاحبان کو جناب جسٹس جہانزیب کی طرف سے جاری کیا گیا ہے اور ان چار میں سے ایک جج پشاور ہائی کورٹ کے ہیں جن کا کہنا ہے کہ پشاور ہائی کورٹ سپریم کورٹ کی تادیبی کارروائی سے بالاتر ہے۔ سپریم کورٹ نے تیزی سے ردِعمل ظاہر کرتے ہوئے یہ فیصلہ دیا کہ معزول شدہ ججوں کے فیصلے کالعدم ہیں مگر تب تک کافی دیر ہو چکی تھی۔ جج بمقابلہ جج! کیا یہ عدلیہ کی توہین نہیں ہے؟
آخر میں یہ نہیں بھولنا چاہیے کہ موجودہ سپریم کورٹ کی اساس ایک پٹیشن پر موقوف ہے جو اٹھارہویں ترمیم سے متحارب ہے۔ اگرچہ اس پٹیشن کو انیسویں ترمیم میں چیلنچ نہیں کیا گیا ہے۔ اس معمے کا آخر کیا مطلب ہے؟ یہ پٹیشن مستعمل کیوں نہیں ہے جب کہ اس میں اٹھارہویں ترمیم میں ججوں کی تقرری پر سوال اٹھایا گیا اور اُس کو انیسویں ترمیم کے ذریعے حل کر لیا گیا۔ ان تمام متنازع معاملات کی موجودگی میں ناقدین یہ کہنے پر مجبور ہیں کہ سپریم کورٹ آزادی نہیں بلکہ علیحدگی کے راستے پر گامزن ہے۔ اگر ان معاملات سے صرف نظر کیا جاتا ہے اور این آر او اور پی پی پی بالعموم اور آصف علی زرداری کو بالخصوص نشانہ بنایا جاتا ہے تو ہم یہ برملا کہہ سکتے ہیں کہ سپریم کورٹ معاملات کو درست کرنے کی آڑ میں سیاسی مداخلت کی مرتکب ہو رہی ہے۔ لیکن یہ تو وقت ہی بتائے گا کہ یہ معاملات درست کرتی ہے یا پھر ناقابلِ تلافی نقصان کرتی ہے۔
Jang, 24 Feb 2011
Transcript of the conversation before the show goes off air (Part 4):
جیو نیوز کے پروگرام ”آپس کی بات“
نجم سیٹھی کی میڈیا اور عدلیہ کے حوالے سے گفتگو
22-02-11، رات گیارہ بجے
منیب فاروق …. ایک آخری سوال تھا سیٹھی صاحب ، یہ جو سیاسی عدم استحکام کے حوالے سے ہم بات کررہے تھے کہ میڈیا اس وقت کیا کررہا ہے، کتنا رول پلے کررہا ہے، بہتری کی طرف کچھ کررہا ہے یا صورتحال کو مزید بگاڑ رہا ہے؟۔
نجم سیٹھی …. یار یہ تو گھر والی بات کردی تم نے، اب میں کیا کہوں اس پر، دیکھئے! جمہوریت میں میڈیا ایک پوزیٹیو رول ادا کرتا ہے اور ہمارا میڈیا بھی جنرلی پوزیٹیو رول ادا کررہا ہے مگر میڈیا کے اندر ہمیشہ اس قسم کی ٹینڈینسیز بھی ہوتی ہیں کہ وہ غیر ذمہ داری کے ساتھ کارروائی کرتا ہے اور آج کل سچویشن یہ ہے کہ کیونکہ میڈیا اور جوڈیشری بڑے قریب ہو چکے ہیں، جوڈیشری میڈیا کو پروٹیکٹ کررہی ہے اور میڈیا جوڈیشری کو پروٹیکٹ کررہا ہے اور یہ دیکھتے نہیں ہیں کہ ایشو کیا ہے یا کیا نہیں ہے، آنکھیں بند کرکے ایک دوسرے کو سپورٹ کررہے ہیں، بُری بات نہیں ہے اچھی بات ہے مگر ساتھ ساتھ یہ آنکھیں بند کرنے والی بات مناسب نہیں ہے۔ دونوں کو سوچ سمجھ کر چلنا چاہیئے، یہ نا ہو کہ نقصان میڈیا اور جوڈیشری کا ہو جائے، اگر اتنی غیر متوازن کیفیت پیداکردی گئی جوڈیشری نے اور میڈیا نے، دیکھیے! میڈیا میں آپ ہر روز کہانیاں پڑھتے ہیں، اتنی کرپشن اتنا یہ، میں کہتا ہوں جہاں دھواں ہو وہاں اس کا مطلب ہے کچھ آگ تھی یا آگ ہے تو جہاں آگ ہے وہاں دھواں ہے تو دھواں تو ہے اس میں کوئی شک نہیں ہے اور ہر روز کہانیاں آپ سنتے ہیں، مگر میں دیکھتا ہوں جب بھی میں یہ کہانیاں۔
(اس کے بعد نشریات اچانک منقطع کردی گئی، اور وقفہ کے بعد دوبارہ دوسرے موضوع پر بات کی گئی)
Watch how the Jang Group and PFUJ Betrayed Umar Cheema
Journalism for people or for self-interests – Part – 1 (Apna Gareban Matiullah Jan DAWNNEWS) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EivlUJkIKQ
Journalism for people or for self-interests – Part – 2 (Apna Gareban Matiullah Jan DAWNNEWS) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbmGb6cTDAc&feature=related
Journalism for people or for self-interests – Part – 3 (Apna Gareban Matiullah Jan DAWNNEWS) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdTQXbpKP-Q&feature=related
Journalism for people or for self-interests – Part – 4 (Apna Gareban Matiullah Jan DAWNNEWS) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbj3LNhzhFQ&feature=related
Journalism for people or for self-interests – Part – 5 (Apna Gareban Matiullah Jan DAWNNEWS) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Xms8g1cAXc&feature=related
Najam sethi talk about judiciary’s political games in his column in Jang today.The economist megazine also in article on 10th feb wrote about political activities of judiciary. its not a judiciary any more ,it acting like a political party affiliated with PML(N).
Cheif justice feeling insecure without Justice Ramday , thats why he wants him in SC by all means. He needs Ramday to fulfill his political ambitions. Every one knows about Ramday family’s storng links with PML(N)
Dont understand your grudge with Najam. He is the ONLY one in the local electronic media who ready to talk sense.
So I wonder why a post about Geo chopping off its own host would begin with a tirade against Najam??
If Geo is cencoring him, then it mean he is saying soething right.
And strange that one of the comments quotes NFP tweets. For your info he is one of Najam’s biggest fans and the first one to make a hue and cry about the issue of him being cut off by Geo.
Also, NFP and Cafe Pyala have been asking people to watch Najam’s show. So I did and was impressed.
Are Court Reporters Impartial – Part – 1 (Apna Gareban Matiullah Jan DAWNNEWS) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_FooDuR7xs
Are Court Reporters Impartial – Part – 2 (Apna Gareban Matiullah Jan DAWNNEWS) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20gCIcVGVUg&feature=related
Are Court Reporters Impartial – Part – 3 (Apna Gareban Matiullah Jan DAWNNEWS) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q50L87plP-I&feature=related
Are Court Reporters Impartial – Part – 4 (Apna Gareban Matiullah Jan DAWNNEWS) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJxpA3ATjgQ
Are Court Reporters Impartial – Part – 5 (Apna Gareban Matiullah Jan DAWNNEWS) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GgE7XQR-xI&feature=related
Chief Justice Pakistan’s son Dr Arsalan with Kamran Khan on GEO TV (2007) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8P-VmGvEuc
The very same Najam Sethi while in Dunya TV:)
Hamid Mir & lying journalists exposed by Najam Sethi – Part – 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YG2JQJbl1M
Hamid Mir & lying journalists exposed by Najam Sethi – Part – 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wjt7WGHmbHM&feature=related
Hamid Mir & lying journalists exposed by Najam Sethi – Part – 3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCUfFNCZhqM&feature=related
Journalist-Judiciary Axis rather axis of evil
Jang Group & GEO TV VS Lawyers & Lawyers Movement – 1 (Aaj TV 15 Feb 2011) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNJXOeqkZU4
Jang Group & GEO TV VS Lawyers & Lawyers Movement – 2 (Aaj TV 15 Feb 2011) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ei3A2T2ZvJ4&feature=related
SCBA against reappointment of adhoc judges (Express Tribune) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYa8yTSmlpE&feature=related
Will Najam Sethi resign and leave Geo over this censorship? He had issues that Shaheed Salmaan Taseer was influencing Daily Times editorial policy. We dont know about this, but this is height of blatant censorship
This is ghatia pan of the highest order by the Jang Group. Was the editor of the program none other than that fasid Ansar Abbasi.
@YA Tauqeer,
I as a person like Najam Sethi that he is apparently a lesser evil, but the point is that by associating with a group which is out there to make the whole country into a right wing bastion of mindless people, why is Mr. Sethi giving himself a bad name?
That means there is nothing ideological about him and that he is possibly looking for either money and/or popularity. That is the whole point.
Will he resign from Geo as whatever Advisor he is there as? Why is he giving cover to all those mindless nuts like Abbasi, Kamran, Mir, Shaheen Sehbai etc. They are known as PPP haters so no issue, but Najam Sethi is in bed with the enemy
Rehmat Shah Afridi Exposes Nawaz Sharif – Part – 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jbsrqb7mj6E
Rehmat Shah Afridi Exposes Nawaz Sharif – Part – 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RyPTBEzEv18
Rehmat Shah Afridi Exposes Nawaz Sharif – Part – 3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkRwCA4DjSU
Rehmat Shah Afridi Exposes Nawaz Sharif – Part – 4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2L-K1DOJB4k
Sharif Brothers, Brigadier Niaz, Musharraf and Saudi Arabia http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzxkBZQlPlw
Rare Audio of Shahbaz Sharif with BBC
NRO: Nawaz Sharif, Judiciary & Charter of Democracy – Part 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKlDuqCRX-c
Najam sethi wrote column in Jang today against judiciary and defended President Zardari.i think sethi is a balanced journalist. Its good if he is with Jang group and not toeing their line and giving independent views.we should appreciate that. He is a friend of president Zardari and never said anything bad about president.He wrote good column in jang today.
@ nasir, it seems u have missed his programmes at dunya tv where he said that he never considered benazir bhutto a leader. acc. 2 him ,she had no vision.and i dont think he is a friend of mr.zardari. however, i do agree that he is better than most of the present lot of self-proclaimed journalists. atleast, he has the guts 2 criticise da dubious role of media and judiciary and their nexsus in destablising the democratic government
the less said about geo and jang group,the better. there was a ”breaking news” on ‘dawn tv” around 7:30 pm that ISI siyasi cell’is re-activated .its reported that meetings were held with imran khan , yousuf talpur and ameen faheem. can the blog shed some light on this issue 2? it seems that the platform is being set 4 mian sahab’s ‘ dama dum mast qalandar’. however , if things turn ugly then acc 2 najam sethi, 2 year interim govt.would replace the present set up with the help of the present judiciary
Believe it or Not.
Media, Military, Mulla, Bureaucracy, Judiciary and all of the Inner circles of Pakistan’s establishment have realized that Pakistan is no more governable.
A state, with all the possible experiments, could not win the status of worth living place, within 63 years, is not going to survive anymore.
All of the above mentioned Institutions are struggling
for creating a situation to wind up the game of Pakistan-Pakistan.
i saw what geo did that night. pathetic. but why is najam quiet?
seriously, kya baney ga geo ka?
Geo ka kuch nahee banay ga. Najam Sethi pagal ho jaye ga
English translation of the transcript:
Muneeb Farooq: One last question I have Mr. Sethi, while discussing the situation caused by political instability, what is the media doing nowadays? What role is it playing…is it towards the betterment or making it difficult?
Najam Sethi: my friend, you are now talking about our home affairs (media being their home). Now what should I say about it! See, in democracy media plays a positive role and the role being played by the media is generally positive but (unfortunately) media also has those tendencies that makes it irresponsible and these days, the situation is as such….because Media and Judiciary have become very close. Judiciary is protecting the media and media is protecting the judiciary. They are not looking at the merit of an issue but blindly are supporting each other. It is not a bad thing, it’s a good thing but blindly supporting each other is not just. Both (Media and Judiciairy) should think before they act as a situation may arise that they suffer because of it if such an imbalance is created. Look, you are reading daily in media about the height of corruption, this and that…I agree that where there is smoke there’s fire…there is no doubt about it and we hear the stories daily, but when I see that whenever these stories…..
At this point, the program was abruptly stopped with the Geo Jingle.
i think we should not react to every criticism from some one on ppp govt. we should only highlight and expose those who only criticize ppp all the time. i saw Najam sethi severly criticized PML(N). He did very hostile interview of Shahbaz sharif few months back.he asked so many harsh questions from Shahbaz sharif about his wealth and put Shahbaz sharif on defensive.Few days back on Geo he asked questions about overseas assets and properties of sharif family. we should not start fight with everyone.we should welcome positive criticizm.
I have serious reservations about any anchor who is harsh in his/her criticism of politicians and is very calculative or soft in his/her criticism of the GHQ if at all.
Sethi sahib’s ugly role during 1996 (establishment’s plot to overthrow BB’s government) is hard to ignore. http://criticalppp.com/archives/40420
NFP’s latest Tweets:
“”Raymond Davis is actually Elvis. He’s alive!””
😀
“”A DawnNews reporter to me: “Nadeem bhai, I am getting out. This place is now crawling with Jamaaties. It’s become a mini-Geo.” Kar lo gal.””
“” US Govt provides $175m for Waziristan development. Yup, they keep paying and we keep bitching. Kya issi koh ghairat khatey hein? “”
Always love his articles, now he’s taken tweetland by storm.
Btw, must read his latest piece in dawn about the four ppp jiyalas who set themselves on fire in 1978.
http://blog.dawn.com/2011/02/23/dancing-with-fire/
This episode is unfortunate. But it becomes doubly tragic because it apparently took place on Geo, which is not only Pakistan’s largest TV Platform but also a market leader in terms of ideas. Geo has tried standing for “freedom of expression” or the impression is that it does. But this incident sends the message that “freedom of expression” is only to attack the government or the interests that at any time are positioned against the Network or its “owners” –
It’s only fair that we demand that Geo should investigate & clarify what happened? This will be the first corrective step otherwise it will become a ‘norm’ and another step down in a long sequence of erosion of Pakistani media –
Moeed Pirzada
——–
Moeed may be the incident is accidental. But if not, then we would
request participants of that program or any insider to elaborate on
it. Because this would help the researchers and observers to
understand the patterns of censorship in private media. When the first
speech of Quaid-i-Azam was censored in 1947, journalists at that time
rightly raised the incident as an issue. Today we know that who were
the real people behind it because that incident is well-documented. So
should we do it onward to make the record clear by putting such things
to writings or make it part of a larger debate for our memories to
remember it for long.
Syed Irfan Ashraf
Peshawar
——
Thats where South Aisa Media Commission needs to come in – a body formed under SAFMA which has Pakistan chapter as well and Najam Sethi was its first president. Mr. Imtiaz Alam being the DG of SAMA can take this forward as all eminent journalists have been engaging with this forum. South Asia Media Monitor with Pakistan Chapter is another annual feature and the Commission as formed in Pakistan has clear mandate among the journalistic body to purse such episodes.
Fauzia Yazdani
@Tauqeer, I have no “grudge” against Najam; don’t know him and I what “tirade” are you referring to. Strawmanning is hardly the effective way to counter something.
@Nasir, no one is above criticism and which includes PPP government and its ministers. Najam does talk far more sense than many of our other media but he also seems to fall for the anti-politician narrative where the criticism against certain politicians (invariably PPP) is hard and many times, unwarranted and where the approach to the army is very soft. In that regard, it was troubling to see the chummy camaraderie between Najam and Pervaiz Musharraf when the latter had done his coup. I and others have the right to critisize Najam on that count. However, that is clearly not the thrust of this article.
Where is media in pakistan. I think your talking about mafia.