Made to order media

November 25, 2008
Anjum Niaz

He’s a doctor by career but a journalist by profession. How convenient is that! Yet, the maverick who rose to dizzying heights just in a span of eight short years is left licking his wounds. Marey Mutabik fallen hero, Dr Shahid Masood has finally admitted to Iftikhar Ahmad of Jawab

Deyh that the might of the state (read establishment) is stronger than all his VVIP contacts put together. He is said to have damning proof on matters most sensitive (too hot to write here), still he’s been shown the door at the PTV. The surgeon-turned-media darling got chummy with Benazir Bhutto, Nawaz Sharif, and Pervez Musharraf; chatted up retired and serving generals for kiss-and-tell stories; interviewed anyone he so chose to grill and eventually landed as the czar of Pakistan Television, despite not wanting to take the job but took it at the insistence of Asif Ali Zardari!

Opinion slinger Doc Masood got cagey and constrained when goaded by Iftikhar Ahmad to name the people hounding him. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the world of namelessness and anonymity. If maverick Masood is running like a scared chicken, God help the rest of his tribe. Anyone wanting to do a sizzler must set it aside to cool and wait for power horses to disintegrate before making it public. We live in hypocritical times – can’t mention the ethnic party that arm-twists the media from time to time; can’t openly write the reasons why the so-called ‘Friends of Pakistan’ are unwilling to give us money; can’t demand from our leaders as to how much money they have stashed away abroad; and most importantly where did that money come from?

The Sharifs today form an open season for media to hunt. Nethermost was their treatment of the media when in power. Saifur Rahman, trained by Nawaz Sharif was his attack dog. Rottweiler Rahman would pick up the phone and bark his threats. The measly-mouthed man meant what he said. We know of editors and reporters mauled by his intelligence agencies. That was the era of the white tinted-glass Toyota Corolla chasing you on Islamabad streets. However, lifafa journalism was thriving. Media men, who got their sons stuffed in lucrative posts like the FIA and other money-making jobs, or got fat on state largesse doled out by the Sharifs, today continue to be ace columnists and TV gurus. They are bounty hunters looking for new booty from anyone who will bite. Some of them have already wormed their way to cushy jobs in the media.

While the Pakistani press has to watch its backside and write in riddles confusing their readers even more, the foreign press is up and gunning for the present rulers. It writes without fear or favour.

Op-ed columnist for The New York Times, Nicholas Kristof is in Pakistan. He’s the same journalist who would at any opportunity use very harsh language against Musharraf – though the latter remained mum and never responded. Now Kristof has criticized Zardari by writing that the president “seems overwhelmed by the challenges and locked in the past. Incredibly, he has just chosen for his new cabinet two men who would fit fine in a Taliban government.”

The two men of course are none other than Israrullah Zehri and Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani. They are now gaining international notoriety. Personally, if Pakistanis think that Zardari can charm Obama into stopping predator attacks, I have news for the pinheads. The US has put into Afghanistan, airplanes called ‘Reapers’ which are far deadlier than the predators and are operated by pilots sitting in a place 60 miles outside Las Vegas, Sin City! More of the ‘Reapers’ another time, meanwhile our two gentlemen ‘Reapers’ are pulling Zardari down but who dare expose them armed with facts that have been sealed?

“If you can’t annoy somebody, there’s little point in writing,” said Sir Kingsley Amis, the literary critic. Great advice, but those who follow it require nerves made of steel; not nervous neurons. The media in Pakistan is free. That may be so, but the men and women tasked with reporting/writing/ analyzing often find themselves between a rock and a hard place. The power brokers of today are a jumpy tribe: be they the Maulana Fazlur Rehman of diesel notoriety or battle axes Fauzia Wahab and Firdous Ashiq Awan of the PPP; be they the sweet and sour Rehman Malik or master planner Salman Farooqi; be they the upwardly mobile Ambassador Haqqani or the PM’s press secretary Zahid Bashir. Granted that the PPP government has always had the best track record for tolerance, letting you chip away at its character; still there are individuals out there today waiting to catch you if you dare name them.

Red flags on their computers go up the minute their names are mentioned in the press. They pick up the phone and dial you. You’re surprised at their alacrity. It takes a moment to register what the phone call is all about. You’re even more surprised as to how they have the time to comb through the stack of newspapers looking for their mention. Ah, I get it! They are masters at ‘Boolean search.’ Boolean, my friends, is an application for searching the contents of plain text, rich text, HTML formatted text, MS Word, PDF and just about anything on the Internet.

These ‘good folks’ either make you feel like a heel or praise you to the skies, depending on what you have written on them. Oftentimes you land in their ‘dog house’ for revealing facts that they would prefer to remain dead. Instead of getting their official minions to respond to the ‘letters column’ in the newspaper where you have dared to expose them, they prefer to pick up the phone and call you direct. Recently in one of my columns I mentioned Ambassador Haqqani and promptly got a stinker from one of his sympathizers (whom I shall not name because I hold him in esteem) ticking me off. The Washingtonian put me to shame by telling me what a great job the ambassador was doing and asked why he was mentioned by me. Quite right! Even Shahid Masood avoided naming Haqqani in Jawab Deyh in connection with some matter involving Benazir Bhutto.

The funny thing is while all these hawks watch their turf, nobody is watching out for the president and the prime minister – two men drawing the most criticism. Perhaps the two are invincible. And now that the ISI has disbanded its political wing, no one is keeping count of all the wrong being committed to be used as reasons for a coup. If the photos are a giveaway to the shape of things to come, then notice the beret-wearing General Kayani sitting or standing with hands folded and a shoulder stoop in presence of these two ‘democratically elected’ ironmen of Pakistan.

One PPP media magnate turned jiyala who is afraid of neither the media nor the establishment is Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer. In these cloudy times when ambiguity, equivocation and indefiniteness are practiced by power brokers and the media alike, Taseer’s words are refreshing. Whether you agree with him or not is another matter but at least he’s up front and spunky towards the Sharifs.

The letter writer guv is the Sharifs’ bete noire – appointed by Zardari presumably to give them a run for their money. “Twenty-six departments are without ministers, including health and education,” Taseer tells me. “Dengue fever is ravaging Punjab, but the chief minister won’t appoint a health minister – why?” He daily throws the Constitution at Shahbaz Sharif’s face by quoting relevant passages. In a letter dated November 15, he reminds the chief minister unequivocally that he and not the chief minister is “the executive authority of the province”.

He accuses the CM for being the “de facto minister in charge” of these 24 departments which are being “run by bureaucrats taking orders directly from the chief minister.”

The best defence the CM can put up is to get his law minister to unfurl a dossier allegedly prepared by the Pervez Rashid brigade of dirty tricks. It has photos of Taseer’s kids taken off their ‘Facebook’ pages. The law minister is seen raving and ranting about indecent things happening in the Governor’s House. “The PML-N has already transferred around 3,000 officials who are being made to play musical chairs. When I tell them (the Brothers Sharif) that Punjab is not their hip pocket they begin to hit me below the belt by waving these photos.”

Governor Taseer may be a loudmouth, a bully, a Sharif tormenter, but what he is not is an insecure person. “I am here at the pleasure of the president. I will leave only if he dismisses me via a notification.” And he knows that that is unlikely.

Email: aniaz@fas.harvard.edu

Some Comments:

Hameed Chaudhry Says:
November 24th, 2008 at 5:07 pm
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Assalam-o-Alaikum,

First of all thanks @ admn. pkpolitics, to download this interesting program on the website for your regular viewers.

Iftikhar Ahmed, done a good job interviewed with wounderful prepration and lots of personal and professional background knowledge collection of one of the most popular tv anchor ever produced by Pakistani electronic media.

Dr.Shahid Masood’s was very helpless infront of Iftikhar Ahmed in Jawab Dey which is very normal because of his wrong doings he committed in last few months.

Dr.Shahid Masood, failed to clear himself in so many issues raised by the host anchor and people need clarifications from him in some other shows.

01. Being a refugee claimant in United Kingdom, how come he get permission to visit Iraq during the war time.

02. Why British Government provided him travel document of U.K. which he was not entitled in any means by profession.

03. Thousands of Pakistani families in all over world have obtain political asylum on different affiliations and its under standable in some sence, why Iftikhar Ahmed ask so many questions but did not establish any thing after that …. some thing was sencensored from that part of the show otherwise what was the use of that ???

04. Telephone conversation with Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Sahiba regarding security threat is not clear, he was hiding some important thing which he afraid to tell.

05. Perposely involving Gen.(Retd.)Hamid Gul in the assasination attempt / plot, need clarification in a tv program when they both sit infront of same anchor Iftikhar Ahmed.

06. How come a same person, could be an acceptable middle man for all individuals on different ocassions. Benazir Bhutto, Pervez Musharraf, Nawaz Sharif, Establishment and lateron Asif Ali Zardari.

07. I failed to understand his position, he was playing the tricky language to twist the real meanings …. I am very much doubtful on his professional capability which can demage the entire political setup if he get paid he asked for ….

08. He loose the faith and credibility as far as I am conserned, even though I was a great great fan of Dr. Shahid Masood from the day he deliver a wounderful program for Mohsan-e- Pakistan Dr.Abdul Qadir Khan. For that one program in which he praised Dr.Qadir Khan I still can start respecting him same like before if he comes on the tv and speak truth with the people of Pakistan and say sorry to all his fans and start his new life from scratch.

09. Millions of rupee and dollars are nothing if you have no respect from your viewers Dr. Shahid Masood, have you noticed where were you stand when you were a tv anchor and where you stand today when you are designated Advisor to Prime Minister.

10. Please speakup, if you really know some thing about assasination of Benazir Bhutto.
Never take so much time to speak the truth, some time a little error of time can take your life to keep you shut for ever.

In the end, I may request all the viewers of pkpolitics to use soft words for Dr. Shahid Masood even though you show your anger you have for him…

Democrat2007 Says:
November 24th, 2008 at 4:54 pm
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Can Iftikhar and geo interview other journalists in the same way and make them answer questions about their background?
Or is this treatment only reserved for Shahid Masood because he left geo TV?

I’m not saying that Shahid Masood looks totally clean, but isn’t it strange that our journalists never expose the black sheep within their midst, but only Shahid Masood has been given this tough grilling?

Hassaan Bin Haider Says:
November 24th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
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I feel like crying after listening to this. I was really inspired by his guts and his patriotism. But now i realised that he is a chicken just like the rest, he cares about his own survival and not what is good for Pakistan. This bloddy guy does even realize the power of people and the amount of respect he had. he does not realize that “Sheer ki zindagi ka aik din geedar ki soo sala zindagi se behter hai”…if he would have died while living like a lion then he would have lived forever in people but now he has become a symbol of traitory, lies and cowardice.

People like him are hollow from inside, but at the time of action, they are the first one to run away. I have to say that he is even worst than zardari.

srau Says:
November 24th, 2008 at 3:38 pm
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just feel so sad after watching this programme…..woh kia shair hai…sab nangay hain iss hamam main!dnt know who to trust…used to think the politicians are big liars but now it feels like away ka awa hi bigra hoa hai….kia politician,kia journalist aur kia govt servants…iss mulk nay kaisay chalna hai jab corruption is what this society thrives on…..jiss ko moqah milta hai paisay lotta hai aur jiss ko nahin milta honesty ka parchaar karta hai….yahan kuch nahin badlay ga…..this country needs revolution…nothing short can solve its problems…

Muhammad Usman Says:
November 24th, 2008 at 2:53 pm
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shahid masood

You are a looser.

Your are trying to make fool again. yOU are not even a surgeon. what is primary frcs. YO u fool this is just part 1 eamination. How can you call even asurgeon. You have not passed final eamination.

You have adubious character.
All media groups should discard him

shame on you.

Shahid masoodYou had no answer , no clue . What were you talking.You neeed to go through soul searching and catharsis.Feel shame and apoligize to people for your psudo image

shimatoree Says:
November 24th, 2008 at 1:20 pm
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After watching this interview – I am left with a feeling of having watched 2 mediocre people who happen to be a position of ” power” as being on television.

Iftikhar failed because he indulged in sensationalism and Dr. Masood failed because rather being direct and forthright-he acted more like a diplomate.

But Iftikhar did make a very profound comment which seemed to have escaped Dr. Masood’s attention in this whole strange affair and that is the adulation that the viewers had of Dr. Shahid Masood was shattered and no matter what Hsahid Masood does from now on- he can NEVER regain THAT- but in this regards he hasa good company.

Musharraf who wasa held in high regards by the people of Pakistan when he came to power and he turned out to be a complete disappointment;

Zardari- about whom everyone had doubts and he has confirmed those doubts;

And of course soon to join this company of no bodies – NAWAZ SHAREEF from whom people had great expectations and is turning out to be a disappointment.

I suppose the word DISAPPOINTMENT should become the national slogan of Pakistan !

faraz Says:
November 24th, 2008 at 1:02 pm
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Dr. sb I am sorry I written u sb u dont deserve this, the right word is chamch. Now you HAVE ONLY ONE PATH TO GET RESPECT, IF YOU JOIN IMRAN KHAN.

If IMRAN KHAN TAKES YOU IN HIS PARTY. otherwise you are nothing now, we all know the fact that you was with a GHANDI party, your rottes were with biggest ghand. jahiloo ki party, chorro ki party. join imran khan.

…….

shaukatrana Says:
November 24th, 2008 at 8:18 pm
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I don’t buy the argument that he was trapped by PPP. Is he child? person u used to trap others how can be trapped?
I never knew how did he started life in London and in asylum doing job and having benefits from council……..Iftikhar exposed him very well since his asylum case to MD PTV????????????

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smiley Says:
November 25th, 2008
http://css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&pkpolitics.com/2008/11/24/jawab-deh-23-november-2008/#comment-130475

Dr.Shahid aur Aik Maan ( Mother) ki Kahani”

really it was an amazing interview by Iftikhar sahib.I like Jawab deyh programme, only because it gives us the opportunity to see the real faces of our corrupt leaders, politicians, army officers, establishment etc. But this time, it was an interesting episode of Jawabdeyh,As iftikhar ahmed invite a most famous anchor Shahid Masood,Whom i Know “VERY WELL”.

During the whole interview i was just thinking of ALLAH, who gave a chance to a ordinary man to establish himself, and later everything Finished in One WRONG Step only.I know Him personally.He was nothing, but a failed Doctor in Karachi.Everyone knows, that how he did his MBBS in Karachi, and what was his role during the Student strike.A lot of fellow students were expelled from the college, as he Bargained with Professors to “save himself”.

Importantly he is responsible for their DARK Future.But i am sure, he will NOT Admit his any SIN.

Now come to His personal Life as maybe someone criticised it, why i am going to mention his Personal Life.But it is Very important, as he is NOT an Ordinary Man. He is a person, who gave BHASHANS everyday to people.:: ” Apna Aur Apnay Irrd Gird Kay Logon Ka Khayal Rakhiay””” But iftikhar ahmed Avoid to question him about His Wife.Who is “Crying day and Night” from the Last many Years when he Kidnapped their Lovely daughter(she is Special Child, as she is “Disabled Child”

Just try to understand, How Cruel he is ?

Everybody have differences in their personal lives, but For GOD Sake, try to understand,is it correct for a DOCTOR,”Maseeha”(Aik aisa maseeha jo aik maan say aulad ko door kar day, yeh dukh aur azaab sirf aik maan ka hi nahi, aik bachhi ka bhi hay)

he traveled from karachi with innocent Child, and bring her into the UK.he applied for Asylum on Special grounds. Border and Immigration Authorities gave him the Asylum on special circumstances, as he pretend to be a Single Parent, and got the special allownces for the care of Child.He is lier.Uk immigration and asylum authorities gave him a 2 bed Room furnished house (rent 800£ per Month) and they allow 400 pounds for the care of child with Nurse facility.The people who lives in England, they can understand, how UK Govt.take care on Human rights and this kind of issues.He showed the documents to immigration authorities that, he is Not safe in Pakistan, because of threat from wife.On that grounds he got the asylum.But in his interview he was pretending that he was having threats from ethnic groups.
Later he visited medical colleges of ireland.but he failed in PLAB Test, which is necessary for doctors.its a kind of professional language test for doctors in england and wales.later he tried to get admission in other colleges, but there is No Proof at all, that he did any Degree course in the UK.He is having only one masters degree in LIE, betray,hypocricy.

Later he visited PPP office in london, and request for a office job.and they provided him a job with HQ permission.and at the same time, he wrote a letter to HQ against the same people who helped him.during the time in PPP office he got the WHOLE addresses,contact numbers of ppp high command.at the same time,after the death of Nazia Hassan,he approached ARY. and later he joined ARY, as they were planning to start transmission from UK.He was getting the salary from ARY, and UK Benefits Fraud department raided on ARY office, as they got the information, that he was getting the salary from ARY.he again betrayed the fraud office, but ARY decided to shift him to Dubai, as they were about to start transmission from Dubai.Dr.Shahid was a Bridge between ARY and Govt to release their passports and their names from Exit Control List.

Dr.Shahid did that Job successfully.and still he is doing the same kind of Jobs n NRO.ARY PPP and Dr.Shahid they are triangle.they have their own targets.they damn care about any ethics or Moralality.they just use these words to innocent people.
Nobody knows, how an asylum seeker ” Like ALTAF HUSSAIN” got a lavish life style in London and Dubai.Dr.Shahid Masood is still getting FUNDS from americans to run his firm “Dialogue”.Coming time will prove, how he will fulfill his revenge from innocent Paksitanis.

we always try to forgive our politicians,establishment& Army.But this time,we forget, Dr.Shahid masood is a man, who plays with Words.JAADOGAR hay lafzon ka”
“I AM A MOTHER,” aur aap sab jaantay hain, keh aik Maan aur aulad ka Rishta aur dard kaisa hota hay”

Dr.Shahid marry to another woman in Dubai, whom he introduced in all functions, but No body knows, About POOR MOTHER “””HUMAIRA SHAHID”””

…….

Who to believe? Everyone is Corrupt! Hain?

by Farhan on 25/11/08 at 10:23 pm

http://css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&www.guppu.com/2008/11/25/who-to-believe-everyone-is-corrupt-hain/

These are the recent three discoveries in the field of corruption. That’s right, one would never have thought that a very very senior journalist could be corrupt guy. I am referring to Dr. Shahid Masood. The first public critic came in August 08 when he wrote his article about Musharraf’s resignation, he stated that he shook hands with Musharraf, talked to him, and blah blah, whereas this claim was first disproved by SAMAA TV’s senior producer who wrote a letter to Daily Jang and explained that Dr. Shahid Masood in fact was not present in that hall. This was also disproved by the Musharraf’s spokesmen and this column was fictitious.

Dr. Shahid Masood was still in rumors that he may resign PTV and others, it all got cleared when Dr. Shahid Masood was brought into Jawab Deh by Iftikhar Ahmad in 23 Nov Episode. Dr. Shahid again made many claims and most of the them were also disproved later in Aaj Kamran Khan Kay Saath”.

Other false claims are:

1. “Dr. Ishrat ul Ibad was my class fellow”, Sources rejected the claim
2. “Dialogue(think tank) was self financed”, one of the attendee rejected the claim and reported that Dr. Shahid Masood paid all accommodation and travel expenses.

Ref: “Aaj Kamran Khan Kay Saath” November 24 Episode.

And the Dogar’s controversy?

Yeah, her daughter’s grade was raised from C to B, and she was awarded undue marks, just so that she could become eligible to apply in some reputed universities with the better grade. Imagine, the gentleman who is supposed to provide justice to the entire country, does such acts. And this is just one propagated exposed fact, we can very well imagine that what else facilities he has been enjoying. And the justice? who cares? huh?

Here’s what Ansar Abbasi reported in The News:

ISLAMABAD: In what could become a mass denial of rights of thousands of students throughout the country, the Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (FBISE) Islamabad has illegally awarded extra marks and upgraded the examination results of the daughter of the country’s top judge.

In indecent haste and under direct written orders of the chairman FBISE, relaxing and violating all rules and even some judgments of the Supreme Court, the FSc result of student Farah Hameed Dogar was jacked up from 640 marks in Grade ‘C’ to 661 marks in Grade ‘B’, thus making her eligible to apply for admission into any medical college in the country.

Documentary evidence available with The News, background interviews and on the record discussions with concerned officials of the FBISE establish that the Islamabad Board went out of its way in the case of Farah Hameed Dogar by fast forwarding the entire process of re-checking, re-assessing and even re-marking her examination papers to her advantage and superceding thousands of other candidates who had obtained marks between 642 and 660. [..]

And last but ofcourse not the least, Faisal Qureshi who used to be my inspiration. Thanks to Samad Khurram for opening my eyes. Below is the original note written by Samad Khurram

Apparently Faisal Qureshi – host of Ankahi – is going around the country doing tours trying to win support of the people and potraying himself as a hero.

Most people do not know about Faisal Qureshi’s role in stashing away the illegally acquired wealth of his uncles Salman Farooqii and Usman Farooqui.

When I asked him about this he simply removed me from his friends list ! Chowr ki daari main tinka !

Earlier at Bahria he had called the honorable Chief Justice a “monkey” and his wife was defending the government over missing people saying this is exactly what they should have done. No surprise. An independent judiciary will put an end to all his dramas!

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http://css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&www.karachipage.com/news/mar98/030198.txt

A previous FIA raid of the same lockers of BRR Modaraba in PECHS Society had proved futile as the jewelery then recovered turned out to be imitation. However, this time the stuff recovered by Ehtesab Bureau and FIA officials was genuine, claimed Deputy Director FIA Corporate Circle, Moazzam Jah. On an information linked with the haul of FEBCs from a Lahore branch of ANZ Grindlays Bank, FIA’s Karachi office raided the bungalow of Faisal Qureshi, a nephew of Usman Farooqi.

During Faisal’s interrogation and search of the bungalow in Defence Phase-II, the FIA found receipts and a locker key. Faisal informed the FIA that he had a locker each at ANZ Grindlays and BRR Modaraba and confessed that the locker at ANZ Grindlays was obtained on January 28 while the BRR Modaraba locker was secured on January 19.

He also confessed that his aunt Anisa Farooqi (wife of Usman Farooqi) had asked him to keep the FEBCs, gold, gold and diamond jewellery and wrist watches in his locker. In the light of this information, the FIA and Ehtesab Bureau officials drove Faisal to BRR Modaraba lockers and in the presence of SDM Ferozabad opened the locker bearing No SL 14 recovering costly jewellery and wrist watches.

The recovered stuff includes over a dozen costly gold wrist watches — mostly Rolex — three of them diamond studded, each estimated to cost Rs 1 million, 14 gold rings, 10 of them diamond studded, hundreds of gold bangles, diamond bracelet, a couple of diamond sets, gold chains and gem stones.

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Faisal Qureshi’s earlier software company was found involved in Credit Card fraud and he was arrested in 2003 (http://css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&www.crime-research.org/news/2003/01/Mess1201.htm)

No wonder he hates the CJ. Would he want to go to jail after all his money laundering is brought to task?

Guys! It’s getting dangerous now! Imagine, our politicians and government is corrupt, our judiciary is corrupt and now?? the journalists also?? And My humble request to the bloggers, Please Please Please stay sincere so that we dont get the this tag of “corruption”

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