Saleem Shehzad’s killing; Media: Wake up and smell the coffee!
This is the height of it. You find anyone who doesn’t tow the line of our “deep state” or becomes a potential threat to those linked with the “deep state” are not just beaten, but are killed. Syed Saleem Shehzad, a talented but “unaccomplished” journalist has been killed after abduction and torture. Why we say he was “unaccomplished” because he did not belong to Jang/The News, Dawn nor was part of the 20 who were briefed by the military post OBL operation.
Saleem Shehzad has been missing for the last few days and a number of friends and well wishers were fearing the worst for him. What was his crime? He was unearthing crimes of Al-Qaeda and Taliban and their links within the Deep State and the Military.
Apparently his last story called Al-Qaeda had warned of Pakistan strike is being touted as the straw that broke the camel’s back. According to Saleem’s report the attack on “PNS Mehran naval air station in Karachi on May 22 (was a result of) after talks failed between the navy and al-Qaeda over the release of naval officials arrested on suspicion of al-Qaeda links”. His report highlighted that the attack on PNS Mehran was not a reaction to the killing of OBL but as a result of “a reaction to massive internal crackdowns on al-Qaeda affiliates within the navy”. He also linked the three attacks on naval buses in Karachi as a prequel to the attack on PNS Mehran.
Cover of Syed Saleem Shehzad's book "Inside Al-Qaeda and the Taliban - Beyond Bin Laden and 9/11" - published by Pluto Books
However true Saleem’s story was, it was something for sure not liked by our “deep state”. Saleem was an easy target. He was not as well known unlike the Mirs, Abbasis, Khans, Hussains etc of Pakistan’s investigative journalism. He did not belong to the Jang Group, whose investigative journalists are fed information by the deep state and their henchmen on a regular basis. He was not just a journalist, but also an author of a book which was incidentally published on 20th May, 2011 only. His book is titled “Inside al-Qaeda and the Taliban: Beyond Bin Laden and 9/11” which is considered as a “version of the ‘war on terror’ that has never been told. It will fascinate anyone concerned with the strategy and tactics of the most controversial Islamic movements.”
In the video clip below, his interview begins from 2 minutes onwards. In his interview to The Real News, Saleem mentioned that post 9-11, a number of army officials retired from service to become part of Al-Qaeda’s extended network. He also talked about the links of Ilyas Kashmiri with retired army officials. He also indicated the links of the retired officials in protecting Osama Bin Laden in Abbottabad.
If you have to live in Pakistan, you have to abide by the rules set by the “Deep State”. I have been saying that our military and ISI will conduct one or a series of adventures thinking they’ll be able to redeem themselves. A senior columnist says “Yeh to ibtida-i-Ishq hai, agay dekh hota hai kya … this is the result of the thrashing around of a wounded beast”.
We can only pray for Saleem Shehzad’s departed soul with a hope that our mainstream media will be able to see through their masters who will eventually kill them also if they have to. The Mirs, Abbasis, Khans, Hussains etc of Pakistan’s investigative journalism must know that today you are on the side of the “Deep State”, tomorrow you may not be. This is the time for you to wake up first before you do your rants against the government’s failure to protect journalists.
Updated: Just like I mentioned earlier, the response by the “accomplished” journalists have been nothing but lukewarm to Saleem Shahzad’s killing. Look at how Jang covers it on their front page. It’s somewhere in the bottom with three small news.
On the other hand, the top of the page news is a yet another statement of Anti-Christ of Pakistan, Iftikhar Chaudhry. The main headline is the appointment of a 5 member commission to investigate the Abbottabad Saniha!!! Yesterday, Ghalat Hussain had Kashif Abbasi and Absar Alam on his show. The matter discussed was the abduction of Saleem Shahzad. Surprisingly, a note was playing on the bottom of the screen that this program was recorded before the killing of Saleem Shehzad.
This just goes to show the priorities of the ISI backed ghairat brigade mafia in the media. On the other hand, if it was something damning towards the government, Ghalat Hussain would have done a live show for 4 hours and given us a dose of his rants.
Well Said Ahmed!
That is definitely the case.. These are tactics to kill off discourse on accountability of Faujis.
Saleem Shehzad’s work itself shall now be accessed by many.
Criminal Zardari mafia is directly responsible for such henious crimes. Murderer Zardari can not tolerate people like Saleem Shahzad.
Moderates & intellectuals of Pakistan have to perform radical surgery on this cancer. The very existence of Pakistan as a peaceful modern society is at stake. Silence of “wise men & women” is the curse. Wake up!!
Perfectly stated, Ahmed!! Syed Saleem Shehzad, another brave and fearless journalist, the victim of “deep state” cowardice. Keep up the brave work, Ahmed, you guys are all an inspiration.
@DrTahir,
This is no time to play mindless games with others. We are all under threat. Please mind your words.
@Rusty,
The beast is getting desperate by the day. You tow their line or you are towed by palbearers!
Our media will neevr learn. Yeh apni hee jarayn khokhli kar rahay hayn
So sad. Another courageous man bites the dust.
Only some one living in wonderland can dream up such far fetched controversy theories. Publication of such fantasies based on mere conjecturing proves that Mr Ahmed Iqbalabadi ought to be writing scripts for Holly wood movies in which imagination can be stretched like rubber band. He has a talent for writing potential block busters.
Kia FArmatay HAin is maslay kay beach Chief saheb ? and Pakistani media and co . be naqab karay n a is qatal ko ?
Pakistan spy agency faces more heat after reporter’s killing
(Reuters) – Speculation that Pakistan’s military spy agency had a hand in the death of a prominent journalist has further discredited the organisation already facing one of its worst crises after the killing of Osama bin Laden on Pakistani soil.
Saleem Shahzad, who worked for Hong-Kong based Asia Times Online and Italian news agency Adnkronos International, disappeared from Islamabad on Sunday and his body was found in a
canal with what police said were torture marks.
Suspicions immediately fell on the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency, bringing more bad publicity after the killing of bin Laden by U.S. special forces near the capital. The raid, which Pakistan failed to detect or stop, shattered the myth that the agency is omnipotent.
“The ISI’s image had already been tarnished and it is under so much pressure,” said a former ISI officer. “It’s never been as bad as this before.”
Shahzad was investigating suspected links between the military and al Qaeda, a highly sensitive subject at a time when Washington is wondering how bin Laden was able to live for years in a town about a two hour drive from ISI headquarters.
Human Rights Watch said Shahzad, a 40-year-old father of three, had voiced concerns about his safety after receiving threatening telephone calls from the ISI and was under surveillance since 2010.
ISI officials were not available for comment. Analysts have not ruled out the possibility that he may have been killed by militants. Shahzad often wrote about al Qaeda and other groups.
“PUSHED TO THE WALL”
Pakistan has a vibrant press which often attacks the government over everything from corruption to poor services and economic stagnation.
But criticism of the ISI or military is rare.
Reporters say Shahzad’s death raises troubling questions about freedoms in Pakistan, which receives billions in aid from ally Washington and describes itself is a democracy.
“It means we are being pushed to the wall and losing space to tyranny if the ISI carried this out,” said Umar Cheema, a journalist who knows all about the risks of investigating Pakistan’s security establishment.
Last year, he was picked up by suspected intelligence agents, driven to an unknown location, stripped naked and whipped with leather and a wooden rod, he said.
“Pakistan is my beloved country. But nobody is safe in Pakistan. I live in what I call self-imposed house arrest because I am scared to go out,” said Cheema.
Shahzad was killed after he wrote a story that claimed al Qaeda attacked a naval base in Karachi last month after negotiations with the military to release two naval officials accused of militant links broke down.
That assault further humiliated the Pakistani military.
Some believe that with its loss of credibility after the bin Laden fiasco, and the naval base siege, the ISI may come under more public scrutiny for its apparent failure to tackle militancy and ease suicide bombings.
“Fewer people believe that the ISI is this powerful agency. People will start asking tougher questions,” said Rifaat Hussain, head of the Department of Defence and Strategic Studies at Quaid-i-Azam University in Islamabad.
“They may be more willing to ask why the ISI is tapping the telephones of the opposition when it should be providing more security for the country.”
But equally likely is that journalists will think twice about writing hard-hitting stories after Shahzad’s death.
Others have died in similar circumstances in Pakistan, the world’s most dangerous country for journalists, according to Reporters Without Borders.
“It is a death. The death of expression,” said Matiullah Jan, a correspondent with Dawn News television.
“There is an apprehension in certain quarters that it’s meant to send a shut-up message.”
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/06/01/uk-pakistan-journalist-idUKTRE75023620110601
Whenever such concrete evidence point to ISI, Local journalists & decent people should join together and hire thugs to finish the local ISI boss. This could be the only way to control the dreadful menaces of ISI. Call such events as ‘Pakistani awakening’. Cancer (ISI) got to be removed by any means immediately before it spills over to neighborhood.
when the interior minister has already gone on record that that the killing was MOST PROBABLY A CASE OF PERSONAL ENEMITY– then WHY HOLD ANY INQUIRY AND WASTE EVERYONE’S TIME?
In the brutal killing of Saleem Shahzad, a strong message has been given to media and masses, “Don’t you ever think the things are changed after killing of Osama, we were the real power base yesterday, we are today as well and not to forget tomorrow”.
Bad habits do not go so easily and in one go. It is a long struggle ahead. Gun is stronger than pen. The maxim just the opposite is decoration piece for articles, essays and stories.