We condemn Pakistan army’s harassing and threatening statement against HRW
Pakistan army’s media wing (ISPR) has issued a press release (16 Feb 2012) titled “Human Rights Watch (HRW) Report on Judicial Commission on Saleem Shehzad Murder Case Not Correct” hitting back at Human Rights Watch (HRW) for its news release claiming that the intelligence agency hindered the investigation process of journalist Saleem Shahzad murder.
Astrong-worded statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relation (ISPR) said that the HRW report titled“Shahzad commission results marred by free ride for ISI” published on January 30 this year was “found to be extremely derogatory, biased and contradictory in terms”.
The ISPR statement held Brad Adams, HRW Asia Director, to be having his “head buried deep in sand” and alleged that his “thought process and ability to logically analyze a given situation suffers from serious bias”. In the statement, the ISI categorically denied the allegations and the spokesperson said the HRW report was “a well orchestrated and sinister media campaign, in which, HRW and the likes of Brad Adams and Ali Dayan Hassan may have been unwittingly drawn into”. “It raises serious questions on the partisan nature of HRW and Brad Adam’s objectivity.”
Last but not least, Pakistan army politely demands (threatens will be a more appropriate word given the historical and ongoing high-handedness of Pakistan army) HRW to withdraw its statement on Saleem Shahzad’s murder. ” It will be in fitness of things to expect HRW to withdraw this biased statement. “
We condemn Pakistan army’s harassing and threatening statement against Human Rights Watch, its Asia director Brad Adams and Pakistan director Ali Dayan Hasan.
We consider such statement as an attempt to threaten and silence HRW and other human rights groups as well as media persons to refrain from reporting human rights violations by Pakistan army in various parts of the country including but not limited to army’s role in the ongoing target killings of media persons, political leaders, Baloch nationalists, anti-Taliban Pashtuns and Shia Muslims.
We note that Pakistan army’s statement against HRW is full of praise for Pakistan’s Supreme Court, Justice Saqib Nisar and at least indirectly the incumbent Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry. Justice Saqib Nisar is the same pro-rape, Punjabi, Lahori judge who wrote one of the worst judgements in Pakistan’s legal history (Mukhtaran Mai case). The ISPR statement applauds the Supreme Court and its judges for their services and claims that the HRW report has not only “demonized” the ISI, but is also “out of character of the Honourable Court”. The statement claims that the ISI, as well as the other intelligence agencies, have provided the judicial commission probing the case with “unprecedented obedience/compliance”. This is a classical example of one Jeem (Jenerals) returning the favour to the other Jeem (Judges) after extracting a favourable decision from the sham judicial commission on Saleem Shahzad’s murder. We also note that previously another Jeem (pro-army journalists in Jang group) attacked Ali Dayan Hasan in a defaming and threatening manner. The usual suspects, the Teen Jeem, are clearly at play again.
We demand that Saleem Shahzad commission be reconstituted, and an independent investigation be conducted into Shahzad’d murder free from Pakistan army’s influence and harassment.
We also urge all media persons to support their slain colleague (Saleem Shahzad) and Human Rights Watch instead of parroting Pakistan army’s lies and propaganda.
Press Release
No PR22/2012-ISPR Dated: February 16, 2012
Rawalpindi – February 16, 2012:
Human Rights Watch (HRW) Report on
Judicial Commission on Saleem Shehzad Murder Case Not Correct
A spokesman of ISPR said that the press release issued by HRW New York on January 30th, 2012 has been found to be extremely derogatory, biased and contradictory in terms. In one stroke Mr Brad Adams has discredited the Judicial Commission that investigated Saleem Shehzad’s alleged murder, demonized the ISI and castigated the Government of Pakistan, going on to suggest a darker destination of evidence if pursued again. It is unclear where Mr Adams forms opinions like these from but one thing is evident that his thought process and ability to logically analyze a given situation suffers from serious bias.
The spokesman added that the Judicial Commission in question was headed by a very honourable Judge of the same Supreme Court of Pakistan which is highly respected for its integrity and courage of conviction. It is not without reason that the Supreme Court of Pakistan is the guarantor of the rule of law and the architect of constitutional future of our country. To expect the Judicial Commission probing Saleem Shehzad’s alleged murder headed by Honourable Justice Saqib Nisar, to spare or shy away form the so called ‘culpable ISI’ is not only disrespectful but also out of character of the Honourable Court. HRW should visit the Supreme Court website to see what kind of historic and hitherto unheard of court actions have been initiated by the apex court regarding ISI / intelligence agencies and the unprecedented obedience / compliance they have readily commanded.
Spokesman further said that Brad Adams may have his head buried deep in sand and HRW may be choking under heaps of bias but it is quite apparent that such diatribe is exceptionally disparaging despite an ‘ extensive examination ——-‘ by the Commission, to quote HRW press release. It raises serious questions on the partisan nature of HRW and Brad Adam’s objectivity.
Spokesman said we would seriously urge HRW to read the Report of the Commission of Enquiry into the incident and see facts as they are. Some relevant reference can be found in the statement of Saleem Shehzad’s very close friend Mr Zafar Mehmood Sheikh (CW 12) on pages 30 to 35, Judicial Commission’s remarks about ISI’s compliance and detailed testimony on pages 58, 59 and 66 (Admiral Adnan Nazir’s, testimony before the Commission), regarding none of the witnesses / documents being able to ‘point a finger towards anyone’ on page 86 and about the unsubstantiated accusations of heavy handedness against journalists and the Commission’s remarks on page 89.
Any involvement of ISI in Mr Saleem Sehzad’s alleged murder is categorically denied. It is maintained that:-
a. The allegations levelled against ISI are baseless ab-initio. They are untenable both by evidence and logic.
b. Judicial Commission probing murder case had complete freedom of action and ISI spared no effort to cooperate and comply with all their requirements.
c. The press release in question is part of a well orchestrated and sinister media campaign, in which, HRW and the likes of Brad Adams and Ali Dayan Hassan may have been unwittingly drawn into.
d. With this press release, HRW appears to have seriously jeopardized the bipartisan and objective nature of its work.
It will be in fitness of things to expect HRW to withdraw this biased statement, Spokesman concluded.
http://www.ispr.gov.pk/front/main.asp?o=t-press_release&id=1967#pr_link1967
Mohammad Taqi @mazdaki
‘unprecedented obedience & compliance’ – ISPR acknowledging they were rogues before ?!
Munir Khan @munir104 Reply Retweet Favorite · Open
@mazdaki Document is incoherent,poorly drafted & lacks analytical insight-& threat 2 HRW/ADH is pretty explicit!
yusufzai
Recent case of 11 missing persons should be an eye opener for you.Army and ISI wallas are not thhat much holy.They have been doing these things for years but times are changing now .it will be difficult for them to get away now
Recommend1
Abbas
I think we shall not take the HRW report negatively. It would be complete denial which doesn’t help at all. In a country where missing person list is getting longer and longer and where the Supreme Court is helpless in providing justice to kins of missing persons. I absolutely ginf nothing wrong with the HRW report. May be as a Nation we have to realise that things are in disorder at out home which need to be fixed. There are 192 countries in the world. On world level who is more cridible us or HRW?
We reject judicial commission’s report on Saleem Shahzad murder case
http://criticalppp.com/archives/69012
Wah saeen wah, it seems the ISPR is scared big time… kissi kee to chhutti honay wali hay
hey whats this childish article written by author. i think he/she must not well educated or still to young to write. anyway guys no need to get panic. off course human rights is working against pak army. so guys give cheers to pak army and pakistan. and bullshit to such worthless articles. Islamic republic of Pakistan will remain 4ever. and its islamic values is our asset. long live pakistan.