Comments on: Reporters Without Borders question GEO blockage in UAE

By: Altaf

Altaf — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 09:07:57 +0000

I think Geo wants to become the Fox News of Pakistan & Shahid Masood wants to style himself after Bill O Reilly.
Actually they have succeeded in it quite a bit as well.
If anyone has ever watched Fox News they would know what i am talking about.

By: Altaf

Altaf — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 09:02:00 +0000

Hasan Abbas: I still stick my earlier post. Gen. Kiyani could have come on TV & just said that an enquiry be held & those responsible be held accountable & that would be that (Musharraf might as well be responsible. I am not arguing that). Instead he had a personal score to settle with Musharraf so he let the interests of the nation go to hell.

Inquiries into such sensitive matters are held in other nations but not in the media. And Kargil happened in 1999. If Gen. Kiyani had such a big conscience why did he continue serving under Musharraf’s command? He had an option to resign. And why after retirement did he continue to accept appointments to senior positions by the same man?

Forgive me but I am not blinded by the hatred for one person. Musharraf has had a bad record in power, but hearing it from people with backgrounds like Gen.Kiyani, one cannot but doubt their motives. I would call this oppurtunism rather than conscience.

And if you objectively listen to what these former Generals are saying, all their opposition is to the person of Musharraf, not to the institutional role of the military which should be the real issue. They are actually defending the enormous expenditures on the military & its economic & business enterprises.

Regarding why Musharraf is not being impeached, you are spot on. That is what i was implying that all our politicians are sell-offs. My problem is when people argue that every ill in Pakisan is because of the military interference in politics, while completely ignoring the part played by the politicians in one dictatorship or the other. Nawaz Sharif & BB/Zardari are equally to blame for Pakistan’s ills, infact more because in addition to being inept at managing the country they were also extremely corrupt.

If our media had been more honest about the dubious background of all the politicians that matter in this country, this double crossing would not have come as a surprise. But before Zardari showed his true colors the media chose to forgive & forget his corruption tainted past.
Same goes for the Sharifs. Their exploits of the 90’s have been conveniently forgotten because they happen to be making the right noises.

By: Hassan Abbas

Hassan Abbas — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 21:33:11 +0000

Anas ref your comment:If a national so-called icon does something wrong he should not be dealt any differently than a common man.

I disagree. The the reasons mentioned below.

Where have I disputed your idea that he should be punished if he has done anything wrong.I just pointed out that the UAE authorities did not show they are very friendly towards the people of Pakistan by this act-and also the one about banning Geo programms.

As far as punishment is concerned here is exactly what I said: They could have handled the matter more discreely and let our cricket board handle and punish the man if he was really involved.

I can write reams on the subject- but just a hint. I hope you know the lengths to which the Bombay betting mafia can go to force a result of a match.Asif was passing through Dubai from India to Pakistan.A major Indo-Pakistan clash was due in a couple of days at Dacca ;And Dubai minor staff are known to be very corrupt .I am not saying he was framed- but to give him the benefit of doubt he could have been.That is why a friendly gesture would have been to let our cricket board handle it;and they did go there for this purpose.

By: Hassan Abbas

Hassan Abbas — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 21:10:34 +0000

Altaf just wondering over your comment:If Musharraf is still interfering in Govt. affairs why is he not being impeached? There is a very easy way to do it & the required strength in the parliment is also there.

Could it be because of a deal brokered by our ‘allies’which forces Zardari to work hand in hand with Musharraf -or alternatively deliver even better then Musharraf if he want’s to sit in the President’s chair?

By: Hassan Abbas

Hassan Abbas — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 21:00:02 +0000

Altaf,
For heavens sake talk some sense.Just think over what you wrote:”when it is aired on public television by senior generals that ‘it was a disaster & India would have destroyed us if this had turned into an all-out war’, this is no help to Pakistan & gives the International community even more material to accuse us of being an irresponsible state.” Then answer these questions.
Q1. When you carry out an irresponsible action, do you think the international community is a fool and does not understand it as such? Just name one nation which did not think this was an irresponsible action even at that time?
Q2. But if you are so conscious about showing the international community how responsible you are as a nation; could you achieve that better by holding an inquiry and if neccessary punish those who have initiated actions which make us look so irresponsible - or would we achieve it better by covering and pushing their evil acts under the carpet?
Q3.How is the general coming on air and saying an inquiry be held ,no help to the country at all? I think it strengthens the call for an Inquiry which is always held and should have been held after any such debacle- if only to help avoid making the same mistakes in future and punish those responsible .This is standard procedure in any nation/army after a major fiasco . One must wonder why it was not held in this case.Even you in your post state that an inquiry be held but not in the media.The general is also publicly making a call for such an inquiry NOT as you wish to portray holding an inquiry over the media

By: Aamir pakistani

Aamir pakistani — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 20:28:48 +0000

Aslam-u-aleikum!
media is free here in Pakistan,it is only media owing to wich long march became succesful,it is only d media with whose grace people of pakistan now start standing on their feet against evils of society,..i m not agree with Dr.raza,media is a mirror it should show d real picture,n Geo is showing d real picture of Mush. wich hi does’t like to see.that’s y some programes is blocked..
i request all of u to think but think possitve,we should protect media…not degrade it…..

By: M

Sat, 14 Jun 2008 13:26:06 +0000

Atleast somebody out there has some sense thank god!
khas kam jahan pak.. definitely hoping somebody blasts the entire media, especially geo for filthy news, bunch of charseees ughhh
The nation of idiots that v r, v wanna go do a long march for restoring justice haha i would be a part of it too, if justice meant impeaching the present powers who corrupted the nation long before Musharraf even intervened. I m not even defending him, but there is so much more to be done before pointing a finger at him.
TM seems to have a long nurtured hatred for the president. For someone whose blog shows up on igoogle, he is an embarassment for Pakistan.. y cant u just get out of here and let the people be! huhh?

By: anas

anas — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 08:38:07 +0000

@Hassan: If a national so-called icon does something wrong he should not be dealt any differently than a common man. So Asif carrying drugs is no different than any other. And why should he be? The LAW has to prevail. The LAW cannot be different for everyone. Isn’t that what people are campaigning for in Pakistan? So why shouldn’t the same theory apply in UAE? Just shows some narrow focus of yours.

By: Altaf

Altaf — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 06:03:18 +0000

One other thing I’d like to add. I do not support blocking TV Channels & programs but there must be a code of ethics which certainly should not be guided by the fact that the channel is airing opinions against the sitting powers (like on the judges issue) but by National interests such as i mentioned in my last post.

Secondly, it is being said that Musharraf is behind this recent ban & the govt. has denied it was involved. If that is true can someone ask them what they are doing in Govt. if these things are beyond their control? If Musharraf is still interfering in Govt. affairs why is he not being impeached? There is a very easy way to do it & the required strength in the parliment is also there.

By: Altaf

Altaf — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 05:43:23 +0000

Most people have a fair idea of what happened in Kargil.
But when it is aired on public television by senior generals that ‘it was a disaster & India would have destroyed us if this had turned into an all-out war’, this is no help to Pakistan & gives the International community even more material to accuse us of being an irresponsible state. An investigation should be done into the incident by all means but not in the media & not in Shahid Masood’s talkshows.

Similarly for the A.Q.Khan issue. Everybody is criticising Musharraf’s policies as if A.Q.Khan had done a personal favor to him. I think A.Q.Khan had done a favor to the entire nation by taking all the blame on himself. Otherwise, there were already voices in the foreign media that our nuclear assets were & are in unsafe hands & we might have been put under pressure to allow international supervision over them. The recent interviews given by A.Q.Khan might again come to haunt us when the USA is done with it’s War on Terror & no longer needs Pakistan’s help.

So hate Musharraf all you want but please think of Pakistan interests first. There is an excellent article in Dawn on these former Generals campaigning against Musharraf “The Wannabe Heroes”. Read here: http://www.dawn.com/2008/06/13/op.htm