Re: Ansar Abbasi facing death threats
Group Editor writes to govt
Thursday, December 25, 2008
News Desk
KARACHI: On behalf of The News and the Jang Group of Publications, Group Editor of The News Shaheen Sehbai on Wednesday strongly urged the government to take immediate note of the death threats and a campaign of vilification launched by some vested interests and sections of the government against Ansar Abbasi, Editor Investigations of The News, for publishing stories exposing important persons and institutions.
In a letter sent to Federal Information Minister Sherry Rehman, copies of which were sent to the president, the prime minister, the chief of Army staff, the NA speaker and the chairman Senate, heads of intelligence agencies, all governors and chief ministers and international media watchdog bodies, Sehbai asked the government to provide protection to Abbasi and end the harassment campaign in which some cabinet ministers and supporters of the government had also become actively involved.
Ansar Abbasi had recently written a number of stories including the scam of military lands given to the JUI-F, the case of Farah Hameed Dogar and the housing project which involved Rs 60 billion, which embarrassed the government and other institutions, including the Supreme Court.
Following is the text of the letter sent by **Shaheen Sehbai to Sherry Rehman, Minister for Information:
**
Dear Madam: This is to bring to your kind notice that one of our most well respected and reputed colleagues and senior journalist Mr Ansar Abbasi, who is Editor Investigations of The News, who has recently published a number of important and sensitive investigative stories, has suddenly become the target of an organised and well orchestrated campaign of vilification and character assassination launched against him. Mr Abbasi has been seriously advised by his friends and sympathisers in the government circles that there might be threats to his life on account of the series of his exposes which may have recently upset many powerful and highly placed people in the country.
An unsigned three-page letter addressed to the Chairman Federal Board of Revenue, but widely circulated both through Internet, e-mail and fax messages, declares Mr Abbasi as the “most corrupt blackmailer”, a charge which is not only preposterous but outrageous, for any one including you, who has known or worked with Mr Abbasi in the long 18 years of his career. Regrettably, even a federal minister of the present government joined this vilification campaign on Monday last when on a PTV talk show he started associating Mr Abbasi with one of the alleged characters involved in the Khanani & Kalia moneychangers scam, without any proof or any authentic evidence. This is simply condemnable and unacceptable.
On another level, the former Press Secretary to the Prime Minister, Zahid Bashir, who was sacked because he tried to influence Mr Abbasi not to expose the Farah Hameed Dogar examination marks scandal, has now publicly started throwing accusations and invectives against Mr Abbasi. He claims to still be a good friend of the prime minister but he made the charges against Mr Abbasi on a private television channel. It is also evident that some of the known writers and columnists who are always ready to sell their souls to every and any government, have started writing columns viciously attacking Mr Abbasi on his views, his appearance and his professional work because none of them can find an iota of any unethical behaviour or misconduct by Mr Abbasi in his professional or private life. These shady characters in the media now associated with the current rulers have even dubbed Mr Abbasi as a “media militant”, because they themselves have never practised honest and objective journalism without fear or without getting favours. Any honest work which exposes those in power obviously appears to them as militancy. A top leader of JUI, a partner in the ruling coalition, ridiculously and, of course, nonsensically, described Mr Abbasi as a member of the Jewish lobby.
Madam, Mr Abbasi is known for his impeccable credentials and his integrity and does not require any certificate from anyone to prove this. He is known to every journalist and his colleagues throughout the 18 years of his spotless professional career. The News and the Jang Group take strong exception to involvement of your government ministers, coalition partners and friends of top elected officials in this vilification campaign. We believe there are strong indications that this campaign against Mr Abbasi has blessings of the top leader or leaders of your government.
Though some of the stories which Mr Abbasi has filed may not have been liked by your government, he has the right to freedom of expression as enshrined in the Constitution of Pakistan, specially as all his stories have been fully documented, have been confirmed by official records and official persons and have stood the tough test of credibility and fairness. He has never misquoted any one, never used libellous language or tried to defame any one. He has only reported facts, duly substantiated by evidence and official records. This is, in fact, the basic job of every journalist of which Mr Abbasi has been a shining example.
Aware of the threats being hurled at Mr Abbasi, we are taking all necessary measures that could not only ensure the safety of our Editor Investigations but also save him from any kind of harassment. We are also considering initiating legal proceedings against all those who have tried to malign an important member of our organisation.
We, however, expect from the government to look into this matter seriously and take all necessary measures to ensure that not only Mr Abbasi is not physically or mentally harmed, harassed or threatened but that he is able to continue to work freely and is able to perform this duties without any obstruction or threat from any official or any government quarter. It would be stating the obvious that it is the primary duty of the government to protect the life and property of every citizen and also to provide him security from threats and harassment. I expect that your government will perform this basic duty in the specific case of Mr Ansar Abbasi.
I must emphasise that in Mr Abbasi’s case, members of your cabinet and the government as well as its known media supporters have become active part of this vilification campaign and thus if any harm was to come to Mr Abbasi, fingers will directly be pointed at these elements, including the government. With years of journalistic experience behind you, and with my long years in journalism, we know who has felt the pinch of Mr Abbasi’s investigative stories, be it the Chief Justice of Pakistan, politician Maulana Fazlur Rehman, their supporters in top offices of the government or those having personal or business interests in dubious projects. But reporting these factual stories is what an independent media is supposed and required to do. It is Mr Abbasi’s and our right and we will continue to perform this duty to the state and the nation.
I urge you, as the minister directly responsible for media relations, to persuade your colleagues in government to refute facts if they can, admit their wrongs if proved, correct their course if needed and not to resort to threats and harassment or launch vilification campaigns against journalists. The government must provide full protection to the media, as it should to all citizens, against these not so veiled attempts at character assassination and threats.
I am making this letter to you public only in the interest of bringing it on public record as I consider the threats and the campaign against Mr Abbasi as a very serious matter which needs urgent attention and action by all concerned, in Pakistan and at the international media watchdog level.
Group Editor writes to govt