Geo news correspondent killed in Swat

[DudeAl]

i agree with qsaark ,i think the current military establishment in pakistan is the only dignified and civilized institution left in this country ,lets have the military take over this country one more time even if it means civil war.There is peace and prosperity in the arab countries and china :the biggest country in the world not because of democracy since they don't have any ,but because their rulers killed all the germs in their country long time ago.Mao Zen dong killed 2 million in china and his communist party is still in power over there.If Musharraf had done the same in 1999 ,i think Pakistan would be a very peaceful country right now.

 

[qsaark]

you really fell that level of dis containment in pakistani people for security concern...

I really didn't understand. Elaborate it for me.

 

[sha123]

I really didn't understand. Elaborate it for me.

referring toward emotional sufferance of common pakistani people due to current circumstances...

 

[qsaark]

i agree with qsaark...........peaceful country right now.

You will soon start disagreeing with me, perhaps hating me for what I am going to write now.

I also consider Pakistan military Top Brass as much responsible for the social injustice in the country. I do not have grudges against the officers of the lower rank (below Brigadier), but I do see that corruption has creeped into the military as much as it is in the civilian sector. Pakistan has to get rid of all the corrupt and oppressing elements, whether they are in civilian sector or in the military. Since military has ruled Pakistan for more than 40 years, it has also caused more damage. The rigging of the presidential elections between Ayub Khan and Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah was only the start. The Indus Water Treaty, the Operation Gibralter, the 1965 and 1971 wars, the unnecessary involvement of Pakistan in Us proxy war against USSR, the Siachin, the Kargil. There is a list of blunders and they were all made during the military rule. Yes, the so called democratic governments of Pakistan (under PPP or PM) gave Pakistan nothing but corruption, but the key decision that were related to the National Security were all made by the ruling military. And time has proven that all those decisions were wrong.

 

[qsaark]

referring toward emotional sufferance of common pakistani people due to current circumstances...

It is not about the emotional suffering. It is all about the survival. The French revolution did not take place until people reached to a point where they were even denied a piece of bread, while at the same time, the ruling elites were feeding their dogs with the best food. This is where we have almost reached, and there is no iimprovement in sight.

 

[sha123]

It is not about the emotional suffering. It is all about the survival. The French revolution did not take place until people reached to a point where they were even denied a piece of bread, while at the same time, the ruling elites were feeding their dogs with the best food. This is where we have almost reached, and there is no iimprovement in sight.

Dear qsaark,
If a question of Survival, then matter is really crucial, In such case only power is queen but you not in favor of military and revolution has it's own side-effects...

 

[TruthSeeker]

Wouldn't Pakistan be OK if it could return to the founding vision of Jinnah? Before all of the military take-overs and the religious party agitations? Wasn't the original constitution of Pakistan a good beginning for a modern, successful nation? As was pointed out earlier, a revolution needs leaders. It does not need to be a single person, it could be a class of people. The US revolution was led by educated property owners. No single "leader" emerged. Washington was the military leader but others (Jefferson, Madison, Adams, Franklin) were the philosophical leaders. Is there any political party in Pakistan that represents, primarily, the educated middle class? It seems to me that such Pakistanis have to be the backbone of a movement to restore Jinnah's vision for the good of Pakistan.

 

[qsaark]

Wouldn't Pakistan be OK if it could return to the founding vision of Jinnah?

Yes, but to return back to the founding vision of Jinnah, we need a revolution. Not any but a true bloody revolution. A final fight between the ruling elites and the opressed Pakistani public.

 

[Jihad]

Wouldn't Pakistan be OK if it could return to the founding vision of Jinnah? Before all of the military take-overs and the religious party agitations? Wasn't the original constitution of Pakistan a good beginning for a modern, successful nation? As was pointed out earlier, a revolution needs leaders. It does not need to be a single person, it could be a class of people. The US revolution was led by educated property owners. No single "leader" emerged. Washington was the military leader but others (Jefferson, Madison, Adams, Franklin) were the philosophical leaders. Is there any political party in Pakistan that represents, primarily, the educated middle class? It seems to me that such Pakistanis have to be the backbone of a movement to restore Jinnah's vision for the good of Pakistan.

A very, very eye opening post, thanks alot.

 

[Halaku Khan]

I disagree here. Education is not what we need the most. We need a change in the mind set. All who have been ruling Pakistan were more or less educated (if not PhDs). In my opinion, the so called educated people have caused more harm to the country than the un-educated folks.

A very good point. The mindset is what needs to be changed. Of what good is education if an extremist mindset is promoted through official school textbooks?

There have been other threads about that on this forum.

It is really a mute point now. I have finally come to a conclusion that a bloody revolution is the only option we have to fix things in Pakistan.

Hopefully it doesn't have to come to that.

 

[roopesh]

I feel Pakistan politicians are not strong enough to control. Its good from the countrys standpoint to getback to Military rule. They need the growth and development and vision. As long a person like Mushrraf there in chair its good to continue

 

[qsaark]

I feel Pakistan politicians are not strong enough to control. Its good from the countrys standpoint to getback to Military rule. They need the growth and development and vision. As long a person like Mushrraf there in chair its good to continue

Totalitarian rule? of course good for Pakistan's enemies but not for Pakistan or its people. When Musharraf is/was praised by the Indians or by the Americans, right there we know Musharraf was not working for Pakistan's interest.

 

[third eye]

One hopes that the those who matter know that their ship is drifting into very very troubled waters & may run aground sooner than what they think.

Time is running out.

 

[roopesh]

Totalitarian rule? of course good for Pakistan's enemies but not for Pakistan or its people. When Musharraf is/was praised by the Indians or by the Americans, right there we know Musharraf was not working for Pakistan's interest.

I am Indian, but never intended for bad to pakistan. Looking at the crimes or terror things going on in the region i commented that GOP is failed to stop. Peace with the govt control is what required now for pakistan. Dont u think so? How GOP achives is left to the leaders. But the leaders are doing good compare to Mushrraf is the question to pakistan public

 

[Moin91]

The News, Geo staffer killed in the line of duty

Thursday, February 19, 2009
President, PM, others condemn incident, order inquiry


By Delawar Jan

PESHAWAR: As Maulana Sufi Muhammad’s peace rally, comprising hundreds of activists, entered the Matta Tehsil to talk to the militants for restoring peace in Swat, some unknown persons shot dead a young journalist and correspondent for The News and Geo News in Mingora.

Musa Khankhel was accompanying the caravan of the Tanzim Nifaz Shariat-e-Muhammadi (TNSM) from Mingora to Matta to cover the crucial event that had created high hopes for peace in the valley. His young brother Isa Khankhel, who is also a journalist, told The News that he was in the line of his journalistic duty when some unknown persons kidnapped him at gunpoint.

“Musa was picked up at gunpoint from the rally,” Isa said, adding he had no idea who the perpetrators of the brutal killing were. A local journalist, Mehboob Ali, said other journalists returned from Matta town, but Musa preferred to stay there. “He was trying to get some information about the negotiations between the TNSM and the Taliban militants,” he added. However, Mehboob said it could not be ascertained as to who was accompanying the slain journalist. “Nobody saw him when he was being kidnapped, so it cannot be said who picked him up,” he added.

Musa’s bullet-riddled body was found in Dedpanai area, some four kilometres off Matta town, in the evening. ìHe received 12 bullets at feet, hands and head,” his brother told The News by telephone while weeping.

Musa was the fourth journalist killed in the valley. Sirajuddin was killed in a suicide bomb blast during the funeral of a slain DSP in Mingora in Feb 2008, while another journalist, Azizuddin, was killed in bombardment in Peuchar.

A reporter of a local newspaper, Qari Muhammad Shoaib, was gunned down by the security forces in Mingora when he was returning home from hospital.The government has been issuing statements of “bringing the perpetrators of journalists’ killing to justice” just to soothe the community. Its assurances have proven false and not a single killer of the journalists has so far been arrested, let alone giving them exemplary punishment.

The killing of the journalist not only eclipsed the hopes for peace but also shocked and saddened the journalist community across the country. Musa had been receiving threats for the last several months but he had refused to bow to any pressure. His family said he was manhandled and intimidated several times. “I have been receiving death threats from a powerful force. They are after me. They want to kill me,” he had communicated his apprehensions to his organisation. His organisation also took up the issue of threats with the authorities from whom he was allegedly receiving the threats.

On Wednesday morning, he and his brother Isa were not allowed to cover the press conference of the NWFP Senior Minister Bashir Bilour at the Circuit House, which he instantly communicated to his office.

Inspector-General Police, NWFP, Malik Naveed, told Geo News that some foreign hand could be involved in the killing of Musa. Musa was born on Feb 4, 1981 in Mingora. He started work for The News several years ago while got associated with Geo News on May 21, 2007. He was single and had five brothers and three sisters.

The slain journalist was a brave reporter who continued his journalistic duty in the “valley of death” during escalated conflict and violence and faced all dangers fearlessly for the more than 20 months of turmoil. He did not leave Swat and preferred to inform Geo’s viewers and The News readers about the happenings in the valley.

His colleagues in the valley brought his body to Makanbagh Chowk (square), and strongly protested his killing. They demanded of the government to bring the perpetrators of the heinous act to justice and provide security to other journalists. His funeral will be held at 2 pm in Mingora.

Our Islamabad correspondent adds: President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, federal ministers, journalist organisations and leaders of various political parties have strongly condemned the killing of Musa Khankhel and expressed their deep grief and shock over the tragic incident.

In their separate messages, the president and the prime minister conveyed their condolences and sympathies to the bereaved family. They prayed to Allah Almighty to rest the departed soul in eternal peace and grant courage to the bereaved family to bear this irreparable loss.

They have ordered an immediate inquiry into this tragic happening and asked the concerned authorities to take action to arrest and bring the culprits to justice. Adviser on Interior Rehman Malik and Federal Minister Sherry Rehman also condemned the murder of Geo and The News correspondent.

The adviser directed the inspector-general police, NWFP, to submit a detailed report on the murder.

Terming the killing an attack on the freedom of the press, Rehman Malik and Sherry Rehman reiterated the government’s commitment to bring the culprits to justice and give them exemplary punishment.

MQM chief Altaf Hussain, PTI Chairman Imran Khan and President National Peace Jirga on Swat Enam-ur-Rehman also condemned the brutal killing of the journalist and condoled with the bereaved family.

Also, the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists condemned the incident and announced a countrywide protest against the killing of Musa Khankhel. The media organisations would stage demonstrations across the country today to press the government for the arrest of the culprits.

The News, Geo staffer killed in the line of duty