Nuggets from the Urdu press

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These nuggets are culled from the Urdu press. They are summarised here without comment.
Absurd or ridiculous, TFT takes no responsibility for them

Media moanings

Writing in Jang Haroon Rasheed stated that the media had been in thrall to governments in the past but was now free trying to be as balanced as possible. But there were still men inside the media who protected interests of certain parties and agencies, and some were under threat from certain elements who could cause them harm, thus falling short of balance.

Bhutto insulted through Tara Masih

Jail superintendent Rashid Saeed was quoted in Jang as saying that prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was hanged unfairly and insult was poured on him by getting him hanged by a Christian hangman Tara Masih whereas he was entitled to a Muslim Hangman.

Asif Ahmad Ali to replace Haqqani

Daily Pakistan reported that Ambassador Haqqani was to be removed as Pak ambassador to the US and ex-Education Minister Sardar Aseff Ahmed Ali was to replace him. This was being reported in the Gulf newspapers.

Bhutto hanged by America!

Founder of PPP Dr Mubashir Hasan was quoted in Express that Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was killed by the generals, the judges, the politicians and America all together. Ahmad Raza Kauri said Bhutto acknowledged before the court that he had a fair trial. Athar Minallah said that a police officer swore falsely on the Quran to get Bhutto convicted.

Jamia Naeemia condemns army

Daily Pakistan reported that at a seminar held at Jamia Naeemia in Lahore the Barelvi ulema condemned the military and political leadership for letting off Raymond Davis. They also said that courts were there but there was no justice. And those who pointed to suicide-bombers were not ready to arrest them. The paper also reported Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan as saying that Raymond Davis’s acquittal under Islamic law was correct.

Hafiz Saeed’s threat

Great Islamic leader Hafiz Saeed was quoted by Jinnah as saying that in the next two months alien armies from India and NATO occupying Kashmir and Afghanistan would be ousted. The war in the name of Allah (jihad fi sibil-Allah) will give victory but he did not explain how he would achieve it.

Wukla person goes berserk

Reported in Jang a lawyer named Tanvir Sandhu went berserk at a Faisalabad court after the judge granted another date in a case he was pleading. Sandhu climbed up the stage and grabbed the judge by his neck and pulled him down to the floor. When an assistant tried to rescue the judge Sandhu gave a him a few tight blows also. After this well-known-by-now conduct of the lawyer all the judges of Faisalabad laid down work in protest.

Imran Khan condemned for prediction

Daily Pakistan reported that Imran Khan had predicted that India would win in the semi-final cricket match at Mohali during the 2011 World Cup. On hearing this, the PMLN leader Parvez Rashid was greatly hurt because to him making Bharat favourite by Imran Khan was a cause of great sadness (afsosnak). The ticket for Mohali match that cost Rs 15,000 was selling in Lahore for One Lakh rupees.

Masud Mehmood did not indict Bhutto

Reported in Jang notorious police officer who played a role in testifying against his own boss prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto as approver, Masud Mahmood had not indicted Bhutto in the first testimony he had given. This statement was ignored but another statement by Masud Mehmood was responsible for Bhutto’s conviction and for the hanging of Bhutto.

No ‘lion’ left in Punjab

Quoted in Jang famous feudal politician Ghulam Mustafa Khar – known as lion of Punjab – said that there were no lions left in Punjab as he himself was 74. He said politicians were all worshipping idols but he was still fit.

Invite Ajmal Kasab too!

Mumbai’s don and leader of Shiv Sena Bal Thakaray was quoted in Jang as saying that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who had invited Pakistani prime minister Gilani should also have invited Ajmal Kasab and other Muslim terrorists like Afzal Guru.

India cricket dictator

Famous columnist Nazeer Naji wrote in Jang that after winning the World Cup India had become the king of cricket holding a cricket mandi (market) called IPL in which players were auctioned. India first kicked Pakistani cricketers out of the IPL then got the ICC which it dominates to trump up charges of match fixing against three Pakistani cricketers.

Sheikh Rashid goes to Mohali!

Famous Pakistani politician Sheikh Rashid who was once banned entry into India by New Delhi was reported by Nawa-e-Waqt as having gone to Mohali in India to watch the India-Pakistan semi-final in the 2011 World Cup. He was heard saying as he left Pakistan: cricket will not solve any problem between India and Pakistan.

Take ‘diyat’ for Bhutto

Famous religious go-between and friend of jihad Abdul Qadeer Khamosh was quoted by daily Pakistan as saying that Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s hanging was not murder but manslaughter therefore his family was not entitled to Qisas but to Diyat because it was qatl-e-khata.

Rana Maqbool’s son-in-law commits suicide

Son-in-law of famous IG police Karachi Rana Maqbool was reported by daily Pakistan as having committed suicide after his wife went away from his house after a quarrel. He was Shehzad Waheed a police officer in Nankana, who shot himself in the head. Daily Jinnah reported that Waheed was not son-in-law of Rana Maqbool but was married to his niece (bhaanji). She was his second wife.

Afridi does India-bashing!

Reported in daily Jinnah Pak cricket captain Shahid Afridi said that Indians were bad people with narrow hearts unlike Pakistani Muslims. He said Indian media was bad while Pakistani media was ‘much better’. He said Pakistanis were loving people but relations with India were always bad because of prejudiced Indians.

Musharraf was ‘in’ with Baitullah Mehsud

Daily Jinnah reported from the court that the defence lawyer for police officer Saud Aziz told the court that it was a major of the army who got the street washed after Benazir’s murder, and not police officer Saud Aziz. He said Musharraf knew that Baitullah Taliban leader was going to kill Benazir and he let him do it. The prosecuting lawyer insisted that Saud Aziz was involved in the murder of Benazir together with Musharraf because he had removed security knowing full well that Benazir was in danger. According to Express, the street was washed after Benazir‘s death by one Major Nadeem and not by police officer Saud Aziz.

Non one is like Khushnood Ali Khan!

Daily Jinnah reported that its chief editor Khushnood Ali Khan was a great man who had served his native Talagang with great honesty. People said that they had fallen in love with him (piyar ho gaya) because there was no one like him.

No one is like Majeed Nizami!

Daily Nawa-e-Waqt reported that there was no one like its chief editor Majid Nizami. One Amjad Hussain said that Majid Nizami was a diamond (heera). One Rafeeq Ahmad said that the entire nation was proud of him and that he was the symbol of nation’s honour. Majeed Nizami was quoted as saying his paper had not forgiven anyone.

April 29 - May 05, 2011 - Vol. XXIII, No. 11