By Kiran Bokhari
Islamabad, March 17 (Pakdestiny.com) “Younas Habib may divulge my name among the recipients of the Mehrangate money,” Pakistani-American journalist Shaheen Sehbai disclosed this in his article in The News International this week.
Isn’t it a lovely way to anticipate one’s position when the list of the journalists who received Rs5.6 million in Mehran Bank scandal from ISI to stop Benazir Bhutto’s PPP from coming to power in 1990 elections is about to be issued by the Supreme Court.
Though Mr Sehbai has candidly admitted that he was a mid-career journalist by that time (1990) and it is very much likely that Habib may also name him among those who had received the money but the question is as why he felt the need to say this, Is he really getting so panicky. Does he think that he (Sehbai) is so special that President Zardari is contemplating plotting against him through none else but Habib. If he thinks so hats off to him.
The apex court has so far issued three names among the journalist fraternity who have received the Mehrangate money from ISI. They are Altaf Hussain Qureshi of Urdu Digest, Salahuddin of Takbir and Mustafa Sadiq of daily Afaq.
Does Mr Sehbai feature in this list of journalists will have to wait for a while? In case his name surfaces he will say: “I have already predicted this and my paper has taken the lead in informing the people beforehand.”
So those involved in such activities must take cue from Mr Sehbai.
Interestingly, all those who have been named in receiving the money including Nawaz Sharif, Shahbaz Sharif and Ijazul Haq have threatened Habib of taking him and his patrons to the court but Habib is already in the court in this case, Isn’t he?
interesting article
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Chore ki dari main tinka. -:)
If he has his hands clean, then, why is he panicking???
Think?
S.M.K Durrani [email protected]
Because, he is also one of those who had always been looked upon as dubious character.
Cheers
Mehmud Ahmed [email protected]
I agree with Mr Durrani but he has not specified the term ‘Dubious Character’. Is he referring
to Mansur Ijazs or Hussain Haqqanis as both are what they call in Urdu “Osi thailee kay
chattay buttay hain”. I would not like to eloaborate about Shaheen as his great father
was my contemporary. A great man and fighter from Bhopal days. Shaheen is in
complete contrast to his father – just the other side of the coin, the less said the better.
I think , none of you read the article of Shaheen about “mehran bank conspiracy”. He elaborated that how four people registered the bank with state bank as state bank was not agreed to give reg to M.bank.
That’s y he said in advance that after disclosing those facts in his column, younas habib may named him in beneficiaries.
But this is also a fact that shaheen saehbaee always played role of “darbari”. He was darbari and he will be.because this is a mentality.no one can change that.
Qammar Sb,
As you casually put it he “always played role of ‘darbari'”then how do you explain his severe opposition to Musharraf? How would you also explain why MQM and Zardari government are after his blood?
Adnan
Those spitting venom against Shaheen Sehbai either don’t know him personally or don’t want to know. One may have difference of opinion but that isn’t necessarily motivated by monetary incentives. And those who interpret on these lines must have a personal experience as a guiding principle. I have worked with Shaheen Sehbai for several years now and never ever he insisted me or any other colleague for a story about some specific person or issue. He’s one of the great professionals I have privileged to work with. Majority of the contributors have their comments based on assumptions, they don’t understand Shaheen Sehbai.
Umar Cheema
Well!As media practitioner we believe also struggling for freedom of expression and right to know.Now we should mention the names of those journalist who were involved in many scans like Meharangate.We should point out these black sheeps in every where.
Many Thanks
We would ask Umar Cheema what he thinks about Shaheen Sehbai after he
quits the newspaper that the great journalist commands as chief editor
or wot. This is not to say that Mr.Sehbai is a thief..the least that
can be said is God knows koan kya hai.
Umar Cheema is right. Shaheen Sehbai is a huge professional and man of integrity. I have worked with him too first in Dawn and then The News . Let me give him credit for helping me to become a reporter. He has been a role model in journalism. Let me say, he was the one who challenged the brute might of Musharraf’s regime in his early years when many top journalists of today Pakistan were sitting in court of Musharraf and giving the military dictator valuable tips as how to rule Pakistan and dump politicians. SS has paid huge personal price for defying Musharraf regime in 2001. I wish i could share link of one of his article “All The Kings Men ” when Musharraf was trying to break Nawaz League and PL-Q was emerging thanks to ISI. This was the great piece which had angered Musharraf and hunt was launched to punish him. I am eye witness as how his family members were booked in fake FIRs on then DG ISPR Gen Rashid Qureshi orders to make him fall in line. He is a brave man and professional and financially the most clean journalist. I think, Shaheen sb piece in The News has been misunderstood. Those who have worked with him know that for him, journalism and professionalism come first. I know SS might be smiling after reading all these comments about him, as he knows how to generate controversies like a true journalist and be debated and stay silent !
Dear Rouf i know how good journalist u are , some reservation must be consider no doubt shaheen sehbai was a role modal when he raised his eyes b4 mushraaf ,when most of the top guns were around dictator, as a journalist i dont have such information that how mush government lift ban on south asia tribune , u know how media compaign launch against government after 2008 election and who were the master of this game . this game played many time during democratic governments . you know better . I always anxious about this was it possable that people who would be role model could have been settled their matters with mushraff and a journalist who faced state terrorism returned and become editor again in mush gov , mush changed himself are other, this question always followed me no doubt as a journalist he is role model he explore a young journalist like u always encourage young people azhar syed
Syed Sahib,
Would you kindly share the details of your innuendos? Thanks.
Adnan
Well reading articles by journalists and watching TV talk shows it is crystal clear that beside very few most of the journalists and anchors have either political inclination or they sway one side to other for monetary benefits. Journalists go on free trips with government envoys with pocket money and free hotel rooms. They seek funds for their widows (what about other hundreds of thousands of Pakistani widows?)
None of them stand with the right and resist wrong.
Shaheen Sehbai ……. PTI
Mubashir Lucman …….. First with Malik Riaz/ then MQM/ then Tahir Qadri / now PTI & Agencies
Kashif Abbasi ………….. Pro Punjab
Irfan Siddiqi …………….. PML (N)
Nazir Naji …………. Pro Government
I can write other name with their affiliations; very few are allied with the Pakistan cause.