Political and defence circles have expressed serious concerns over Jang Group’s attempt to implicate the national security institutions – particularly the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) – in the gun attack on Geo TV senior anchor Hamid Mir.
Mir was seriously wounded when gunmen ambushed his car on Sharea Faisal around 5:15pm minutes after he flew into Karachi from Islamabad. Soon after the attack, Geo TV blamed the ISI. The allegations did not even take into the account the fact that investigations into the attack had not even begun.
This is not the first time, the group has also behaved in similar ways in the past as well.
After former premier Benazir Bhutto’s assassination, Geo TV made allegations against important personalities associated with security agencies. It claimed Benazir had herself said that former president Pervez Musharraf and Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi would be responsible for any attempt on her life. Investigating agencies later ruled these allegations baseless.
The Geo TV campaign did not end with some allegations. The channel continued to prove its poisonous accusation while continuously displaying the photograph of the director general of ISI. By attacking the country’s premier intelligence agency with such force, Geo TV has not just damaged a national institution, but also undermined the safety and security of Pakistan.
Above all, a Jang Group employee demanded that the DG ISI resign even before the case was registered and the investigations began. This campaign seems to be part of a particular propaganda which aims at portraying Pakistan as a country where its security agencies are hatching conspiracies against their own countrymen.
If someone has some proof about a criminal incident, they can help by providing those proofs to the investigating agencies. The campaign is continuing despite a clear cut denial by the army spokesperson which shows that Jang Group is playing the game of some other power.
Talking to Daily Express, renowned, political and defence analyst Dr Hasan Askari Rizvi said there is already tension between the government and the army. “In such a situation if a media group starts leveling allegations against the ISI or national security agencies, this will send out a very negative message,” he said.
“The reasonable attitude is that you demand an investigation instead of leveling such allegations. If this does not stop, the army will get the message that a specific media group has started a campaign against it,” he added.
MNA and chief of the Qaumi Watan Party Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao said that attacks on journalists are deplorable and should be investigated, but there is no point in making allegations without proof.
“The military and the ISI are facing very difficult challenges, especially since they are fighting the war against terrorism. Such allegations will send out a negative message. There should be no speculation before investigations are complete,” he said.
Analyst Air-Vice Marshal (retd) Shezad Chaudhry said investigations should be given preference at this stage. “Allegations without investigation are not suitable in any situation. Those actually responsible for the incident should be brought to justice and no organisation should be blamed without proof,” he added.
Details of attack on Hamid Mir
An investigation team has been formed to probe the attack on Hamid Mir. District East SSP Pir Mohammad Shah said nine empty bullet casings were found at the scene of the crime.
Police have been unable to find any clues about the suspects from footage of CCTV cameras installed near the crime scene. SSP Shah, however, said the police was trying to make sketches of the suspects with help from eyewitnesses.
