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Torture and abduction of journalist Umar Cheema, storm of fascism is blowing at Islamabad.
International Professor
Mr. Umar Cheema a prominent journalist of the daily News, Islamabad was kidnapped, tortured and humiliated by a group wearing cops uniforms. Media reports of the incidence are so horrifying and portray a depressing picture of lawless Pakistan that hopes of survival as a nation are diminishing day by day.
There are many war lords and power groups that are involved in power struggle and everyone in government is busy in blaming some mysterious forces or non-existing entities and imaginary scenarios. Soon after every attempt of terrorism either local or foreign backed terrorists are blamed, later a few poor persons are arrested and after years of legal proceedings finally majority is released by courts, surprisingly state terrorism is also a live side by side with full force and without any fear.
In case of Mr. Umar Cheema state sponsored terrorists have tried their best to complicate the matter to hide the identity of master minds. He is an excellent investigative reporter and his some reports have shaken establishment and chalked out corruption and mismanagement of the ruling elite. Particularly comments of Zardari mafia’s apologists on Govt. sponsored websites clearly show frustration among their circles and panic created by reports of Mr. Umar Cheema. People’s party has a history of fascism and mainly exists with the courtesy of feudal lords, thugs and corrupt politicians. Drum beating of democracy is an illusion and mockery to make fool Westerners.
Lahore High Courts has taken suo moto notice and hoped that Government of Pakistan in any case that is responsible for such kind of fascist activities would be exposed. First read the actual incidence reported by victim and later we would discuss about involvement of a group or groups in this work of terrorism.
According to Mr. Umer Cheema he was picked up by some men in police uniforms from Islamabad Sector I-8 when he was returning home early in the morning at Sehri time and taken to an unknown place at 45 to 50 minutes drive. He said he was heading home in his car after meeting with friends. When he reached Sector I-8, a Land Cruiser blocked his way and pulled over in front of his car while a white Toyota came and parked right behind.
“A few unknown men wearing uniforms of Elite Force came up to me, saying I crushed a man at Zero Point and drove off and then these men forcibly took me along with them. He said the men covered his face and took him to a building at 45 to 50 minutes drive.
“I was held in illegal captivity for 6 hours during which I was continuously tortured and humiliated in nude. They stripped me out of my clothes, hanged me upside down and shaved off my head and moustaches,”
Umer Cheema quoted the captors as saying: “Do you intend to have Martial Law imposed in the country by publishing anti-government reports?”
He said the captors warned: “Stop writing against the government, if you cannot bear this torture and that Ansar Abbasi will be next target if I failed to stop.” They were also aware of my arriving in Gujranwala, Umer Cheema added.”
Refer: http://www.thenews.com.pk/latest-news/764.htm
A list of some remarkable stories filed by Mr. Umar Cheema:
A review of stories filed by the News special correspondent Umar Cheema in the last a few months show that besides hitting at the president and some powerful ministers, he also contributed some investigative stories on the military and intelligence agencies. His reports included:
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August 20: he filed a story which was published with the heading, ‘Zardari invites businessmen-some won’t attend meeting’. The story informed the readers that Zardari convened a meeting of the business community and representatives of chambers of commerce and industry today (Friday), but many big names refused to show up presenting excuses for non-availability due to the growing trust deficit in the govt.
August 5: his story was ‘Army House being guarded by Pindi police’. It informed that although overall security of the Army House and the Gen. Kiyani (COAS) is a subject of the Military Police (MP) and Military Intelligence (MI), this duty is now largely being performed by Rawalpindi Police that have dedicated over 400 personnel, including police commandos around the Army House and for the routes used by the COAS.
July 21: the heading of his story was ‘Presidency rubbishes charge of 93 paintings’ theft’ and it says, “In what could become another major international embarrassment for Zardari, the daughter of an internationally renowned artist has, in a petition to the Supreme Court of Pakistan, accused him of stealing 93 paintings belonging to her mother, most of which were shipped to London.”
July 8: story was ‘Govt attacked, judiciary backed, politicians, ex-judges, lawyers stand behind SC. The story says, “Affirming their strong resolve to standby the judges, the opposition parties Wednesday condemned the government bid to malign the independent judiciary through handpicked NAB officials, while the retired Supreme Court judges said the letter of NAB Prosecutor General Irfan Qadir could result in contempt of court proceedings against both the government and the lawyer.”
July 8: story was ‘Agencies mishandled high profile terror attacks’ which says, “Intelligence agencies not only mishandled the terrorism cases of Lt-Gen Mushtaq Baig and the army bus attack near the NLC office in Rawalpindi, the six persons accused of attacking an ISI bus near Hamza Camp were also acquitted on the same grounds.”
July 7: story was with heading, “Army, agencies accused of not cooperating in terror attacks probe”. The story disclosed, “The Punjab govt. has made a damning indictment of the Army and intelligence agencies, holding them mainly responsible for court acquittal of those accused in suicide attacks on Lt Gen Mushtaq Baig and on an army bus, and said the army “neither assisted nor showed any interest in the trial of the accused.”
July 2: story was interesting with heading ‘Lady guides’ hired during Zardari’s Turkey visit not paid’. It said, “In an embarrassing scandal, which has ashamed officials who are trying to play it down, a Turkish court had to order the Pakistani Consulate in Istanbul to pay about $8,000 to five Turkish girls who were hired during the December 2008 visit to Turkey Zardari as “lady guides” but were never paid for their services. The girls, provided by a travel agency, were supposed to ‘facilitate the entourage’ during the president’s visit to Istanbul, but payment was later refused, sparking a legal battle, which was finally settled after a court order in February this year.”
June 19: story reveals character of law minister ‘Babar charters plane to hand out funds to lawyers’ and it revealed, “In what appears to be a blatant misuse of taxpayers’ money, Babar Awan has chartered an Air Force (PAF) plane for his hurried visit to south Punjab bar associations and took off on Friday for Multan apparently to distribute funds ahead of the SCBA annual elections. The law minister, along with three junior lawyers, boarded the PAF plane at the Chaklala Airbase around 8:15 am on Friday with Multan as their first destination.”
June 9: story was ‘Lal Masjid commando seeks Nawaz support’ and it says “Ghulam Ahmad, one of the two army commandos court-martialled for opposing Lal Masjid operation, who earlier wrote to the chief justice of Pakistan, has decided to approach Mian Nawaz Sharif also for securing relief as he served with him in Attock Fort during the latter’s detention.”
June 8: story was however very dangerous and many in the capital pointed towards this story on Saturday. The heading of the story was ‘Lal Masjid commandos seek SC intervention’ and it says, “Denied copies of court martial proceedings; ISPR declines comments. Two army commandos of Zarar Company, who had allegedly opposed Lal Masjid operation in 2007 and were subsequently court martialled, have been denied the right of appeal in superior courts.”
May 26: story was ‘Mystery of army officer’s arrest deepens’ it says “The mystery behind the arrest of a Major of Pakistan Army Signals Corps has deepened as his younger brother, a software engineer, has also been picked up in a wave of detentions being made to unearth the contacts of Faisal Shehzad, who allegedly staged the failed terrorist attempt in Times Square, New York.”
May 23: story was ‘Official report blames MQM militants for target killings. Allegation has no link with reality: MQM leader.” It says, “The first official diagnosis, prognosis and prescription on the highly destabilising target killings in Karachi is now available as a seven-member high-level official committee has prepared its report blaming political parties and naming only the MQM, which it says has a militant wing tasked to create law and order situations to achieve its political ends.”
May 16: story was ‘Musharraf’s buddy now close adviser to Zardari’ ‘Offered top post, enjoying official house, cars, security’. It revealed, “Former dictator Pervez Musharraf’s right hand man Tariq Aziz has become a close confidant and private adviser to Zardari, so much so that he was offered an important official position, he continues to occupy a ministerial bungalow, has been given a bulletproof BMW and full security by the Rangers.”
May 12: story was again marvellous. It was ‘Rehman Malik’s past being whitewashed. Record goes missing, officials punished; Victims come out in the open to complain; source close to PPP terms cases against Malik bogus, politically motivated’. It said, “The official record of the 1996 cases against Interior Minister Rehman Malik has started to disappear and FIA officials who arrested and handled him back in 1996 are now facing his wrath. Meanwhile, A private party has suddenly withdrawn its 15-year old FIR against Mr Malik for illegally grabbing 12 acres of land.”
May 8: story was ‘Musarrat Misbah misused victims, funds’ and it said, “Musarrat Misbah, a beautician-turned-supposed philanthropist has been honoured with the President’s Pride of Performance Award, at a time when the government’s own agencies are investigating into her alleged embezzlement of funds.”
Umar Cheema was continuously filing stories on poor performance and nepotism by the army controlled National University of Modern Languages (NUML) management. In December 2009, he filed repeated stories against a brigadier who was rector of NUML and inhumanly thrashed a civilian professor of the university. |
Refer: http://www.thenews.com.pk/05-09-2010/Top-Story/386.htm
Our comments and analysis:
According to above list the reporting’s of Mr. Umar Cheema generally distressed two war lords, first Zardari and second Kiyani. Zardari is creating terror through Intelligence Bureau (IB) and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), whereas Kiyani has unlimited resources such as ISI, MI, Military Police, air force and Navy agencies, Lashkars and terrorists under his arrests etc.
It is a clear criminal case conducted by any agency in uniform, the same jeeps used by culprits are owned by different agencies. To misguide people the crime scene was deliberately engineered towards wrong directions to give it political colour. The demands of criminals and advices given were calculated and pre-planned to deflect the direction of incidence. Some very influential person of Govt. later white washed evidences cleverly to omit any evidence like closing his phone and blocking sim.
There are strong speculations that ISI or MI is behind this act of terrorism because our army has a history of autocratic behaviours and those are unable to see beyond their nose. There are dozens of incidences of fascism, human right violations and extra judicial crimes in the fold of Gen. Kiyani and Gen. Pasha.
Other stronger speculation that points finger toward Zardari mafia have equal footings. There are master minds, planners, executioners and protectors at President House, Islamabad to conduct such acts of terrorism.
Fauzia Wahab, Farahnaz Isfahani and Faisal Raza Abidi are main planners at President House and each has a capacity to act such kind of criminal action individually or with the help of any agency. All the three are trained MQM terrorist’s and sympathizers of Altaf Husain. Those can do any criminal activity for making number in front of Zardari.
Sons of Fauzia Wahab are slowly but surely moving to be involved in any big criminal case, and those are trying to finger individuals for more above their capacities, and Mr. Umar Cheema being considered to be part of investigative team of Mr. Ansar Abbasi, and Fauzia Wahab and her sons have grudge with him since long. One case against Mr. Ansar Abbasi is still in courts filed by Fauzia Wahab Zarkari.
Farahnaz Isfahani and Husain Haqqani have recently stream linened their links with Joint Chief Headquarter, and as such ISPR falls under Gen. Tariq Majeed. Whereas at least on two occasions media has reported that Husain Haqqani and Gen. Tariq Majeed were seen hugging each other within last one month. Isfahani is trying to pass a resolution through National Assembly to tide hands of media and put some restrictions on flow of information with the backing of Tariq Majeed, who is also looking for extension like Kiyani and trying to use American stooge Haqqani for this purpose.
Third player Faisal Raza Abidi is known gangster of Karachi and now working as front man of Zardari to collect money on behalf of Zardari from PIA. His links were exposed when he master minded case against Mr. Hamid Mir and agencies were noticed on his discretion to conduct illegal acts.
Major executioner in all crimes of Zardari is A Rahman Malik, he has criminal mentality and main suspect in murder of Benazir. He has unlimited powers and resources to teach lesson to anyone. If not Gen. Pasha than A Rahman Malik is main suspect in kidnapping and torture of Mr. Cheema.
Responsibility of Media:
It is morale responsibility of media to pursue the case but it is shame that none of the leading paper or TV channel bothered to even report the incidence. It is a test case for all journalists and it is not too far that today’s Zardari apologists in media could face same wrath tomorrow. With the bird’s eye view imagine if Nazir Naji, Munoo Bhai, Mahmood Sham, Abbas Mahkari, Najam Sethi, Naseem Zohra, Mir Jameel ur Rahman, Rashid Rahman or any other Zardari or Kiyani apologist would face same situation in future.
Zardari, Kiyani and Gaillani mafias are fascist gangs and in the presence of fraudulent democracy, deceptive constitution, corrupt politicians and generals, the honour of any citizen is on stake. Rise against fascism, be brave and don’t forget your duty to provide true information without any fear. Mr. Umar Cheema is an asset and we support him in these hard times and condemned Government’s action against marvellous journalist.
Reference: Geo TV’s report: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBwzPCd_rU8
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