Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly proceedings
November 11, 2010
GILGIT: The Jang Group and Geo TV once again came under fire in Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly on Wednesday after an independent lawmaker once again pinpointed its senior staff for ‘spreading despondency’ in the society, demanding exemplary punishment and also their exile from the country.
“The senior members of the group, including Kamran Khan, Ansar Abbasi, Hamid Mir, and senior analysts Hassan Nisar, Irfan Siddiqi and Haroon ur Rashid are agents of Israel, India, and Russia. They are traitors, therefore they should be arrested and hanged,” said Raziuddin Razi, a lawmaker who has recently been made chairman public accounts committee. He said that after the analysis of these journalists every night it seems that the government and also the country will cease to exist the next day, “but it is not the reality”. He said that these people have no right to be called analysts or journalists. They want to topple an elected government.
Raziuddin also said in his emotional speech that these journalists be arrested and exiled. Raziuddin wanted the treasury benches, ministers and parliamentary secretaries to support him in the noble cause of ‘crusade’ against the blackmailers and said that these people always preferred to be with dictators instead of democratic forces.
In the previous day of proceedings, the Minister for Health and Information Ali Madad Sher had officially distanced his party [PPP] after a similar onslaught was unleashed by some members against the group. However, today [Wednesday] the senior minister, Mohammad Jaffer, who was also acting chief minister in Mehdi Shah’s absence, moved one step ahead in their self-imposed animosity against the Jang Group, saying that the group and its staff [Hamid Mir, Ansar Abbasi, Kamran Khan etc] were true foreign agents who not only draw money from India, Russia and Israel but also America to conspire against the state. “Not only are they being paid by India, Israel and Russia but also they are being paid by America,” he said while talking to media after the proceedings.
Lawmakers from opposition benches vehemently defended media especially the Jang Group and Geo TV, terming their presence a symbol of stability and rule of law in a country robbed by the so-called elected government of PPP.
Janbaz Khan, the PML-N lawmaker, and Raja Azam Khan a MQM member once again rose to their feet and defended the Jang Group, saying that because of this group a check on the ruling party’s corruption has been possible.
They said that these are those ‘hate mongers’ who stood firmly against Musharraf’s dictatorship and helped revive democracy in the region. “The government is just trying to hide their inefficiency behind the animosity of media.
MQM member Raja Azam Khan said that they would also support media and the Jang Group for their bold stance against the corrupt government. A PPP lawmaker, Wazir Hassan said that these anchorpersons don’t speak against the MQM because they know that if they uttered words against them they would be killed by this party.
Meanwhile, a spokesman of the Jang-Geo Group said that the Group was determined to continue bringing facts to the people. He said, the Group exposed many corruption cases including Swiss cases. It played unprecedented role in rule of law in the country, the spokesman said. The lawmakers in Gilgit-Baltistan assembly on the 5th day of its 9th session Wednesday voiced concern over the illegal chopping off of trees in forests of Astore and Skardu, demanding an in-depth inquiry into the matter.
“Is there any department to ask the forests officials as to why such deforestation is taking places in Gilgit-Baltistan,” said Abdul Hamid, a PPP lawmaker from Astore while speaking on a point of order. He demanded inquiry into the matter to stop the ‘crime’ otherwise the situation would become worse.
Wazir Shakil, another lawmaker said that deforestation is also common in his area adding that people responsible for it be brought to book. He said that the stock of trees would deplete soon if the chopping off of trees was not controlled. Deputy speaker Jamil Ahmed, who was conducting the session in the absence of the speaker, asked the advisor on forests Aftab Haider to conduct an inquiry into the matter and submit a report to the house.
The “pure food act” was presented in the house after the provincial Law Minister Wazir Shakeel submitted the bill for approval. The deputy speaker passed on the bill to a select committee for finalization and onward submission in the house.
“The senior members of the group, including Kamran Khan, Ansar Abbasi, Hamid Mir, and senior analysts Hassan Nisar, Irfan Siddiqi and Haroon ur Rashid are agents of Israel, India, and Russia. They are traitors, therefore they should be arrested and hanged,” said Raziuddin Razi, a lawmaker who has recently been made chairman public accounts committee. He said that after the analysis of these journalists every night it seems that the government and also the country will cease to exist the next day, “but it is not the reality”. He said that these people have no right to be called analysts or journalists. They want to topple an elected government.
Raziuddin also said in his emotional speech that these journalists be arrested and exiled. Raziuddin wanted the treasury benches, ministers and parliamentary secretaries to support him in the noble cause of ‘crusade’ against the blackmailers and said that these people always preferred to be with dictators instead of democratic forces.
In the previous day of proceedings, the Minister for Health and Information Ali Madad Sher had officially distanced his party [PPP] after a similar onslaught was unleashed by some members against the group. However, today [Wednesday] the senior minister, Mohammad Jaffer, who was also acting chief minister in Mehdi Shah’s absence, moved one step ahead in their self-imposed animosity against the Jang Group, saying that the group and its staff [Hamid Mir, Ansar Abbasi, Kamran Khan etc] were true foreign agents who not only draw money from India, Russia and Israel but also America to conspire against the state. “Not only are they being paid by India, Israel and Russia but also they are being paid by America,” he said while talking to media after the proceedings.
Lawmakers from opposition benches vehemently defended media especially the Jang Group and Geo TV, terming their presence a symbol of stability and rule of law in a country robbed by the so-called elected government of PPP.
Janbaz Khan, the PML-N lawmaker, and Raja Azam Khan a MQM member once again rose to their feet and defended the Jang Group, saying that because of this group a check on the ruling party’s corruption has been possible.
They said that these are those ‘hate mongers’ who stood firmly against Musharraf’s dictatorship and helped revive democracy in the region. “The government is just trying to hide their inefficiency behind the animosity of media.
MQM member Raja Azam Khan said that they would also support media and the Jang Group for their bold stance against the corrupt government. A PPP lawmaker, Wazir Hassan said that these anchorpersons don’t speak against the MQM because they know that if they uttered words against them they would be killed by this party.
Meanwhile, a spokesman of the Jang-Geo Group said that the Group was determined to continue bringing facts to the people. He said, the Group exposed many corruption cases including Swiss cases. It played unprecedented role in rule of law in the country, the spokesman said. The lawmakers in Gilgit-Baltistan assembly on the 5th day of its 9th session Wednesday voiced concern over the illegal chopping off of trees in forests of Astore and Skardu, demanding an in-depth inquiry into the matter.
“Is there any department to ask the forests officials as to why such deforestation is taking places in Gilgit-Baltistan,” said Abdul Hamid, a PPP lawmaker from Astore while speaking on a point of order. He demanded inquiry into the matter to stop the ‘crime’ otherwise the situation would become worse.
Wazir Shakil, another lawmaker said that deforestation is also common in his area adding that people responsible for it be brought to book. He said that the stock of trees would deplete soon if the chopping off of trees was not controlled. Deputy speaker Jamil Ahmed, who was conducting the session in the absence of the speaker, asked the advisor on forests Aftab Haider to conduct an inquiry into the matter and submit a report to the house.
The “pure food act” was presented in the house after the provincial Law Minister Wazir Shakeel submitted the bill for approval. The deputy speaker passed on the bill to a select committee for finalization and onward submission in the house.
