Jang Group Investigation team presents itself for accountability

ISLAMABAD: Not sure what the honourable judges of the Supreme Court precisely observed in the JIT-related cases during the last few days but some in politics are using the judges’ remarks to malign and target the Jang Group in general and the members of The News Investigation Team in particular.

What the politicians or for that matter any other political party say is not a matter of concern for us but if the judges have some doubts about the media and its role, its need to be cleared.

In journalism, we report the facts but don’t manufacture them. A journalist could be challenged and even taken to the court of law if the facts he the media is like shooting the messenger for disliking the message.

Anyone has the right to raise questions on stories and reports produced by any journalist or the media group. But this is too serious an allegation to ignore that what a particular journalist or media house is doing, is part of the government’s campaign. Media is supposed to bring facts before the masses, and they do it without bothering whom these facts will favour and who will get damaged.

It’s a matter of pride for the Jang Group that during the successive governments, all the major scandals — based on facts and not hearsay — were broken by this media house. And since the creation of The News Investigations Cell, all the major stories were produced by the handful of investigative journalists attached with the Cell.

If the case of induction in police service of former Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry’s son — Arsalan Iftikhar — was unearthed by The News, then the same newspaper and the same team of investigative journalists unveiled the conspiracies of dictator Gen (retd) Musharraf against Justice Iftikhar and other judges of the superior judiciary.

However, we do all this while remaining within the parameters of law and Constitution and keeping in view the limits set by the Constitution for freedom of expression. These principles were not forgotten even when The News Investigative team, during the last PPP government, reported the scandal of how the FSC marks of a scion of the then Chief Justice Dogar were illegally increased.

Those political leaders and their followers who are blaming us of being partisan for their political gains, should know that from the PanamaLeaks case against the Nawaz Sharif family to the disclosure of Imran Khan’s offshore companies, the unearthing of Gen (retd) Musharraf’s billions to the corruption scandals of the last PPP regime, all stories belonged to The News Investigation Cell.

The PTI, whose top leaders soon after the announcement of SC’s judgment on the Panama case had rejected the JIT and its constitution, has now become the champion of JIT’s defenders. Some of PTI leaders these days are in the hobby of showing The News’ stories to respected judges of the SC Implementation Bench, as “evidence” against the Jang Group’s so-called campaign to “malign” the apex court and the JIT.

Not sure if the PTI’s anti-Jang Group campaign has influenced the respected judges but these allegations have no ground and are being leveled by a political entity, which is desirous of seeing every journalist dancing to its tunes.

Their attack starts from WhatsApp story of The News. Interestingly, not even a single word of the story has been denied or challenged by anyone yet the impression is being given by certain political elements that the story was meant to hit the JIT and the SC and that this was done at the government’s behest.

Those trying to knit conspiracies relating to the WhatsApp story are ignoring the facts, rather the hard facts. What The News reported were merely the facts and pertained to alleged WhatsApp calls made by the Registrar Supreme Court to get “specific” persons inducted into the JIT.

Most importantly, no less than the SC Implementation Bench itself confirmed the story. While hearing the case, a respected judge included in the Implementation Bench confirmed that the Registrar had acted on the orders of the judges. An honourable judge even admitted that they can make a mistake.

Being the author of the story, I am ready to face any legal challenge if what was reported was incorrect. I should also be proceeded against if there is any hint of disrespect and ridicule for the honourable judges of the apex court. Of course, nothing could be done if the facts as reported by this scribe did not suit any of the parties concerned. The WhatsApp story simply presented the facts as they had happened.

Umar Cheema, the man who is part of the ICIJ and had broken the PanamaLeaks, has been the darling of PTI till recently for his work on the PanamaLeaks but he too became their target after he revealed who controlled the JIT. Cheema, who had appeared before the JIT twice to verify the ICIJ documents against the Sharifs, had revealed that an agency under the Defence Ministry has complete control over the JIT and its secretariat.

Cheema reported the facts fairly and honestly as he observed but his story is also termed as part of the so-called government’s campaign against the JIT. Interestingly, Cheema’s story is based on his observations, which has nothing to do with the government. Still he could be proceeded against if he narrated wrong facts. But targeting him and the Jang Group will be unfair for sharing the facts that are found “unpleasant” to some parties.

The News Investigations Cell also has the credit of filing exclusive stories on how some of the witnesses recently alleged of harassment and mistreatment by the JIT but this too become a “chargesheet” against the messenger — the members of The News Investigations Cell and the Jang Group. Most of these stories are based on documents shared by the witnesses either with the JIT or the apex court.

Our senior correspondent Ahmad Noorani in his recent stories exposed how the JIT instead of focusing on its work had produced a hilarious 110-page document on media monitoring as evidence of obstruction being created in their working. He raised the questions as to why those who had leaked Hussain Nawaz’s picture were not named.

Without showing any disrespect to the judiciary, Noorani also expected from the SC to take notice of the JIT report which admitted to have tapped the PM House calls. In his analytical write-up, he found the government departments’ response to the JIT allegations convincing but it was termed by an honourable judge as a “judgment” handed down by the ICJ.

On Tuesday, a respected judge, while hearing the case, remarked that the government is managing stories in the media in its favour. The judge did not name any journalist or media house but this generalised comment is like reprimanding the whole media without any evidence. Such an allegation could be leveled by a political party but not the honourable judges.

The Jang Group and members of The News Investigations Cell had their important role in the nation’s struggle for the independence of the judiciary. We reiterate our resolve to stand for institution building, independence of the judiciary and constitutional rule without compromising on the freedom of speech as per the parameters set by the law and Constitution.