Shame on You Talat Hussain!!

Syed Talat Hussain 'was' an esteemed columnist, television host and journalist of Pakistan, until today when he targeted someone for following their own harmless cultural norms. In his column in the Urdu daily Express News, he targets the famous Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie in his shameful effort to target the current civilian government of Pakistan. The article reproduced below gives an insight in to the way of thinking that is standard of Pakistan's new found pseudo intellectuals. The article is titled 'Jolie ka thhapparh' or 'Jolie's slap' referring to her criticism of inconvenience and lack of empathy in maintaining the security protocols of politicians while they visit the flood affectees.

The article instead of taking the valid approach taken by many bloggers, whereby they portray Jolie as an objective outsider, who has more sympathy than those who hold positions of power chooses to takes a shocking alternative route. He chooses to portray Angelina Jolie as a characterless, good-for-nothing and sham actress, who had her acting career propelled by the casting couch in the wake of her lack of appeal and her publicly confessed bi-sexual orientation. He further declares her adoption of kids as a cover up for her past life and concludes the article by pointing out that even such a lowly person had more sense than our politicians.

For those who cannot comprehend Urdu, a summarized translation follows each paragraph.

The opening paragraph introduces Angelina Jolie as a Hollywood actress, hints at her scandalous life and comments on her ever present contempt for social norms. She had (sexually) matured early (read slut), however, being ugly was a complete failure in the acting world.

She took to political-marriages to advance her career, fully utilizing each opportunity that came her way. Her thirst for success was devoid of any limitations so much so that she has contravened every value that forms the basis of a society's morality. The highlight of her continuous social experimenting is her self-professed stint at sapphism.

To blackout her 'past' Angelina Jolie has taken to adopting an 'assortment' of kids. This was publicized by her PR managers so effectively that despite want of ethics in general and Eastern values in particular she was made the United Nations Goodwill Ambassador. If you doubt my stance open up the Constitution of Pakistan and turn to Article 62 and 63 which dictates the need for people to be good character, to not violate Islamic values, avoid sinfulness, be sagacious etc. Our notion is based on the principle that be they Muslims or Non-Muslims, people with lack of (good) qualities as Angelina Jolie should remain disgraced at all times. Had she been in Pakistan she would have been (rightfully) stoned to death multiple times.

But even a movie star, drenched in westernism had the decency to realize that inconveniencing flood affected people with protocol is inhumane. She recounts in her UN report that in such dire times the house of the Prime Minister had a lavish feast followed by a private in-flight by the PM's family. The report is a slap in the face (of Pakistani leadership). For what reason?! This Hollywood actress would be feeling more honored than her Honorable hosts.

After reading the article apart from the fact that I fail to see the purpose of the same, I am appalled at the writer's way of thinking. His obsession to impose Eastern values on Ms Jolie is beyond me and so is his persistence in alleging that she continually contravenes Western values, known only to Mr Talat Hussain himself. He does not find Ms Jolie attractive (for that I can only pity you Sir), makes an evil vicious witch out of her for being an actress and having scandals probably every person in Hollywood has.

He also has problems with her adoption of kids and more than anything her being selected as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Goodwill Ambassador. He is so spiteful of the superstar's appointment (due to her having no feathers in her cap bar some acting), that he did not even bother to look up the purpose of such appointments, which is to 'use their talent and fame' to advocate the cause of refugees.

One can understand Mr Hussain's compassion for Islamic values but the same values dictate him to refrain from thrusting them on non-Muslims let alone giving fatwas against them for not obeying the Islamic code. However, what is not understandable is the disappearance of this compassion when Taliban are going on a rampage bombing mosques, men and boys go missing in Balochistan and barbershops are forcefully shut down in the tribal areas and when the Lal Masjid's moulvis issue threats of suicide bombings and kidnap police personnel.


The article takes the thanklessness and paranoia that permeate certain sections of our society to a whole new level. Saner voices should prevail if the society is to prosper, therefore it is imperative to condemn Mr Talat Hussain's slanderous article against a person who came to help the people of Pakistan in their time of need. Thank you Angelina Jolie and walk away Talat Hussain with your head hung in shame.

Pakistani Media: Of Floods, facts and fiction!!

If the floods that wreaked havoc in the country were of Biblical proportions, they compare nothing to the propaganda unleashed upon the political ruling class of the current setup by the media.

To the average urban Pakistani, now it is high time that we do away with this 'incompetent regime' which has failed to deliver the masses. The civilian leaders are a paradigm of corruption and worse, simply disinterested.

Their conviction is only strengthened when their ever so sincere media relays pictures of their even braver saviors who have come around to rescue those caught in the calamity. How shall we ever repay them (may I suggest some more plots in DHA), bellow anchors invoking the guilt of the educated middle class, not unlike in manner to a chain message which predicts bad fortune and God's wrath upon those who will not pass them along to at least ten people.

The media, print and electronic alike have plunged into a 24/7 mission to tarnish the image of the present government led by the Pakistan Peoples Party and as always feign ignorance and surprise when someone points it out. Obviously if you give arguments for your case the media would either censor it altogether or go into a mad uproar. All the channels would instantaneously come to the rescue of their fraternity despite their utter yellow journalistic attitudes and sensationalizing of issues.

President Zardari went on a trip to Europe and media had a blast criticizing him for ten days. The visit's coverage clearly exceeded that of the floods on most channels and it was condemned across the board. But then, he came back and started visiting the flood affected areas. The opposition and anger started subsiding and soon the establishment had realized the folly of its campaign against Asif Ali Zardari. As it dawned on it that the real beneficiary of the event had become the Sharif brothers and even PM Gilani who were visiting the flood affected areas and taking personal part in the rescue efforts. Thus a new set of instructions were evidently dispatched to all the news channels.

The folly they realized was that it was imperative that people should lose faith in the entire political leadership. The campaign against PPP, was presenting PML-N as an alternative, hence more democracy and a sentiment to oust the government through the ballot box, be it mid-term or full term elections. This was unacceptable, as democratic traditions must be prevented from taking roots at all costs. The consistently held by-polls have done enough damage an ouster of government through election would have pulled the curtain of Martial Law Take 5 before it has been raised.

As if on cue, all footage of the Sharif brothers was taken off air. The pictures of Shahbaz Sharif touring the affected areas, suspending DCOs and admonishing officers while the senior Sharif made his way down the country were given a thumbs down. The PML-N joined PPP in being blamed for unpreparedness, lack of coordination and corruption previously unmatched. The media started questioning the credibility of government day and night, and than expressed amusement why the present government lacks credibility.

To them the present government is corrupt, but no proof is provided, except that international institutions say so. Transparency International's ranking for the level of perceived corruption in Pakistan for years 2007,2008 and 2009 are 138, 134 and 139. The score hovering between 2.4 and 2.5 thus practically same as the previous regime, so what international organization is media getting its statistics from? Columnists and shamefully a few very esteemed ones have joined in calling for the appropriated national wealth to be returned by the politicians like Nawaz and Zardari who have assets of $ 1.4 and $1.8 billion respectively. No one knows where did the figures come from? They are certainly not on the list of Forbes billionaires, and their wealth statement does not say so, yet media slips in these figures continuously.

Through out the day private television channels are out on a crusade to malign the political setup. The first page of most newspapers talks about government's lack of efforts. They blame the government for being unable to provide people with relief. The inadequacy of relief is a fact, what is fiction is that the reason for the inadequacy of relief is government's slackness and ill-will. When the deputy speaker of the National Assembly spoke on a talk show that they had ten thousand tents in Dera Ismail Khan and require 37,000 more; the anchor delved into the usual drone about incapability of government.

The inadequacy of tents, food items and other amenities is that no country in the world has resources tied up in stocking tents for sheltering 20 million people. Hence, D.I.Khan got only 20% of tents it required because the tents in stock have to be distributed evenly across the affected areas.

Media fails to see any government efforts in the casualties in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa being over thousand, where as the death toll in more densely populated Punjab and Sindh being 105 and 44. Obviously the credit for that goes to the saviors of the nation not the politicians. Their eagerness to avoid any pictures of the elected representatives means that apart from talk shows and the advertisements the government officials can be barely seen in news. What good would Salman Taseer ensuring relief efforts in Punjab do? Or the pictures of Qaim Ali Shah convincing hundreds of farmers that their land would be safe and it has been ensured that the records are safe with the thappedars? Or Faisal Karim Kundi, Hina Rabbani Khar, Khursheed Shah, Zulfikar Mirza, Pervaiz Rasheed, Zulfikar Khosa and hundreds of other office bearers who are personally present in the flood hit areas.

Deprived of any footage of laid back ministers or partying political elites, a new round of allegations was launched. Reports that various dikes had been broken purposefully for saving the lands of eminent few. With the land of Bhuttos and Zardaris ie Larkano and Nawabshah inundated by floods they continue to report such stories.

The new darling of the channels to support their argument is the former Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Jamali. While his docility may have earned him a few nods of respect, his appearance on various talk shows and brutal distortion of facts could not be further from truth. He alleged and the media advocated how certain specific dikes were systematically cut so the farmlands of the Jhakranis and their corruption in the construction of Shahbaz Air Base can be can be saved. Obviously he was not asked that what did he do to curb such corruption when he became Prime Minister during the course of such construction, which please note was carried by the Americans themselves. Despite lack of proof or sense, Jamali sahab continues to appear on air disseminating false information among the general public.

The impact of media's biased and falsified reporting of events is evident in the low local response to the PM Gilani as well as CM Shahbaz Sharif's fund for flood victims. While the media continues to mold opinions in the living rooms of urban cadre, the distressed and affected can see for themselves who is present around them. An analyst once commented that the biggest problem of a dictator is that he does not have a constituency, sorry for the future aspirants the people of Muzaffargarh would vote for Jamshed Dasti again because he was with them in their time of need, so were Ijaz Jhakrani, Khursheed Shah and Faisal Karim Kundi.

While the politicians of the nation are beleaguered by the media, judiciary and establishment, they have done well to stay in their constituencies for all to see them present in person. The meeting of political leaders at all levels, the end to hostile statements in general and convening of the National Disaster Management Commission are all steps in the right direction. By declaring its allegiances openly the media has only imitated the Japanese at the Pearl Harbour, "they have won a great tactical victory and thereby lost a war."

Tail piece: In yet another talk show a caller lamented the construction quality of bridges and roads destroyed (22 of 25 bridges in Swat were washed away), calling upon the Army to oversee the rebuilding and quality control. If only the poor soul knew that most of these bridges were in fact build by the NLC and FWO in the first place.

United for yellow journalism!

It becomes clearer by each passing day that the calls for accountability, fairness and sense of social responsibility by media, judiciary and the so-called civil society of Pakistan are nothing but a sham. It became all too clear when media launched an attack on a very carefully worded resolution passed by the Punjab Assembly against the yellow journalism permeating our fourth pillar of state.

One hoped that media would react positively to the criticism, resulting in soul searching to any degree, however, any such possibility as it turned out was wishful thinking. Nonetheless while our media remains in denial, here our some examples of yellow journalism and blatant slanting of information by the honourable print and electronic media, that have effectively ruined the public confidence in the elected system.

Most recently on 29th of June the electronic media burst into a story of over 10,000 containers going missing, translating into duties worth Rs 200 billion. The anchors launched into a tirade about bad governance and corruption that plagues the presents set-up. Ministers and government representatives caught unaware promised to look into the matter, only to be met with a disdainful smirk by the anchors. The print media joined in the attack by the next morning and the Supreme Court of Pakistan, obviously took a suo moto notice. Within 36 hours the credibility of government was effectively ruined.

By the evening next day the inquiry had been completed and as it turned out 43 containers of liquor had gone missing. Bear in mind that liquor is not taxed in Pakistan and no duty was lost to the country.

Another such news made headlines when the most watched news channel of this country cried wolf about Asif Ali Zardari’s men taking over a staggering USD 72 Billion property in Karachi belonging to Karachi Port Trust. The show aired in January 2010 kept blaring ‘72 arab dollar’ before it realized that it was a bit too much and switched to ‘72 arab rupay’. Realistically the land would not fetch two, three or at max ten billion rupees, the fact that the land grabbers it turned out were the cronies of one of many holy cows of Pakistan and the incident had to be hushed up is besides the point.


Similarly media played to its advantage to smother the repute of the elected government in the case of the so-called LNG scandal. It was reported that government had deliberately preferred a more expensive bid by a European firm over the bid by Fauji Foundation. Needless to say the Supreme Court jumped into the matter once more and newspapers reported that the Chief Justice of Pakistan had ‘mercifully’ allowed the government to revisit the process. The fact that it was bureaucracy in the petroleum ministry that was responsible for the alleged mishap was conveniently ignored. The ministries send proposals and bids to Economic Coordination Committee of the cabinet which then takes a decision was not addressed in the media as the aim was clearly anything but accountability.

Then right in the middle of last month, the most read English language newspaper of this country wrote a full page investigative report maligning the interior minister of the present regime Rehman Malik on the front page. In the alleged scam, the government has supposedly lost rupees 30 Billion in revenue due to the reason that government raised the tariffs on certain phone calls terminating in Pakistan resulting in increased traffic on alternate Voice over Internet Protocol, of whom a company allegedly owned by the minister was a direct beneficiary. The entire report like always was based on ’sources’.

The post was promptly condemned by the minister who also threatened to sue the paper while the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority issued a clarification that the information published by the newspaper was erroneous. The tariff readjustment had actually ‘impacted positively on USF, LDI operators and hence the economy.’ The condemnation nor the clarification by the PTA could find its way to the most newspapers.

The endless list of media’s ‘yellow journalism” or maybe the general level of incompetence includes disproportionate reporting, unconfirmed news alerts, heavy reliance on ’sources’ which must not be named and the lack of interest or the need of any other section of society’s accountability apart from the politicians.

Each day the media plays havoc with investors’ and more importantly the confidence of common citizens of Pakistan. Sensationalizing of issues is now taking its toll, the rupee is on the decline, the stock market struggles but fails to reach out to the 10,000 psychological limit and a general sense of despair engulfs the common citizens despite the record high remittances and reserves, positive reports by financial institutions like the World Bank and IMF (once again conveniently ignored by the media) and a general strengthening of writ of the government over the country.

Be it the matter of fake degrees or a judges scathing remarks ridiculing the political set-up, launching a war to reclaim Swat or the passing of eighteenth amendment the chunk of media seems determined to find a fault to help awash any possibility of a positive image of the democratic system of government and demonize the present setup. Media may have coerced the leader of the second biggest party of this country into apologizing and humiliating the voice of his own province’s elected representatives but should it not mend its ways, it is only a matter of time that media would get burned by the fire it is trying hard to play with.