Gilani shot down proposal to tame media
http://www.thenews.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=23849
Thursday, August 13, 2009
By Rauf Klasra
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani during last week cabinet meeting is said to have shot down a proposal given by one of his mightiest ministers to use material provided by secret agencies against journalists and TV anchors involved in exposing and discussing big corruption scandals, which have been aplenty in coming in the recent past.
A highly reliable source said that not only did the PM promptly shoot down the proposal of using real and imaginary filth against journalists but also told his visibly perturbed flock to not to expect his support in the event of any corruption scandal in the media. Every one of you will be required to defend yourself in the Parliament if there are any serious charges of corruption against any of you, one source quoted PM Gilani telling his ministers rather bluntly in the meeting.
Earlier, sources said, one of the key ministers had spelled out his plan to deal with print journalists and anchor persons filing stories against the PPP government. This minister reportedly told the cabinet that he had access to a great deal of material against journalists, which could be used against them. This material was collected by the secret agencies after the minister had asked them to prepare files of the journalists and anchors who were defying the government. We can effectively use the material against these journalists and anchors to silence them, one source quoted the powerful minister as telling his cabinet colleagues. But, much to the embarrassment of this minister, PM Gilani took a serious note of this immoral and ugly suggestion and told the minister that this was not his job to deal with the media or give such kind of suggestions. Let the relevant ministry of information take care of these stories and journalists, as they are better qualified to deal with such issues, PM Gilani was said to have told the minister who was keen to punish the journalists through state patronized blackmailing.
Interesting enough, the sources told that in the same meeting during the discussion on the riots in Gojra, the same minister also proposed to the cabinet to bring about changes in the blasphemy laws of the country. But, PM Gilnai was said to have said that this was not the right time for any changes in these laws as this step would add fuel to the fire.
The sources told that at one point a furious federal minister Khursheed Shah also sought the permission of the prime minister to sue the journalist who had published a report alleging corruption against him in the newspaper in order to get a clean chit from the court to establish his integrity in the eyes of the media and public. Why he sought the permission made no sense as none was required but then political point scoring is an understandable reality as well.
The sources said the cabinet discussed the sensational stories of corruption against some of the ministers of the government, allegedly part of corruption on a large scale. Sources said the ministers were found quite worried over frequent reports in the media, which had virtually shaken the government. The sources said when this issue was raised in the meeting by some of the perturbed ministers, Prime Minister Gilani was said to be visibly disturbed, as it had hurt the image of his government. The insiders said even the ministers appeared worried about the image of the government which stood tarnished because of recent reports.
The sources said the ministers were expecting that Prime Minister Gilani would either console them, blast the media or would come out in the open with some sort of arm twisting strategy to deal with these corruption stories. But, the sources said, the ministers were disappointed when Gilani told them that they were on their own to defend corruption allegations.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Dr Babar Awan was also said to have backed the stance of Prime Minister Gilani and said bad impression was more dangerous than the bad deeds of human beings and the government needed to be careful about its public image. He said PM Gilani had rightly taken the decision that whosoever faces corruption charges, should be answerable in the parliament instead of the government taking the full responsibility of his acts of omission and commission.
Minister Azam Swati proposed setting up of a cabinet committee on the issue of corruption. Hameedullah Jan Afirid backed this proposal but it could not get any significant support from the rest of their harassed colleagues.
One source said PM Gilani clearly distanced himself from all these ministers against whom corruption stories were printed in the media. It was for the first time that he did away with the tradition of collective responsibility of the cabinet.
http://www.thenews.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=23849
Thursday, August 13, 2009
By Rauf Klasra
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani during last week cabinet meeting is said to have shot down a proposal given by one of his mightiest ministers to use material provided by secret agencies against journalists and TV anchors involved in exposing and discussing big corruption scandals, which have been aplenty in coming in the recent past.
A highly reliable source said that not only did the PM promptly shoot down the proposal of using real and imaginary filth against journalists but also told his visibly perturbed flock to not to expect his support in the event of any corruption scandal in the media. Every one of you will be required to defend yourself in the Parliament if there are any serious charges of corruption against any of you, one source quoted PM Gilani telling his ministers rather bluntly in the meeting.
Earlier, sources said, one of the key ministers had spelled out his plan to deal with print journalists and anchor persons filing stories against the PPP government. This minister reportedly told the cabinet that he had access to a great deal of material against journalists, which could be used against them. This material was collected by the secret agencies after the minister had asked them to prepare files of the journalists and anchors who were defying the government. We can effectively use the material against these journalists and anchors to silence them, one source quoted the powerful minister as telling his cabinet colleagues. But, much to the embarrassment of this minister, PM Gilani took a serious note of this immoral and ugly suggestion and told the minister that this was not his job to deal with the media or give such kind of suggestions. Let the relevant ministry of information take care of these stories and journalists, as they are better qualified to deal with such issues, PM Gilani was said to have told the minister who was keen to punish the journalists through state patronized blackmailing.
Interesting enough, the sources told that in the same meeting during the discussion on the riots in Gojra, the same minister also proposed to the cabinet to bring about changes in the blasphemy laws of the country. But, PM Gilnai was said to have said that this was not the right time for any changes in these laws as this step would add fuel to the fire.
The sources told that at one point a furious federal minister Khursheed Shah also sought the permission of the prime minister to sue the journalist who had published a report alleging corruption against him in the newspaper in order to get a clean chit from the court to establish his integrity in the eyes of the media and public. Why he sought the permission made no sense as none was required but then political point scoring is an understandable reality as well.
The sources said the cabinet discussed the sensational stories of corruption against some of the ministers of the government, allegedly part of corruption on a large scale. Sources said the ministers were found quite worried over frequent reports in the media, which had virtually shaken the government. The sources said when this issue was raised in the meeting by some of the perturbed ministers, Prime Minister Gilani was said to be visibly disturbed, as it had hurt the image of his government. The insiders said even the ministers appeared worried about the image of the government which stood tarnished because of recent reports.
The sources said the ministers were expecting that Prime Minister Gilani would either console them, blast the media or would come out in the open with some sort of arm twisting strategy to deal with these corruption stories. But, the sources said, the ministers were disappointed when Gilani told them that they were on their own to defend corruption allegations.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Dr Babar Awan was also said to have backed the stance of Prime Minister Gilani and said bad impression was more dangerous than the bad deeds of human beings and the government needed to be careful about its public image. He said PM Gilani had rightly taken the decision that whosoever faces corruption charges, should be answerable in the parliament instead of the government taking the full responsibility of his acts of omission and commission.
Minister Azam Swati proposed setting up of a cabinet committee on the issue of corruption. Hameedullah Jan Afirid backed this proposal but it could not get any significant support from the rest of their harassed colleagues.
One source said PM Gilani clearly distanced himself from all these ministers against whom corruption stories were printed in the media. It was for the first time that he did away with the tradition of collective responsibility of the cabinet.
