KARACHI: The recently posted YouTube videos of suspected target killers Ajmal Pahari and Shahnawaz, confessing to belonging to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), have not dented the partys reputation, the MQM says. It has a massive following in the masses and people are smart enough to figure out that the videos are mere propaganda.
On May 31, Pahari was acquitted for want of evidence in over 100 murders. He was arrested on March 28. In the selected bits posted online, Pahari and Shahnawaz not only confessed that they belonged to the MQM but also shared gruesome details of the murders they allegedly committed.
The Express Tribune has learnt that more clips may be posted anonymously in the coming days since the leak remains unplugged. But the question is, who leaked the videos out in the first place?
Was it the police?
The interrogation videos of suspects Pahari and
Shahnawaz are supposed to be highly classified material. Not every officer in the police or intelligence agencies has access to these video recordings, which are now made as a matter of standard operating procedure by investigators dealing with the cases of high-profile suspects. Only the specific investigation officer interrogating the suspect and his immediate supervisor have access to the footage.
Pahari was nabbed by the Sindh polices Crime Investigation Department that goes after criminal gangs and terrorist cells. Is it possible that someone in this extremely sensitive unit is leaking the classified material with or without the knowledge of its senior officers? And if the leak was unauthorised, isnt it a danger to the force itself since many pieces of information that they dont want to be leaked, could possibly also come out?
A senior police official explained that firstly in high-profile cases such as Ajmal Paharis, a joint investigation team is set up. It consists of civilian and military intelligence officials; the Pakistan Rangers, apart from senior officials from different investigation cells of the police, are also involved. The CD copies of the hours-long and multiple interrogation sessions are then shared with each member of the JIT.
So, theoretically the leaks could have [been the work] of any one of these people who participated in the JIT, he said.
Haemorrhage
Another senior official said, on condition of anonymity, that technically the leaks happened neither from the police nor the intelligence community. He said that he was summoned by the home minister himself and was instructed to bring along the interrogation videos of the target killers. I handed over the material to him as ordered, he said, adding that this was done before the minister went abroad on sick leave on April 6. It is not clear, however, if someone in the home department could have leaked the material. Mere acquisition of the CDs,however, does not necessarily imply involvement.
Privately, law-enforcement authorities and some members of the MQMs rival political parties who spoke with The Express Tribune were happy that the truth is coming out. One went as far as to say that at least now the public can gauge for themselves what is right and what is wrong even if the courts bail the target killers out.
MQM the victim party
MQMs Rabita Committee member Wasay Jalil played down the significance of the videos posted online, the content of which has been most damaging to the party. The party doesnt fear or feel threatened in any way by these tactics, he said.
The MQM believes in the rule of law. Each time there has been propaganda against MQM workers, alleging that they are into criminal acts, the courts have proved that the charges were framed and baseless, he said.
Jalil said that even back in December when Zulfiqar Mirza had levelled allegations against the party, the home minister was told to bring the so-called JIT report to court and prove the charges made there.
He said the MQM wouldnt want to blame any political party or law-enforcement authority for the videos posted on YouTube since he realised that it was difficult to affix responsibility when something goes online in social media networks.
However, he said the party was extremely suspicious of the timings of the videos posted online. The MQM had staged a massive rally in Lahore on April 10 and demonstrated to the people that its reach is spreading throughout the country. However just a few weeks later such videos started to surface, he said.
The Ajmal Pahari and Shahnawaz videos began making the rounds on April 30. A few days later on May 5, the party announced that it was rejoining the Pakistan Peoples Party-led federal cabinet. Jalil said the party also suspects some members of the media of being involved. I can say very bluntly that some journalists are also involved in spreading anti-MQM propaganda, he said. He added that party chief Altaf Hussain too had hinted at this the other day at a reception held for journalists when he said that some members of the media were not being true to their profession and were working on an anti-Pakistan agenda.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 3rd, 2011.
