Khalid Khawaj’s Son Osama Points Finger At Hamid Mir
Lahore, May 19 (ANI): Noted Pakistan television journalist Hamid Mir has sent legal notices to the Daily Times and Business Plus television channel for running a report claiming that he had a telephonic interaction with a Taliban spokesman which actually led to the killing of kidnapped former Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) official Khalid Khwaja.
Mir, Executive Editor of the Geo News, has termed the story being published and aired on the newspaper and the television channel respectively, as ‘defamatory’, which was ‘based on malafide intentions’.
In his notice, Mir has demanded an official apology from both the media houses within 14 days and also payment of 250 million rupees as compensation for damages done to his reputation failing which legal action would be initiated.
“The points of interest mentioned at the end of column were also aimed to cause hatred and dislike for Mr Mir in specific sections of the society. Further, the publication of editorial titled Shocking revelations in Daily Times on 17 May 2010, which wrongly propagated Mr Mir’s indiscretion in Khalid Khawaja’s murder…” Mir’s notice to The Daily Times states.
“The said column and transcript was published in the Daily Times in breach of professional conduct and without verifying the accuracy and authenticity of the source of information,” it added.
Both Mir and the Taliban have denied having any conversation with each other concerning kidnapped ISI officials.
Earlier, Mir had said that the leaked audiotape was an attempt to malign his image by his ‘enemies in the government.’
“I never said these things to these people. This is a concocted tape. They took my voice, sampled it and manufactured this conspiracy against me,” Mir had said.
On the other hand, Khwaja’s son Osama Khalid has claimed that one of the voices in the tape was certainly that of Usman, a Taliban militant with whom his family had several talks for his father’s release.
Speaking during a television programme, Osama said the Asian Tigers, the group which had claimed to kidnapped Khwaja along with his former colleague Colonel Imam and a British filmmaker, was actually a group working for the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW).
“Because no Muslim can do it (murder another Muslim),” Osama said.
“This audiotape is enough proof to show Hamid Mir’s role in my father’s murder,” he added.
Osama also claimed that Mir had hatched a conspiracy to murder his father and received a hefty sum for it from the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). (ANI)
source :
http://www.pakistankakhudahafiz.com/...ly-blames-him/
Hamid Mir serves defamation notice on Taseer
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
By our correspondent
ISLAMABAD: Renowned journalist Hamid Mir has served a Rs250 million notice to Musharraf-appointed Governor Punjab Salmaan Taseer, who also belongs to the ruling PPP, his newspaper’s editor and a staff reporter, for defaming him through a news item and baseless TV programme. Assad Ullah Jaral advocate, lawyer of Hamid Mir, served the notice to Salmaan Taseer, publisher of the newspaper and owner of the TV channel, Rashid Rehman, Editor, a staff reporter of the newspaper and Mian Ehsanul Haq, chief executive of the TV channel. The notice reads:
a- You have published a libelous report titled “Hamid Mir’s terrifying indiscretions” along with transcript of alleged communication in the newspaper “Daily Times” on May 16, 2010, falsely attributed to Mr Hamid Mir and an unidentified man. Our client vehemently denies the conversation made in the alleged communication as fabricated and concocted one.
b- The said column and transcript was published in “Daily Times” in breach of professional conduct, and without verifying the accuracy and authenticity of the source of information. The staff reporter also transgressed and wrongfully associated Mr Hamid Mir with terrorist groups at his whim based upon unverified information from an anonymous source. The points of interest mentioned at the end of the column also aimed to cause hatred and dislike for Mr Hamid Mir in specific sections of the society.
c- Further publication of the editorial titled “shocking revelations” in “Daily Times” on May 17, 2010, which wrongfully propagated Hamid Mir’s indiscretion in Khalid Khwaja’s murder, incitement of violence and hatred by him, allegation of aiding and abetting with terrorists, speaking of venom against Ahmadis by him, and accused him of acting in criminal manner with a suggestion to take him to the task. The editorial was a detachment from journalistic ethics and was clearly written with mala fide intent to ridicule Mr Mir’s impression and lower him in the estimation of others as enemy of the state.
d- Besides, a television programme was aired on channel Business Plus on May 17, 2010, which aired the same negative propaganda against Mr Hamid Mir. It is pertinent to mention that your act of defamation in television programme and news bulletins was deliberate as you have complete knowledge regarding unconfirmed source and unauthenticated information.
e- You have, therefore, published false statement about our client Mr Hmaid Mir with the intent to injure his reputation and lower him in the estimation of general public and fellow professionals. By doing so, you have committed wrongful act of defamation, “libel” in case of “Daily Times” and “slander” in case of “Business Plus”, against our client.
f- Under the circumstances, you are hereby called upon to tender a written apology within fourteen (14) days of receiving this notice to our client Mr Hamid Mir and also publish the same in the similar manner and with the same prominence as the defamatory statement were made in the newspaper “Daily Times” and channel “Business Plus”. You are also advised to pay general damages of Rs 250 million to Mr Hamid Mir for compensating him for the wrong done, failing which legal action will be initiated against you before the court of competent jurisdiction at your cost.
now few questions arises;
if this audio tape proved real then is hamid mir going to be arrested for links with TTP or other talibans, murder of khalid khawaja and to help anti-state elements ?
lets see how media fights this.
authenticity of the audio tape has been proved. this news has been on business plus.
it is also said that ISI proves it authentic.
now hamid mir has to face the music.