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Absar Alam Should Seek a Fair Inquiry Instead of Guessing Attackers

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Absar Alam Inquiry Guessing Attackers

Samma TV

In a series of events that have muddled things since the killing attempt on April 20, everything has backfired on Absar Alam and it would be rather right to say that he should seek a fair inquiry into the incident rather than guessing about the attackers, which he perhaps believes to be military. Veteran journalist Absar Alam, who had claimed to have left journalism, was shot in Islamabad in which he sustained injures and tried to generate a perception that it was the army that was behind the onslaught. 

On April 20, Absar Alam was shot near his residence in Islamabad in which he survived after sustaining injuries in his ribs.

Following the incident, New York Times published the story with the headline ‘Pakistani journalist is shot after criticizing the military’.

The speculation ran rife and fortified as the senior journalist was shot two days after, on his twitter, he had criticized ISI Chief Lt. Gen Faiz Hameed of exerting pressure on him when he was the chairman of Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) to feature things that were against Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) government when protesters had taken to the roads in 2017.

On April 26, journalist Umar Cheema shared a photo on his Twitter handle, informing about Mamun Mahsud who was invited by Absar Alam’s wife as a thanking gesture. Mamun was accompanied by his sister Naila Mahsud and was one of the two youngsters who had shifted the journalist from the hospital after he was shot.

However, a debate stirred on the post between PML-N and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supporters in which they guessed who was behind the attack.

PML-N activists blamed the army for it, citing Absar Alam’s persistent stance against military intervention in politics.

In response to the contentions, the rescuer’s sister Naila Mahsud took to her Twitter and said that her brother just helped a man who was injured, irrespective of his association with any party or group.

Naila also revealed that his brother Mamun was part of country’s military as he was associated with Pakistan Air Force (PAF) and played football for the national team.

Then, the veteran journalist turned active against the military in the post-attack scenario and sought clarification from Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Bajwa for speaking against him behind closed doors. Absar Alam maintained that he had ‘not yet directly accused anyone on killing attempt’.

He told COAS to sue New York Times for naming the military as a possible perpetrator.

But it was after few hours that New York Times posted a clarification through its Correspondent Salman Masood and mentioned that the story on a public event was prepared on the basis of immediate and widespread apprehensions in the local journalist community.

Taking down the impression building against the military, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Political Communication Shahbaz Gill posted an old video, recalling that Absar Alam had bid farewell to journalism years ago.

Therefore, he criticized New York Times for identifying Alam as a journalist and reporting an incorrect story.

As things have muddled in just over a week since the incident, Absar Alam should demand a fair inquiry rather than guessing about the attackers who probably tried to kill him but failed.

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