Archive for the ‘Samaa TV’ Category

I am staring at a picture of myself 21 years back. I am a little older than Sara but with the same innocent smile and eyes spilling over with mischief. It could have been me lying flat on the floor of a posh hotel lobby, electrocuted to near death. And it is slowly sinking in… how every child holds within them their parents universe. I have been singularly covering three and a half year old Sara’s story for 4 days now, fighting off pressure from all corners. This is no achievement of mine. It is an excuse to ponder over the questions we no longer ask ourselves collectively, as a nation. Questions to which, answers are neither simple nor easy. How will Pakistan develop a collective consciousness? How do you make Pakistanis care for and respect one another? How do you make Pakistanis strong and brave enough for them to stop getting intimidated from any pressure or threat, whether personal, corporate or from another country? How do you inculcate a sense of community amongst Pakistanis? And finally, how do you make Pakistanis work hard for the development of this community? These are daunting questions indeed.

For those of you who are still unaware of whom Sara is, she is these daunting questions personified. Her limp body lying in one of Lahore’s private hospitals is symbolic of one and only one truth: we are a nation petrified. Reason, humanity, morality, courage all fade out in the face of pressure, connections and money. Sara was electrocuted in one of the leading chains of Pakistani hotels, the Pearl Continental. Criminal negligence on behalf of the hotel management, in failing to ensure safety precautions with regard to the decorative lights lining the hotel lobby, led to leakage of current and almost immediately, collapse of Sara’s heart and brain. She remains alive on machines, lost in coma, and disowned by governments both federal and provincial. The terror of Hashwaani Group has rendered most of mainstream media silent, the government inactive, and the law enforcing agencies reluctant. Nevertheless, media pressure, if only from one group, finally ensured the registration of a FIR much to the dismay of PC Hotel, only to be followed by a suo-moto notice of the case by the Chief Justice of Pakistan himself. Till Friday, June 11 PC management managed to avoid answering any questions or exhibiting moral courage to appear on television and give their stance. Wednesday, June 9 General Manager PC agreed to appear in front of the curious nation, only to decline one hour before the show went on air, leaving us with a shocking official stance of PC with regards to Sara, that of  ‘no comments’. Alas a public notice was printed in all leading newspapers of the country by the lawyer on behalf of his client PC; a dismaying, distorted version of the truth, ridding the leading hotel of all responsibility of Sara’s condition and the unfortunate event itself. All possible absurdities were exercised in print, ranging from Sara having choked on her food to preaching parenting to Sara’s parents and clients in general. The public notice even went on to concoct lies in the form of an ambulance and first aid being present at the hotel at the time of the accident, contrary to the fact that if it had been the case, Sara would probably be in a far better medical condition than she is in now. However, classic was the warning! The public notice in not so many words threatened my channel and I, including Sara’s parents, of “action” that will be taken against us for daring to malign the reputation of the hotel. Media, it read, for ‘unknown reasons’ had hyped up the issue!         

The problem here is not of explaining to the learned advocate and his client that professional medical records attest the fact that Sara did not merely choke, but was electrocuted nor that choking does not result in burn marks of the entry and exit of electric current- the same being blatantly visible on Sara’s body. Neither is it time to explain to the PC and its well reputed advocate that parenting lessons and hallucinations of conspiracy can be left to another day. The fact is, Sara is lying on a time bomb. Instead of wasting millions of rupees in professional fees to a lawyer and printed public notices, lost credibility and damaged reputation can be rescued by merely exhibiting sensitivity and moral courage. Every hotel has dedicated funds for such accidents and emergencies. PC needs to step up and do immediate damage control by flying Sara out of Pakistan for the best medical treatment available in the world. Now is not the time to fret over legalities and indulge in blame games but to prove to the world that PC is indeed committed to its client’s wellbeing, health and security. Loud claims, tag lines and drawing out 5 stars is child play, put the money where your mouth is. 

My detailed conversations with some of the PR personnel and management of PC, during the time I was trying to convince them to display courage and join me on television, ended up only convincing myself that they might just be beyond reason. Alas, the hotel management was suspicious of whose tunes Sara’s parents and I might be dancing to. For the love of God, explain to the high and mighty, raising the voice for justice does not mean some of us are on the payrolls of your competitors or enemies. Coupled with this, only hard cynicism and ruthless bitterness would convince someone that a dying baby’s parents would be more interested in squeezing financial mileage out of the crisis that envelops them.   However, what is even more interesting is the complete distance the government of Punjab has maintained from this entire case. For reasons known to many and unknown to the rest, ‘Khadim-e-Alaa’ is unwilling to own a dying Sara altogether. His government claims this case is strictly between a private party and the police. Explain to me please, when your law enforcing agencies refuse to register a FIR for 11 days and extend any possible aid to citizens of your province, just how does this remain a case not deserving of your attention and time? I will not even indulge in the moral demands expected of the CM, such as a helpless mother appealing to him for help, exposing her vulnerability to the world by admitting she does not have the financial means to get her infected, lifeless daughter treated abroad. Silence continued to echo from the chambers of Khadim-e-Alaa till late Saturday afternoon. The first intervention came in the form of an activated Rana Sanaullah, taking the law, order and humanitarian demands of the case in his hands. Currently, he has given his personal assurance to media that Sara’s medical costs will be fully taken care of and a medical board will be constituted at the earliest to monitor her health.    

Deteriorating law and order situation has made it mandatory for all hotels to maintain records of their CCTV footage for 14 days before erasing it. This critical piece of evidence has been withheld by PC management to date.  Investigations and criminal proceedings will unfold at their own pace; a little child in the mean time is battling against time and tide – both of which wait for no man. It is ironic how the unfortunate death of a young boy in an amusement park caught the attention of all of media and even put into action our forever frenzied Interior Minister in shutting down all such parks in Islamabad, suspending the concerned officials and contractors, yet little Sara remains largely unnoticed. Corporate pressures and political overtones continue to thrive in my country. It is high time indeed we seek answers to the questions Sara has raised. This is time for collective reflection and introspection, what does it mean to be a Pakistani?

Friday, April 17, 2009

Topic: Return of Maulana Abdul Aziz, What Should Be Expected?

Guests: Maulana Amir Sadiq (current Imam of Red Mosque), Nazir Naji (Senior Journalist), Nighat Saeed Chaudhry (Human Rights Activist), Tariq Asad (author Lal Masjid ka Muqadama)  

Maulana Abdul Aziz, Khateeb Red Mosque has been released mere 4 days after the passing of the Nizam-e-Adl Regulation in Malakand Division. Are we seeing a trend here?

In light of the daring and shocking statements made by him, what should a common man expect? Will history repeat itself? Will the Red Mosque die-hards join hands with Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan to ensure implementation of Shariah in Pakistan? Does the government have the writ or the strength to confront such elements? The question remains what brand of Shariah and at what cost?

A heated and emotional debate between pro and anti Maulana Abdul Aziz segments of society, or if you may, between what many people call “pure and true Muslim ethic” and what the opposing parties called “fundamental and dogmatic”.

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Topic: Followup: Supreme Court Takes Action on Honour Killing Case from Naseerabad

Guests: Hina Jillani, Dr. Fouzia Saeed, Fareeda Shaheed

Will the case of the 4 Baloch women killed in the name of honour be resolved? Will witnesses’ step forth and evidence be presented or will we continue suffocating under tribal feudalistic norms and traditions? How will former CJP Dogar’s suo moto notice be different than present CJP Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry’s self intiated action? As the Supreme Court demands relentless investigation into the incident will the local administration be able to hide the facts much longer? If the powerful and privileged top echelons of society continue to justify such practices in the name of tradition and custom, is there really any hope? I find it hard to hold onto optimism and hope in light of the fact that the very family accused of being involved in this case enjoys public offices today. However, the show must go on.

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Topic: International Reactions & Repercussions of the Nizam-e-Adl Regulation

1. Ahmad Ali, Chairman Standing Committee Finance & Revenue

2. Dr. Fareed Paracha, Dep. General Sec. Jamat-e-Islaami

3. Akram Zaki, former Foreign Minister

Show and Details will be Uploaded Soon

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Topic: Peace Agreement Signed –  Now What?

1.     Prof. Hassan Askari Rizvi   

2.     Khadim Hussain

3.     Bashir Balor (ANP)

4.     Barrister Baacha Khan

Show and Details to be Uploaded Soon