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British Pakistanis Reject Allegations in the BBC News Report BBC Report has Hurt Sentiments of Millions


British Pakistanis Reject Allegations in the BBC News Report BBC Report has Hurt Sentiments of Millions
 Posted on: 2/3/2014 1
London …. 3rd February, 2014
The British Pakistanis and residents of the United Kingdom have totally and categorically rejected the allegations and accusations presented in the BBC Newsnight report aired recently. They made this demand through a petition presented, signed by scores of British-Pakistanis, to the management of the BBC following a protest demonstration outside the offices of the British Broadcasting Corporation on Sunday.

Addressing Mr Tony Hall, the Managing ||Director of the BBC, the petitioners said that “It is with extreme concern and dismay that we write to draw your attention towards a very serious matter with regards to the recent news report of Mr Owen Bennet Jones for the Newsnight on the Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) and its Founder Leader Mr Altaf Hussain with reference to the brutal murder of Dr Imran Farooq, the MQM Convenor.”

“This is the second such report from Mr Jones aired on the BBC2. We expressed our concerns and raised objections on the first program as well. The recent broadcast also has clear flaws, particularly its “leading” commentary which creates and presents a negative perception of the MQM and its Founder Leader Mr Altaf Hussain. The case in discussion is an ongoing investigation and therefore a documentary presenting “views” and so-called “facts” without any foundation and with direct reference to the MQM has hurt the sentiments of millions of people in Pakistan and around the world who subscribe to the ideology of Mr Altaf Hussain and MQM.”

“Below are a few comments that demonstrate the partiality and biased presentation of the program for your reference.

1. The said news report claims that Mr. Hussain is accused of many murders in Pakistan. The truth of the matter is that as it stands today, Mr. Hussain is no longer accused or required in any criminal case in Pakistan. He has been acquitted in all the cases that were lodged against him with political motivations and with malicious intention against him. If only Mr Jones would have asked the MQM, we would have happily clarified and provided evidence.

2. Mr. Jones’s report also claims that MQM is losing its grip in Karachi. No statement could be detached from truth. To judge the validity of Mr Jones’s claim one only has to check the results of the last general election in Pakistan in which MQM managed to increase the number of seats that it had won in the previous election of 2008. The results of the subsequent bye-elections of August in urban Sindh –in which MQM won four more seats- also squarely belie the comments made in the news report.

3. The program showed certain “selective” parts from speeches of Mr. Hussain completely out of context. If only Mr Jones would have asked, we would have provided clarifications as to the translation and true pretext of the “selected” portions for reference and better understanding.

4. In his pre-recorded interview for the said programme, the MQM representative Senator Barrister Farogh Naseem had mentioned that during the raid at his house, the police had taken the laptop of Mr. Hussain’s 10 year daughter and glass bottles where Mr Hussain had been collecting coins as a hobby. Senator Naseem had raised the question as to how these items could have a bearing on money-laundering inquiry. Surprisingly this important mention was edited and not aired.

5. Senator Farogh Naseem had also informed that MQM has, and would always cooperate with the British police and authorities. He had further stated that to constitute money-laundering the funds had to be from the proceeds of crime, whereas the funds that had found their way to MQM were through verifiable and legitimate sources. It was the police which was extending dates in the money-laundering cases and yet MQM was continuously cooperating with it. This mention was edited too and not aired.”

“We the British Pakistanis and residents of the United Kingdom totally and categorically reject the allegations and accusations presented in the program. We are approaching you through this petition with the request to take notice of the biased “media trial” of the MQM and its Founder Leader Mr Altaf Hussain. We urge you to clarify the BBC’s position with reference to the program of Mr Jones aired on 29 January 2014 and the earlier one as well. We feel that the said news report has not only hurt the sentiments of millions of MQM supporters, but it is also being perceived as an attempt, or even a conspiracy, to malign the image of the party and its leadership. We believe that the media, whether print or electronic, must act and react responsibly and most importantly should not be seen as influencing an on-going investigation on false and flimsy material/content. We also demand that the MQM representatives, in particular Senator Dr Farogh Naseem, be provided with the “right to respond” and be given the opportunity to appear on your channel and respond in person.”
4/19/2024 12:05:06 PM