On Thursday, many of us questioned the desirability of ‘democratic rights’ for certain supporters of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI). This happened after the editorial staff at The Express Tribune experienced the most abominable episode of cyber harassment at the hands of frenzied PTI supporters. Email after email clogged up staff inboxes, bearing messages which said that the party will “use its immense popularity to boycott the Tribune website”.
The object of wrath was the story published on October 11, regarding the PTI chief’s sensational statement, in which he claimed that the war in Afghanistan was tantamount to jihad by Islamic militants. Messages poured in saying that in actuality the party chief had said that the Afghan war was ‘perceived’ as Jihad, and that the distortion of his statement was an infringement of ‘journalistic ethics’ by The Express Tribune.
As important notifications dealing with daily work began to get overshadowed by caustic PTI emails, subeditors scurried to access the PTI chief’s statement and discovered, much to their relief, that he had spoken the very words which were quoted in the published news story.
The problem was simple: outrage from supporters made it clear that the statement was contradictory to the party’s stance on the Afghan war. The PTI chief, in all probability, had a slip of tongue which was a perfectly understandable and excusable error. A simple retraction from his side would have done the needful. It is important for angered PTI members to understand that in this world of dynamic news-making, a single news story dealing with a leader’s ‘statements’ can do nothing to make or break his career. Or make him/her lose or win a consequential number of votes for that matter.
Statements are made every other day, newspapers are published daily, and websites are updated on a minute-by-minute basis – all of which are readily and regularly accessed by people who are part of the vote bank. Hence, it doesn’t take much effort to undo any sort of backwash, especially one dealing with a politician’s statements, which few like to take seriously anyway.
The burning question is that if a copy of the PTI chief’s original statement was available in the newsroom, along with a video posted on the Tribune’s website, how could it not have been accessed by PTI members?
Besides, had there actually been an inaccuracy of such a nature, a clarification would have been speedily drafted and published prominently – a practice which The Express Tribune does regularly and takes pride in doing, quite unlike other national papers which steer clear from them.
In a distasteful coincidence, an Urdu op-ed in the Daily Jang by Ata-ul-Haq Qasmi, published on October 11, related an account of similar cyber atrocities by PTI supporters. The author lamented the fact that PTI workers had made excessive use of profanities, coupled with threats, while criticising his views in an earlier op-ed which ran counter to the party’s.
Whether the PTI is a ‘good’ or ‘bad’ party is not being discussed here. For all most of us know, the PTI is a party which is a beacon of hope for many and one that is ardently supported by some very intellectually sound people. It also enjoys a good following from the middle class youth, who have nothing but Pakistan’s best interests at heart. However, thoughtless displays of ire, mouthing off uncontrollably, directing threats to newspapers, and displaying a scathing lack of tolerance, put the PTI in the same league of political outfits the country has lost hope in.
Read more by Faiza here.
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The views expressed by the writer and the reader comments do not necassarily reflect the views and policies of the Express Tribune.
Well first let me answer about qasmi sahb .. just goto jang website and read all of his columns … his last 30 columns are either against PTI or for PMLN .. and i dont understand if he got few threatning SMS’s why dont he report it to FIA? numbers can be traced very easily ..
as far as etribune news about imran khan is concerned i think essence of his press conference was attack on malala and war on terror not what he think abt afghan jihad or how it is perceived by others .. so putting it as a headline of news was not ethical. Headline Could have been “Imran khan condemn attack on Malala” and thats what the news was all about .. not about afghan jihad ..
If you can’t handle the trolls, stop feeding them.
This depicts intolerant society in general. It also shows that so-called ‘educated’ class to which PTI attributes as their vote bank is also intolerant. What change can be expected by these feudal minded politicians and their supporters. No ray….no light…..no hope. All are like minded.
Dirty Propaganda against PTI.
@Jamshed:
So what if he Qasmi Saheb writes for and against about any party, idea or doctrine It is the right of every individual. Senior journalist Haroon Rasheed Saheb writes in total favor of Imran Khan (Kaptan) and PTI. This is also his right. No one must start abusing him on this ground.
Well said…………and this is why I stick to E.T on the computer and daily DAWN in paper.
Imran Khan has a clear advantage over the other tried, tested and failed parties but his non-diplomatic stand on the Taliban and refusal to be really vocal on atrocities committed is working against him.
I used to believe PTI could bring change in Pakistan but time teaches you a lot and now I think otherwise,we are a nation that run after those who give us hopes forgetting how we have been fooled all those years in the name of bringing change and we blindly voted,we are a nation on the verge of a severe nervous breakdown,we have learned to fall and rise again believing in dramatic quotes like ”If you don’t fall you won’t know how to rise”
I now think PTI will not be able to bring any change or whatsoever,I have been following quite a few speeches,talk shows where PTI people only come up with an attitude that’s unacceptable and speak for something they are not.
I also receive text messages from PTI but I guess I would just unsubscribe and move on from the thought that PTI would come and make a difference. Its better you don’t vote than voting for the ones that don’t deserve.
very much disappointed after reading your article.
So lame. So it is ok for you to criticize anyone you want..but it is not ok for anyone to criticize your criticism. That becomes trolling and is akin to receiving ‘threats’ from PTI.
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Be grateful people who run ET( Editors/sub editors) were babies during the the last 3 decades otherwise you would have faced far worse than this.
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Please stop whining!!
PTI TROLL ATTACK STARTS in 5,4,3,2,1… START!
The Express Tribune is not obliged to publish exclusively the kind of reports that improve PTI’s image. As long as the report is accurate, there’s no reason why ET should be taking flak for it.
All the respect I had for PTI has evaporated because of the abominable antics of the followers, as well as the statements of Imran “Taliban-Who?” Khan himself.
These cyber-bullies and terrorist-apologists are NOT the kind of crowd I’d want to be a part of.
@Faraz Talat
ET can be a 100% anti PTI news paper. But I find it laughable that its ok for them to condemn/criticize and mock Imran Khan in there articles, but if anyone does the same to them it becomes intolerance and hatred.
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If they can criticize others, than others can criticize there criticism too. Hence my earlier comments..
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ET please stop whining and grow up.
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Now please post this.
You cannot criticize a newspaper for “speaking truth.” If a newspaper quotes Imran Khan and you find it bad, it means you do not agree with your party leader. There’s no point in criticizing the newspaper/journalist, criticize your party leader instead whom you do not agree with.
Newspapers write what politicians say.
Mohammad Asad,
ET did not report anything false, did it? If you think the statement makes Imran Khan look bad, then blame Imran Khan for saying something so ludicrous. Why attack the media for doing its job and reporting these facts?
Express Tribune is not Imran Khan’s PR agency, and is not obliged to selectively report events that improve his image. If the facts are embarrassing to PTI and its supporters, so be it!
Dear Faiza,
I agree with you that anyone who disagrees with the content of an article should voice their rebuttal in civilised terms.
However, eager beaver, news hungry journalists should also exercise due care and listen to what is being said attentively before making paper selling sensational headlines out of. I played the Imran clip that you attached in your article three time and it is quite clear that he said that anywhere anyone fights against foreign occupation, including in Afghanistan, it is Jihad. In this context, he seems to be referring to a state’ s fundamental right to defend itself anywhere in the whole world, not just in Muslim countries!!!!
May I request that you also listen to the clip at least three times and perhaps then you will be a little less economical with the truth?
Have a great day.
@Sane:
Have you asked Haroon Rashid sahib if he got any hate mail? I am sure he will enlighten you with gory details of the odorous contents of his in box.
Personality traits are normally distributed in societies across the population. It is absolutely absurd and statistically incorrect to assume that all foul mouths have decided to join PTI. This is pure rubbish logic and must be discarded and rebutted by all rational, scientific members of our society.
We live in a world of key board warriors–no party has control over what it’s followers say. Every time some one’s inflated ego is hurt because of some crap some one has written, jumping to the conclusions that first that person belongs to a particular party (could be an imposter as well) and second that it seeing done at the behest of its leadership is lazy, and quite pathetic interpretation on the event.
I am sure there are PTI supporters who abuse people but their are also PPP, PMLN, etc. who do the same and worse. The other day, we had an honourable representative of the JUI-F on one of the mostly watched TV shows clearly threading to dismember various parts of Imran and teach a lesson to his children in the UK that went totally unchallenged by the host–he just sat there and smiled! And to my knowledge, I have not seen anything in Express Tribune or other leading luminaries of our pathetic press condemning him. This had the making of all the Juicy Headlines such as “Islam defamed by JUI-F” or “JUI-F shows its truer colours” or ” Sitting Senator of Pakistan threatens political rival” but none of it happened.
Please stop this theatrical production–no one with a functioning brain is buying it!
Faraz Talat
No ET doesnot have to be PR agency of IK. But on the other hand they are frequently provoking and targeting Imran Khan in there articles(opinion pieces) and blogs. Even some articles are deliberately given a headline ( such as War in Afghanistan is Jehad) when they could have easily come up with Imran condemns attack on Malala.
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They deliberately provoke PTI supporters but if someone says something back to them..like you are anti IK and PTI and we will boycott you they start whining. Threat of Boycott is not Harassment.
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Like i keep saying go ask najam sethi what nawaz did with him…then they will no what harassment is.
Hooligans!
Even with all the differences I have with ET.. I personally feel that this was just below the belt… It is OK to argue and present your side of the story.. that is the decent thing to do.. but to actually email bomb people and then write sugar coated semi threatening status updates on twitter and FB addressed to ET is just sad.. makes me wonder what kind of psychologically volatile individuals are trolling the internet and supporting PTI…
ET should learn to accept criticism, even if it is from thousands of PTI supporters.
@Tahir:
ET should learn to accept criticism, even if it is from thousands of PTI supporters.
Shouldn’t you and PTI supporters also?!!
@Dani:
I agree 100% what you said.
propaganda against pti
Express new is just creating a hype against imran khan nothing else….
@ Author, for now Youtube is not available in Pakistan, so how can the video you posted be accessed? OR are the ET personell illegally opening youtube?
A responsible journalist would know that Imran Khan does not consider the war in Afghanistan a true Jihad. In fact
(here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7IQ2SONvi8&- i can open it btw, i have the link saved in my computer).
i would agree with the author,even imran has made it clear and has advised his supporters to be tolerant and not abuse anyone,take pride when you are criticized,some of the biggest personalities in this world had been criticized but they rose above all of that and showed the world that they are right,be tolerant,be peaceful,be rare,be a change
PTI on the nerves of many, and ET, for one, is one of them! We have identified PTI the party of change and Imran as our hope, so it doesn’t matter whoever does what can’t stop this tsunami to destroy the statuesque Inshallah
Actually PTI stands for Pakistan Taliban Ittehad.
I found the alternate video on the web, and now I conclude:
ET Lies!! Imran Khan never said that war of Afghanistan is a jihad. Here’s the video:
http://www.zemtv.com/2012/10/10/imran-khan-press-conference-10th-october-2012-express-news/
He said two things which had to with the word “jihad”:
“It was “perceived” that any one fighting against the US was doing Jihad and it was “perceived” that fighting against the one’s supporting the US was Jihad” Secondly he said:
“It is the tradition of the tribal leaders that they don’t openly come against any one doing Jihad while IN REALITY it is all mixed, there are criminals (operating in the name of jihad), and there are certain people fighting in Afghanistan who are actually fighting Jihad but it is all mixed now” (i.e. the militants are mixed with the people who were actually fighting against US occupation in Afghanistan)”
Also he nowhere used the word “even” when talking about PTI workers being asked extortion money. He simply said that diff. militants gps. are fighting for various reasons, our workers were threatened and asked for money. He din’t imply that this was something unusual that could not have happened to PTI workers.
Pti has a office where their cyber team is based. Their cyber wing is being led by son of a prominent personality in Pti.
@Faraz Talat:
Thank you for your sweeping generalisations and au revoir!
Why do people always project their own feelings on the entire population? I think he is like this or that does to mean he is actually like this or that–it is merely an opinion. This is called intellectual fascism!
IK is finished.
@Taliban Khan:
It is this kind of asinine mudslinging that gets the PTI supporters going. A tooth for a tooth, an eye for an eye!
Shame on PTI, PMLN and ANP….. They are supporter of Talibans.
This just made Tribune look like the biggest cry babies in the world. If you do something wrong, obviously you will hear voice being raised. I’m glad, if PTI did do it, that they did it! Someone has sense to speak up in Pakistan.
we do ..and this publically announced media bit is proof of it. @Sane:
@Sane:
Do you even the know the difference between criticism and slander? Most of the “criticism” about Imran is always about his libido or his supposedly Taleban leanings. Does anyone with some brain cells, looking at Imran’s whole life, both good and bad, say with a straight face that he is in favour of the Taleban’s savage, crooked philosophies? Low level reflexive hatred is the only thing that explains the mirth coming out of people’s mouths whenever his name is mentioned. His “democratic” opponents even accuse of him of pilfering zakat money and qurbani ki khalain! Is that criticism or pure political filth? In areas where PTI would expect and welcome fair criticism, we hear a deafening silence. PTI energy policy, no comments other than oh, it will not work. PTI health policy, oh no it will not work. PTI economic policy, oh it is a wish list. And blah and blah and blah.
This is the level of gutter critique offered by most PTI opponents, which leaves even some of us exasperated at times, fighting the urge to take an eye for an eye!
Sultan,
I didn’t “project” my feelings. I only expressed them.
And I implore you develop a better understanding of what the term “fascism” implies, and not just toss it around like a regular epithet.
Sultan,
It’s not “mud-slinging”, if it’s the truth. You make it seem like ET published a fake news report about Imran Khan murdering baby seals.
I’m sorry if facts offend you, but you may need to get used to it. Blame Imran Khan for saying ridiculous things, not the media for reporting his statements!
@Faraz Talat : Agree with your line of thinking and would like to add my own observations.The issue is a simple one. For years, Imran said different things in different audiences. When addressing a bunch of Indian students, he takes on a very reasonable stance and talks about similarities between Indians and Pakistanis but to his supporters in Pakistan he describes Indians as dark and unattractive just misleading the world through Bollywood (as though it is important whether people are dark – apparently to some his supporters though it is). HE says very different things to Indian journalists about how he will approach terror emanating from Pakistan than he says in his jalsas.
The thing is that 5 years back, no-one would have called hi out on that. But now as someone that leads a large political party and who is hopeful of coming to power, his words are scrutinized more. Also recordings from around the world are available in other parts of the world due to internet, youtube and social media. Thus what worked for him in the past is not as effective any more- his duplicity keeps getting exposed repeatedly. This is when the PTI supporters have a problem because they feel that a patriotic media should not allow other countries to see their future leader as the hypocrite that he is The rubber will truly meet the road if the US government starts to take official note of his statements about wanting to down drones and about the Afghan Taliban being true jihadis that his fundraising trips to US will start getting impacted. This may or may not happen but cannot be ruled out. Just as Bilour has been stopped by UK government, Imran could be stopped by US government.
I like this newspaper but I still think the Express Tribune is MAJORLY unfair and unprofessional when it talks about the PTI and Imran Khan. There have been several articles in the past with complete falsification and the one mentioned here was a play on words too. The headlines are usually mis-leading as well. And of course the fact that this piece was published so soon after it was submitted and when i send in a pro PTI piece it is either rejected or published in 6 weeks.
@Faraz Talat:
Mr. Faraz Talat, you’re belief of what are ‘facts’ it truly astonishing.
haha…
Cry babies. What should I say it now? ET please grow up and stop twisting statements for your own readership.
Appalling standards of journalism exhibited by Express Tribune. I am an on-and-off reader of this paper and lately started noticing an anti-PTI tinge to its reports and its cynical coverage of anything related to Imran Khan.
The writer says, “Whether the PTI is a ‘good’ or ‘bad’ party is not being discussed here…” and goes on to conclude that “…thoughtless displays of ire[] … [] put the PTI in the same league of political outfits the country has lost hope in.” I do not see how the writer comes to this conclusion without the knowledge whether the actions were (officially or unofficially) sanctioned by the party’s administration and were not of a bunch of teenagers acting on their own.
The writers living in the privileged bubble fail to realise that the Taliban enjoy an overwhelming popularity among the Pakistan majority (even among the middle class ‘educated’ folks that I usually interact with) and you cannot expect to bomb this majority into following the enlightened ways that the privileged folks espouse. While most people will be quick to condemn something as horrific as the Malala incident, try using the Shariah justification given by the Taliban in a hypothetical context and see how many of them you find nodding in agreement. That is precisely the reason why the Shariah practices introduced by Zia ul Haque still finds a place in Pakistan’s legal framework decades after his death. Why has no leader been able to challenge it despite its unpopularity among this privileged class? Face it, the writers on this website are NOT the majority or popular opinion. How do you envision Democracy to work the way YOU want it when you are nothing but a tiny minority? Perhaps Aristocracy is what you are thinking about?
Clearly the war that has been dragging on for the last 11 or so years has not produced the desired results and if Imran Khan wishes to propose an alternate solution which involves taking the people who have suffered the brunt of this war into confidence (and in the process electioneer for the upcoming polls), I do not see how he deserves the kind of negative press that papers like ET are giving him. To see the staffers resort to name-calling and highlighting 30-second clips of Imran as news items with an intent to garner criticism of PTI is utterly low and unprofessional.
Time will tell if Imran Khan is naive in thinking he can hold a dialogue with the Taliban (most probably he is), but give the man some credit for challenging the status quo that is bringing about destruction, strengthening the enemy’s resolve and turning them against the army of the land they live in. If PTI claims to be the democratic party it is, a better way to voice your criticism would be to actually get involved with the party, gather support for your opinion and have your opinion heard. Come back and air your grievances on ET if he fails you. I shudder to think what is to happen if PTI does not win the next election. I do not expect Imran Khan to magically solve all problems that afflict Pakistan, but I would rather have a man trying and failing at the helm of my affairs than to have people who have been instrumental in creating these problems in the first place.
@Faraz Talat:
Dear Faraz, have you read any of my other postings here? Can you comment on those, not just pulling the skin off hair about what intellectual fascism (not your edited version, that only mentions fascism) means? I know very well how to play games with words but in the interest of the country we all love (including Imran), please enlighten us with your comments on my points from an earlier post reproduced below. Merci beaucoup, Monsieur Voltaire!
Do you the know the difference between criticism and slander? Most of the “criticism” about Imran is always about his libido or his supposedly Taleban leanings. Does anyone with some brain cells, looking at Imran’s whole life, both good and bad, say with a straight face that he is in favour of the Taleban’s savage, crooked philosophies? Low level reflexive hatred is the only thing that explains the mirth coming out of people’s mouths whenever his name is mentioned. His “democratic” opponents even accuse of him of pilfering zakat money and qurbani ki khalain! Is that criticism or pure political filth? In areas where PTI would expect and welcome fair criticism, we hear a deafening silence. PTI energy policy, no comments other than oh, it will not work. PTI health policy, oh no it will not work. PTI economic policy, oh it is a wish list. And blah and blah and blah.
This is the level of gutter critique offered by most PTI opponents, which leaves even some of us exasperated at times, fighting the urge to take an eye for an eye!
Seems like you are all hell bent on continuing with the same same old that has brought us to our knees as a nation. Anyone who talks about peace, gets lambasted by all the pseudo intellectuals living off of the war fuelled economy. So sad to see reasonable people walking like zombies heading straight to the bottomless pit!
@Loneliberal PK:
Oh god, the baby seals again!!! Can you please be a bit more original? This is a tired old Republican slogan that really makes me sick!
Just for giggles and kicks and to even things out, why do most editorials at ET seem to portray that Imran eats human liver for breakfast everyday?
Fact is that PTI, which is not even in power, is held to a much higher standard than all parties that are actually part of the government. This is quite shameful and only reflects the fear PTI generates by promising to tax all the business lobbies, including Express Tribune owners, who are living la vida loca at the moment under the “you rub my back, I will rub yours” cushy deal. Rogue capitalism at its worst and look what it has done to the West. But of course, they are all the biggest (non tax paying) patriots!
Abu Bakr,
Did Imran Khan not make the controversial statement that ET reported?
If he did, then that makes it a ‘fact’. Not sure what else I can call it.
@unmet46:
Your Youtube link is to a May interview on sectarianism (which is somewhat interesting and telling in other ways) and not in regards to the recent controversy.
I do not see the same video or clip as posted by Tribune in your Zemtv link.
http://tribune.com.pk/multimedia/videos/450148/
While we miss out on the reporter’s question, IK is not taken out of context in his reply. He said what he said, despite what his most ardent defenders or apologists like to claim.
This is what was said from the first 24 seconds of the video provided by Tribune (translated from Urdu to English.)
Basically he condoned or justified the Taliban, overlooking their criminal history of terrorism or attacks on Afghan civilians (schools, masjids, banks, hotels, markets, etc), the majority of which they cause as compared to NATO or current Afghan govt, and giving credence to their claim of ‘fighting an occupation’ and ‘Jihad’ instead of acknowledging their aggression.
Don’t see how IK’s blunt comment is the fault of ET, here. There’s no ‘perceived’ qualifier here.
Immature Party with Immature leaders + Supporters !!! Roo Loo munnay Roo Lo 😛
@Faraz Talat:
Absolutely NOT. Did you hear the press conference?
@Faraz Talat:
Why do you keep insisting with your naive statements about what Imran said about Jihad. Please watch the clip at least three times and the read my explanation to the blogger posted above and reproduced below. Please please please do this and please share your hopefully modified comments. Thanks
“Dear Faiza,
I agree with you that anyone who disagrees with the content of an article should voice their rebuttal in civilised terms.
However, eager beaver, news hungry journalists should also exercise due care and listen to what is being said attentively before making paper selling sensational headlines out of. I played the Imran clip that you attached in your article three time and it is quite clear that he said that anywhere anyone fights against foreign occupation, including in Afghanistan, it is Jihad. In this context, he seems to be referring to a state’ s fundamental right to defend itself anywhere in the whole world, not just in Muslim countries!!!!
May I request that you also listen to the clip at least three times and perhaps then you will be a little less economical with the truth?
Have a great day.”
Let me say one thing very clear to all, that whatever you write in favor or against of Imran Khan or PTI, the support for him will not reduce, and that is for sure. I have seen quite a few columns in ET or Dawn, calling Imran Khan, a pro taliban, or Taliban Khan…If some one spoke against Drone Attack, how come he becomes Pro Taliban, its beyond my understanding…I am not a huge fan of PTI, and doesn’t go wild if some one say in favor or in against of them, but if there is hope in Pakistan, its only Imran Khan,and the rest is history…
Don’t provoke and dont get the threats…
It matters not what Imran Khan says about Jihad, Jihad means RSISTANCE i arabic language and arbic culture!
Imran Khan Govt should ban the translations and interpretations of Quraan in foreign languages. They are not allowed under Islam! It is about time that the arabic language be made compulsary in schools and universiies, and without the knowledge of the arabic language and the arab culture i is not possible to interpret Quraan in inferior languages. English being the most inferior one in the Germanic languages.
ET should act and act fast in its reaction, which is the norm of modern media and the knowledge community of the global world. I personaly admire ET.
Rex Minor
How do ET knows that they were Really from PTI members. Any one can make a fake E Mail account and Send Hate Mails in the Name of PTI. I wonder if Some Fake account sends E mail in the Name of PML(N) A blog of this Magnitude would come up or Not..??
Only fools shall hang on to their old political agendas of accumulating wealth, come what my.. It is most normal to ride with the winners and the powerful ones. The Talibans are a power and no harm shall come to Pakistan, if a dialogue is made with them what Imran Khan is suggesting. He is not suggesting a submission or a surrender. The yankies have been licked and the rats usualy leave the sinking ship; Hamid Karzai is asking Obama to leave and leave now.
Rex Minor
@ Sultan :- Stop crying like a baby. IK has always fantasized about taleban. Thats why he has lost popularity in Punjab. pti trolls are growing old, they also need to GROW UP.
It appears to be a joint propaganda of EXPRESS TRIBUNE and OPPOSITION PARTIES !!
@Komal:
Hooligans!
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At least the PTI boss treats the Taliban as if they were Holy Guns.
@Taliban Khan:
Your language is getting harsh and I think the Hidden fascist in you is slowly making an appearance. When will you come fully out of the closet?
Imran has no idea. It is actually the keyboard warriors writing gibberish in this forum who can solve this problem. We live in a nation of 180 million leaders, and no followers. Everyone with a keyboard is a strategist. Imran, who has dealt extensively with the top leadership of the world, has travelled the four corners of the globe, has built and run wonderful institutions from scratch with sheer wit is just a Taleban sympathiser! This is pure intellectual trash and lazy, reflexive hate mongering. Disgusting and repulsive!!!
Our irrational, emotionally charged nation has no idea what cunning savages we are dealing with and how they can be tamed. At this rate, we can’t even hope to win a chess game, let alone a war with these evil geniuses, thanks mostly to compulsive, macho pseudo intellectuals mouthing away their own prejudices disguised as scholarly comments. These clever monsters have us all figured–they press the right button at the time of their choosing to gain their objectives and to laught at the impotent mirth coming out of our mouths. God, please show us the light!
Now I am going to go and join the army of imbecile political hypocrites to pray for Mallala, the biggest theatrical production to gain political brownie points in town!
If a nation decides to commit suicide, no one can stop it!
@ Sultan :- Go cry to ur mama
I don’t know why innocent people of Pakistan keeps high hopes from Politicians. I know a lot of people saying Imran Khan tabdeeli laeye ga (Imran Khan will bring in the change). I don’t think so! Down the line, he has all the repeat faces, he will do no better than his precedents if he is selected as next PM.
@ Sultan :- First learn the definition of the word fascist, then try to use it objectively. You are no differrent from any Tom, Dick, and Harry. Learn to accept that the so-called tsunami has turned into an imperceptible ripple in the puddle. Is this the reason why you cant stop crying?
@ Sultan :- Learn a couple o’ manners in the meantime.
pti trolls need to grow out of their skewed and out-of-this-world worldview.
i will never vote for Dharna Khan
Aww poor pti trolls. Buy some candy and cheer up.
@Sultan:
180 million leaders? That was hilarious. All I ever see from PTI supporters on here is “my leader, my leader!”
You’re a bunch of followers. At least concede to that so you can stay in the “still on planet Earth” category while also trying to say Imran Khan doesn’t deserve the Taliban Khan name.
Imran Khan has not dealt extensively with top leadership of the world because the man himself is a peon. The top leadership deals with top leadership. He’s a retired cricketer who talks too fast for his brain.
@Loneliberal PK: You are insufferable. If you continue on this path I see a lonely future with many cats.
Never a peep from you on any of the many karoot of PPP,ANP,MQM and PML N who are in powers.
Aren’t “Liberals” about showing truth to power. Oh but this is Pakistan.
@Abid P Khan: Groan…Oh brother….
The media given Imran the moniker “taliban khan” and PTI supporters are the bullies. Bravo!! ET where the heck did you pull that out of. Cry me a river you babies.
PTI should start its own newspaper!
to all those who are criticizing PTI, I have a request. If not PTI then who should be voted then? the tested n the failed ones? Let us give a chance to PTI, if IK does not perform than no one would support him !!!! Not participating in election is not the solution to the problem. Voting the right candidate is the responsibility of each and every citizen of the country irrespective of the party you support
and even if IK said that war in Afghanistan is Jihad, is it wrong? Have we forgotten our religion who tell us to fight against those who attack your homeland and attack your sovereignty? Prophet (P.B.U.H) had to fight against non – Muslims to spread the teachings of Islam. The point is that terrorist activities in Pak n Afghanistan r of different nature which we need to understand !!!
How is ET sure that people named as PTI supporters are officially authorized by the PTI ? Besides any harrassment should be reported. Crazies cant be allowed even in Party of Imran khan (who is truly the greatest leader after Mr. Jinnah in for Pakistan) !
@Sultan:
Do you even the know the difference between criticism and slander? Most of the “criticism” about Imran is always about his libido or his supposedly Taleban leanings. Does anyone with some brain cells, looking at Imran’s whole life, both good and bad, say with a straight face that he is in favour of the Taleban’s savage, crooked philosophies? Low level reflexive hatred is the only thing that explains the mirth coming out of people’s mouths whenever his name is mentioned. His “democratic” opponents even accuse of him of pilfering zakat money and qurbani ki khalain! Is that criticism or pure political filth? In areas where PTI would expect and welcome fair criticism, we hear a deafening silence. PTI energy policy, no comments other than oh, it will not work. PTI health policy, oh no it will not work. PTI economic policy, oh it is a wish list. And blah and blah and blah.
This is the level of gutter critique offered by most PTI opponents, which leaves even some of us exasperated at times, fighting the urge to take an eye for an eye!
It looks you are a person who enjoys conflicts & confrontation. People like you are the real threat to Pakistan. In all my opinions I emphasized on ‘right to express’ a different opinion irrespective to a person, party or philosophy. This is among the basic civil rights. Any opinion or comment may be differed in decent and nice way. Abusing and cursing starts when arguments fail.
@umer:
Imran khan (who is truly the greatest leader after Mr. Jinnah in for Pakistan) !
It is really surprising. I didn’t know this astonishing ‘fact’. I am amazed and amused.
@Umair Naseer:
to all those who are criticizing PTI, I have a request. If not PTI then who should be voted then?
I agree to your point. Anyone can suggest who should be then? It is better to test the ‘untested’ than the ‘tested’.
You did the right thing, it’s your publication you have all the right to publish whatever you want! these trolls need to learn to respect freedom of speech, they dont have any right to threat your staff. Imran Khan is no different from other politicians, he is an immature and an irresponsible leader of trolls.
Hey fellows,
ET has the protection of the PRESS FREEDOM! No democratic order can survive without Press Freedom.
Imran Khan is the transition to change from Bhuttos and Sharif world to a democracy which Pakistan desperately needs. There are alternative leaders but Imran has the charisma to attract the youth who must e the leaders of tomorrow. The opinion of the outside observer who wishes the country well.
Rex Minor
@PTI Trolls
I thought the plan was that PTI would “use its immense popularity to boycott the Tribune website”.
I did not know that coming to this board and posting on this columns in large frothing numbers (and hence raising ET’s ad revenue) was a new way of “Boycott”
The owners of ET must be laughing all the way to their bank lol!
IK is not holy goat which cant be criticised , but it doesnt mean you can say any thing for him, plz go in history and find how many journos were given plot by punjab govt in 1988, qasmi was one of those, kindly dont think that PTI workers are there to troll you every time, any one can do it
I dont udnerstand what the fuss is about?
The picture shows emails from PTI ‘family’ lodging strong protests!!! Is that abuse?
On Qasmi sahib, i love his columns but then I see him on TV on stage with CM Sharif distributing laptops!!!
@Taliban Khan:
Thanks. You are now fully out of the closet for everyone to see. You are no better than the ones your criticise. True reflection of a sick mind!
Personality traits are normally distributed in societies across the population. It is absolutely absurd and statistically incorrect to assume that all foul mouths have decided to join PTI. This is pure rubbish logic and must be discarded and rebutted by all rational, scientific members of our society.
We live in a world of key board warriors–no party has control over what it’s followers say. Every time some one’s inflated ego is hurt because of some crap some one has written, jumping to the conclusions that first that person belongs to a particular party (could be an imposter as well) and second that it seeing done at the behest of its leadership is lazy, and quite pathetic interpretation on the event.
I am sure there are PTI supporters who abuse people but their are also PPP, PMLN, etc. who do the same and worse. The other day, we had an honourable representative of the JUI-F on one of the mostly watched TV shows clearly threading to dismember various parts of Imran and teach a lesson to his children in the UK that went totally unchallenged by the host–he just sat there and smiled! And to my knowledge, I have not seen anything in Express Tribune or other leading luminaries of our pathetic press condemning him. This had the making of all the Juicy Headlines such as “Islam defamed by JUI-F” or “JUI-F shows its truer colours” or ” Sitting Senator of Pakistan threatens political rival” but none of it happened.
Please stop this theatrical production–no one with a functioning brain is buying it!
@ Sane
You didnt know it becuase that comment is my personal opinion ! Dont feel bad you cant know everything.. ! Observe, read and learn !
@ bigsaf
You said:
.
Yeah, may be you right about the video being a different one. As I said you tube doesn’t open in Pak. I just found the press conference they were referring to (the one he did after his visit to Malala in the hosp) on an alternate video channel, I couldn’t find this particular piece there. May be you can find the alternate link for me?
But it is obvious that the ET is lying since what you are quoting isn’t what the ET said! Saying that “the Afghan war” is a jihad is WHOLE LOT different than saying that “there are some people in Afghanistan who are fighting for their freedom and doing Jihad.” Pls see the video I posted for you, there IK clarifies that he considers some people in Afghanistan are actually fighting a Jihad BUT they are mixed with the CRIMINALS and that it “it is all a MIXTURE now” So why do you want to ignore one thing and stress on some other thing?
If he really had said “afghan war is jihad” that would be akin to saying that all suicide bombings, all the attacks were jihad. That would be a really bad statement to make. But he said people in Afghanistan who are fighting for freedom are fighting a jihad-which is fine and true. He also said that they were NOW intermixed with the criminals (as i mentioned in the zemtv video)
@Sane:
I must congratulate you on your fantastic imagination, wow, amazing, bravo or as Mary Poppins says, Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!!!
I only tried to point out that there is a difference between slander and critique and, lo and behold, you accuse me of being the worst enemy of Pakistan!!! Immediately after you said it, I noticed that my passport’s colour was a paler shade of green, no match for the true deep green that you carry!!!
May I ask what exactly do you put in your tea in the morning? Whatever it is, please abstain from it as it is not conducive to your mental health. Do you think all this wordsmithing is just a game? I am serious about having a serious conversations that can help us find a way out of this morass. If you just want to be a bully in the playground, please let me know and I will not bother your “intellect” again.
Pity for PTI
I dont agree with the last paragraph, jaisay PTI k leader hain waisey hi PTI k supporters hain. Aap log bhool rahey hain k Imran kistrah tamam leadership ko galian deta hay, uske supporter bhi wohi karte hain. PTI infact is following MQM, fark itna hay k PTI ke hathiyar facebook, email aur twitter hain.
@Sultan:
I hope you are preparing for election and not war. The ability to take criticism you need to work on.
Express Tribune is part of the International Herald Tribune, which is owned by The New York Times. Their editorial standards are naturally balanced precariously on the tip of the pyramid in th middle of the $100 bill!
@unmet46:
I’m sorry, but that’s pretty much what was bluntly implied and claiming otherwise is playing with semantics and spinning for one’s own defensive bias. Whether he claimed Afghan war is Jihad, or that people fighting in Afghanistan is Jihad, his statement wrongly justified the militants and militancy religiously (which forbids aggression) as he ignored the many terrorist acts that would null such a depiction.
So yes, that was a bad statement, when knowing all too well majority of Afghan civilians murdered by terrorist acts are by the once ruling Taliban who claim to be fighting for ‘freedom’ and doing ‘Jihad’, and to excuse them as religiously legitimate is a shame.
I have also listened to that video. no body can infer those meanings which Express tribune people extracted. biased reporting really. and it is PTI’s maturity to give a response over mails. I appreciate PTI’s good response.
@big saf
You say
Isn’t it ‘bias’ that you are ignoring the other part of the statement which said that the true freedom fighters are mixed with criminals (by whom he meant the one’s which attack civillians)? Other than that IK keeps condemning suicide bombings and attacks on civillians, so where does justifying militants come in?
You say
If you wish to live in that fantasy world which supposes that no one is fighting for freedom in Afghanistan and that the majority of people are happy by the US/Karzai rule then no one can help you. Even if IK had not said this it is common sense to say that there would be people there fighting for freedom. It is absolutely NOT possible that a state won’t fight back against occupation. Its a natural phenomenon that people would fight back. If you wish to do some research you would know that many fighters have laid out special orders not to injure any civillian in the attacks and to plan the attacks effectively so that no civillian injury or death takes place and that only the military is targeted.
I haven’t ignored the other statement out of bias. I noted it quite well and recognize its disingenuous attempt at false distinction done by apologists or sympathizers who want to exonerate the Taliban. Majority of these militants are the one and the same un-Islamic violent extremist criminal aggressors who claim to be ‘freedom fighters’ (just like the TTP).
IK rarely names the culprits, usually qualifying it, watering down culpability, seeming insincere and condoning. For example when minorities are murdered, he then claims the attackers have ‘legitimate grievances’ due to the govt. This is ludicrous. Instead of supposedly condemning, in this instance he clearly made a blunt justification which you can’t spin nor justify.
You delude yourself if you think majority of Afghans are happy with the Taliban, who do not represent the state. Exasperated Pashtun and non-Pashtun Afghan voices regularly comment praying Pakistanis to stop romanticising militants and terrorists for their own prejudiced religious political wishes and goals. They were ousted from power for stupidly harbouring and resisting to hand over Al Qaeda chief OBL to spare Afghans from a US invasion.
Evidence shows the majority of civilians killed and injured are by the Taliban, so its foolish to believe these ‘special orders’ has value, especially when they rarely condemn such attacks. There is natural resistance, and then there’s hateful insanity killing even your own blood for power and spite instead of ‘freedom’ or seeking peace. The current Afghan govt and its people have a natural response of calling these militant terrorists their murderers, not brothers.
Its treason to reason to support the Taliban Jihadists, their Islamist extremism and well documented crimes against civilians, which goes against humanitarian and Islamic principles, just to continue warring with your hated US. There’s no justifying them for the sake of punitive revenge.
@ bigsaf
I wrote a reply for you bt it wasn’t approved. So i have modified it and cut all the links I had for you.
When did Imran Khan say the ‘Taliban’ are fighting for freedom in Afghanistan?? Did he take their name?? It is strange that when Imran Khan condemns the terrorists calling them ‘not human and non-Muslim’ people jump to say oh he is not talking about the Taliban. And when he talked of some people actually fighting for freedom in Afghanistan they jump to say ‘oh he is talking of the taliban” What hypocrisy!
You say that the MAJORITY of people claiming to fight for freedom in Afghanistan are criminal aggressors, so do you agree that there is a MINORITY who might actually be fighting for freedom?
And Imran Khan has openly condemned sectarian violence many times. People falsely accuse him of not doing that. He has time and again condemned Shia violence in jalsas (eg the Chichawatni jalsa) and interviews, he directly condemned Lashkare Jhangvi once and there were then death threats to him (http://tribune.com.pk/story/401434/stop-targeting-hazaras-imran/) He even asked the CJ to take notice of shia muslim violence, he has visited all victims of shia violence. He condemned Hindu killings and said that he was ashamed of being a Pakistani at that, he condemned forced hindu conversions. He condemned Ahmadi killings and visited the Ahmadi victims in hospitals. He condemned the arrest of the Christian girl on blasphemy charges.
And When did he say that that the attackers do so because their legitimate grievances are not adressed? pls give the link so i can check the context.
Woopty doo…for God’s sake, you guys are professional journalists, if you can deliberately criticise or diss someone then you should be able to accept criticism and dissing thrown at you.
I see it as a civilized reaction by PTI supporters. I do not know how else PTI would have shown a civilized response”?
To support my claim, let me give you a good example of an “uncivilized response”. Remember the recent attack on AAJ News office in Karachi by MQM Trolls or supporters with automatic rifles.
http://wn.com/MQMattackonAajpart_I#/videos
My two cents….stop crying like a baby and start acting like professional and responsible journalists.
we just hope with ALLAH PAK,no pti ,no pmln no ppp no mqm
Oh Almighty Allah for give us and give us A true Rular of your like one onlye.Almighty Allah Forgive us.