RAID AT THE HOUSE OF BBC CORRESPONDENT IS NAKED ATTACK ON JOURNALISM: ALTAF HUSSAIN
London---- 26th. November, 1998
Altaf Hussain, founder & leader of the MQM has strongly condemned the raid at the house of Mr. Idris Bukhtiar, the correspondent for BBC in Pakistan. Mr Hussain termed this raid as a blatant attack on the freedom of press. He said that on one hand the Government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was crushing the MQM and imposing a ban on its political activities by using the State powers and through imposition of Governor Rule in Sindh and establishing the "Summary Military Courts" under Article 245. On the other hand, he added, that Government was targeting the journalists who were reporting the truth. He said that unwarranted raid at the house of Idris Bukhtiar has proved beyond doubt that the Government of Nawaz Sharif did not believe in the freedom of press and speech. He emphasised that the Government that has not the least regard for freedom of press had no right to rule the country. He said that if such Government were allowed to remain in power, it would certainly jeopardise the security of the country.
Mr. Altaf Hussain said that the Colombian teams who were invited by the Government to visit Karachi could analyse that how the Government of Nawaz Sharif was manoeuvring their visit for its own advantage. He said that the Government had first falsely claimed that the correspondent of BBC was with them during the visit of Liaquatabad. But when the BBC correspondent himself denied any such accompanying visit the Government punished him through a raid at his house and harassed his family. Mr Hussain said that that the raid at the house of Idris Bukhtiar was a proof of the fact that the Government was targeting everyone who dared to report truth and facts. Mr Hussain further added that the Government of Nawaz Sharif had pressurised the BBC and national and other International media through police and agencies. He said that the Government had warned them through that raid and had conveyed an explicit message to them that they should refrain from reporting the repression and atrocities inflicted by the Government. This was a clear message to press that they report only what the Government had wanted. He said that even the martial law regimes had not pressurised the journalists in the way the Nawaz Government had put pressure on the BBC and other International media. Mr Hussain urged the members of the Colombian team to take notice and assess that what has been happening in Karachi. He firmly asserted that the raid at Bukhtiar's house was a clear proof that terrorism in Karachi was unleashed by the government itself and not by any other. Mr Hussain appealed to all the national and international human rights organisations to take urgent notice of what was happening in Karachi. Mr Hussain asked that when even the international media was not spared under this regime, it was not difficult to conclude, that whosoever said truth and raised voice against the atrocities was targeted and victimised by the Government.
Mr. Altaf Hussain demanded of the President Rafiq Tarar to take immediate notice of the raid at Bukhtiar's house and other atrocious actions of the Government. He urged for a firm action against the police and CIA personnel who raided the house of Idris Bukhtiar and his family. He also urged for an urgent probe against those under whose directives such raids were conducted. He also asked the President to provide protection to all local, international and BBC correspondents and provide them with full safeguard and protection for carrying out their professional journalism. He also emphasised that the Government should be restrained from creating hindrance and inflicting any terror.