Breaking News. BBC News Editor publicly humiliated reporters for not doing stories involving risks. BBC Urdu News Editor Raja Zulfiqar Ali publicly humiliated and scolded reporters in Pakistan for not doing stories which could risk their lives and damage the repute of the BBC. His emailon Sept 12, 2012. From: Raja Zulfikar Ali Date: Wed, Sep 12, 2012 at 4:40 PM Subject: Where are our reporters? To: Abad Ul Haq , abadulhaq@gmail, Ahmed Raza , Aijaz Mahar , Ali Salman , Ali Salman , amberrahim.shamsi@gmail, [email protected], [email protected], armansabir@gmail, Asif Farooqi , Ayub Tareen - Internet , Azizullah Khan , Dilawar Khan Wazir , dilawar.bbc@gmail, Iram Abbasi , mjiram@gmail, Jaffer Rizvi , Jaffery Shumaila , monarana25@hotmail, nosheenabbas@gmail, rasheedshakoor@hotmail, Riaz Sohail , riazsangi@yahoo, Rifatullah Khan , Riyaz Masroor , rorakzai@yahoo, salisalmanj@hotmail, Shahzad Malik , bbcmzdk@gmail, Zulfiqar Ali Cc: Aamer Ahmed Khan , Haroon Rashid -WS , Asif Farooqi Dear All, During the past few days, CNN has interviewed Rimsha but we could not edition.cnn/2012/09/11/world/asia/pakistan-rimsha-masih-blasphemy/index.html?iref=allsearch FOX apparently interviewed Dr. Shakeel Afridi but we could not thenewstribe/2012/09/11/cia-informant-shakil-afridi-says-isi-sees-us-as-worst-enemy-fox-news/#.UE7q1Wt5mSM BBC English (Orla) interviewed the family of Rimsha but we could not bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-19564705 My question is why cannot we? Where are our reporters? raja .............................................................................................................. This insulting email was sent by Raja Zulfiqar Ali –a News Editor of BBC Urdu Service, on 12 September, 2012. With a title Where Are Our Reporter’ and it was copied to Section Head of the BBC Urdu Service Aamer Ahmed Khan, and Haroon Rasheed, Editor Pakistan. Silence on the part of the section head and the Pakistan editor over this email suggests that the news editor had their backing in writing that mail. News Editor of BBC Urdu Service --Raja Zulfiqar Ali- sent out this email to all reporters based in Pakistan and it was copied it to Aamer ahmed khan-a section head of the BBC Urdu Service and Haroon Rasheed - Editor BBC Pakistan. News Editor has not only publicly insulted reporters but also violated the values of BBC and journalistic norms.The stories for which reporters were scolded and pressurised through a public email can not be done in view of BBCs guidelines. On 15 sep 2012 in a news conference held in Islamabad, Pakistans minister for religious Harmony Paul Bhatti warned CNN of Action of over interview of a Christian girl Rimsha Masih and accused it of Jeopardising her security. He said “A security official arranged for Rimsha’s interview with the CNN and we will lodge a police complaint (FIR) against that official,” Bhatti said. He also blamed the US-based television channel of brining the teenage girl under security threat and said that discussions are underway to issue a notice against the channel. Christian girl was released in early Sept on bail after being charged with blasphemy. But the authenticity of his interview is in question. BBC News called the interview into question, stating that Afridi is in a maximum prison facility in Peshawar and has had limited access to visitors, including his family. Fox News didnt disclose how their reporter conducted the interview, but BBC speculated that it could have taken place over the phone if someone had managed to smuggle one in for Afridi. However, according to Pakistani newspaper, the Express Tribune, officials at the Peshawar Central Jail as well as the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa home and tribal affairs department stated that the interview, and the information revealed by Afridi, was untrue. “Dr Afridi is beyond the access of media and the news published, whether audio or video, is ambiguous and false as no one can meet [him] without approval of the provincial government and jail authorities,” said the jail in a statement. Afridis defense team has also denied the interviews veracity, claiming that it was both baseless and fallacious, Dawn News reported. Fox News correspondent Dominic Di-Natale explained in a tweet that “We asked key questions for ID purposes based on a track record of details. Then I directly spoke for 40 mins w/him on Saturday.” Afridis lawyer has stated that he is now under an increased security threat, as there are hardcore militants inside the prison and once they come to know that Afridi has been interviewed by an American news channel, they would never leave him alive.” Later, it was confirmed that Afridi’s interview was real, but he had to pay price for it. Jailed CIA Informant Who Helped Find Bin Laden Tortured, Family Says Read Latest Breaking News from Newsmax Newsmax/Newsfront/CIA-informant-Afridi-tortured/2012/12/11/id/467346/#ixzz3IwkH6rDU Urgent: Should Obamacare Be Repealed? Vote Here Now! It is worth mentioning that Afridi’s interview was not done any Pakistani or Pakistan based journalist rather US based reporters conducted this interview over phone. One wonders why didn’t BBC Urdu News editor did this story from London as there were less risks involved. Even if BBC reporters had manage to conduct interviews, but the question was how could one prove their authenticity. What would BBC do in case officials would demand money in helping organise such interviews? How could a News Editor force a reporter to do such stories which are against the values of BBC and journalistic norms and such stories could risk the lives of the reporters and further damage the image of BBC.. There are instances when BBC managers compromised the security of their own reporters in Pakistan.. His other ridiculous assertion is that BBC English (Orla) interviewed the family of Rimsha but we could not. Why couldn’t they use interview which Orla did with Rimsha’s family when it is one BBC? There are many stories which BBC Urdu reporters do and other services including English Service use them. Should they also publically scold their reporters for it. It should be mentioned that Section head, News Editor and Editor Pakistan had been forcing some reporters to do kind of stories that involved risks to their lives. Their sole objective has been to bully them, torture them and pressurise them. They have been publically humiliating and ridiculing and threatening reporters. It is irony is that Section Head of Urdu Service chose to remained silent which indicates that News Editor sent this email with tacit support of Section Head. Editor BBC Pakistan also supported News Editor. BBC HR London is aware of the case but ignored it. BBC Urdu managers promoted culture of bullying and harassment in Urdu Service with immunity and HR always suppressed the complaints against them.
Posted on: Thu, 13 Nov 2014 12:43:07 +0000
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