A web-based thorn in Musharraf’s side

Last, week, Sehbai sent out alerts to journalists across the world to say that the Pakistan police had now registered a case against him for committing dacoity at gunpoint.

              A WEB-BASED THORN IN MUSHARRAF’S SIDE

                                         The Hoot Desk

In February 2002, Shaheen Sehbai, editor of The News in Pakistan, published stories on the kidnapping and killing of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl. Then the military government decided to move against his newspaper, declaring that he was acting against Pakistan’s national interest. His owners could no longer faced the financial sanctions and a total blockade of government revenues, so in March Sehbai, resigned his job. Shortly thereafter he fled to the United States, fearing for his own safety.

He immediately became a cause celebre for the international media, with all the major US channels interviewing him, and newspapers such as the Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times and Financial Times carrying articles by him.

In July 2002, now based in Washington, Sehbai launched a web-based newspaper called South Asia Tribune. It was a division of The South Asia Tribune Publications LLC, a diversified media company with principal operations in E-news, headquartered in Virginia.

The web publication’s declared objective was to preserve objective journalism in South Asia where it said " journalism is under attack, by governments, armies, rogue gangs, political and religious fanatics and spin masters disguised as media managers." It instantly became a forum for the Musharraf government’s opposition to use, as well as platform for investigative stories against the government. The Tribune carried exposes with gusto.

Last, week, in August 2002, Sehbai sent out alerts to journalists across the world to say that the Pakistan police had now registered a case against him for committing dacoity at gunpoint. This was alleged to have been committed by him in a relative¿s house 18 months ago, while he was still the editor of Pakistan¿s largest newspaper, The News.  Sehbai stayed in Pakistan over a year after the alleged incident and left in March this year.

R.A. Bazar Police in Rawalpindi, close to the Army General Headquarters, registered the case against Sehbai on the complaint of a junior civilian GHQ employee, who once was married to Mr. Sehbai¿s cousin and divorced her over one year ago. This relationship was known only to a senior military officer, now posted in Inter Services Public Relations Department, headed by General Musharraf¿s Press spokesman, Major General Rashid Qureshi. 

In a statement issued in Washington, Sehbai called the case "a blatant and shameful attempt by the military authorities to use a very junior civilian employee of the Army General Head Quarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi to harass, defame and victimize me and my family. As I write now, police is raiding the houses of my relatives in Pakistan. Several raids have been conducted and women and children have been harassed by men in uniform. I request you to raise your voice to stop this persecution and victimization.

 "This report lodged by the Police, obviously under pressure of the military authorities, is malafide and a direct victimization because I have launched a newspaper which has exposed many scandals of the military government and its high ups. The Police Case against me has been lodged 18 months after the alleged event which itself speaks about its merit.
 I will invoke all legal and constitutional remedies to defend against this outrageous onslaught against me, my family and the Press," his statement dated august 21, said.