Governor’s close quarters confirmed his departure: Geo bureau chief | Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)

Pakistan Press Foundation

Governor’s close quarters confirmed his departure: Geo bureau chief

LAHORE: Geo Lahore Bureau Chief Khawar Naeem Hashmi has said that the reporters, who filed the news of Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer’s departure to Dubai, disclosed that three seats were booked for Dubai in the names of the Governor’s wife Amina Taseer, governor’s daughter Sher Bano Taseer and for the Governor himself.

But at the last moment, the governor cancelled his seat while Geo was airing the report about Taseer’s departure to Dubai, Khawar added. However, Khawar said, the governor talked to the media after that broadcast. He said that before Taseer’s media talk, Geo came to know that the governor had tried to trap Geo and other channels.

Khawar said that when reporters of Geo contacted quarters close to the governor to ascertain his departure to Dubai, they confirmed his departure to Dubai. In this connection, the people of the Governor House and senior members of the PPP, who often have interaction with the Geo, also confirmed the departure. The Geo Bureau Chief said the governor had proved that he was an ‘expert’ in such shenanigans and he played a trick on media by canceling the seat at the eleventh hour.

Khawar said former editor of Taseer’s newspaper, Najam Sethi, also his friend, had also confirmed this fact. Khawar regretted that not fulfilling journalistic responsibilities, saying that we should have been vigilant of the trap. He said, however, when Geo came to know about the actual situation, the channel aired the news that the governor had not gone to Dubai before the governor’s talks to the media in Lahore.

He said other channels had also aired this news but the governor had criticized only Geo. Khawar said this all was being done only because some days ago when the governor proceeded abroad at that time only the Jang Group proved the governor’s absence from the country. The Geo Bureau Chief said the Jang group was being criticised because it was exposing corruption whether it related to Swiss case or rental power projects. He said the Jang Group always upheld truth and presented facts to the public.
Source: The News
Date:12/16/2010