Frontier Post offices sealed for blasphemous letter
PESHAWAR – Taking serious notice of a blasphemous letter published by the English daily The Frontier Post on its opinion page on Monday, the government sealed the offices and the printing press of the daily under Section 295 C of the Cr.P.C and also arrested a number of its senior staffers.
Efforts are also under way for the arrest of Managing Editor of the daily Mehmood Afridi who was dealing with the editorial pages after the arrest of his father Rehmat Shah Afridi on charges of drug trafficking.
The Frontier Post on its opinion page on Monday published Letter “Why Muslim’s hate Jews?” addressed to the Editor by one Ben D Zac through e-mail. The letter contained highly negative, defamatory and derogatory remarks against Islam, Muslims and Mohammad (PBUH). According to official sources soon after reading the letter, the higher civil and military authorities in Islamabad and Peshawar went into meetings early in the morning. However, after receiving complaints through telephone, the local authorities decided to seal the daily and arrest its staffers for necessary investigation.
The staffers of the daily informed The Nation that the first raid was conducted by police at 3.00 p.m which was followed by raids of several other law-enforcing agencies personnel. Later in the evening, the offices and the printing press of the daily were scaled by a local magistrate accompanied by heavy contingents of police.
The sealing of the offices and the printing press of The Frontier Post affected the working of Maidan a sister publication of the daily as the offices of both the dailies exist in the same building. However, the newsroom of daily Maidan was working as usual.
Soon after the arrest of a number of staffers, the remaining employees returned to their homes. Those who have been taken into custody are Senior Feature Editor and columnist Qazi Sarwar, Chief Repoter Imtiaz Hussain, News Editor Aftab Ahmad, Senior Sub Editor Munawar Hussain, in charge Computer Section Wajeullah and an unknown guest, Mehmood Afridi, Acting Chief Editor of the newspaper, was reportedly in Islamabad at the time of sealing of the offices and the printing press of the daily.
It may be mentioned here that in the afternoon when the local people came to know about publication of the letter, they thronged various stalls to get a copy of the daily. This led to the spread of the news like jungle fire all over the city and on Monday the newspaper sold like hot cakes.
Meanwhile expressing severe resentment at the publication of the blasphemous letter, the activists of Islami Jamiat Tulba staged a demonstration on the premises of Peshawar University in the afternoon. Besides setting ablaze copies of the newspaper the protesters also chanted slogans against its editor and management and blocked the roads. However, they dispersed peacefully after the assurance of civil and police authorities of a deterrent action.
Similarly, Jamat-e-Islami Provincial Amir Prof. Mohammad Ibrahim Khan has also expressed grave concern about the sadful incident. He urged the newspaper management to demand an unconditional apology for the act. Sikander Hayat Khan Sherpao, central leader of Pakistan People’s Party, has also regretted the incident which has hurt the sentiments of the Muslims.
Press note:
Today i.e 29th January 2001, a letter under the title “Why Muslims hate Jews?” by Ben DZdc was printed on Page 7 in section ‘Your Views’ in an English Daily “The Frontier Post” Peshawar. The contents of the letter were highly secreligious and derogatory to the Islamic faith and Quran. It appears that the letter has been authored by a Jew. The highly objectionable and derogatory material published by the newspaper has grossly hurt the feelings of the Muslim community and have caused immense resentment among them.
Since the irresponsible conduct of the newspaper attracts the provisions of Section 295/ a, b, c, PPC and other relevant sections of law, therefore, a case has been registered against the management of The Frontier Post and the responsible functionaries have been arrested. Besides, the premises of the newspaper including the press have been sealed.
Post:
The administration and the members of The Frontier Post profoundly regret the publication in its issue of 29 January 2001 of highly blasphemous material masquerading as a letter to the editor, and identifies with the injured feelings of the nation over the issue.
While we offer an unqualified apology for the occurrence, gross beyond measure and precedent, we assert that we are the aggrieved and wronged party in the incident. It has injured out feelings equally with every Muslim and more, because we have been linked with it.
All we can say at this point is that the matter is the outcome of a conspiracy. The conspiracy, we aver, was not against The Frontier Post alone, but also against the people and the government of Pakistan, and the whole Muslim Ummah.
We bluntly claim that the conspiracy sought to close down The Frontier Post, rendering the employees jobless, and to destabilize Pakistan.
We are looking into the matter on organizational level, and persons apparently involved in the dastardly act have been suspended pending enquiry. We have also lodged a complaint with the police, nominating the persons we suspect.
Additionally, we have called on the authorities to conduct a judicial probe into the affair to bring out the truth.
Meanwhile, we appeal to the nation to stand by us in this hour of adversity, and sympathize with us. The incident is a blemish on the proud legacy of The Frontier Post of fearlessly standing by the nation through thick and thin and championing every cause espoused by its people.
We seek to clear our escutcheon of the blot and to continue to serve the nation as before.
Our readers support has been our shield in hard times. These are the hardest times we have seen. We appeal to you to stand by us.
Source: The Nation
Date:1/30/2001
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