Massacre of journalistic values by Mr. Abbas Nasir, Editor Daily “DAWN”.

Massacre of journalistic values by Mr. Abbas Nasir, Editor Daily “DAWN”.


It is quite surprising to note the surprise expressed by few after I broke my three-year silence to unmask the non professional and anti-worker role of Mr. Abbas Nasir, Editor “Dawn.”

The "objection" to my letter was made that why did I keep sitting on this expose for three years?

Well, ladies and gentlemen, this very fact is the proof of my commitment to professional ethics and decency which kept me away from publishing or making public injustices done to me by the Editor Dawn unless he crossed all boundaries of decencies and stooped so low by issuing an ad against me which was unprecedented in Dawn's laudable history.

The publication of a “Public Notice”, through Manager (H.R.) by Mr. Abbas Nasir Editor Dawn was aimed at damaging my prestige and honour before the public in general and professional fraternity in particular. This was the reason which forced me to unmask Abbas Nasir's true face which has been hiding for a long time.
It is unfortunate that Mr. Abbas Nasir held a professional and innocent journalist guilty of “misconduct” without any cause, occasion, proof, or reason. Hence it was time to call a spade a spade.
Dear friends, on 11-07-2006 I went to Karachi, on my own initiative, to have meeting with Mr. Abbas Nasir. During the meeting I offered Mr Abbas Nasir to resign if there was any complaint against me about my performance, my professional or personal conduct.

Trying to play smart in response to my offer, Mr. Abbas Nasir shifted the blame to Haroon-Sehgal family. He told me “off the record” that the actual reason was that the Haroon–Segal Family was not pleased to see me in the Daily Dawn. In the very next breath he enquired about my relations with the Haroon–Segal Family on which I apprised him in detail. He got a promise from me not to make public the details narrated to him by me. He also promised that he would also keep the matter secret. I kept the word but Mr. Abbas Nasir failed to keep the promise. Therefore, now I also have the moral right to make my point of view public.
After listening to my comments on the reservations the Haroon–Segal family had about me, Mr. Abbas Nasir scornfully reiterated before me that these capitalists, whether in Mills or in the Dawn, exercise the same anti-worker seth mentality. He then asked me not to disclose the said remarks.
Moreover, he said that my personal file was not available to him at that time and therefore asked me to see him again at 5.00 P.M. the next day (12-07-06) at his Dawn Office, Karachi. But when I went to see him as per schedule, he conveyed a false message through his Office Secretary, Sh. Latif, that he could not see me because he was not feeling well, although he was present in his office. He passed on further instructions to me to go back to Faisalabad and carry on my job. He also promised that he would call me again to Karachi whenever required.
The following detailed letter was sent to him by me;

July 28, 2006

REVIEW OF TRANSFER ORDER DATED 27-6-2006

Most respectfully submitted that the undersigned visited your Office on 11^th July, 2006 with a request to review the Transfer Order’s dated 27^th June 2006 issued by the Management whereby I have been posted at Karachi vide Memorandum No. M (HR)/PHPL/06/4472.

You were kind enough to give me patient hearing and listen to my viewpoint sympathetically wherein it was transpired that my transfer was an outcome of a “series of complaints” moved by various persons. But the complaints or name of complainants were not disclosed to me.

With respect to this disclosure the following humble submission are made: -

i. No verbal or written complaint had ever been intimated to me. No explanation was called from me.

ii. My conscience as well as my service record was clean and clear. I had always tried my utmost to serve the institution faithfully and honestly.

iii. Dictates of justice and fair play demand that I should have been afforded an opportunity of self-defence and called upon for explanation of my position in case there was any complaint or charge against me.

iv. I also humbly informed you that some Police quarters feeling perplexed had been after me to “fix me up” to satisfy their hurt ego due to my fearless and honest reporting exposing their inefficiency and corruption.

v. I also appraised your honour that some powerful police officers who were proceeded against by the Government and concerned agencies due to my reporting were constantly threatening myself and my family and “some handpicked journalists who are always readily available for playing in the hands of police officers for sake of paltry gains had been given the assignment of launching a vilification campaign against me.

vi. I also submitted that a particular journalist Mafia accustomed to cheap and corrupt practices, wanted to tarnish the clean image of DAWN and myself and to bring it under their umbrella, desperately wanted to get rid of me by all means.

vii. I also submit that I have credible, substantial and corroborative evidence and facts to prove the facts stated above.

viii.I humbly prayed before you and also submitted a written representation mainly agitating that if my transfer had been ordered on some complaint, action on the same may kindly be deferred till holding and finalization of inquiry.

ix. I also prayed that in case of any complaint against me, open inquiry may kindly be conducted.

x. Your goodself was apprised that once when I was present in the Press Club, situated near DAWN Office, alongwith Mr. Muhammad Shafique, Reporter of “AAJ Television”, and Mr. Ajmal Malik, Reporter of Daily EXPRESS, when Messrs. Imran Akram, Chief News Desk Lahore Dawn Office and Murtaza Razvi, whom I had not known or met before, visited me without prior information and without any file or folio, telling me that they came on some friends invitation for lunch in the Serena Hotel Faisalabad and thought of paying a casual visit to the DAWN Office. I also told that I warmly welcomed both of them and apprised both the gentlemen of the project of the Press Club by asking them to take a round of the under construction Press Club Project. A model of the FPC was also shown to them along with a brief out the feature of the buildings. They were invited by me to have a cup of tea by in the DAWN Office where they stayed for about 20 minutes and took just soft drinks instead of tea.

xi. During brief gossip the following question were put by Murtaza Razvi in a causal manner:-

a .> What was the connection between DAWN News Office and the Press Club Building?

b > Whether I had any other source of Income other than DAWN?

c > ) Whether I had any connection with the PPP?

Obviously, I was not confronted with any complaint or allegation. Therefore, I look that said questions were just a part of an informal chat only. However, I took a pain to inform him that: -

a i. The DAWN office had been acquired by me from the City District Government in an open auction. A rent deed to that effect was also shown to him.

b ii. The PC building was also under the administrative control of the CDG on rent basis at the rate of Rs. 5/- per month. I also told him that the rent of the Press Club building was paid by me for the last 20 years as the same had never been paid in the past. I also shown him the notices issued by the CDG for vacation of the PC building for non-payment of the rent owing to which I paid the rent for said period.

c iii. My wife had been running two schools, which she established in 1977 and in 1980 in two separate buildings, which were duly recognized and registered by the Education Department before her marriage. Presently, she is running an academy in 130-C Peoples Colony building, which she got on rent in March 1980 and the rent deed is also in her name. The income of the academy is purely of my wife and I have directly or indirectly nothing to do with the affairs of the academy.

iv. My source of earning was only through DAWN and contribution in the Herald magazine.

e v. I had no connection with the PPP or any other political party. Neither I am beneficiary in any manner in the past or present with courtesy of the PPP or any political party.

Both the gentlemen expressed their satisfaction and told that there was no specific purpose of their questions except informal chat and left the DAWN office Faisalabad.

It was prayed by me before your honour that a loyal and consciences worker like me may not be allowed to be disgraced as a result of false conspiracy by a few jealous journalists.

You are kind enough to inquire about my welfare and told me that my personal file at the moment was not with you and directed me to see you on 12^th July, 2006 to discuss what type of the allegations were on the file.

As per your direction, I turned up in the office of the Secretary to Editor, at 3:45 PM, who told me that “you are not feeling well and could not meet me. He also informed me that you had ordered to me to go back with a message that you would find time to call me again. I was just leaving the office of the Secretary to Editor, when all of sudden you opened the door and finding me there repeated the message which you had left with the Secretary for me. You were kind enough to assure me that I would be provided a fare opportunity of self-defence in case of any allegation against me. You were also kind enough to assure me that I would not be subjected to public disgrace and given me a word of honour that if my innocence was proved, the transfer orders would be revoked and I would not be humiliated in any manner.

In the end, I would beg once again that I may kindly not be condemned unheard and provided an opportunity of self-defence in case of any complaint against me. It is also prayed in the name of justice and fair play that if my transfer orders have been issued on the basis of some complaint, the same may very kindly be deferred till formal inquiry, which I am prepared to face.

With profoundest regards.

Sd/-

Shamsul Islam Naz

The contents of the letter above are not part of “off the record” discussion. Very politely and courteously it was alluded to by me that Mr. Abbas Nasir had failed to see me inspite of prior appointment, and despite his presence in the office he made an excuse.
However, Mr. Abbas Nasir was not gracious enough to reply to, or contradict the contents of the said letter till todate.
I wish to lay before you the subsequent evens and facts relating to this issue.

Shamsul Islam Naz
Secretary General,
PAKISTAN FEDERAL UNION OF JOURNALISTS

Cell: 0300-8665523 / 0321-8665523
http://www.shamsulislamnaz.com