Editorial: End of Jalib Murder Investigation?
Former BNP secretary General Habib Jalib, who was shot dead in Quetta on July 14th by unidentified persons, is perhaps the only “lucky” political figure in this country to get his murderers identified within a “very short” period of one month. Pakistan has had a history of several high-profile murders, including that of two former prime ministers i.e. Liaquat Ali Khan and Benazir Bhutto and former Balochistan governor Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti.
The real culprits responsible for these murders in 1951, 2007 and 2006 respectively could never be traced by the law enforcement agencies. Jalib’s case is strikingly different: Balochistan police claim to have rounded up the actual murders and ascertained confession — of killing Jalib — as well.
Balochistan’ police chief Malik Iqbal, while addressing a press conference in Quetta, ruled out a political assassination of Habib Jalib. The police investigations, he said, had revealed that Jalib was murdered by some of his own irked relatives to settle personal scores. Ironically, the police account of the murder suggests that the killers took Jalib to the hospital, attended his funeral and participated in the ensuing protest rallies.
This police version seems too hasty and simplistic. An established underground anti-nationalist group, which had previously attacked Baloch leaders and student activists as well, had taken responsibility for the murder of the BNP leader. Even the Balochistan National Party has officially spurned the police statement saying that it was an attempt to provide protection to those actually responsible for the killing. Nonetheless, it is clear that the police have closed the chapter of investigating Jalib’s murder by speaking publically in the media about the culprits.
It is premature to say if the police have arrested the “real murderers” of Jalib. What needs to be acknowledged is the fact that even such a hasty arrest of assassins will not reverse the Baloch anguish caused by the brutal murder of a moderate, progressive and liberal leader.
a very simplistic investigation, and a very ordinary article about an issue so important. Jalib will live in the memories of the Baloch nation. He will be praised in poetry and in music, transforming his martyrdom into song for future generations to sing and to motivate the masses. He will be written about and read about in essays, Op eds, books, and may be one day he will shine the pages of school texts as well. But your article so ordinary so simplistic like going through some pages of a book without reading them cause the subject does not suit your taste. Letting people, departments, officials, of the hook. Hook is your paper and the words you write make a case. But here i feel judgment has already been passed and The Baloch Hal taken into confidence. Is this the Hal of the Raj……
Mr. Hairbiyar: We at The Baloch Hal do not praise people in poetry and in music, transforming their martyrdom into song for future generations to sing and to motivate the masses, as desired by you. We are a newspaper. We cover things objectively and report them as they are.
Let me just remind you that it was this HAL OF THE RAJ which had full page coverage of Habib Jalib for a full week when the official website of the BNP DID NOT even put the news of its secretary general’s killing ten days after his murder.
You should be thankful to The Baloch Hal that 90% newspapers, blogs and newspapers copied Jalib’s news and photos from us to cover his killing.
Editor
The Baloch Hal
This is a simplistic investigation with big whitewash, sorry to say but this is totally a whitewash by Pakistanis to hide the real culprit which of course pakistani agencies and FC. no doubt about it.
the interior minister is a big lier , i dont know how can baloch hal consider this as a first proper investigation .. this is all untrue and we know very well who is behind this.. malik iqbal is a devil..
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Dear Admin;
Firstly I was not suggesting that you be the one to transform martyrdom in song and music for ……….. It will be done by the sons of the land not implying that you are not one but as you stated it is not your job. And let me also point to fact about The Hal Of The Raj,. Most days sir you have just one story to report to show the public that the Hal has a pulse. There is much going on in Balochistan that escape’s your eye. Media in today’s world be it print, online, or on television does a job only philosophers had the authority and the means to do and that is forming opinion. In today’s world we do not have time to read a book cause we have to watch TV, use the net, read a newspaper, go to the mosque, make a living, play a little etc etc etc.. We the Baloch people have limited access to the media gods and there world of ink, paper and bits. So when you write something it holds weight and meaning thus forming opinion in the absence of real opinion makers. Sir you are not covering a wedding ceremony, you are covering a genocide of the people in these so called modern times. So please show more responsibility and show it as such. The BNP website is joke, do not compare your self with the jokers in the court. Compare your self to the men who hold that court. Thank You…
all i can say is in 64 years of slavery we have learned criticism only, mr harbiyar, baloch hal is runing from last 8 months all what siraj is doing paying from his pocket to run newspaper one need resources to run such project and a strong team he been brave enough to represent baloch cause on different platforms i think you are not doing justice by criticizing him or the newspaper in last 8 months 1700+ news reports published by him he is the only person who spend nights writings editorials, baloch hal is only baloch newspaper quoted multiple times by BBC, DAWN, Daily times if you want baloch hal to report in more details be generous support baloch hal financially or write at-least one article a day as you mentioned about pulse your contribution will double heart beats once again before criticizing do some research know the ground realities, inshallah one day baloch hal will reach all corners of globe just support it atleast a word of appreciation will help to take it to next level i hope you got my message what i wanted to convey
Malhia Baloch
Malhia;
You were right about many a things but not all. If I am able I should make a monetary contribution towards Baloch Hal. Absolutely. And I intend to do that once I am able. You do agree we live in the fiercest time of the capitalist empire… Corporations are scheming day and night to devour what’s left of the global economy. In these times it would not be unusual to be without a job. That’s my excuse of not giving any money to the Hal. Second what is it with people these days. Why is every body up in arms against a thing that can always be constructive towards a situation or in general a society, and that my dear is CRITICISM, why is every body against it, why can’t I talk, or why can’t I only talk. When you think your brain is talking, when you write your words are talking. So what’ wrong when I talk about you talking. Criticism is taught in universities as a subject these days. One cannot be a philosopher and not critique. Hal is doing something good and I truely appreciate its contributions towards the RAJ. But if more can be done through this platform via this pen than why not. I did not mean to prove any body right or wrong.. Though being proved wrong to me is sacred. Proven wrong does not mean one is defeated, but in its true essence it means that one’s level of awareness has been raised. So you can prove me wrong day and night and I will thank you for it. This is the only way we can move forward. When we accept criticism it means we are willing to listen. and listening is a gift from the Almighty. When we listen we contemplate, when we contemplate we understand and when we understand we achieve.
Yours Truly
Hairbiyar
Mr. Hairbayar: No body is opposed to your right to comment or criticize us individually (Malik or Maliha) or Baloch Hal collectively as a team. What we expect you to take into consideration are a few ground realities before raising your expectations from us.
We are not asking you to support us with money in this brutal corporate world (you put this in an excellent way) but that is no excuse to run away from responsibility.
I (Malik) have remained jobless since March this year. Daily Times, for which I was working as the Balochistan Bureau Chief, fired me for my pro-Baloch writings. See, you don’t need to be a multimillionaire to run the Baloch Hal. What we need has rightly been put by Maliha: Sleepless nights to translate news reports, editorials, google and crop pictures, design the page and share stories on Facebook and Twitter.
Can you give me the example of any other newspaper in the entire world which is run (editorially) by one person? I am the only person running the whole newspaper. I am not saying I am doing the Raj a favour but I have been clung with the hope in the last eight months that people like you will join us after seeing our work in whatever way possible. We are not able to do even 10% of the dream we have for the Baloch Hal only due to scarcity of resources. We know there is a need for more coverage, audio, video podcast etc. In Balochi they say, “Mani dil malag loteeth baly asthonk kasan anth”
Can’t the entire Greater Balochistan (comprising of the Baloch diaspora and those living in Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan) donate a single computer to us? Isn’t there a single Baloch student who would say he would spend one hour with us to translate a few news reports for the Baloch Hal? My dear, it is easier said than done. You don’t need to do that because we ourselves know what our shortcomings and weaknesses are.
In your previous comment, you were right that the Baloch Hal comes up with one news story per day. The reason is because no body else comes up even with one story and readers like you are still compelled to come to the Baloch Hal.
You have to be more practical while criticizing people. The Baloch Hal does not belong to Maliha or Malik Siraj. It belongs to all of you. Just ask yourself what is it that you can do to help us? We need more people and more money to write long investigative reports about dear Habib Jalib but our problem is our pocket money even, at times, does not permit us to go to an internet cafe to upload the site (We are the only newspaper which is quoted by BBC and Dawn but does not have an office!) But we are still doing it because we know we it is our responsibility to do it.
I hope you don’t mind our comments. You are the future Father of Balochistan. We have very great expectations from you.
My dear Brother Siraj;
I am very sorry. I did not have the slightest idea of the predicament that you are in. I truely feel ashamed of the words that I have written. my apologies to you and to Maliha. Brother Siraj I will not make promises cause promises are bound to be broken. I will not remain jobless for ever and once I start making a living gain I will call you to ask you about your needs. We need people like you working for the Raj. but for now please let me know what can I do. Again my sincerest apologies. I can write translate what ever you want me to do. Our raj lacks people who can write and present their case. Plz do tell me what to do, my shame at this moment after reading your words is far greater to be put in words.
Sincerely
Hairbiyar….
Dear Hairbayar: All you can do for us is just be positive, think positive. Future belongs to us. We will rise if we are one.