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Exposing corruption: Threats to journalists

Exposing corruption: Threats to journalists

If you expose the corruption record of any influential entity then you must be ready to face dire consequences.

Asad Kharal April 07, 2012

It is a bitter fact in our country that if you expose the corruption record of any influential entity then you must be ready to face the dire consequences. During my journalistic career spanning 15 years, I too have received several threats from state and non-state actors alike.

When I exposed the case of an alleged rape of a housemaid by the district Nazim of Sheikhupura in his camp office, I was threatened because the police were forced to register a case against their own Nazim. The parents of the 12-year-old girl had refused to lodge an FIR against the influential accused because of pressure as well as receiving a sum of money.

On May 8, 2010, I exposed the multi-billion National Insurance Company Limited scandal and was subsequently threatened by a former minister, who tried to justify that he had no links to the scandal. Upon the publishing of this news item, the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) took suo motu notice. A member of the National Assembly also threatened me when I published a story regarding the six billion rupees misappropriations in the National Police Foundation, because again as before, the CJP took suo motu notice. The principal accused of the Rs394 million Lahore Rapid Mass Transit System also threatened me when I received the audio/video recording, in which he admitted that he had misappropriated the same amount.

For the sake of authenticity of my work I have written six books including Top Secret (relating to terrorism, sectarian violence and the role of intelligence agencies), Raiwind Saazish (relating to the corruption of the Sharif brothers), Princess and Playboy (relating to the corruption of Benazir Bhutto and Asif Ali Zardari), Sacha Kon? (Which is a comparison between Pervez Musharraf and Nawaz Sharif), Chaudhryon ki Chorian (relating to the corruption of the Chaudhries of Gujrat with) and Pakistan Kaisey Toota? (relating to the role of the civil and military leadership).

Several editions of these books have been published but nobody has challenged their contents, which shows the authenticity and impartiality of the writer.

Read more by Asad here or follow him on Twitter @AsadKhara l.

WRITTEN BY:
Asad Kharal

The views expressed by the writer and the reader comments do not necassarily reflect the views and policies of the Express Tribune.

COMMENTS (10)

ishrat salim | 12 years ago | Reply u r great...takecare.....v hv lost all moral ground to be alive n live in pakistan as v all r accomplice to the present mess......

Uzair Hussain Mughal | 12 years ago | Reply You are doing a fantastic job, please keep it up! Exposing corruption is no easy feat. Fighting our inner corruption is hard enough, it takes real guts to actively stop it from happening around us. May Allah Tala help us all. Ameen.

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T | 12 years ago | Reply @Nandita.: We already have such crime shows being aired on every news channel of Pakistan.

bigsaf | 12 years ago | Reply Mr. Kharal, I've read many of your reports and articles, sometimes without even realizing it. You're a hero and I hope you stay safe from the criminal personalities you expose.

Abid P. Khan | 12 years ago | Reply @Parvez: "Although 9 out of 10 despite being guilty get off without punishment, the fact that even one gets caught and punished is reward enough." Not so long ago both Tony Blair and Obama granted bail-out money to heads of banks and finance institute. Then these CEOs rewarded themselves with bonuses. While the world became poorer.

Parvez | 12 years ago | Reply Exposing corruption will always be an up-hill battle. Those who take up this fight have to be commended. Although 9 out of 10 despite being guilty get off without punishment, the fact that even one gets caught and punished is reward enough.

Falcon | 12 years ago | Reply Asad - You are a brave patriot. We need more people like you. As someone mentioned above as well, it would be good to know where can one find these books and whether those are available in English as well?

Parvez | 12 years ago | Reply It is people like you that make a difference. Because accountability is non-existant and the rulings of even the Supreme Court are not implemented corruption in its many forms just keeps increasing. If those who are supposed to make and uphold laws are the same who shamelessly flout them a state of moral anarchy exists, leading to a collapse of the structure.

Nandita. | 12 years ago | Reply Speaking or crime and corruption, there's a television series in India called " CRIME PATROL " which is aired on Sony TV everyday. It's a show where actors enact various crimes that have taken place across the country and the efforts of the police force to bring the perpetrators to justice..It's very interesting to watch and more importantly, through television such incidents of corruption and crime become public knowledge.I think this is a good way to motivate the youth to fight against crime; media has an important role to play in fighting this menace. Corruption is so deeply entrenched in our social milieu that we can use all the help we get from different quarters to nip it in the bud. Maybe, it would be a great idea to have such tv shows in pakistan as well ?

farqaleet | 12 years ago | Reply sir, from where i can buy these books ?

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