In a story published in The Express Tribune on April 15, titled ‘Sterling bounty offered for Obama, Bush,’ it was erroneously reported that British parliamentarian of Kashmiri origin Lord Nazir Ahmed had announced a bounty for the captor of US President Barack Obama and his predecessor George W Bush. Following Lord Ahmed’s denial and a review of the footage of his comments, it has been established that Nazir had merely offered to “raise and offer £10 million so that George W Bush and Tony Blair can be brought to the International Court of Justice on war crimes charges,” while there was no mention of US President Barack Obama. The Express Tribune’s reporter, who covered the story in Haripur, also clarified that he had mistakenly written the name of Obama – and clarified that the offer by Nazir aimed to raise money to try Bush and Blair in the International Court of Justice for war crimes. The error is deeply regretted.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 18th, 2012.
COMMENTS (37)
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This paper has just ruined any gained credability it brings a low for this VERY new papers reputation. Shame on the reporter for staining this paper reputation amongst more established papers. A BAD EXAMPLE IN REPORTING . U LOST A SUBSCRIBER AND MANY MORE!
Newspapers should completely and fully have tabs on their employed (independents). They should know the people reporting intimately (to decipher intentions)! They should be treated as public figures by their employers; additionately, should be prepared to defend their submissions with proof. Only then would most respect and acknowledge your apology, for you have a great responsibility to the public. False or misleading information such as the April 15th report could greatly damage the reputation of people and cause massive kaos and violence. If you don't have the all of the facts, then just refrain from issuing it in print until the information is verified! With that said, I, as a human being, understand that we are not infallible and do accept the apology.
@Truthbetold: Straighten up ur helmet and stop drooling on the keyboard, troll.
ET had the courage to publish an errata and apologize. Other Pakistani publications get away with fabrications that have no foundation whatsoever. Far from apologizing, they keep repeating the lies so that it would appear to be the truth. Well done ET ! Your apology is gracious and is accepted !!
@Umer: Apparently, Nazir's real bosses, the ISI, paid a visit to the ET reporter and had a friendly talk.
Operation Cover Up cannot cover up the truth.
@Umer:
Most Pakistani/Urdu media outlets want ratings. A nuanced statement does not sell papers.
In any case he is not a highly educated guy nor broad minded. He has not a clue what is good for Kashmir and Muslims in general. He is likely to celebrate Kashmir day for ever. Meaning they are never ever going to get right of self determination. Such minions at the helm of affairs only make matters worse. A dukandar lord.
Spreading LIES. True face of this pseudo-liberal outfit!
How come so many media outlets got it wrong?
Pakistani and Urdu Media Reports
Well, it appears that Lord Nazir Ahmad made several such statements while touring Pakistan. See this report: interestingly, it seems not only the ET but Ausaf, The News, Waqt tv all reported Lod Nazir's speech.
http://www.memri.org/report/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/6288.htm.
Pakistan's Waqt TV: 'Lord Nazir Ahmed Has Announced That He Will Reward Anyone Who Assassinates George W. Bush With $100,000' – And Other Pakistani and Urdu Media Reports
@Mani:
I would support that when Lord Nazir apologises for supporting LeT and Hafiz Saeed.
Okay this is ridiculous! ET should have a front page apology for Lord Nazir. How such a huge error could be made is beyond me! You just vilified an innocent man and ruined his reputation.
Disappointed, ET on the sensationalist mislead. I judged Nazir harshly due to that report. I half apologize to him.
Why half? While he didn't advocate the extreme bounty offer for 'capturing' Obama or Bush, his bounty for info on Blair and Bush, which I support wholeheartedly and groups like Amnesty, HRW, etc. (hated international, humanitarian or supposedly 'liberal' groups by right wing conservative extremists) are trying to get to courts, was nothing more than tit for tat resentful deflection, trying to excuse bounty for info on Hafiz Saeed as wrong, which absolutely is not, proving to be an extremist and/or terrorist apologist based on hating every Western hypocrisy, condoning every local hypocrisy.
Bush and Blair should be tried for war crimes. So does Hafeez Saeed for terrorism.
@kalchakra: You forgot TTP.
HaReally poor journalism on the part of et. I hope lots nazir takes u to court for false reporting and damaging his reputation but I suspect he will not do so. As I said let's get a transcript of what he actually said which is something editorial team should reviewed before publishing these extremely damaging allegations. Shame on you
What a disgrace to journalism! Why does it take so long to figure this out? Probably ET was having troubles to find an escape goat.
ET speaking the language of Fox News and Indian Media!
Let's hope it doesn't happen again since it has created a lot of problems. The very fact ET has clarified it is respectable. Let's give them a credit for that.
ET has harmed an innocent Muslim brother who was standing for the truth and for the good of the ummah. It has also insulted and humiliated a noble cause dear to anyone who cares for the truth. Its agenda of appeasing the Americans, Indians, and other enemies of Islam is now clear. How can we make ET pay for its crimes against 2 billion people?
When are you going to apologize for spreading sectarian and religious hatred?
After this, ET will not see me visitng this website again. I am sorry, I really thought that ET was a professional newspaper. Good Luck.
i know these comments don't make a difference to you. you guys are happy and u think that we cant do anything to decrease ur earnings or whatever. but remember there is an Almighty who is watching everything and He would make u pay and wud make u pay bad. u guys are instigating falsehood and asr costing people their jobs and more importantly respect. i am never going to come to this site again, i thought u guys were different.
It was just ET being ET
Vienna,April 18,2012 FAIR ENOUGH. Undoubtedly good journalism. At times it helps generating debate seriously making room for clarifications.The good lord, Ahmed was not sleeping when Tony Blair was Prime Minister.He should have taken up the matter there in U.K. and then not now from the Pakistani soil. It was when President Ronald Reagan presiding guiding direct Col.Oliver North that Col.Qaddafi caused to be held a public trial for Iran contra war crimes on Ronald Reagan and got him convicted on 21 counts through the Vienna based International Progress Organization.Ronald Reagan retaliated by bombarding the Gulf of Sirte. What kept Lord Ahmed in politics in U.K. if he were to keep shut when Tony Blair was indeed committing what he claimed war crime is the question. Taravadu Taranga Trust for Media Monitoring TTTMM India --Kulamarva Balakrishna
This 'clarification' should be the main headline not hidden in he ''featured" column ET!!
where is the highly celebrated "only self appointed obmudsman" of express? how to wake him up???
What a shame Express Tribune!! The damage you wanted, it's already done.
First that honorable messenger of peace and beacon of Pakistani brotherhood - Professor Saeed Hafiz, now this international Muslim star - Lord Nazir - why has the world launched a false lynch session?
Wow because of you guys that man lost his job at ET! Shame on you guys for such damaging transgressions and shoddy journalism. I guess all those foreign backed propaganda against you guys is true after all. You guys should be taken to the cleaners!!!
Very nice.
I like this kind of stuff.
Oh My Lord! (Nazir) (a la Chandler Bing of FRIENDS)
This extremely ridiculous for a newspaper to have these report published and later issue a clarification editorial. Please have some ethics and don’t publish anything before it is verified. Newspapers like you print whatever they want and think to publish.
And you've caused a fire storm for UK politicians of Pakistani origin. Your apology is undermined by your serious neglect at good governance and process on verifying facts before publication. Very poor and amateur show - to say the least.