Our collective disregard for the due process of justice has made things easier for the forces of oppression in Pakistan. Now, they don’t have to kill the people with loud voices of dissent. They just have to humiliate them through cyber bullies and discredit them through one word: corrupt. All they have to do is give a random figure, an account number with the name of a bank and publicly accuse any person of integrity of taking bribes. Nothing at all would be demanded to substantiate the claim, not even basic reasoning.
It so happened amid the hubbub of the recent scandal involving the son of the chief justice of Pakistan and the real estate tycoon Malik Riaz — just when we should have been asking important questions about how Malik Riaz went scot-free in the land of the pure for nearly 20 years. Instead, we landed in a debate about the corruption of media persons.
Last week, a list with names of several journalists appeared in the media, with its originator remaining unidentified. Along with the names of the journalists, it also gave the value of the money or assets alleged to have been used by Malik Riaz to bribe them. The list attracted some reaction from the media fraternity but soon everyone rubbished it as being fake. Following this, Imran Khan demanded an inquiry into the media people, who have been bribed by Malik Riaz. The next day, two things appeared on the social media which created quite a volcanic effect. One was a leaked video of two TV anchors and Malik Riaz, during an interview allegedly staged by the latter. The other was a YouTube video displaying a list — updated this time — of 19 journalists and TV anchors on a supposed Bahria Town letterhead.
This extraordinary list bore some very credible names of the electronic and print media. Even more shocking was the fact that it had another odd name. Mine. Not a journalist by profession, I was shocked to see myself in that league. A professional in the field of democratic governance and an activist for human rights in a voluntary capacity, I could not understand why I was put under the rubric of ‘journalists and anchors’. The list showed that I accepted Rs1 million through a bank transfer from “NIBC [SIC] Bank Limited (Bahria Town Branch)”. An account number was also given against this transaction — #8283982-5. However, no one bothered to confirm whether the account belonged to me. And no one asked why a real estate tycoon would invest his money in a human rights campaigner.
In fact, the account number mentioned above does not belong to me, nor have I ever had an account in NIB Bank. Also, in fact, the account number, according to the website of Bahria Orchard, belongs to Bahria Town itself — that too, for transactions in US dollars. On my inquiry from the Bahria Town management, a person who introduced herself as Malik Riaz’s personal secretary categorically told me that neither the letterhead nor the list belonged to them.
As a salaried person, I have a regular salary account in a bank, which is certainly not NIB. All my financial details will be available for judicial scrutiny if and whenever that might happen. But since we believe only in the rhetoric of supremacy of judiciary, with no respect for the court and its procedure, we might not require any judicial procedure before forming our judgments.
The important question remains: why would someone include my name in a list that is clearly fake and made only to target certain kinds of people. Who could target a person who always takes a clear stand on controversial issues, be it the rights of persecuted minorities, Ahmadis, Hazara Shia Muslims, Hindus, Christians, the Baloch missing persons and their bullet-riddled bodies, against discriminatory laws, especially the blasphemy laws, rights of women, children and labourers, rights of transvestites and eunuchs and even the most controversial, LGBT rights. Not to forget, my umpteen writings against the policies of Pakistan’s military establishment, against extremists, against terrorists, against a blind and sickening hatred towards neighboring India.
Attacking my integrity has killed my enthusiasm to change society for the better. You should have pumped bullets in me like you did with Shaheed Salmaan Taseer, instead of doing this. Little hope could be attached to a society that disparages voices of dissent like this. Maybe, history will judge me better.
Published In The Express Tribune, June 19th, 2012.
COMMENTS (56)
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she is arguing that this is not her account, of course this is not her because money has been transferred from this account ( not to this account)
Ms.Marvi when I saw the list and saw your name on it, I too thought something was not right. I could not believe that someone of your standing could be bribed.
All I can say is do not lose heart, carry on the fight. You (and those that have the same values) do not want the crooks and the corrupt to win do you?
@Marvi! Please, don't give up... Trust me there are thousands, if not millions, out there to support your reason and voice. And for those who look up to you, it is a challenge to standby your side. I am certain that you know who did it.. And I also surmise that I would comprehend why "they" did it. They want to taint and contaminate your image or impugn your personality by affiliating you with such scandals. You know it's part of their dirty-tactics to thwart criticism...anyway I don't have to spell it out for you, how how obsessed, myopic and naive their policies and strategies are... now a days, everyone can see how incompetent they are... Please, don't accept it, rise against it. I want to quote one of Iqbal's saying, "tundi a bade mukhalif se na gabra a owqaab, ye tu chalti hai tujhe ooncha udhanay k lia". Also remember to tell, " khuda ko mat bata ki tufaan kitna bara hai, tufaan ko bata ki tera khuda kitna bara hai. Please keep on writing.
God bless you Marvi. Pleaes never give up the the great cause for which you are relentlessly fighting. You are an inspiration to many people.
Miss Marvi Sirmed, i have a great respect for you as you are a bold and brave lady, i salute your courage but on the other hand if you ask for my opinion regarding human rights, i would advise you to stop what you are doing. This nation doesn't deserve what you want for them, let them suffer as they want to suffer. This is a nation for whom this proverb proves to be 100% correct: ''NEKI KAR DARYA MAI DAAL''
We know it's not true.
I have Heard Marvi Sirmed many times on different TV channels on human rights issues i very much inspire from her personality and as a lawyer and a person who researching domestic violence i will to interview her as a part of my Ph D. thesis from university of karachi.
Marvi Sirmed I beleive you write on I knew Salman Taseer he never got cowed down
@Mr rightly Rightist - Neither my parents nor my children are feeding on western money but my politicians are. So come to think of it I need to get rid of both to survive.
And thankyou for trolling From India
apologies for the misspelling I meant Marvi Sirmed
Comrade , You are source of inspiration for us .
where does your human rights go when it comes to innocent people killed in dronz attacks? Or they are not humans? or the west does see them as humans and so does you and i have never heard you saying anything against india why is that ????
Good article.
Already 15000 Muslims are killed in Syria, and this should be topmost priority for anybody who fights for Muslims. Many say the actual civil war has not yet broken which means at least 10 times more Muslims are expected to be killed. So, please make your own priority and do something, do not wait for Marvi to do your job.
@Atif who writes "why all these ppp ladies try to pose themselves as human right activists ? even they are activists, the world know their profiles too, these type of activists breath on US, UN & European funding and always try to pursue their agenda"
As if Pakistan is breathing on its own. Without western aid, Pakistan will be more than 4 different countries now. You are living on western money. Your parents fed you on western money and you will feed your children on western money.
Besides, if marvi denies foriegn aid, will you give her money for humanitarean effort? How much will you give? a million dollars?
Or will you take her place and continue humanitarian work?
@Tch tch: It is unfair and double faced to blame someone (HRCP/Liberals) who is doing good humanitarian work for not doing all the good deeds possible specially when the person doing the criticizing may have done very little for the good causes him/herself.
Why you dont fight for Muslims in Palestine, Kashmir ?? Where do your human rights go when muslims are killed. You are funded and backed up by India and Isreal every one knows that and the time will prove. you have targeted two nation theory which is the base of existance of Pakistan. Stop your activities like these.
A controversial list should not stop you from the admirable work you have been doing in the area of human rights. in fact your name on the list was the only reason i doubted its authenticity. please don't do what the authors of the list intended in the first place. Massive respect to you Ma'am.
Ms. Sirmed,
The list may have some truth in it and shouldn't be called a complete rubbish. However, you are open to scrutiny and therein lies you integrity, so you have nothing to fear.
Be excited and happy that there are folks who are scared of you and consider you important to include in an apparent media-defamation campaign. It is a RECOGNITION of sort to be valued amongst the elite.
You are a wonderful person! You know that humanity comes before prejudices, and religions, and you are fighting for the just causes in a seemingly hopeless society.Therefore, don't loose enthusiasm, GOD needs you on HIS side, so please work with more vigor now! I am confident you will.
why all these ppp ladies try to pose themselves as human right activists ? even they are activists, the world know their profiles too, these type of activists breath on US, UN & European funding and always try to pursue their agenda, if a journalist can be accused of bribery, why not an activist ? let the court decide who is white and who is grey
Dont lose hope.
A fake list is all it takes for the "enthusiasm" of writer to disappear on social media which is full of useless videos and stunts. Its better she dont write. Well written piece for self projection of our sensitive social class.
Ms. Sirmed, if you quit, we will move that much closer to mushroom clouds in the sub-continent.
@ mrTch tch, I smell a rat when I see one, your comments borders on ill will and are malicious, you may be defending those who planted this fake,erroneous and character assassination list. There are plenty of you in Pakistan or elsewhere who would do anything for the buck. Why would she has to tell anyone how much she is worth, it is none of any ones business and specially the likes of you. She does not need to defend herself against any fraudulent list or people, her record is clear for the whole nation to see. If you have some axe to grind then say so and don't be critical because of some hidden agendas.
sorry Marivi... too much an attempt to gain attention and become prominent. I agree to all who r saying that they among with everyone they know believed from the beginning that the list is fake. you and Nusrat Javed just made a melodrama out of it...!!
as someone said: ...Khatawaar samjhe gi dunya tujhe... ...ab itni ziyada safai na dey!!!
Okay, if you'll start responding and investigating everyone's allegations, it will never end. Everyone knows the list was fake, stop explaining and don't waste your time on such things.
"Who could target a person who always takes a clear stand on controversial issues, ..." Well that's easy. People who support an opposing view. "Attacking my integrity has killed my enthusiasm to change society for the better." Aren't activists supposed to be dedicated to their cause even in the face of negative backlash? Activists would be unnecessary if everyone always sits down and talks about it nicely with a smile. Even more-so if those of those in charge were/are open and willing to compromise. Games get played. Dirty ones. The targets do not like activists and want to be rid of them and usually a person of power is the target. They are probably in the authoritative position because of their fondness and talent for those dirty games. For many activists it's a given that there are risks, but the cause is more important to them so they stick to it anyways. Are you saying you were only an activist just because you believed it made you look good rather than actually caring? It certainly comes off that way.
How lame...It didnt have one kind of names in in the list..It had the names of pro Army ppl like Mubasher Luqman and anti-establishment ppl like Nusrat javed...ALso it had rt wing ppl like Mushtaq Minhas and then left wingers like Hasan Nisar..Dont bring this liberalism debate everywhere..ANd yes thnx for taking IK name in it when certainly there was no need to do so
I am amazed at how weak you are. How come you are an activist? Please switch to some other profession. By the way, if some one is asking for a scrutiny, you should be happy about that.I would rather say, that you should appeal to the court to find the real culprits behind it (though it is hard to find the real culprits in Pakistan, but at least give it a try), and the persons who actually recieved money.
I never really knew who you were or what you did. It was only a year or two ago when I started to read stuff on the computer that your name came up and despite being a natural cynic, I was impressed with what I read. I figured you to be tough, honest and one who is driven by her own convictions. Letting this rubbish get to you seems very unlike you. Its people like you who give weak people like me strength.
These fake scandals have killed us all who think differently and in an optimistic way in this heaven of extremists and hypocrites , No one questions here about human rights violation and killing innocent people , They can't even imagine that one life is important for so many people , by killing a human they kill his family , his parents his siblings , his colleagues , they all get demoralized and anti-state if state sponsored terrorists kill an innocent
Marvi says; "All my financial details will be available for judicial scrutiny if and whenever that might happen". Er, why not now? Anything to hide?
Love the way she expresses truth surrounded by bigots and terrorists and minority persecutors....Hats off to you Marvi...Ummah..
Ms Sirmed, you've been loudly calling a spade a spade, particularly against the uniformed lot. I guess this is payback time for your 'sins'. Anyone one with half a brain knows where this list of 19 journalists comes from. The idea is to mix some targeted innocents with a bunch of guilty ones, and then taint the lot of them. Hang in there dear lady and don't let these bunch of lying nasties get you down.
The fact that there is no recourse to justice, and individuals needs to fight it out in the court of public opinion says it all. Apparently an undated, unsigned, list of names on a photocopy of a letter head is enough to discredit people.
Very nice to read you at ET again. Please right regularly.
@Tch tch:
i feel you couldn't get the gist of what she meant......
in my opinion, all these fake issues were implanted as diversionary tactics, so that the public should loose it's focus from the issues at hand and start targeting minnows, while the lions roam free.
you may not like her stand at certain issues, but as someone committed to the nation you cannot let the those in corridors of power commit crime and go scot-free, while bring impeachment cases against pick-pockets.
First of all your services to the country are respectable and are much needed than ever. However, I think you gave into the temptation to over-dramatize this issue. Almost everybody knows right from the start that the list is fake.
@Freeman: Do you think that drone attacks can occur without the collusion of the Establishment? The killing of any innocent being is a great crime. The assassination and murder of another country's nationals in that country is an International crime. Why does the "victim" country not approach an international court of justice rather than bleat on TV for public consumption? The HRCP is not the institution you should be pointing fingers at when you are doing nothing about the issue yourself. There is a rumour that Iranians managed to shoot down a drone with a handheld machine gun. Go try.
Marvi, no use banging your head against wall! They accuse anybody without confirming the facts. Pakistanis live in a very strange world of their own.
"Attacking my integrity has killed my enthusiasm to change society for the better."
Fight back. Through the battle you establish the values that will diminish your opponents. If you aren't willing to fight for something, that shows you don't really value it.
@Marvi Sirmed
How is giving up the answer? Usually, people of unimpeachable integrity lash out when false allegations are leveled at them. But then, they go back to work. Politicians smile, and go back to their 'work'. Your name in that list means people who are really responsible are afraid. You seem to be moving up the leadership ladder, so take it as a recognition of that. It also means that you have to watch your back. Cheerio.
Accusation is easy and proving innocence is costly. Resigning to the accusers loses all the things the author believed in. If an accuser is known she can bring a defamation suite but if the accuser is anonymous what is the recourse?
She has nothing to fear and all she can do however is send a preemptive defamation notices to all media houses that she will bring defamation case against those who perpetuate the falsehood.
Then again, it all works only where people respect the commonsense of proof.
Your voice is a strong voice against injustice and a strong voice for the victims of injustice. Stay strong and fight. Our cause will be weakened by your departure.
My view on the subject of the CJP's position is different to other opinions expressed here. I will support the CJ against any operation to scandalize him and even march in another Long March to support him should he decide not to resign. I would however respect him more if he did resign. The reason that he should resign is not an admission of guilt but the rule known as "Caesars Wife" set in 63 B.C. Even more than that he should resign because his presence now distracts the judiciary from its real work. That concern should be the touchstone.
The argument that he should not resign because others who are actually convicted have not is an immaterial and fallacious argument to do with the morals of felons.
marvi,don't get disheartened by what the rightwing trolls are doing on the internet with fake lists.continue to fight the good fight for religious and sexual minorities.Pakistan needs more people like you.
where does your human rights go when it comes to innocent people killed in dronz attacks? Or they are not humans? or the west does see them as humans and so does you?
"Attacking my integrity has killed my enthusiasm to change society for the better."
If you give up, who will fight for the weak of your country.
Pakistan is a dying country. However, whenever a society dies, the first to die are the minority in that society.
Whether Pakistan lives or dies, its minorities need people like you. Don't give up.
Uh... i dont know what level of research you do in your work... but the list clearly says the money was deposited [SIC]FROM[SIC] NIBC [SIC] Bank Limited (Bahria Town Branch)”account number #8283982-5.. so of course it would belong to Bahria Town!
And why would he bribe you? I think youre being slightly humble when you say youre not a journalist. As an activist, you are as much an opinion former as any journalist or tv anchor.
Not to say that any of this is true, but your defence is hardly watertight.
I believe you more than anyone else specially the Pakistani government. I would not lose my heart over this sickening fake accusations, stay where you are with your head high with pride that you are serving the nation in your own way and not amassing wealth like the rest of this lot in Islamabad. You are one of the few that this nation of Pakistan has produced and we salute you for your work and appreciate your candidness. Keep up the good work and people know the corrupt and the sleazy ones in Pakistan. My heart goes out to you and makes me proud of you. Thank you so much for serving the nation, we need you.
Ms Sirmed, IF you get disheartened, stop fighting for rights of poor and/or persecuted, the purpose of that letter is achieved! That is EXACTLY what people targetting you want.
In case of CJ, they thought he will resign and disappear. Rightly, CJ rather decided to stay and fight.
Only you could decide what is right for you. But if you want History to judge you better, you must stay put and fight!
Thank you ET for publishing this. I have seent he list and in fact doubted it BECAUSE it had Ms Sirmed's name in it.