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Thursday, June 7, 2012

Talat Hussain and Stratfor

Well, what I am about to write right now is something I have never ever done in my life. I have never defended anyone in my blogs. I have always written against politicians, leaders and journalists. But this time I am going to defend someone and something for which I do not have any solid information. This blog of mine is based on the information and the news I have gathered in my 5 year long news business.

To start with, Najam Sethi, the chirya wala in his program on 6th June 2012 on Geo TV implied that Talat Hussain used to work with Stratfor (a CIA shadow). This accusation of his came after Talat Hussain in his program on the very same day meant that Najam Sethi has a very cordial relationship with Malik Riaz and actually Malik Riaz is the chirya of Najam Sethi (Link to Talat's show http://saach.tv/2012/06/07/news-night-with-talat-06-6-12/).

Many of us are aware of the credibility of Najam Sethi and his propaganda against various sectors of Pakistan. I guess that is enough to refute his accusation but just to satisfy his mind, I will state some facts. Before I present the facts, I want to make one thing very clear that I am writing all this on my behest and there is no one pulling my strings. All the information I am going to present is my mere analysis and could be wrong. So please cut me some slack if I deviate from actuality.

Towards the accusation of Najam Sethi about alleged working of Talat Hussain with CIA (Stratfor). To understand this, we first have to understand the reality. The document, Najam Sethi is referring to states that Talat Hussain (the then Executive Director of Aaj News) and Ahmad A. Zubairi, the Managing Director of Aaj TV were the contacts for Stratfor. Apparently, to me it seems that this connection was not between Talat Hussain and Stratfor or between Ahamd Zubairi and Stratfor, it was more of a relationship between Aaj TV and Stratfor because both Talat and Ahmad were in the administration of Aaj TV. The excel sheet also states clearly that the agreement was signed with the Managing Director i.e. Ahmad Zubairi. So, the suggestion of Talat working for Stratfor becomes doubtful here as the institution was involved.

For a second, if we consider that Talat was working or having a partnership with Stratfor, then we have to understand the reputation of Stratfor at that time. CIA backs Stratfor, well that is not yet established and all that came after the wikileaks revelations last year. Before that and still it is one of the best news intelligence source for any news hungry person. I personally have been subscribed to Stratfor's newsletter for the last 4 or 5 years.


I have to admit, much of my information about international events come from Stratfor and couple of other organizations. The point being that whatever Stratfor reveals is almost close to reality and much of their analysis are spot on and for that they use many sources like journalists from all across globe. Now, if a person shares the information with a news analysis think tank then what is the problem with that and what could Talat Hussain share with them. Because almost every thing is disclosed through his journalism and TV programs, so what else remains. And what damaging to Pakistan he can disclose? Is he a government servant who can disclose government secrets?

Stratfor (Strategy Forecast) is a global intelligence organization and a think-tank which provides policy proposals and insights into various incidents all across the world. If I am a journalist or an analyst, I would love to get my hands on the information they have.

This is what I actually feel about alleged role of Talat Hussain with Stratfor. I don't know whether it is wrong or right but I personally believe that having a relationship with a foreign news service has no issues. Journalists always have connections. This is their bread and butter. You have to have relations with all sort of persons to gather news. Else working for New York Times, Washington Post, Time and many other foreign papers is wrong. In fact, the person who was working for The Sun or News of the World is also wrong then because that news agency eventually turned out to be tapping and hacking phones of others, even though he was never aware of their activities.

Mr. Najam Sethi instead of giving answers about your own actions, you did the act of attacking others and that too without any base. Majority knows about your deeds and I do not need to budge on that.

35 comments:

Anonymous said...

Absolutely rubbish analysis...how did you know all these details about AAJ tv. I have very high regard for Talat Hussian but at the same time for Najam sethi as well. If your theory is right that mr Taalat can contact with XYZ company to get info so does Najam as well ...whats a big deal...why is this such a hue and cry.

Muhammad Saqib Tanveer said...

@Anonymous:

It would be better if u disclosed your name so I can address you easily.
Coming to your comment, I never disclosed anything about AAJ TV. It is mentioned on the excel sheet that the MD of AAJ TV signed the agreement, see for yourself.Hue and cry is from Najam's side.

Zohaib said...

"This blog of mine is based on the information and the news I have gathered in my 5 year long news business."
Sorry Kiddo! but seems like your defence is biased i am also a fan of Talat and in terms of Journalism my experience amounts twice than you have and i believe that Talat is not a Chucha even if we for a moment believe that the contact he made in the capacity of Aaj TV's managing director. I have to agree with Mr Anonmous! And sorry for calling you a kiddo, but your defence made you so...

Unknown said...

Unfortunately, A Blame Game is started in media for almost 6 months ago and now it seems that it has became a WAR between media group. First Mubashar Luqman starts this game without having any proof. As the writer said with all authenticity about Mr. Talat Hussain, as he is so closed to him, if any of the person who is so closed to Talat Hussain never will try to tell truth. Mr. Najam Sethi did not say that I KNOW TALAT HUSSAIN WORKS FOR STRATFOR, He said clearly, it is being revealed by WIKILeaks. But the way Talat Hussain was trying to let Mr. Najam Sethi down in his program it shows clearly he is a victim of professional jealousy. In 70% of his program he tried to show MALIK RIAZ as a Villan, and then he quotes same Malik Riaz words about Najam Sethi, He has to establish one fact first either Malik Riaz is a trust worthy man or not? if he is proving in his program that Malik Riaz is not a Trust Worthy man then how he can quote his sentence about anyone.

Muhammad Saqib Tanveer said...

@Zohaib

I never said anything regarding my biasness. Si I will not question that part of your comment. However regarding that Chucha thing, I think u did not read my blog carefully. The notion that Stratfor is close to CIA has not been established yet and that notion came up last year.....So even if he was 'personally' involved with Stratfor then what is wrong with that? It is like a correspondent working for New York Times etc

Muhammad Saqib Tanveer said...

@Riaz Farooqui:
Professional Jealousy?
huh, you must be kidding......
Set your facts about Talat Hussain straight. He has worked for world renowned paper like New York Times, Time, CNN etc and he'd be jealous of Najam Sethi? Besides being ahead in professional career, the respect Talat has earned in his career has been unprecedented. People TRUST him bro. Can you say the same about Sethi?

Unknown said...

@Muhammad Saqib Tanveer, unfortunately saqib you have enough information about Talat Hussain, but you don't know anything about Najam Sethi. My Question to you is, RELATIONSHIP WITH MALIK RIAZ is CRIME?? TAKING INFORMATION FROM MALIK RIAZ and PUBLIC IT ON TV is CRIME??? the way Talat Hussain explaining about Najam Sethi is completely showing his jealousy. see again that program. 'TIYA LAGA KA BAAL CHIPKA KAY', this is totally a chichori language, if you cant beat someone thru your knowledge and ability then you can start using such kind of cheap words about others.

Unknown said...

@Saqid, FYI, Here is Najam Sethi Profile As Per WIKI PEDIA.

Born in November 1948, Najam Sethi is an award winning Pakistani journalist, editor, and media personality, is the editor-in-chief of The Friday Times, a Lahore based political weekly, and previously the editor of Daily Times and Daily Aajkal newspapers. Currently, he does a current-affairs program on Geo TV, Pakistan's most popular private news channel. He also owns Vanguard, a publishing house and a chain of bookstores.
He has been awarded the 2009 Golden Pen of Freedom, the annual press freedom prize of the World Association of Newspapers.[1] He and his publications have been in conflict with Pakistani governments on many occasions. He was part of the "London Group" of Pakistani leftists that supported an uprising in Balochistan in the 1970s.[citation needed]
In May 1999, he was imprisoned for one month without trial. However, he was released after an international outcry.[citation needed]
He served in President Farooq Leghari's interim cabinet as Adviser on Political Affairs and Accountability after the fall of Benazir Bhutto's second government. On November 25, 2009, in an email sent to Daily Times online edition subscribers, Sethi announced his resignation from The Daily Times. In addition to himself, Khaled Ahmed (Contributing Editor), Ejaz Haider (Op-Ed Editor) and other senior staff also resigned

Unknown said...

@Saqib, FYI Here is Talat Hussain Profile,

Talat Hussain was born into a family from Gujjars, Chakwal district. He is the younger brother of anchor and analyst Riffat Hussain, who works for News One.

Hussain is married, has 3 children, and lives in Islamabad.

In the late 1990s, Hussain ran the morning news show Sawaray Sawaray on PTV. Later, after the opening of PTV World, he started another program called News Night.

He established ARY’s Islamabad office and headed the team that launched PTV World News. He has held key positions of Director, News & Current Affairs with Pakistan Television Corporation, Prime Television (UK) and Telebiz. Currently he is Director News at Aaj TV and also write occasionally for Daily Express, an Urdu newspapers since July 2008.

Sawaray Sawaray - PTV
News Night - PTV
Live with Talat - AAJ TV (First Show: 23rd March, 2005, Last Show: 29 Oct, 2010)
News Night With Talat – Dawn News (First Show: 8th November 2010)

Unknown said...

@Saqib, Even Wikipedia ( Most Aware Web Site ) not aware about the facts which you mentioned in your reply. please do this page and make it correct.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talat_Hussain_(news_executive)

Unknown said...

@Saqib, FYI Here is Najam Sethi Profile.

Born in November 1948, Najam Sethi is an award winning Pakistani journalist, editor, and media personality, is the editor-in-chief of The Friday Times, a Lahore based political weekly, and previously the editor of Daily Times and Daily Aajkal newspapers. Currently, he does a current-affairs program on Geo TV, Pakistan's most popular private news channel. He also owns Vanguard, a publishing house and a chain of bookstores.
He has been awarded the 2009 Golden Pen of Freedom, the annual press freedom prize of the World Association of Newspapers.[1] He and his publications have been in conflict with Pakistani governments on many occasions. He was part of the "London Group" of Pakistani leftists that supported an uprising in Balochistan in the 1970s.

In May 1999, he was imprisoned for one month without trial. However, he was released after an international outcry.

He served in President Farooq Leghari's interim cabinet as Adviser on Political Affairs and Accountability after the fall of Benazir Bhutto's second government. On November 25, 2009, in an email sent to Daily Times online edition subscribers, Sethi announced his resignation from The Daily Times. In addition to himself, Khaled Ahmed (Contributing Editor), Ejaz Haider (Op-Ed Editor) and other senior staff also resigned

Unknown said...

@Saqib, FYI, Here is the link of WIKILEAKS, where you can find, all the paid journalist name working for Stratfor. Please check.
http://wikileaks.org/gifiles/docs/1149294_confed-fuckhouse-.html

Muhammad Saqib Tanveer said...

@Riaz Farouqi:

Unfortunately, you did not read my blog. I did read that excel sheet and also posted that link of that file....go and see again. So, I am aware of it and also discussed in my blog. Please READ

About wikipedia profile, That profile is wrong and not uploaded by any of Talat's acquaintance. Anyone can see that his name if Syed Talat Hussain so how can he be a Gujjar....btw I am a Gujjar :P

Secondly, this is not talat's fault if anyone is writing his wrong profile on Wikipedia...

So stop bringing irrelevant stuff in it.

Muhammad Saqib Tanveer said...

Who says wikipedia is most aware website....If u don't know wiki means anyone can modify any information,,,,,so its credibility is questionable

Anonymous said...

As being a student how you afford to get newsletter, i even living abroad will think twice to spend this amount of money

Unknown said...

If anyone can update, then why dont u update the Career Profile of Talat Hussain, why I said about WIKI is the most aware web site, if you have any information about any website which can have information about people more than WIKIPEDIA?? from the julias ceasar ( may be before that also ) to now, you can have a profile of almost all good and bad people. I would suggest you to take full profile from Talat Hussain and publish it on Wikipedia.

Unknown said...

@Saqib, FYI, Azaz Syed ‏@AzazSyed

@najamsethi @AamirSaeed313 Since Talat and myself are both at the same office i know with whom Talat sits in Pindi and Aabpara lols

Muhammad Saqib Tanveer said...

@Anonymous

I only have subscription to free newsletter brother.

Muhammad Saqib Tanveer said...

@Riaz Farooqui

So what good what it do the current episode. I mean how updating wikipedia page will help in all this...btw a journalist makes news, does not become news.

Muhammad Saqib Tanveer said...

@Riaz Farooqui

Yeah i know about these tweets. I actually did some tweets to him myself but he didn't have the guts to reply. You can see my tweets to him on my twitter page....

Muhammad ISHAQUE said...

I hope I am not jumping onto any one toes.

First thing first Stratfor is a website which provide critical analysis to the peoples and business who don't have time to read the rubbish journalism. Its owner is a jew and being a USA based, one can say that most of the analysis are centric to Zionism. I myself remain paid subscriber of it for a long time till I lost hope in pakistani peoples. But the most importantly, Stratfor is a respected information website and a journalist should be proud of if he is associated with them.

Talat is a gem, He done the right thing but there is something missing which is Mr Malik has a share in Geo TV and you will see its not the Najam only but whole of the group will come and fight his case.....

Saleem said...

I like both Najam and Talat. Few months ago Najam Sethi critisized Chaudhry Nisar because he had probable made a case against the son of Malik Riaz and told that he believe that Malik Riaz's son is innocent. he also talked about that Malik Riaz is trying to promote Haji Nawaz Kokhar to get him a seat for NA from Rawalpindi. I myself wrote to najam Sethi that he must be careful as Haji Nawaz is a big land grabber, head of land mafia and if Malik Riaz is supporting him then they must be a partner in crime. Why Najam was defending Malik's Riaz son few months ago?

Muhammad Saqib Tanveer said...

@ Ishaque

Thanx bro :)

Muhammad Saqib Tanveer said...

@Saleem

Valid question

Unknown said...

@Saleem, I have not follow what you have mentioned about Malik Riaz Son, I even not aware about Malik Riaz more than that he is a Chairman of Bahria Town Society. My question with Saqib was relationship with Malik Riaz is that much dirty?? before this case we never heard his name other than the context of BAHRIA TOWN, The way Talat Hussain was taking his name it was looking Malik Riaz is Wanted Person and a very very bad guy. 70% of his program was on to convince people that Malik Riaz is the most bad man not only in Pakistan but also whole world, then in the end he said Malik Riaz has told Iam a CHIRYA of Najam Sethi. On one side he is saying he is not reliable man and other side he is saying make belive what he is saying about Najam Sethi. Before court decide anything about Malik Riaz or Arsalan Talat was trying to force CJ to make decision against Malik Riaz.

Muhammad Saqib Tanveer said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Muhammad Saqib Tanveer said...

Btw what about this:
Sethi Gate http://pkpolitics.com/2012/06/10/sethi-gate/

Unknown said...

@Saqib, Regarding the Malik Riaz and his son, I would say, what all you said about them is just an opinion until they proved guilty. so don't put them as a fact. In Pakistan everybody is under blame, but no one wants to prove. Zardari was in the jail for more than 10 years and no one charge is proved, recently in ARY case, all other alleged people are acquitted, Memo Gate, not yet proved. NICL, court acquitted Monis Ilahi, but no one you will find behind the bar who alleged them and wasted the court time and money.

Regarding Najam Sethi Property. I don't know najam sethi personally as you know Talat Hussain personally. but i have heard his name in journo world since 1990, he is a famous leftist journalist, you may be not aware how difficult to be a leftist journalist. This is najam sethi who can answer about this in a better way, as yesterday Talat Hussain explained about stratfor, although I am not convinced his reply, But I believe that Talat Hussain cannot be an agent. He is young inspiring personality in journo world.

My point was very clear and the point is IF MALIK RIAZ IS THAT MUCH BAD GUY THEN WHY TALAT HUSSAIN IS QUOTING HIS SENTENCES REGARDING NAJAM SETHI??? he should investigate this and should say all this with proof. But he did not do this, just to let Najam Sethi Down without investigation he took a name of Najam Sethi. Which is not good.

I hope you understand what my point is.

Muhammad Saqib Tanveer said...

@Riaz

- Ali Riaz Malik organized an illegal race in Bahria Town that led of 5 civilian lives (FACT)

- Malik Riaz used to bribe people to get his work done (FACT) he himself admits that

- Malik Riaz did give money to Arsalan Iftikhar (FACT)

- Malik Riaz grew from a thaikedar to thakur (as Talat's comment pointly mentioned) (FACT)

Najam Sethi, being leftist was his own choice. So just because you hold a view that is not famous in the society that does not make you immune from everything. Btw if you cannot explain his properties in NYC then how can you defend his other works?

And what was not satisfying in Talat's reply?

You did not understand that point. Talat never attributed this statement to himself that he is saying that Najam Sethi's chirya is Malik Riaz. He quoted Malik Riaz saying that. Now it is upto us what we conclude and btw Najam has not come with a rebuttal to that.

Unknown said...

- Ali Riaz Malik organized an illegal race in Bahria Town that led of 5 civilian lives (FACT) ( If it is fact then what CJ is doing???? why he is not behind the bar???)


- Malik Riaz used to bribe people to get his work done (FACT) he himself admits that ( You know if someone is admitting this he should be behind the bar ??? What CJ is doing till now )


- Malik Riaz did give money to Arsalan Iftikhar (FACT) ( Why he given money to arsalan???? )


- Malik Riaz grew from a thaikedar to thakur (as Talat's comment pointly mentioned) (FACT) ( What is wrong in it?? Nawaz sharif admits in his one interview that we had two factories in 1970 one was in dkaha and other was in Lahore, because of fall of dhaka our one factory gone and because of nationalization of Mr. Bhutto we lost our second factory also, did talat ask nawaz sharif or conduct any program on nawaz sharif wealth?? )


Regarding the Leftist, may be you are not aware, in 1980s it was so difficult to stand against Govt. Leftist are being hunted by the agencies. if Najam Sethi wants to make money he could easily become a part of the Govt and can make money.

Regarding the explanation of Talat about stratfor, what he mentioned it was an login account which is being used to exchange the information means some of the info they used to take from stratfor and some they provide them they given login account only because emails of all other kind of means should not be used. Wikileaks people are very smart they know it very well what is stratfor login account. they will not mention any name if the things are so simple.

This is what I am mentioning in my communication, if Malik Riaz is very very very bad guy why Talat Hussain is repeating his words about Najam Sethi?? dont you think it could be better if he investigate the things and bring the proofs, on one side he is convincing audience that Malik RIaz is not a Reliable man and on other side he is saying believe in it what Malik Riaz is saying about Najam Sethi. dont u think it is foolishness?? only a professionally jealous person can do this, Najam Sethi never takes anybody name in his program.


I am again telling you I have no doubt on Talat Hussain, he is a briliant man, but here he made a mistake without investigating.

Unknown said...

@Saqib, This is for you which is not written by me. He is also a very reliable journalist.

http://www.javed-chaudhry.com/hamam-ka-maalik-javed-chaudhry/

please read this.......

Unknown said...

Talat Hussain Analysis regarding Malik Riaz is completely a Biased one. Each and everybody has negative and positive aspects of his personality. Javed Chaudhary Column is a balanced one.

Unknown said...

In Javed Chaudhry Column, He admitted he also have relationship with Malik Riaz and he mentioned some of the scene which he seen at Malik Riaz home. But Talat did not mention Javed Chaudhry name, he is only mentioning Najam Sethi name which is showing his professional jealousy.

Unknown said...

@Saqib, Another piece of information which was missing in Talat Program. I think now Talat will investigate the matter from the scratch without any BIAS and will show program in which he will take name of all ( IF HE IS TAKING ANYBODY NAME ) otherwise just mention the facts without taking anybody's name.

http://theterrorland.blogspot.com/2011/07/generals-in-real-estate.html

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