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Rehman Malik orders inquiry into ‘fake’ flogging video

By Tahir Niaz

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Rehman Malik on Tuesday said he has ordered an inquiry into media reports about a “fake” video of a girl being flogged in Swat – allegedly financed by a non-governmental organisation – which surfaced just before the launch of Operation Rah-e-Rast.

Malik told the Upper House that he had studied the reports and ordered the inquiry to ascertain the video’s authenticity. According to a media report, a resident of Swat – who claimed to have “manufactured” the video – revealed he had received Rs 500,000 for doing so. It said the girl who was shown being flogged in the footage was also arrested, who revealed she had received Rs 100,000. Before the operation, an Islamabad-based NGO financed the preparation of the video, which showed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan members publicly flogging a girl, the report quoted the resident as having said.

Earlier, Jamaat-e-Islami’s Senator Khursheed Ahmed said the NGO had released the video to bring a bad name to the country and Islam. He said the issue was highlighted in the Western media that left no stone unturned to defame Pakistan, adding the government should take action against the NGO and demanded the culprits be arrested. Senate Chairman Farooq Naek ordered the interior minister to present a report in this regard on Friday.

Moreover, Senator Haji Adeel said Islamabad was planning to dig a canal from Ghazi Barotha to Islamabad to meet the city’s water demands, which he termed tantamount to stealing the NWFP’s water share. Senator Lashkari Raisani demanded stern action against Supreme Court Bar Association President Qazi Anwer for making derogatory remarks against parliamentarians. Senator Gulshan Saeed demanded the government construct smaller dams if there was no consensus on Kala Bagh Dam in order to avoid water shortage.

Separately, the House also passed the National School of Public Policy (Amendment) Bill, 2010 – presented by prime minister’s adviser Nawabzada Ghazanfar Gul.

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