Investigative Journalist Ahmad Noorani was called a 'traitor and an India agent' by a private TV channel after he published a report about the massive growth in the assets of PM's Special Assistant Gen (r) Asim Saleem Bajwa.
In a tweet, Noorani said the ARY News flashed his pictures and called him an Indian agent, resulting in death threats. He lamented that none of the journalist organisations in Pakistan, including the National Press Club, issued a statement to condemn the practice.
The Pakistan Bar Council, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, and Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists condemned the life threats to Noorani over his expose. In a joint statement, they urged the government to provide protection to the journalist and investigate elements behind these threats.
In a report about the Bajco, a company allegedly owned by Gen Bajwa, Noorani revealed that the growth of the 'Bajwa family’s business empire in the United States and later in Pakistan directly matches the rise in power of retired general Asim Saleem Bajwa'.
The report claimed, “The Bajwa family’s companies spent an estimated $52.2 million to develop their businesses and $14.5 million to purchase properties in the United States, while Asim Bajwa and his department were encouraging Pakistanis to invest within their relatively undeveloped country. The businesses of the Bajwa family through different companies were named as Bajco Group.”
Subsequently, PM's Special Assistant on Information and Broadcasting and CPEC Authority Chairman Lt Gen (r) Asim Saleem Bajwa ‘strongly rebutted’ the news report about the suspicious growth of his family business.
“A malicious propaganda story published on an unknown site, against me and my family, (just uploaded on social media)is strongly rebutted,” the former general had said on Twitter.
In a tweet, Noorani said the ARY News flashed his pictures and called him an Indian agent, resulting in death threats. He lamented that none of the journalist organisations in Pakistan, including the National Press Club, issued a statement to condemn the practice.
ایک نیوزچینل نےآج میری تصویریں چلاچلاکرمجھےغدار اور بھارتی ایجنٹ کہہ کہہ کرکوشش کی کہ کوئی مجھےجان سےماردے, اسکےبعدماردینےکی دھمکیوں کاسلسلہ شروع ہوا.
پورے #پاکستان میں کسی ایک صحافی, کسی ایک صحافتی تنظیم یہاں تک کہ اسلام آباد پریس کلب تک کوتوفیق نہ ہوئی کہ ایک سطر کی مذمت کردے.
— Ahmad Noorani (@Ahmad_Noorani) August 30, 2020
The Pakistan Bar Council, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, and Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists condemned the life threats to Noorani over his expose. In a joint statement, they urged the government to provide protection to the journalist and investigate elements behind these threats.
Pakistan Bar Council, Human Rights Comission of Pakistan, and Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists strongly condemn the life threats against senior journalist Ahmad Noorani for writing an investigative piece about business fortunes of close relatives of a retired army officer pic.twitter.com/zAnDgH5lnP
— Matiullah Jan (@Matiullahjan919) August 30, 2020
In a report about the Bajco, a company allegedly owned by Gen Bajwa, Noorani revealed that the growth of the 'Bajwa family’s business empire in the United States and later in Pakistan directly matches the rise in power of retired general Asim Saleem Bajwa'.
The report claimed, “The Bajwa family’s companies spent an estimated $52.2 million to develop their businesses and $14.5 million to purchase properties in the United States, while Asim Bajwa and his department were encouraging Pakistanis to invest within their relatively undeveloped country. The businesses of the Bajwa family through different companies were named as Bajco Group.”
Subsequently, PM's Special Assistant on Information and Broadcasting and CPEC Authority Chairman Lt Gen (r) Asim Saleem Bajwa ‘strongly rebutted’ the news report about the suspicious growth of his family business.
“A malicious propaganda story published on an unknown site, against me and my family, (just uploaded on social media)is strongly rebutted,” the former general had said on Twitter.