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WRITTEN CASE STUDY ON JANG NEWS GROUP Fall from Glory

By Sana Hasan Sidra Mirza Fahad Ahmed Bashir Salman Riaz Owais Younus Mohsin Ali Sadiq
Introduction A Two-Faced Approach(1) The death of Osama bin Laden in Abottabad was the talk of the town. Everybody who s anybody was reporting it, showing it and getting opinions on it. This was quintessential breaking news. It was as if the fabled Hydra from Greek Mythology had been defeated and its reign of terror had been undone. Reporting of the event however revealed a two-faced approach adopted by a veteran news conglomerate, the Jang Group. When the story by one of its journalists Mr. Agha Khalid was published in both The News and Daily Jang, each depicted rather conflicting images. Besides the obvious difference in language, the take in English saw the reporting of undisputed facts of the event whereas its Urdu counterpart sensationalized it to the degree where Bin Laden was established as a hero of a Bollywood flick whose death was untimely and unjust. Urdu language offers a wide array of words for showing respect; words which had used cleverly to make a martyr out of Bin Laden. The narrative of the report describes the event in such vivid detail as if the journalist had an audience in his house to see Bin Laden reach his unfortunate demise. The story quite literally reads like a work of fiction showing the imagination of Mr. Agha Khalid at work. Could it be that such sensationalism in Urdu, away from the prying eyes of the West, is meant to stir anti-American sentiments and favour for militants? It also begs to question the ethics of Jang Group as a news reporting conglomerate. Agenda In the light of the power amassed by media and the role it has played to shape politics in the last decade, can the Jang Group regain its position as a genuine news reporting source and emulate its original radiance as envisioned by the great Mir Khalil-ur-Rehman? Can the Jang Group afford to let go off its political biases and become a neutral agency that reports facts? Can a news group exist in our country today without having any political associations? Do the readers of newspaper prefer the real story or sensationalized fiction? How big a role does the news agency play to determine the mindset of the reader?

The Jang Group Jang Group of Newspapers (colloquially known as simply Jang Group) is Pakistan s largest group of newspapers and the publisher of the Urdu newspaper the Daily Jang, The News International, Mag Weekly, Awam. The mind and heart behind the Group(2) The man behind the success story of the Jang News Group is one Mir Khalil-ur-Rahman. His passion for journalism started at a very young age; when he was a college student in 1940, he started a newspaper for the Muslims of the subcontinent fighting in World War II. He called it Jang (War). This was not an exaggerated name as some believed but a statement against war. Mir Khalil-ur-Rehman made his intentions clear by saying that this effort is for the soldiers and not an attempt to encourage the Second World War. This publication, which was based out of Dehli, became the most powerful medium at the disposal of the Muslims during the pre-partition era. It was the Daily Jang that spearheaded the Muslim print businesses during the crucial phase of their struggle for freedom and independence. Mir Khalil-ur-Rahman gave the best years of his life to building up the Daily Jang as a model newspaper. As a newspaper entrepreneur, Mir Khalil-ur-Rahman's achievements remain unmatched. His reportage for the Jang from his foreign tours was so prolific and interestingly newsy that it gave him a unique position in Pakistan. He set new and revolutionary standards in newspaper management and news reporting for his readers. He introduced the most advanced techniques and equipment in the print technology. Thus his newspapers became trend-setters in the media world of Pakistan. By enforcing the higher pay scales prescribed by the Journalists Wage Boards appointed by the Government of Pakistan from time to time, Mir Khalil-ur-Rahman attracted the best talent to his Group of newspapers. Mir Khalil-ur-Rahman defended his correspondents if any of his reporters was ever victimized by an officer for his journalistic enterprises. He paid for lawyers to defend his reporters in courts provided he was convinced that the reporter was right and correct according to journalistic ethics and the press code framed by newspaper editors' bodies. He fought for press freedom but respected journalistic ethics and the dictates of morality in journalism and public life. He hated any deviation from the path of honest journalism and truthfulness in press reporting. Mir Khalil-ur-Rahman retained the services of the old calligraphists who had served his newspapers for years. When he introduced computerized typesetting in his newspapers he had assured the calligraphists that they would not be made the victims of redundancy in his newspapers and he kept his word. With remarkable entrepreneurial ingenuity, he created new jobs for them in his own group of newspapers. He refused to let the Government officers to dictate to his newspaper editors in regard to publication of news in his newspapers. He honestly believed that newspapers dependent on Government largesse cannot survive for long and usually wither away once the crutch of Government's financial support is withdrawn. Governments often use advertisements to influence and pressurize newspapers to toe the official line in news purveyance and Mir Khalil-ur-Rahman was too independent-minded to allow the Government of the day to put a leash on any of his newspapers. He hated unsolicited advice from Government functionaries to black out news or follow Government dictations to the newspapers' editorial policy. Mir Khalil-ur-Rahman loved Pakistan and he did not ever follow a policy that was against

the national interest. In safe-guarding Pakistan's national interests and its territorial integrity, Mir Khalilur-Rahman and his newspapers were beacons of the highest patriotism. Business Innovation and Growth(2) Mir Khalil-ur-Rahman introduced interesting features with good photographs in the Sunday editions of his newspapers. This encouraged investigative journalism and quick press photography. Mir Khalil-urRahman gave The Jang a Radio monitoring desk so that its readers get the latest news in time. The Jang subscribed to all the leading news services and had a network of its own correspondents in all important towns and district headquarters in Pakistan. The organization had correspondents in many countries abroad. The lead given by the Jang Group of newspapers in adopting computerized typesetting was a revolutionary enterprise for the Urdu press industry and in the course of time it proved a great boon for the mass circulation newspapers such as the Jang Group of Newspapers. He was survived by his two sons, Mir Javed-ur-Rahman and Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman. The News The News International is the second largest English language newspaper in Pakistan. The News has an ABC certified circulation of 140,000. It is published from Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi/Islamabad. An overseas edition is published from London that caters to the Pakistani community in the United Kingdom and plans are currently underway to start publication in New York City, USA. (3) Mir Khalil-ur-Rahman showed courageous enterprise by publishing editions of the Jang newspapers in countries having sizeable Pakistani populations. He selected the United Kingdom for the extension of his newspaper empire and published an Urdu edition of the Jang from London. Not long afterwards, he published a London edition of his English daily, The News . Because of the high cost of newspaper production in London, there were many risks involved in this daring enterprise. He lost no time in buying a spacious building for the Jang in London. (2) Daily Jang The Daily Jang is the Urdu language newspaper. The Daily Jang is published by the Jang Group of Newspapers. The Group's flagship Jang is Pakistan's national daily. It is published in Urdu from Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Quetta and London. It has a circulation of over 800,000 copies per day. (3) The Jang Group of newspapers today commands the largest circulation in Pakistan, according to many readership surveys. It is the first newspaper which used computerized Urdu calligraphy in Pakistan. This has a large impact on Urdu journalism. Other newspapers influenced by its popularity, also began to use computer calligraphy. For the strict economy of space, Jang puts more and more headlines on the front page. Their text is carried to the inner pages. This style is being adopted by all newspapers of the country. Its photo coverage of local, national and international events is remarkable and praise worthy. Jang is also the first to produce separate colored editions consisting of articles on youth, women, children and political affairs. (2) The Era of Media s Revitalization(4) From 2002, under General Musharraf, media faced a decisive development that would lead to a boom in Pakistani electronic media and pave the way to its gaining political clout. New liberal media laws broke the state s monopoly on electronic media. TV broadcasting and FM radio licenses were issued to private media outlets. The military s motivation for liberalizing media licensing was based on an assumption that Pakistani media could be used to strengthen national security and counter the threat from India.

What prompted this shift was the military s experience during two past confrontations with India. One was the Kargil War and the other was the hijacking of the Indian Airliner by Pakistani militants. In both these instances, the Pakistani military felt that it had lost the media war to India. The government, intelligentsia, the security agencies and the military were of the view that Pakistan was left with no options to reciprocate because its electronic media were inferior to that of India. Better electronic media capacity was needed in the future and thus the market for electronic media was liberalized. The justification was just as much a desire to counter Indian media power, as it was a wish to set the media free with the rights that electronic media had in liberal, open societies. The military thought it could still control the media and harness it if it strayed from what the regime believed was in the national interest and in the accordance with its own political agenda. This assessment however proved to be wrong as the media and in particular the many new TV channels became a powerful force in civil society leading to the fall of Musharraf s regime. The power of media was at its most potent when Pakistan s new President at the time, Asif Zardari had to give in to public and political pressure and reinstate the chief justice. The emergence of powerful civil society actors is unprecedented in Pakistani history. The only hope for Pakistanis is that the media will continue to mobilise people. The media have done a great job, even if they are at times very unprofessional, and have to come to term with the limits between journalism and political engagement , says Christine Fair, Pakistan analyst at Rand Corporation. Whether Pakistan s media, with its powerful TV channels, is able to take on such a huge responsibility and make changes from within depends on proving general working conditions; on the military and the state bureaucracy; the security situation of journalists; media laws revision; better journalism training; and lastly on the will of the media and the media owners themselves. Exhibit A English story of Osama Bin Laden operation as printed in The News(1) KARACHI: Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden had taken oath from his sons, guards and colleagues that if the Americans ever arrested him, his aides would shoot him instantly, sources told The News on Tuesday. When US forces raided the compound where Osama was living, one of Osama s guards and colleagues, Ahmad Shaikh, rushed to the second floor. Osama asked him if he remembered his oath. When Ahmad replied in the affirmative, Osama pulled out his pistol and gave it to Ahmad who fired a shot at Osama s chest. Osama fell down and pointed his finger at his head. Ahmad then shot Osama in the head. In the meantime, US soldiers entered and grappled with Ahmad. They beat him up and took him along with them.

Exhibit B The Story as published in Daily Jang along with its English Translation(1) Osama s aide shot him in the head and the chest, American Marines grabbed him. Daughter embraced the dying fathers body, American Marines hit her with rifle butts Among other things retrieved from the secret hideout were the corpses of an Arab, 2 pakhtoons, a woman and 2 children. Pets included 6 rabbits, 150 hens, a bhains (black variation of cow), a cow, a calf and a dog. Karachi (Report/Agha Khalid) America s proclaimed enemy number 1 and AlQaida s leader Osama Bin Laden in Abbotabad s local rural area of Bilal Town in his secret hideout, had kept 6 rabbits, 150 hens, a black cow, a brown cow and a calf as pets. Amazingly, Osama had adopted the hobby of the one person who called Osama his biggest enemy in Pakistan, General Pervaiz Musharraf, and kept a black Alsatian dog as a pet too who is still there. It is not known whether he kept the dog for pleasure or from a security point of view. Two cars in the house, one of which is a Suzuki Potohar license plat RIA3676 used by Osama s sons and the second a Suzuki Carry Van M-7743 being use by Arshad, are still in good condition. Jang has received reports created after Osama s death, by different sensitive security institutions that took into account statements by 22 year old daughter Amal found alive but wounded and 26 year old woman Maryam in a big Rawalpindi hospital, where they are being treated. According to reports prepared by his close aides, Osama had taken an oath from his sons and trust worthy guards that if his arrest is inevitable that they should shoot him. By his own account, he did not want to be captured by the Americans alive and did not want to die a haram death by shooting himself. That is why survivors say that after hearing the helicopter sounds on top of the house and later on sounds of some people jumping on the rooftop and running towards their rooms and after listening to the blinding firing, Ahmed Sheikh came out of his room and started running towards Osama Bin Laden s room who by that time had opened the room door and come out of his room. As soon as he saw Ahmed Sheikh he asked him Do you remember your oath? when Ahmed Sheikh nodded his head indicating a yes Osama extended him his own pistol he had in his hand, which he always kept by his bedside. By that time American Marines had reached the lower level so Ahmed fired at Osama s chest. Osama fell down and even with blood coming out of his chest, pointed weakly at his head to be made the target. Ahmed then fired the second shot. By that time Americans had come very near him and were asking him to drop his pistol while pointing their weapons at him. As soon as he dropped his pistol, the

American Marines grabbed him and started torturing him. During this they kicked Osama bin Laden, who was taking his last breaths, with anger and hatred. At this situation, his daughter embraced the dying body of her father on which the American Marines hit her with their rifle butts seriously wounding her and now she is under treatment in a hospital in Rawalpindi. American Marines on their way back took Osama s dead body, Ahmed Sheikh, and that pistol which Ahmed Sheikh used to shoot Osama. According to reports at the time of this American special Marines operation, a woman, a child and 2 men died. One of these men is Osama s son Ibrahim whose dead body is with Pakistani authorities. Among other things retrieved from the secret hideout of Osama were the corpses of an Arab, 2 pakhtoons, a woman and 2 children. According to another report, the wounded included 1 Arab, 4 women and 6 children. In a contrast to claims by American marines, reports by close aides to Osama also claim that Americans, along with Osama, took along his extremely trusted aid Ahmed Sheikh who shot him, the pistol that was used to shoot Osama and also took with them some women and children. Along with other things that were recovered from Osama s house that are still there, in bad condition, is a sports cycle, an exercise machine that according to the survivors was used by Osama and his sons, computer, hard disk, printer, 42 inch LCD and a mixture machine used for construction of houses. Other than this, all the rooms have beds in conditions that show that sleepers woke up in a condition of panic. These rooms show signs of hand fighting and resistance. The picture of the house has been painted as that of a fortress type house that was constructed on 6 Marla created in 2 pieces. This seemingly ordinary house from outside is clearly divided in 2 parts from inside. In a smaller area, a small house was created alongside 3 bedrooms, which, according to the statements of the survivors, was residence of Charsaddah and Swat natives Arshad and his cousin Tariq Khan. Tariq Khan was unmarried. Arshad had one wife and 4 children. His oldest son Asif s age is reported to be around 8 years and the age of the husband and wife themselves to be roughly between 40-45. American Marines, upon entering the house, targeted this part first, in which Arshad and Tariq were residing. This part clearly shows signs of resistance, by Arshad and Tariq and hence American Marines killed them all. Along with Tariq and Arshad, his wife and 4 children were also killed in this attack. The other portion was residence of Osama Bin Laden and his family. Next to it was a big lawn in which the cattle were tied. Rabbits were pets too and there was small room created separately for the dog. There was a guest room created in the area where Tariq and Arshad lived where foreign guests came and stayed who according to survivors never stayed for more than one night and when such guests came, Osama Bin Laden didn t sleep throughout the night but stayed awake chatting with guests all night long. According to reports created by national agencies, by the end of 2002, Tariq Khan came to Abbotabad and contacted Fazal-ur-Rehman son of Hajji Ahmed Zaman, who was a farmer and owner of this land in this new city. Tariq Khan bought 3 Canal land from him and then he would visit the land from time to time. After some time Arshad came along with him and made a deal with Fazal-ur-Rehman once again for 3 Marla land. And this is how in the cover of the 2003 earthquake reconstruction in this area, the construction of this particular house was also started. A native of this area Zain Mohammad, son of Ameer Husain Qaum Abbasi was appointed the watchman for this house. And he stayed the watchman for this till the construction of this house was completed. He said in his statement the 25 to 26 people participated in the construction of this house on a daily

basis and great attention was paid even to minute details. These people say that now they realize this house was being created for someone important that is why the security point of view was given utmost importance in its construction. During this time, Arshad often used to come from Peshawar. He used to make payments to the local contractor Gul Ahmed constructing the house. Gul Ahmed is told to be a native of the village Laryan near Abbotabad. Watchman Zain Mohammad was let go after the construction of the house was complete and after that no one was allowed to go inside the house. Reports also mention that the house had two main gates and both had been installed with automatic locks and these automatic locks had the characteristic that they opened and closed themselves after the specific security codes were put in. Arshad and Tariq lived together in one part of the house with their families. Arshad had a French cut beard. He used to go to the nearby mosque regularly to offer prayers. He often gave charity for the construction of the mosque. He often also took his children and walked around the village or went to specific shops in the village for supplies. He also took care of feed for birds and animals kept for Osama bin Laden. Reports also mention that 2 helicopters belonging to the Marines operation team reached on top of Osama Bin Laden s house at approximately 11:45 and about 11 or 12 commandos repelled down from one of the helicopters and jumped on the rooftop. After that one of the helicopter returned and the other increased its altitude and started monitoring the operation. After approximately 10-15 minutes 3 more helicopters arrived. Now 4 helicopters were hovering above Osama Bin Laden s house. Then suddenly one of the helicopters tried to land in the yard of the house, which according to report gatherers is because of wanting to transfer Osama s dead body to one of the helicopters. Because of this helicopter tried to land in the narrow yard and crashed. Later on Obama s dead body and some people were put on helicopters by attaching ladders. Then these helicopters, after the completion of a 40-minute duration operation, headed towards an unknown destination. Because of firing and cannon shots from the helicopter, both the gates and eastern walls of the house have collapsed and the roof has also sustained heavy damage. Just like this, another source claims that American Marines have used an airbase connected to Tarbela dam for the operation and then later on Osama s dead body along with the captured people were first taken to a NATO cantonment connected to Kabul airport and then to an airbase carrier in the Arabian ocean.

Bibliography
1. Pakistan Media Watch. (5/5/2011). Jang Group s Two-Faced Reporting On Osama . In Pakistanmediawatch.com. Retrieved 22/10/2011, from http://pakistanmediawatch.com/2011/05/05/jang-groups-two-faced-reporting-on-osama 2. Qutubuddin Aziz. (2007). MKR's services for the development of press . In jang.com.pk. Retrieved 22/10/2011, from http://jang.com.pk/thenews/spedition/mkr/2007/article1.htm. 3. Rehan. (2009). Daily Jang Karachi . In www.realkarachi.com. Retrieved 22/10/2011, from http://www.realkarachi.com/daily-jang-karachi.php. 4. International Media Support (July 2009). Between radicalization and democratization in an unfolding conflict: Media in Pakistan .

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