Wajid Ali Syed: On the murder–and silencing–of Pakistani journalist Syed Saleem Shahzad
ONLY ON THE BLOG: Answering today’s five OFF-SET questions is Wajid Ali Syed, award-winning television and documentary reporter/producer who has worked for Voice of America, the BBC, the Danish Broadcasting Corporation, Geo, and Aaj.
He has written for a variety of Pakistani newspapers. Based in Washington, DC, he is a regular contributor to the Huffington Post and the League of India.
Syed Saleem Shahzad, who worked for the Hong Kong-based Asia Times Online and the Italian news agency Adnkronos International, disappeared from Islamabad on Sunday. His body was found Tuesday in a canal with what police said were torture marks. Are there any leads as to who might have killed him?
The definite word is not out yet but in different reports it has been speculated that Shahzad was picked up by the intelligence agency, the ISI, because of an article he had written about the strike on the naval base in Karachi, PNS Mehran, and its possible connection with al-Qaeda.
According to reports so far, which are based on Shahzad's personal accounts, in October of last year he was summoned to the headquarters of the ISI to discuss the contents of an article he had written that alleged Pakistan had quietly released Afghan Taliban commander Mullah Baradar, Mullah Omar's deputy. Shahzad told the South Asia researcher for Human Rights Watch, Ali Dayan, about the meeting with the ISI. According to the HRW, he interpreted the meeting to be a veiled threat from a top official. Shahzad also shared his meeting notes "in case something happens to me or my family in the future."
Following the publication of the story about the attack on the naval base, Shahzad returned to Human Rights Watch. According to AFP news, Shazhad said that the ISI had threatened him, and that Human Rights Watch should inform the media about the situation if anything happened to him.
There are details about his disappearance that should be focused on. He lived in and was kidnapped fromIslamabad. He was transported out of the city. Eventually his body was found in Mandi Bahaudin. His car was in Sarai Alamgir.
Islamabadis densely populated city. There are manned security check posts at various locations at the city limits, yet no witnesses came forward.
The details mentioned in the Mehran Base investigative article strongly suggest that Shahzad's information was provided by a tipoff from an insider. The identity of the source and his reasons for leaking the information are crucial. The facts outlined in the piece indicate that there could be a rift in the ISI.
Either Shahzad's source could be a highly-placed person within the Agency or an underling. Was the informant a disgruntled intelligence agent frustrated with the internal workings of the agency? Did one faction want to settle a score with the other? Was the intent to quash an internal threat? Was Shahzad the victim of internal agency intrigues? At this point we don't know, and the truth may never come out. In any case Shahzad paid with his life.
What kind of stories did Shahzad work on and in what danger did those stories likely put him?
Saleem Shahzad was primarily known for his reporting on militants and the military. Journalists covering these two topics face danger. They are often targeted by both the government and extremists. Shahzad's murder is a reminder of the reality of the many hazards of working as a journalist inPakistan. He was the third reporter slain in Pakistan this year. There were 10 killed last year.
Saleem Shahzad had unparalleled sources among Islamic extremists in various groups including al-Qaeda and the Taliban. He was also well connected with the Army and state spy agency. His stories have sometimes embarrassed the ISI and often angered the militant groups.
He was blunt and outspoken during an interview with the RealNews via Skype, in which he said that there were former Army officials, who were either expelled or had retired, who were Islamist sympathizers. It was his last interview before his death.
Shahzad was not naive about the risks he was taking. He was kidnapped in 2006 by the Taliban in Helmand in southern Afghanistan. His kidnappers accused him of being a spy but set him free after seven days.
So his killing is also an attempt to silence the other courageous voices in the print and electronic media of Pakistan. The intimidation and danger discourage the press from covering vital national issues, such as the role of Army in the civilian government and the killing of innocent civilians.
What kind of relationship does the ISI — Pakistan’s military intelligence service — have with journalists?
Like intelligence agencies around the world, the ISI uses the press to advance a particular agenda. But it is understood that access can be a double-edged sword. Crossing the Agency can lead to dire consequences, including death.
Since the Army has ruled Pakistan for two thirds of country's history and has been notorious for toppling governments and "disappearing" activists, members of the press who would otherwise dig deep tend to proceed with caution.
Shahzad had just published a new book, “Inside al Qaeda and the Taiban.” You knew him well and we understand that you spoke with days before his disappearance. What did you discuss? Was he concerned that his reporting might get him in trouble?
Just a few days before his murder, he commented on a picture posted by one of our common friends on Facebook. Shahzad invited our friend to Pakistan.
Shahzad shared his worries with trusted friends. One of his close associate called him to express his concerns after he read the Mehran story.
Shahzad was aware of the danger involved in his bold reporting. He emailed the Human Rights Watch representative, the president of the APNS (All Pakistan Newspaper Society) and others, stating he had been receiving death threats from the Agency. He had also informed his colleagues that he had been warned by intelligence agents to stop writing about sensitive matters and that he feared for his life.
Shahzad leaves a wife and three children. What else should we know about him?
He was friendly, had a mind of his own and stood for what he believed in. He had arguments with his colleagues but on a let-and-let-live basis. Usually such hard hitting discussion ended on "let's agree to disagree".
He was definitely a man who knew too much. He traveled widely in the Middle East, Asia and Europe. He had interviewed several leading militants including Sirajuddin Haqqani, Qari Ziaur Rahman and Ilyas Kashmiri,
Above all, he was a good man who sacrificed his life in the line of duty.
CLICK HERE to read a remembrance by CNN's Tim Lister.
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