(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has urged President Pervez Musharraf to see to it that Pakistan’s Military Intelligence Services cease harassing Amir Mir, senior assistant editor of the monthly “Herald”. Irritated by his articles about them, Military Intelligence agencies have been using various methods to monitor and intimidate Mir, including visits to his home, phone calls and […]
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has urged President Pervez Musharraf to see to it that Pakistan’s Military Intelligence Services cease harassing Amir Mir, senior assistant editor of the monthly “Herald”.
Irritated by his articles about them, Military Intelligence agencies have been using various methods to monitor and intimidate Mir, including visits to his home, phone calls and intercepting his e-mail messages.
“Putting pressure on a journalist in an attempt to dissuade him from covering sensitive subjects is completely unacceptable,” RSF said.
On 24 November 2004, two plainclothes Military Intelligence officers, Liaqat Ali and Shabbir Ahmed, visited Mir’s home in Faisal, near Lahore (northeastern province of Punjab), at the behest of their superior officer, Zaheeruddin Ahmed.
They told Mir they had come to talk to him about his articles. “You should consult me before writing on sensitive issues,” Ali said, while giving his mobile telephone number to Mir. Ali subsequently reminded him that his car was set on fire by unidentified arsonists one year ago (see IFEX alerts of 8 and 3 December 2003).
Two hours later, Mir received a phone call from Ali warning him not to tell anyone about the visit. When Mir replied that he had already told several newspapers, Ali rebuked him for not “acting responsibly.”
For the past week, Mir has noticed that both his incoming and outgoing e-mail messages are being monitored. He has changed his e-mail address three times since this surveillance began, but each time the problem has recurred. He told RSF he suspected Military Intelligence of being responsible.
Mir has previously written about the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), a Military Intelligence agency. “Herald” magazine is distributed throughout Pakistan. It is known for its independent editorial line and its reports on such sensitive issues as Kashmir, fundamentalism and other political developments involving the army.
