Pakistani right-wing newspaper perpetuates extremism, killings

General Zia was no angel either. Known for being the mastermind in creation and establishment of Taliban in Afghanistan and starting their training camps and safe-havens in northern Pakistan, General Zia is credited for giving rise to the worldwide Islamic fanaticism and extremism. 

Ahmadiyya Times | News Staff | Opinion
Source & Credit: Los Angeles Islam Examiner
ByImran Jattala | Los Angeles, California

It is all about editorial judgment - and taste.

In a tasteless display of what Temour, the cartoonist may have sketched in pandering to a select group of extremists, his carton published in an Urdu newspaper in Pakistan proposes to kill Richard Holbrooke, the US Special Envoy for Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The cartoon, drawn on June 20th, was displayed prominently on the front page of Ummat, a right-wing Urdu daily published from Karachi, Pakistan.

For some this might sound as an ‘inside joke.’ It is not.


The cartoon, created in response to Mr. Holbrooke apparently taking a liking to Pakistani mangos, proposes a repeat of the 1988 scenario where several boxes of ‘exploding mangos’ were loaded onto a Pakistani Military C-130 plane. The plane exploded mid-air, instantly killing all passengers including former Pakistani ruler General Zia-ul Haq, then-United States Ambassador to Pakistan, Arnold Lewis Raphel and the head of the U.S. Military aid mission to Pakistan, General Herbert M. Wassom.

The Ummat cartoon depicts Mr. Holbrooke diligently enjoying a mango while another character portrayed as a Muslim cleric named Jamal Din proposes to load up several boxes of mangos onto his C-130 plane.

The captions of the cartoon, loosely translated, read:
‘Pakistani mangos are the best in the world: Holbrooke.'
‘Jamal Din wishes to send-off a few boxes of mangos with Honorable Richard Holbrooke in the C-130 plane!’

Pakistani mangos, otherwise known for their rich taste, have gained a somewhat dubious reputation since the killings of General Zia and Ambassador Arnold Raphel. Some blame mangos for the lasting curse as a result of mixing of the flesh, bones, and blood of a dead Muslim, Gen. Zia; and a dead Jew, Amb. Raphel.

According to a mix of many news accounts and off-color rumors, flesh and bones were collected from the site of the plane crash and one whole jaw bone was allocated to General Zia for burial near Islamabad, Pakistan. Similarly a mixed batch of flesh and bones fragments was allocated to Amb. Raphel for burial in Arlington National Cemetery in the US Capital.

Ummat also has a dubious reputation. Known for its contacts with terrorists, Ummat had claimed to have interviewed Osama Bin Laden shortly after the 9/11 attack.

In the interview, Ummat claimed, Bin Laden condemned the attack in New York. The validity of the interview with Bin Laden came under question when it was learned that the reporter never actually met Bin Laden.

Ummat claimed the interview was conducted through correspondence with Ossam Bin Laden. Some say it was an attempt by the newspaper to create confusion and protect Bin Laden from a direct strike by the US.

General Zia was no angel either. Known for being the mastermind in creation and establishment of Taliban in Afghanistan and starting their training camps and safe-havens in northern Pakistan, General Zia is credited for giving rise to the worldwide Islamic fanaticism and extremism.

The iron-fisted ruler, General Zia was known for his association with the extremist Islamist groups in Pakistan such as Jama’at-e Islami, Tableegi party and some offshoot factions now banned in Pakistan due to their involvement in terrorist activities.

The insensitivity is perplexing.  No one seems to have taken any notice of the stink in the cartoon.




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