Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) activist Saeed alias Saeed Bharam has revealed before the joint interrogation team (JIT) that, he along with another activist Ajmal Pahari, collected million of rupees extortion from cable operators of Karachi and distributed it among media persons associated with different media outlets.
Bharam claimed that the extortion money was distributed equally among the media persons for, what he claimed, running TV shows in favour of MQM, criticising MQM opponents, making the law enforcement agencies controversial and to make false statements.
The JIT report, available with Pakistan Today, revealed that Saeed Bharam, Ajmal Pahari and Imtiaz Commando, another MQM activist, were running cable service in Karachi and they collected millions of rupees on the behalf of MQM since 2008.
Saeed Bharam was handed over to Rangers in March 22, 2016, on a 90-day preventive detention by an anti-terrorism court (ATC) following his extradition from Dubai. Facing over 50 cases pertaining to charges of murder, attempted murder, China-cutting of amenity plots besides other heinous crimes, Saeed was arrested by Interpol in Dubai in March on directives of Pakistani authorities.
Bharam claimed that he and Imtiaz Commando pressurised local cable operators in Gulshan-e-Iqbal and they handed over cable services of GIA Cable Network to Cable Operators Association of Pakistan (COAP) Chairman Khalid Arian -run MPC Cable Network against Rs 1.2 million monthly extortion. He told that Khalid Arian was running MPC Cable Network with partnership of Aamir DC, Ikhlaq, Imran Don and others, but the network was being run by Khalid Arian and Aamir DC.
He maintained that Khalid Arain had good relations with MQM’s Karachi Tanzeemi Committee (KTC) members and he frequently visited MQM head quarter Nine Zero. Bharam told the JIT that MPC Cable Network operated in Gulistan-e-Jauhar, North Karachi, New Karachi, Nazimabad, Liaquatabad, Old Sabzi Mandi and Garden in 2013.
Bharam claimed that Ghufran was running GIA Cable Network in FB Area, North Karachi, North Nazimabad, Pak Colony, Nazimabad, Liaquatabad and Gulshan-e-Iqbal, but he, Ajmal Pahari and Imtiaz Commando took some areas from Ghufran forcibly and handed them over to MPC Cable Network against Rs 1.2 million monthly extortion.
Bharam said that Ghufran complained to MQM’s KTC In-charge Hammad Siddiqui about forcible takeover of his operational areas by MQM activist. Siddiqui called him, Ajmal Pahari and Imtiaz Commando at Nine Zero and directed them to take back Ghufran operational areas from Khalid Arian, but they refused to follow his directives as Siddiqui’s position was weak in the party at that time, he added.
Bharam confessed that he was collecting Rs 2.7 million monthly extortion from GIA Cable Network owner Ghufran Mujtaba since December 2012 for running his service in Gulshan-e-Iqbal, North Nazimabad, and North Karachi. Bharam claimed that he allowed Ghufran to retake his area and he agreed to pay Rs 0.6 million monthly extortion to him.
Distribution of money among media persons:
Bharam claimed that he was collecting million of rupees extortion money from cable operators – Khalid Arian and Ghufran Mujtaba were top of the list – and distributed the money among media persons associated with different media outlets on directives of Wasay Jalil, Mustafa Azizabadi and Ameen-ul Haq.
He also accused Khalid Arian and Ghufran Mujtaba for forcible coverage of MQM events and blocking cable service and TV channels to eclipse negative activities of the MQM.
