China-based telecom firm threatened against 'vulgar' publicity

By Jawwad Rizvi

LAHORE: A China-based telecommunication company, which has invested billions of rupees in Pakistan, has recently received threats from Jamaat Tauhid-wal-Jehad to stop what it called its 'vulgar' advertisements. A threat letter was received by the Quetta office of the company by post on December 04, 2008, The News has learnt. The letter, which is also available with The News, was on a printed letter pad of Jamaat Tauhid-wal-Jehad, and its text was also printed, not hand written. The logo of the letter contained the picture of a flag with a man covering his face and holding a sword and a shield. Sources said the letter was signed by Abu Omar Saif on behalf of Jamaat Tauhid-wal-Jehad, which is an unknown organization in the country. The company, in its letter to Interior Secretary Syed Kamal Shah on December 5, 2008, mentioned of the threat and sought adequate security for its staff throughout the country, especially the women at their Quetta office. "Similar threats from unknown individuals and groups have become a recurrent feature now and where such threats intimidate company's foreign nationals working in Pakistan, these may also hamper further investment in the country by our parent company, the letter sent to Syed Kamal Shah read. Earlier, the company had also received security threats at their Islamabad, Blue Area office, on November 27, 2008, about which the company informed the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA). Taking action on it, PTA Telecom Member Mushtaq Ahmed Bhatti had written a letter 2(1)/2008-M(T) to the secretary of the Interior Ministry on December 03, 2008, requesting for taking action to protect the company. Jamaat Tauhid-wal-Jehad in its letter had told the company to stop 'vulgarity and obscenity' in their public promotion campaigns. The letter said the company had employed at their offices indecently dressed women, whom it should sack. Further, the letter demanded that all the billboards, posters, banners and other promotional campaign material should be removed because they are obscene. The outfit has instructed the company to use natural scenes in their promotional campaigns. The letter gave 10 days to the company and warned that if the company does not act upon its instructions, then it will target the company installations. "All installations of the company will be our target and our snipers will easily silent the company's receivers and senders installed at towers from 1500 meter distance," letter of Jamaat Tauhid-wal-Jehad read. The letter said the company had right to do business freely within the norms, and should respect our religious rights. On the company's request, the ministry of interior on December 24, 2008, in a letter No. 5/11/2008-KP asked all the provincial home secretaries and police officers, and the chief commissioner and IG police of Islamabad to make foolproof security arrangements to avert any untoward incident. The company spokesman told The News that all its advertisements were aimed at informing the public of all the options available to them, in a simple and easy-to-understand language through common people not celebrities. "Our company has never used women as main characters in its advertising campaigns; in fact, we have set the trend of not using glamorous female faces and moved away from songs and dances our advertisements," he stated. The spokesman further said the company - the world's biggest cellular communications company now investing in Pakistan - seeks full protection of the government to its offices, installations and staff members, especially women, against this threat.