News Desk |
You might have come across a viral video of a man on social media bitterly asking Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to take action against his party leaders who allegedly took bribes for postings and transfers and became millionaires by selling lands to Bahria Town and DHA.
The video supplemented with a couple of images showing the man dead in a morgue quickly spread on social media. Initially, the posts built an impression that he might have been killed because of the allegations he leveled against the PPP leaders in the video.
Journalists based in Karachi confirmed that the video of Jokhio, a former official of the local government in Sindh, was roughly two years old
However, a little investigation showed that it was another instance of fake news being spread through social media because the man in the video addressing Bilawal and the one lying dead in the morgue, despite their striking resemblance, are different. The authorities familiar with the developments have identified the man in the video as Muhammad Saleem Jokhio and the deceased as Ahmed Ali.
Jokhio, in a bid to prove that he is still alive and kicking, beat up a journalist Saami Memon on the account of allegedly spread the fake news about his death on Facebook.
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An official of the Orangi Town police station confirmed that unidentified men shot and killed Ali and another man, Allah Ditta, outside the Mominabad police station on June 17. After viewing images sent via Whatsapp of Jokhio addressed towards Bilawal, the official at the Orangi Town police station confirmed the dead man as Ahmed Ali, saying the person in the video was unknown to him.
Social media – the background of life for many
Journalists based in Karachi confirmed that the video of Jokhio, a former official of the local government in Sindh, was roughly two years old. Other familiar with the developments commented that Jokhio’s death post was shared by the journalist in Karachi, Saami Memon, on Facebook but he, later on, removed the post from Facebook.
On June 20, Jokhio his friends along with some others raided Malir Press Club and attacked Memon for allegedly spreading fake news. Ironically, this information also emerged after Jokhio’s friend Imran Jhokhio shared a post on Facebook.
What did Jokhio say to Bilawal?
In the video, Jokhio while addressing Bilawal says that Bilawal might take him lightly but he was 100 percent serious. Revealing that he is doing the job with the local government in Sindh since 1993, he tells Bilawal about alleged corrupt practices of his ministers Agha Siraj Durrani, Sharjeel Memon, Syed Nasir Shah and one Jafar Khawaja.
Video link: Jokhio’s Video on facebook
Jokhio claims in the video that “Nasir Shah is so notorious for taking bribe that he can come out of washroom wearing towel for taking bribe.”
Speaking about the alleged corruption for transfers and postings, he tells Bilawal that as much as Rs5 million for posting and Rs3 million per month were taken for a posting or transfer. “The officer who will get a posting by giving money will definitely make sure he gets Rs10 million a month after assuming charge because he needs Rs30 lakh for the minister and the same amount for himself.”
“Bilawal Sahab please tell me how will you eradicate corruption,” he said, “how the development will take place”. Subsequently, he claimed that he has a complete record of Aga Siraj Durrani, including cheques and pay orders. In addition, he claimed, Jafer Khawaja kidnapped him and he lodged an FIR against him, adding that Khawaja was the front man for Sharjeel Memon.
“A case on charges of supplying girls is registered against the man [Sharjeel Memon] whom you have crowned here,” he once again addresses Bilawal in an irritated tone, asking Bilawal to ask his father Asif Ali Zardari.
While shedding light on his past, Jokhio said that he has already resigned in 2014, which has not yet been accepted. “I dare you to accept my resignation,” he added. Moreover, he revealed that he faced 14 inquiries of the National Accountability Bureau and Anti-Corruption Unit and got exonerated in all of them.
Next, he asks Bilawal to inquire how fire erupted at Durrani’s Italian-tile featuring villa in Garhi Yasin and turned millions of dollars into ashes. Moving on, he asks Bilawal about Raja Razzaq. Subsequently, he says “we [he and Razzaq] used to sell Paan together near a hotel and earn Rs500 a day.”
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“Now he [Razzaq] has become a millionaire … where did he get the money from,” he questioned while alleging that whole Malir was sold to earn millions. He then names Bahria Town, DHA and Taiser Town, predicting that PPP will not get a single seat from there. Now PML-N will take these seats and more seats from Bahria Town, DHA and Taiser Town.
Lastly, he went on to tell Bilawal that he along with others had attended the wedding ceremony of his parents in Lyari. Claiming to be a true Jiyala, he finally tells Bilawal that country will progress if he becomes Bhutto instead of Zardari.