"I have never worked with Hamid Mir as he is from Urdu journalism and I never was in that format. However, I have met him at many occasions during my professional engagements and it is very interesting that most of these occasions were functions, hosted by army with prior security clearance of every participating journalist by the ISI itself. Most interestingly one of these functions was directly hosted by ISI and it was a dinner for senior Editors and Hamid Mir was present there even before I arrived as I normally reach the functions quite early.
Similarly, at more than one occasions, when the Army Chief invited senior media persons to dinners, followed by off the record chats, Hamid Mir has always been there and incidentally, sitting next to me and sharing my pack of cigarettes. All these functions and high profile military briefings are the functions where journalists are allowed enter or extended invitations after top security agencies, special the ISI give clean chit for every participant and despite all what Hamid Mir has been writing or talking in talk shows or whatever connections he had in foreign countries, I found that he was cleared by ISI for every such event and was till date, never black listed or considered as a security threats. It also remains a fact that all the events which he has been reporting live or recorded from Waziristan and other areas where army and ISI were fighting terrorists, he was allowed entry only after security clearance and was even provided security and protection by ISI and other field security agencies of the Pakistan Army. Hamid mir has also been a very welcomed guest at the ISPR, the media and PR wing of the Pakistan Armed Forces as well as the ISI. At many occasions, I came across Mr. Mir at the ISPR and always found him to be very cheerful guest and observed him to be very comfortable while exchanging views with Army officers.
It also remains a fact that had he been blacklisted by ISI, he would have never been invited to top military functions like Yaum-e-Shuhda, The Pakistan Day and the 6th September celebration events etc, nor had he been able to make joyful and cheerful visits to India, Bangladesh, Afghanistan etc where he had constantly been talking against Pakistan Army with latest being on Bangladeshi TV where he urged Bangladeshi government and media to seek war crimes trials against Pakistan army officers for 1971 episode.
The apparent and clearly visible relations of Hamid Mir with army and the ISI, by no means reflect that he was officially conceived as an enemy by the institution of Army or the ISI. The free movement of the Gentleman in all the armed forces' circles clearly reflects that apart from whatever views he and his brother have been spreading through their writings and speeches against Pakistan army and ISI, they were never confronted by Army or ISI and they were given a free hand. I am sure they are in position to deny this fact.
However, the sizzling allegations that Amir Mir made and was highly elaborated by Hamid Mir's media group, clearly reflects that poor Hamid, simply fell victim to a drama that was organized from his foreign mentors as well as his own legal bosses to defame and malign Pakistan army and the ISI. I wish all the best to Hamid for his speedy recovery but make a promise to my readers that I will leave no stone unturned to uncover this conspiracy that has just taken place, not only against the institution of army but also against the institution of Pakistani Media as well"....Makhdoom Babar
))) 
