Pakistan army's 'extra-judicial killing video, army says its a fake

[Abingdonboy]

The individual who sent it to the BBC said many people in the Swat valley had the clip on their phones.

However journalists in Swat have told the BBC that the first they heard of the video was when it was reported in the New York Times two days ago.

It shows men in military clothing pushing a group of young men one by one through a forest.

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The army has a policy of zero tolerance on issues like this”

Maj Gen Athar Abbas
Pakistani military spokesman
Eventually, six men - all in traditional civilian clothing - are lined up, blindfolded and with their hands tied behind their backs.

At least seven of the men in military clothing then form a line and raise their weapons. After what sounds like a sustained burst of gunfire, the men in civilian clothing then crumple to the forest floor.

In 2009, the Pakistani military mounted an offensive to drive Taliban militants out of the Swat valley.

Human rights organisations have accused them of carrying out extra-judicial killings during this time.

"We have previously documented executions in Swat that are similar to what is depicted in this video," Ali Dayan Hasan, representative of Human Rights Watch in Pakistan told the BBC.

"Human Rights Watch cannot say anything about the authenticity of the video."

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To date, there has been no action to hold military personnel accountable for well-documented abuses”

Ali Dayan Hasan
Human Rights Watch Pakistan
The US State Department says it has raised the issue with the Pakistani government.

Spokesperson PJ Crowley said the US took allegations of human rights violations" very seriously", and that the issue of extrajudicial killings had been a part of an "ongoing conversation" with Pakistan.




BBC News - Pakistan army says 'extra-judicial killing' video faked

 

[Awesome]

No army soldiers involved in video killings says Pakistan army spokesperson

At a time when the Pakistani army is enjoying great support and popularity amid the country’s public, an amateur video clip claiming to show soldiers gunning down blindfolded young men has been labelled fake by the military.

It is unknown when the video was made or who it was filmed by, but shows several young men wearing blindfolds lined up and fired upon by men in army uniforms.

The video may be from the 2009 government offensive against the Taliban in Swat Valley, but this cannot be confirmed.

The military, meanwhile, has condemned the footage.

“No Pakistani Army soldier or officer has been involved in activity of this sort,” said Maj Gen Athar Abbas, a spokesperson for the Pakistani Army.

Human rights groups that have previously accused the army of extra-judicial killings have told the BBC they cannot confirm the authenticity of the footage.

The United States, which has had its own problems with allegations of human rights abuses by soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq, some of whom were accused of killing civilians for sport, said the footage was “concerning” and will discuss it with the Pakistani government.

The army has promised to investigate and take action, but Human Rights Watch claim previous reports of human rights abuses receive little attention.

The army is enjoying widespread support for its rescue efforts during the devastating floods that have ravaged over a fifth of the country.

---------- Post added at 12:38 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:37 PM ----------

It shouldn't be hard to prove if the videos are fake or not, find at least one of the soldiers appeared on the video to be an actual soldier and not an actor in disguise.

 

[alibaz]

We have earlier seen videos which later proved to be fake, so is this. Pakistan Army is a professional army and they know what to do cause the opponents are not aliens, they are our own people, all they need is justice and jobs.

 

[Malik Usman]

A propoganda of west against Pakistan and its brave soldiers.......they can't do anything in Afghanistan and now they are looking somebody to put blame of their defeat in Afghan...........Loosers.

 

[alibaz]

A propoganda of west against Pakistan and its brave soldiers.......they can't do anything in Afghanistan and now they are looking somebody to put blame of their defeat in Afghan...........Loosers.

 

[somebozo]

looks to be a defamation job by some pissed off moron..like Ghaddari party or TTP!

 

[Awesome]

Could be anybody, no need to speculate on who. Anybody with a camcorder can make such a film. The army has launched an investigation as it should but unless there is any evidence brought forward there is no point in wasting any time and effort to these videos.

 

[Avatar]

Could be anybody, that's right. That also includes the Pakistani army.

 

[Awesome]

Could be anybody, that's right. That also includes the Pakistani army.

I meant could be anybody who is spreading a fake video. I won't presume that the army flipped one fine day, without anyone showing me credible evidence.

 

[r3alist]

well you have to prove it, else its just smear

 

[Nav]

Any link of that video?

 

[Safriz]

over 150,000 western forces with deep pockets,best military hard ware and advanced technology,failed miserably in supressing donkey riders who have nothing more than kalashinkovs and bazooka.
They need a scape goat for their failure and Pakistan is the usual choice.

 

[linkinpark]

Pakistani army confirms that people form Army were involved in these illegal executions as per NYTimes. Again PA lies stand exposed.

At the same time, Pakistani officials tried to contain the damage from a video that came to the attention of American officials in recent days showing the execution of six young men, bound and blindfolded, by Pakistani Army soldiers.

Responding to questions from American officials, Pakistani officials acknowledged Thursday that the video had not been faked, as they had first contended, an American official said, and that they had identified the soldiers and would take appropriate measures.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/01/world/asia/01peshawar.html?_r=1

 

[karan.1970]

Pakistani army confirms that people form Army were involved in these illegal executions as per NYTimes. Again PA lies stand exposed.



http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/01/world/asia/01peshawar.html?_r=1

wow.. Any other media source confirming this??

 

[mjnaushad]

Pakistani army confirms that people form Army were involved in these illegal executions as per NYTimes. Again PA lies stand exposed.



http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/01/world/asia/01peshawar.html?_r=1

At the same time, Pakistani officials tried to contain the damage from a video that came to the attention of American officials

Are american thekedaar of this world?? BTW there are no names of which official accepted to which official of US that this video is real....

And please also note the new title is

Signaling Tensions, Pakistan Shuts NATO Route

And they are talking about killings here. Like we care what US thinks of these killings. or the news was about killing.