By Zulqernain Tahir

LAHORE: Ahmed Riaz Sheikh, a close aide of President Asif Ali Zardari for whom he granted a special remission to over 700 prisoners to ensure his freedom last month, has become a ‘freelance journalist’.

“Though two leading Urdu dailies, especially the one which the Pakistan People’s Party alleges has been running a ‘nefariousÂ’ propaganda campaign against its government, are reluctant to accommodate his columns, a few others, however, have shown interest,” a source in the PPP said. Two dailies, in fact, have already carried his inaugural column.

Former additional director of Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Mr Sheikh was a beneficiary of controversial National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO). Before the scrapping of the ordinance by the Supreme Court in December last, he was Intelligence Bureau’s Punjab chief. After the decision he was transferred to his parent department (FIA). The apex court took suo motu on his appointment in FIA despite his conviction in a corruption case and sent him behind the bars to complete the remaining term of his sentence.

Interior Minister Rehman Malik and Ahmed Riaz Sheikh are considered to be the most trusted aides of President Zardari.

Since Sheikh has no ‘formal advisory’ role at present, “he has decided to use pen to counter the attacks by those targeting him in the press,” the source said. Talking to Dawn, Sheikh said he had been victimized for the last 14 years. “Saifur Rehman implicated me in cases and I was victimised on the basis of false perception,” he said.

To a question, he said he had no plans to ‘actively’ participate in politics but would continue to support the president and the PPP.

Regarding his ‘new profession’, Sheikh said: “I have to do something after being removed from the government job so I have decided to write for newspapers,” he concluded.
Source: Dawn
Date:5/28/2010