Post

How to get URL link on X (Twitter) App

On the Twitter thread, click on or icon on the bottom
Click again on or Share Via icon
Click on Copy Link to Tweet
Paste it above and click "Unroll Thread"!
More info at Twitter Help

Aaina Saaf

Feb 13, 2023 • 13 tweets • 4 min read • Read on X

PILDAT claims to be an independent and non-partisan org on democracy in🇵🇰.

Is PILDAT really independent? Or non-partisan?
And who is Mamoon Bilal and how does he fit into PILDAT?

A thread.

PILDAT's CEO & president Ahmed Bilal Mehboob is courted as the main expert on elections & democracy writing in columns in Dawn, seminars in thinkfest and seminars. He is a persistent PMLN tout who writes strategically for them.

Want to argue for IK’s disqualification?

Want to argue against EVM?

Want to argue to against overseas vote?

Bring out Ahmed Bilal Mehboob.

Basically, he plays the same role in think tank – op-ed circles what Raja Sikander plays in EC.

I already wrote how PILDAT writes shoddy and biased reports

https://twitter.com/AainaSaaf/status/1624664904459501568?s=20&t=YAtzXHz8ra1MR8iIe9qy8A

And that is non fully independent as it is has received over $500 million dollars along with its co-director getting NED fellowships in the US.

https://twitter.com/AainaSaaf/status/1624614533506691074?s=20&t=YAtzXHz8ra1MR8iIe9qy8A

Now let’s look at their Senior Program Manager Mamoon who is always at every PILDAT event giving out momentos at meeting and meeting govt. officers.

Mr Mamoon has been working for PILDAT for a decade.
He took a break for two years and worked for PITB under Umar Saif where his role was program manager.

Seems like a hard working ‘non-partisan manager chap’. The only problem is the senior manager of PILDAT who runs many of its programs is not non-partisan at all.

He in fact is a full-time PMLN activist.

He is also not very pleasant, neutral, or professional. For the senior manager of such a great non-partisan organisation, this looks strange don't you think?

When PTI completed its 2 years, Mamoon's DP has a black mark marking black day but the interesting part is still missing.

When the Sharifs hold a jalsa, he is in a super mood but the interesting part is still missing.

The more interesting bit about Mamoon is that he is the son of Ahmed Bilal Mehboob!

Just like Hamza Sharif is the son of Shahbaz Sharif,

See? Nepotism really rules at PILDAT.

So the parting question is that is PILDAT's main manager neutral, independent, and non-partisan?

Or is PILDAT really the neutral and independent organisation in whom the country entrusts opinions on the state of democracy?

• • •

Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to force a refresh

This Thread may be Removed Anytime!

Twitter may remove this content at anytime! Save it as PDF for later use!

More from @AainaSaaf

Aaina Saaf

@AainaSaaf

Nov 9, 2023

Nayadaur & US state dept support.

Raza Rumi (Naya Daur founder) has been on US state dept funding for years.

Firstly Jinnah Institute was set up with NED funding in 2010 & got about 0.5 million USD in recent yrs.
Rumi has served as director or fellow for years.

Rumi is also an NED fellow for years.

Naya Daur was born when Rumi was on his fellowship in the US.

ned.org/fellows/mr-raz…

Naya Daur DC correspondent’s Muna Habib’s Columbia Uni payments were made by CIA operator Imaad Zubairi.

Read 5 tweets

Aaina Saaf

@AainaSaaf

Sep 23, 2023

What are the connections between a current minister and a high-profile RSS lobbyist-operator?

What influence/access does the operator have over rising 🇵🇰 start-ups? Are there any security risks?

A long thread.

Asha Jadeja Motwani is a high-profile Silicon Valley-based venture capitalist who has invested in over 200 technology start-ups in the Bay Area.

Sounds great but there is a murky side to it.

Asha is far from an apolitical and open-minded entrepreneur.

Asha has been using her Tech Venture Capitalist influence to spread vitriolic anti Pakistan and anti-Islam propaganda for years.

Read 13 tweets

Aaina Saaf

@AainaSaaf

Aug 6, 2023

Mohsin Baig (MB) and Dr Shahid Masood (Dr. SM).

What do they have in common other than being establishment’s media stooges?

What despicable act have they been involved in that binds them together?

For some, this may be a startling thread so read on! 🧵

In view of @worqas' latest revelations, one might wonder if Dr Shahid Masood was caught in visa fraud.

Well Dr. Masood is also reported to be involved in visa fraud (in the UK) but let's leave that story.

So what were they jointly involved in?

To understand how they were accomplices, we will have to go back years.

In Jan 2005, Dr Shazia (a Dr. working in Baluchistan) was sleeping in her apartment in a secure hospital complex guarded by DSG (Defence Security Guards).

Her husband was working overseas.

Read 15 tweets

Aaina Saaf

@AainaSaaf

Jul 12, 2023

In his thread, we revisit the slurs on Imran Khan that
🔴he was 'selected' & 2018 elections were 'stolen'.
🔴 the generals wanted him before, during, and after the elections.

Joseph Goebbels said that "If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it."

In a similar vein, the 'selected' slur has keeps getting repeated by the PDM media juggernaut.

The allegations appear to be malicious considering the election data, opinion & exit polls.

As this thread indicates, PTI actually got less seats than it was expected from the various polls around the time.

https://twitter.com/hamzakk/status/1671792246654480386?s=61&t=RqVSSGdgtT0VSf2Mxhzsfw

Read 22 tweets

Aaina Saaf

@AainaSaaf

Mar 25, 2023

The PPP-PMNL regime has refused a constitutional requirement (affirmed by the Supreme Court) to hold elections in major provinces KP & Punjab by April’ 23, thereby suspending the constitution.

So who is supporting this illegal action? Read ahead till the end. A thread🧵

@Nedemocracy

Ironically, the postponing of mandated elections is supported by so-called democracy warriors many of whom get @Nedemocracy funding. Many of them are supporters of Bilawal Bhutto's PPP who have carefully constructed an international image of supporting democracy .

@pildat

#1 @pildat CEO & president Ahmed Bilal Mehboob is courted as the main expert on elections & democracy who writes in @dawn_com and is funded by @NED. He has been on TV for the past few days arguing against timely elections.

Read 20 tweets

Aaina Saaf

@AainaSaaf

Feb 17, 2023

https://twitter.com/ahmerrehmankhan/status/1626707514049073152

These videos by Aleem Khan’s Samaa channel journos raise serious concerns that the Karachi police office attack has elements of being staged. How is a cameraman conveniently in an exposed area in a live gun fire exchange? Investigation needed to know what actually happened.

https://twitter.com/ahmerrehmankhan/status/1626707514049073152

https://twitter.com/IrfanHaqueS/status/1626663012298809346?s=20

In the second video uploaded by another Samaa journalist, an explosive vest is being removed by a steak knife in the dark by a normal police man right next to a camera man.

https://twitter.com/IrfanHaqueS/status/1626663012298809346?s=20

And this video is at least highly unprofessional. A man in kamiz shalwar with no gun in, kicks open a door and opens the light. An armed terrorist could be inside the room which imperils all the security ppl.