Court summons channel owner Salman, anchor Lucman for defaming Geo, Jang | Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)

Pakistan Press Foundation

Court summons channel owner Salman, anchor Lucman for defaming Geo, Jang

Pakistan Press Foundation

ISLAMABAD: An Islamabad Court has issued a written order that a probe by the inquiry officer and evidence prima-facie establish that proceedings in a criminal case against one Salman Iqbal of ARY, Akeel Karim Dhedhi and four others be continued and has summoned them all on June 19.

In a criminal complaint filed by Independent Media Corporation against Salman Iqbal and five others including anchor Mubashir Lucman through its counsel Amir Abdullah Abbasi, the Additional District and Session Judge Islamabad (West) passed the following order;

“Perusal of inquiry reports reveals that according to the learned inquiry officer, prima facie the case is made out against the respondents. I have perused the statements recorded by the learned inquiry officer and the material annexed with the complaint. On the basis of inquiry report, statements recorded by the learned inquiry officer and the material annexed with the present complaint, I have come to the conclusion that there is sufficient material on the record to warrant further proceedings in the present complaint. Therefore the respondents be summoned for 19.06.2014.”

Respondents in the case include Salman Iqbal, Akeel Karim Dhedhi, Mubashir Lucman, Arshad Bhatti and Sabir Shakir. The respondents were alleged to have defamed and made serious allegations against senior journalists, Pakistan’s biggest and most popular media group Geo and Jang and its top management. The court had assigned the case to an inquiry officer who submitted his findings in the court. It was prayed that accused be proceeded against under sections 500 and 501 of PPC.

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