LHC declines to restrain media from reporting
LAHORE: Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed of the Lahore High Court while declining any restraining order against reporting of a member Punjab Assembly case pertaining to fake degree held that article 19-A inserted through 18th amendment, provided protection to the access to information.
The judge added that if someone had any complaints about misreporting he could adopt a legal course of action against that reporter and newspaper. He made it clear that it was their right to report court proceedings with precision. “Human error could be overlooked but a deliberate attempt to tarnish image of a person, is an offence and victim could initiate legal proceedings”, Justice Saeed added.
Malik Iqbal Langrial who had won PP-226 seat, chichawatni, on PML-Q ticket is contesting an election petition moved against him by Saif-ur-Rehman of PML-N, a defeated candidate from the same constituency. As proceedings started on Monday, Langrial’s counsel said that media persons are unnecessarily dragging the issue. He said respondent’s lawyer was perhaps complaining against media reports about Higher Education Commission, which is verifying degrees of all parliamentarians.
“If HEC’s reports are true then there is no harm in its publication. As far as case proceedings are concerned, the court directed respondent MPA to produce witnesses before local commission for recording of evidence on July 23 and court will resume proceedings on July 24.
Source: Business Recorder
Date:7/20/2010
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