Geo detractors level heinous charges but avoid courts to prove them | Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)

Pakistan Press Foundation

Geo detractors level heinous charges but avoid courts to prove them

Pakistan Press Foundation

ISLAMABAD: The Additional District and Sessions Judge, Islamabad West, Wajid Ali, while maintaining bailable arrest warrants against chief executive officer of a private TV channel, ARY, Salman Iqbal, and anchor Mubasher Luqman, ordered them to appear on the next hearing in the criminal petition filed against defaming and hurting the integrity of the Jang and Geo Group.

During the hearing on Monday, Sabir Shakir, Arif Hamid Bhatti and Naeem Hanif submitted personal guarantees of Rs50,000 each. Aqeel Karim Dhedhi had already submitted personal guarantee of Rs50,000 two days earlier.

The Independent Media Corporation (Private) Limited, through Amir Abdullah Abbasi, advocate, in the criminal petition had maintained that general public trust the Jang Group as the authentic source of information which is serving well in the field of mass communication. Moreover the Jang Group has been taking active part in reviving understanding, performing different social works and plans in the society in collaboration with other organisations. It was the reason that certain compatriots and opponents, on the basis of ill-intentions had been out to hurt its reputation and damage its integrity amongst the general public.

They are trying to create hatred against the Jang and Geo Group risking those associated with the group.They level heinous allegations against Geo but run away when called by courts to prove their allegations. They are following this pattern in all such cases in Pakistan.

In the petition while citing different broadcasts on different dates the court was requested to initiate criminal proceedings against the Chief Executive Officer of the private TV channel ARY Salman Iqbal, Bureau Chief Islamabad Sabir Shakir, Anchor Mubasher Luqman, Bureau Chief Lahore Arif Hamid Bhatti, a resident of Karachi Aqeel Karim Dhedhi, and the resident of Lahore Naeem Hanif under the Pakistan Penal Code 500 and 501. On the request of the counsel of the private TV channel the court deferred the hearing till 6th of September.

The News