Supreme Court on Monday has issued notices to 58 TV channel owners while hearing petitions filed by journalists against distribution of money and plots by business tycoon Riaz Malik.
Two member bench consisting of Justice Jawad S Khawaja and Justice Arif Hussain heard the petitions filed by journalists Hamid Mir, Absar Alim and other journalists.
Counsel for Bahria Town Zahid Bokhari told the court that Malik Riaz had never given any plot or money to any journalist and such insinuations are a pack of lies. No amount through Bahria Town Pad or Check was ever distributed. On this Hamid Mir argued that if this is not true than the court should seek PTA record and see who displayed the list of journalists on the internet.
Justice Jawad S Khawaja remarked that several important questions have been raised in the petitions and it is imperative that they be argued in the court. Zahid Bokhari further told the court that Hamid Mir filed the petition due to his opposition to Dunya TV. This is a fight of an individual which is being fought through channels.
Hamid Mir said that he is a professional journalist and bears no animosity towards anyone. If he had filed the petition due to any differences with Dunya TV then its anchorperson Arshad Sharif would not have been party to the petitions. He said that besides him, Asma Sherazi and Mazhar Abbas are also corespondents and they are all professional journalists and we have no link with media house owners. He said that we are under constant pressure form TV channel owners as well as other elements.
Hamid Mir further said that no office of any TV channel is present in Quetta. They don’t know what is happening there. It would be better if they are summoned to Quetta and hearing is conducted in Quetta so that they would see what is happening in Quetta.
On this, the court ordered the government to take measures for security. The court adjourned then hearing till Sept 6 and asked for detail response from the 58 TV channel owners. Counsel for Express TV requested for more time for his client to file a response in the court.
What about print media columnists, journalists and owners who got favors from R Malik
It is a farce. Corrupt SC hearing petitions of people belonging to a profession which comprises a bunch of corrupt blackmailers. SC's top priority should be to punish Arsalan, his family members who enjoyed vacations with him and last, but not least, the person whose name was misused. Otherwise, who would spend a single penny on Arsalan, his mother, brothers and sisters.
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