The Shalimar police registered a case against two sons of former FIA additional director general Ahmed Riaz Sheikh, a close aide of President Asif Ali Zardari, on charges of torturing and threatening a reporter of a private TV news channel on Thursday.
Huzafa Qureshi, reporter of a private TV channel had to face the wrath of those in power for presenting a detailed report of corruption in the much-hyped Employees Old-Age Benefits Institution (EOBI) scam.
After the report was telecast on the channel, Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry took suo motu notice.
The chief justice also ordered provision of security to the reporter who had complained of receiving threats after the programme was telecast, which exposed mass-scale corruption in the state-run institution.
The chief justice during the hearing of the case also directed payment of withheld salary by the private channel and also security to the reporter’s job.
According to Huzafa Qureshi, despite issuance of the apex court order for protection to his life and job, the owner of the channel Basit Riaz Sheikh and his brother Hasham Riaz Sheikh, who is President Zardari’s special assistant, called him to the office of the channel.
“As soon as I entered the office both the brothers jumped at me and subjected me to severe torture and hurled abuses at the chief justice,” Huzafa complained.
“You are seeking protection from a person who will be retiring after four months… who will safeguard you after his tenure is over,” Huzafa reported the brothers as saying.
“Now you will only polish our shoes and we will see who comes to protect you,” they said.
After the humiliating treatment, Huzafa contacted the SC Registrar Dr Faqir Hussain and informed him about the incident.
On this Dr Faqir Hussain contacted Interior Secretary Chaudhry Qamar Zaman on phone, directing him taking immediate action and registration of case against Basit and Hasham Riaz Sheikh for acting against the CJ’s directives.
According to the latest report, police have registered a case against both brothers under various sections, on the order of the interior secretary.