ISLAMABAD: A National Assem­b­ly’s committee has directed the Sindh police to investigate regular appearances of confessional videos of under-trial prisoners from jails.

A meeting of the sub-committee of National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting presided over by Imran Zafar Leghari observed on Tuesday that such confessional statements were not only unethical in a civilised society but also against the law.

The committee directed Additional Inspector General (AIG) of Sindh Sanaullah Abbasi to investigate the leaked video statement of former petroleum minister Dr Asim Hussain, who is facing charges of terror financing and graft.

“What are the motives behind this video and who has leaked it,” Mr Leghari asked and directed the Sindh police to look into the matter and submit a report to the committee in three weeks.

Mohammad Talal Chaudhry asked the AIG about the number of agencies which had held Dr Asim.

He also criticised the Sindh government for not registering a formal complaint with the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) against the news channels which had aired the video. “Some channels are also maligning the federal government and other national institutions, which is not fair,” he regretted.

The committee asked the Sindh police to take Dr Asim’s leaked video as a test case and fix responsibility because all inquires were conducted under joint investigation teams headed by a superintendent of police.

AIG Abbasi informed the committee that Dr Asim had been arrested by Rangers which obtained his 90-day remand from the court. He was handed over to police after the remand period ended and is now under the custody of the National Accountability Bureau. Therefore, the AIG said, it was difficult to determine which agency had leaked the video.

He said the Sindh IG had already directed him to conduct an inquiry into the matter.

The AIG said Dr Asim had disowned the leaked video and also denied the statement about involvement of MQM leader Waseem Akhtar in the May 12, 2007, killings in Karachi.

The committee asked Pemra if any of its laws or the code of conduct had been violated.

Pemra Chairman Absar Alam submitted a list of 20 TV channels which had aired the video. Answering various questions asked by the committee members, he said there were no restrictions on TV channels to air such videos, but commentary and observations made by anchors/presenters could be brought under investigation on account of influencing courts.

Published in Dawn, August 3rd, 2016