KARACHI: Reacting to the allegations contained in the video, MQM leader Dr Farooq Sattar called upon the chief justice of Pakistan to take notice of the recording and airing of the video statement of a high-profile prisoner, saying that the statement made a mockery of the law and the country’s justice system.

Speaking at a press conference at the party’s Azizabad hea­dquarters on Thursday, he said Shamim’s video statement was part of “the MQM’s media trial”.

“Who has recorded the statement of a person who is in custody ... who has provided the script to Khalid Shamim to read and who has issued his statement to TV channels? The nation wants an answer to these questions,” Dr Sattar exclaimed.

He said the channels that had aired the statement should inquire what the legal and judicial value of such a statement was and whether it behoved a responsible and independent media to broadcast the video.

Published in Dawn, April 29th, 2016