ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court rejected once again the response of TV anchor Dr Shahid Masood on Monday after a three-member joint investigation team (JIT) concluded that every single claim made by him in the Zainab rape-murder case was without any sound basis.

A three-judge SC bench, headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, asked the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Autho­ri­ty to assist the court in determining for how long the transmission of a television channel can be shut under the law.

The bench appointed senior counsel Advocate Faisal Siddiqui as amicus curiae to assist the court in the matter.

In his reply the anchorperson also assured the court that he will observe due diligence and care before making any statements, adding that he will not contest conclusions of the inquiry committee.

In his programme ‘Live with Dr Shahid Masood’, on News One channel, the anchorperson had claimed the prime suspect Imran Ali, arrested by the Punjab police on allegations of raping and then killing eight-year-old Zainab, was an active member of a child pornography ring being run by certain influential people.

He further said the convict maintains over 37 bank accounts majority of which were in foreign currencies.

Court says it will take action against Shahid Masood in accordance with law

In the programme, Dr Masood had also requested the chief justice, the prime minister and the army chief to take notice of these facts, adding that the rapist was neither deranged nor insane.

But in its report, the JIT stated that all 18 of the revelations made by Dr Masood were false and baseless, adding that there was no evidence for any of the allegations made by him.

On Monday, senior counsel Shah Khawar, who represented Dr Masood, told the court that since the earlier reply of his client submitted in the court on Saturday had a printing mistake and was missing a paragraph, a new reply was submitted today.

But the chief justice observed that the anchorperson had not apologised in his reply and that the court will take action against him in accordance with the law.

Published in Dawn, March 13th, 2018