Pemra serves notice to News One for airing 'defamatory' clips about NAB chairman

Published May 25, 2019
National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Javed Iqbal. — File
National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Javed Iqbal. — File

The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) has issued a show-cause notice to News One TV channel for airing what it called "defamatory" news items and clips in which National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Javed Iqbal was allegedly shown in conversation with a woman, it emerged on Friday.

Some footage and a few audio clips — first aired by News One — in which a male could be heard talking to a woman and making inappropriate remarks at various points had emerged earlier this week. NAB had denied that the audio clips had anything to do with its chairman, branding them "baseless, fake and based on lies".

In the notice sent to the chief executive officer of M/s Airwaves Media Pvt. Ltd. (News One), a copy of which was obtained by DawnNewsTV, Pemra stated that the TV channel had on May 23 "repeatedly flashed" breaking news "targeting" the NAB chairman along with audio and video clips.

According to the authority, "the channel continued claiming that the defamatory statements and clips were being aired in the public interest", but it stopped airing the news items and issued an apology around an hour later which stated that the clips were found to be "unconfirmed and unverified". The broadcaster also apologised to the NAB chief for airing the news, the notice said.

Pemra reminded the channel that "airing such defamatory and false propaganda [and] maligning a dignitary and head of an important institution amounts to sheer violation of [the] Electronic Media (Programmes and Advertisements) Code of Conduct 2015" and Pemra Ordinance 2002.

The regulatory body has asked News One to respond within seven days "as to why legal action may not be initiated against the channel for violating aforementioned Pemra laws".

The channel's CEO has also been directed to appear for a personal hearing at the Pemra headquarters in Islamabad on May 31, in person or through a representative.

If the broadcaster fails to comply with the directives, Pemra said it would initiate ex-parte proceedings against the media outlet.

Opinion

Editorial

CPEC slowdown
Updated 09 Dec, 2024

CPEC slowdown

Current CPEC slowdown doesn't mean China has lost interest in the connectivity project or in Pakistan.
Madressah bill
09 Dec, 2024

Madressah bill

A CONTROVERSY has been brewing over the Societies Registration (Amendment) Act, 2024, with the JUI-F slamming ...
Protecting varsities
09 Dec, 2024

Protecting varsities

THE recent proposal by the Sindh cabinet to shoehorn in non-PhD bureaucrats as vice chancellors has sparked concern...
Stirring trouble
Updated 08 Dec, 2024

Stirring trouble

The demands put forth this time are simple and doable at little political cost.
Unfairness in cricket
08 Dec, 2024

Unfairness in cricket

HOPES that cricketing ties between Pakistan and India would be strengthened by the latter team’s visit across the...
Syria rebel advance
08 Dec, 2024

Syria rebel advance

CITY after city in Syria is falling into rebel hands as Bashar al-Assad’s government looks increasingly vulnerable...