SWABI: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Highway Authority (KPHA) on Saturday issued a defamation notice to a local journalist for posting a ‘false and misleading’ video on social media, alleging substandard construction of Badri Bridge on Swabi-Jehangira Road, which incited unwarranted criticism and caused severe reputational harm to the authority.

Ayub Khan, who works with a private TV channel and is vice-president of Swabi Press Club, shared the notice with Dawn, which stated that, “your false, misleading, and defamatory video posted on social media deliberately maligned and misrepresented the construction status of the bridge.”

It further said despite having no technical knowledge or expertise in engineering practices, the journalist recklessly and irresponsibly uploaded and circulated defamatory video with the malicious intent of discrediting the authority and tarnishing its reputation.

“Your irresponsible, ill-informed, and defamatory act constitutes a grave violation of the Defamation Ordinance, 2002, and other applicable laws,” the notice said.

Swabi lawyers to defend reporter in court free of charge

The journalist was told that he should Immediately remove the defamatory video from all social media platforms, issue a formal and unconditional public apology through the same platform, cease and desist from making any further defamatory statements regarding PKHA or its projects, whether verbally, in writing, or through any medium, and if he failed to comply with within a week, the PKHA will initiate a strict legal action against him.

However, Auyb said: “I did nothing wrong and such threats could not stop me from performing my professional duty.”

Reacting to the legal notice, the lawyers’ community led by Salim Khan Advocate said they would represent Ayub free of cost in court.

Despite the opening of the bridge on Thursday (March 20), the project controversy continues with Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf lawmakers rejecting reports that substandard material was used in its construction, and the opposition parties alleging the bridge was inaugurated on Feb 28 by MNA Asad Qaiser, but it was opened to traffic on March 20.

The issue surfaced when Yousafzai Ali, former district general secretary of PTI, who left the party a few years back, shared a video on social media, showing ‘substandard construction of the bridge’.

Later, some other social media activists also shared videos, which forced Mr Qaiser to visit the bridge and direct the KPHA to complete the remaining work as soon as possible.

Mr Qaiser claimed only the expansion joints of the large beams were not constructed, and this was exploited by rival parties.

Published in Dawn, March 23rd, 2025