Malik Riaz and 92 News in legal tit for tat
JournalismPakistan.com | Published: 25 February 2015
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Malik Riaz has filed a Rs1 billion legal notice against 92 News following allegations of tax evasion and housing issues. The channel's management retaliated with a Rs10 billion notice for defaming their team.Summary
ISLAMABAD: Property tycoon Malik Riaz (pictured) has sent a Rs1 billion legal notice to team of current affairs program “Muqabil” on 92 News Television for defaming him.
The ‘Muqabil’ is co-hosted by prominent journalists Rauf Klasra, Amir Mateen and Shazia Zeeshan.
The anchorpersons discussed in one of their recent programs about Riaz’s alleged tax evasion of Rs125 billion and denying houses to some 150,000 people in DHA Valley Islamabad, one of the housing projects being run by the tycoon.
In his notice, Riaz said that he was labelled by the anchors as "Hatim Tai" and "tax evader" which is unfair and bound to hurt his reputation.
Commenting on the notice, Klasra said that he has received 42 legal notices so far on his stories from different persons but nobody has taken him to the court.
“It is a pressure tactic by influential and mafias …. they try to gag reporters and editors by sending them legal notices, rebuttals and clarifications on their stories,” he said.
The management of 92 News has also responded with a legal notice of Rs10 billion to Malik Riaz for trying to “defame the channel and its team.”
KEY POINTS:
- Malik Riaz sends Rs1 billion legal notice to 92 News.
- Allegations include Rs125 billion tax evasion and housing denials.
- 92 News responds with Rs10 billion notice against Riaz.
- Anchor Rauf Klasra remarks on frequent legal threats to reporters.
- Claims of pressure tactics used by powerful individuals.
