Official dismisses journalist Azaz Syed's tweet as 'lifafa reporting'

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 21 December 2018

In a recent Twitter exchange, Shahzad Akbar dismissed Azaz Syed's allegations as unfounded. Akbar defended his whereabouts during the alleged meeting with the FIA.

Summary

ISLAMABAD - Shahzad Akbar, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Accountability, is not happy with investigative journalist Azaz Syed for hinting he spent hours at FIA headquarters where the JIT members probing fake accounts were also present.

In a harsh tweet, Akbar called Syed’s tweet “despicable n pure lifafa reporting, I categorically told @AzazSyed tht My mother was admitted in Shifa hospital in emergency n I was with her, a fact also personally in knowledge of this journalist as I considered him a friend, yet he spread rumours”.

It is despicable n pure lifafa reporting, I categorically told @AzazSyed tht My mother was admitted in Shifa hospital in emergency n I was with her, a fact also personally in knowledge of this journalist as I considered him a friend, yet he spread rumours @FIA_Pakistan https://t.co/5vBk7v9zzV

— Mirza Shahzad Akbar (@ShazadAkbar) December 21, 2018

Quoting sources, Syed tweeted: “Sources reveal that last night gov.adviser Barrister Shahzad Akbar spent hours at @FIA_Pakistan Hqs along its senior officials. Incidentally, all the members of the #JIT on fake accounts were also present there to give final touches to their report. When I called, Akbar denies.”

In reply to a tweet from PPPP leader Saeed Ghani, the special assistant denied meeting JIT probing fake accounts. “Thanks @SaeedGhani1 n out of respect for you, I categorically deny meeting JIT n specifically on 19 December, FIA n it’s DG (additionally NAB, FBR & FMU/SBP) interacts with me n my office on daily basis for our work under Assets Recovery Unit.”

Commenting on this episode, journalist and analyst Imtiaz Gul simply tweeted: “Bad Journalism.”

KEY POINTS:

• Shahzad Akbar refutes claims made by Azaz Syed.
• Akbar was attending to his mother in the hospital during the tweeted incident.
• Syed suggested Akbar met JIT members on December 19.
• Akbar labels Syed's reporting as 'despicable' and 'lifafa'.
• Imtiaz Gul commented on the situation, calling it 'Bad Journalism'.