FIA harassing BOL journalists
JournalismPakistan.com | Published: 28 June 2015
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The FIA has requested contract details of BOL journalists, allegedly harassing them under government pressure. This is part of a broader investigation into the channel's parent company, Axact.Summary
ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has sought details of BOL anchors, senior journalists and their contracts from the channel's Human Resource Department. A source tells JournalismPakistan.com the FIA has been forcing the channel’s HR Department to get the contract details of senior journalists attached with the upcoming television channel. “The agency officials are harassing journalists and HR Department on the behest of the government and some media tycoons,” he said, asking what the agency has got to do with contract details of journalists. He said the FIA has never investigated journalists and their contract details in other channels but “they are giving 'special' treatment to BOL journalists.” “FIA wants the journalists quit the channel and has been struggling to shut down BOL News,” he said. The FIA has been investigating chief of Axact, parent company of BOL News, and some other top officials of the company in an alleged scam of selling fake degrees to foreign students. The government has already suspended the channel's license that was scheduled to hit the airwaves on first of Ramadan, saying the broadcast could influence the ongoing investigations.
KEY POINTS:
- FIA seeks details of BOL anchors and journalists from HR
- Journalists reportedly face harassment from FIA officials
- FIA has not targeted other media channels similarly
- Government has suspended BOL's broadcast license
- Investigation linked to Axact's alleged scam involving fake degrees
