Court grants interim bail to ARY Bureau Chief Khawar Ghumman

JournalismPakistan.com | Published 3 years ago

ISLAMABAD—Additional District and Sessions Judge (ADSJ) Zeba Chaudhry has granted pre-arrest interim bail to ARY Islamabad Bureau Chief Khawar Ghumman in an FIR registered for inciting mutiny, Dawn reported.

After hearing the preliminary arguments, the court granted him pre-arrest bail till Aug 24 against Rs50,000 surety bonds. The judge also sought a report from the police till the said date.

Ghumman applied for pre-arrest bail in the case. Last week, the Lahore High Court granted Ghumman protective bail and directed him to appear before the court of competent jurisdiction in seven days.

Despite the Sindh High Court orders, ARY News transmission has not been restored yet, whereas police have lodged FIRs for arresting journalists associated with the TV channel.

Photo credit: ARY

Dive Deeper

Rs524m in ads, empty newsrooms: Balochistan’s media paradox

December 10, 2025: Balochistan Assembly documents show over Rs524 million spent on government advertisements for Quetta-based newspapers in one year, raising questions about reach, oversight, and media sustainability.

Pakistan Railways details journalist and senior citizen concessions

December 09, 2025: Pakistan Railways briefed lawmakers on fare concessions for journalists, their families, and senior citizens, outlining costs and usage across the past five years.

PEMRA refers Aaj News episode to Council of Complaints

December 09, 2025: PEMRA has referred an Aaj News program to the Council of Complaints over alleged violations of the Electronic Media Code of Conduct following unverified political claims aired on November 18.

DawnNews.tv closure raises concerns over media job security in Pakistan

December 09, 2025: DawnNews.tv’s shutdown and related layoffs have intensified concerns about media worker rights and job security in Pakistan as unions urge the government to uphold labor protections.

Why Pakistan lags as foreign broadcasters choose India

December 08, 2025: India’s fast-growing media market, regulatory flexibility, and global influence are drawing major international broadcasters, including RT India, while Pakistan struggles to attract similar investments.

Sindh lawmaker apologizes after raising false news of Moin Khan’s death

December 06, 2025: A Sindh lawmaker apologized after mistakenly announcing cricketer Moin Khan’s death in the Assembly, highlighting concerns over rising misinformation and social media rumors in Pakistan.

Pakistani journalist wins climate change reporting contest

December 04, 2025: Samaa Digital journalist Wajid Ali wins a British High Commission climate contest for his story on Pakistan’s street workers, blending faith perspectives with science to raise awareness.

AI-generated video falsely links Imran Khan sister to war comments

December 03, 2025: Prominent journalist issues warning over a fabricated deepfake video falsely claiming her Sky News interview featured a 2025 Pakistan-India war discussion, part of rising digital misinformation campaigns.

Newsroom

Meta strikes new AI licensing deals with major news publishers

December 10, 2025 Meta signs new AI licensing deals with major publishers, embedding news in AI tools, and creating new revenue opportunities for digital journalism

Vietnam expands state secrecy law, weakens journalist source protection

December 10, 2025 Vietnam’s parliament has expanded state secrecy laws, allowing police to compel journalists to reveal sources and broadening secrecy rules, raising serious press freedom concerns.

Journalist deaths rise sharply in 2025, Gaza leads toll

December 09, 2025 The 2025 report from Reporters Without Borders records 67 journalists killed worldwide, nearly half in Gaza, highlighting escalating risks for reporters in war zones, crime-ridden regions, and authoritarian states.

Online abuse of women journalists hits new global high

December 09, 2025 A new UN Women report finds 70 percent of women journalists and activists worldwide face online violence, with 42 percent reporting offline harm linked to digital attacks, raising serious press freedom concerns.

Brighton Football Club bars Guardian in access dispute

December 09, 2025 Brighton’s ban on Guardian journalists after critical reporting raises press freedom concerns and highlights growing tensions between sports institutions and independent news outlets in the UK.