Express Tribune regrets running wrong story on Aasia leaving Pakistan

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 9 November 2018

The Express Tribune has expressed regret for incorrectly stating that Aasia Bibi had departed from Pakistan. The misleading headline attributed information to BBC Urdu without proper confirmation.

Summary

ISLAMABAD – The Express Tribune on Friday expressed regrets for erroneously claiming that Aasia Bibi had left Pakistan.

‘Aasia Bibi flies out of Pakistan’ the paper’s front-page headline had screamed Thursday.

“Though the information in The Express Tribune story was clearly attributed to BBC Urdu, the headline didn’t have the attributive tag, which created an impression that it was our own story,” the paper said Friday.

It added that “The Express Tribune regrets the publication of the BBC story without confirmation from the officials concerned and without cross-checking the facts.”

The Foreign Office and the federal information minister denied that Aasia who was acquitted in a blasphemy case by the Supreme Court had left Pakistan.

KEY POINTS:

• The Express Tribune apologized for a false report.
• The headline falsely claimed Aasia Bibi left Pakistan.
• The information was sourced from BBC Urdu.
• Official denials were issued by the Foreign Office.
• Aasia Bibi was acquitted of a blasphemy case.