Journalist Asad Kharal sentenced to three months in prison

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published 3 years ago

KARACHI—A local court in Karachi has sentenced journalist Asad Kharal to three months in prison and imposed a fine of Rs 100,000 for making baseless and fabricated allegations against JSIL Company and JS Group.

In its verdict under 500 PPC, the court declared that the journalist, as head of investigations of ARY News, had distorted the facts to make false allegations against the company during the show 'Kab Tak' aired on ARY News on January 15, 2016.

Kharal, in response to a question asked by anchorperson Erum Nawaz about the CEO of JS Investment Company, had said: "See the story of his frauds is so big that it can't be covered in one program. Those are of billions of rupees and are different. Now the scenario, now the issue is that NICL had made some illegal investment of Rs2 billion in JS Investments Ltd and all this is fraud."

The verdict read: "Due to the defamatory remarks [against JSIL Company and JS Group] which were made with malafide intention and sole object to cause defamation in the eyes of their investors and their clients besides general public, well-wishers and staff members of the company went fed up and mentally perturbed," the judgement noted, elaborating that: "The investors withdrawn their share amounts and also the other public became perturbed to the said defamatory remarks having no worth and truth."

The judgment was announced by Mrs. Fateh Mubeen Nizam, Additional District and Sessions Judge - IV Karachi (S). She noted that such serious defamatory remarks caused great loss to the company and its reputation, which cannot be compensated in terms of money.

She sentenced Kharal to three months in prison and a fine of Rs 100,000. In case of non-payment of the fine, he will have to face another one month's imprisonment.

Photo: Twitter (@AsadKharal)

Explore Further

PFUJ calls for end to Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists

 November 02, 2025: PFUJ urges Pakistan’s federal and provincial governments to end Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists and ensure their safety and press freedom.

Global impunity for journalist murders worsens as Pakistan sees 60 percent rise in attacks

 November 02, 2025: Impunity for crimes against journalists deepens worldwide as Pakistan reports a 60 percent surge in attacks and weak enforcement of safety laws.

Pakistan Press Foundation documents 137 attacks on journalists in 2025

 November 01, 2025: Pakistan Press Foundation reports 137 attacks on journalists in 2025, highlighting rising threats, legal harassment, and censorship on the International Day to End Impunity.

Anchor Talat Hussain laughs as Marwat makes vulgar comment on air

 November 01, 2025: A viral Samaa TV clip featuring MNA Sher Afzal Marwat’s crude remarks and Talat Hussain’s laughter raises questions about the declining ethics of Pakistani television.

Why was this DawnNews TV journalist targeted in a foiled murder plot?

 October 31, 2025: Police foiled a plot to kill DawnNewsTV journalist Tahir Naseer in Rawalpindi after arresting suspects hired for Rs200,000. Naseer says threats followed his reporting.

CPJ calls on Pakistan to prosecute killers of journalist Imtiaz Mir

 October 31, 2025: CPJ calls on Pakistan to bring Imtiaz Mir’s killers to justice after the journalist was allegedly murdered by a banned militant group in Karachi.

PFUJ urges quashing of fabricated case against journalist Matiullah Jan

 October 30, 2025: The PFUJ has condemned a fabricated drug case against journalist Matiullah Jan, calling it an attempt to silence him and urging authorities to quash the charges immediately.

NewsOne TV hit by layoffs and unpaid wages, channel remains on air

 October 30, 2025: NewsOne TV remains on air but faces mass layoffs and delayed salaries, exposing Pakistan’s worsening media crisis and financial instability.