Judge lets Waqt News and Matiullah Jan off the hook
JournalismPakistan.com | Published 7 years ago | JP Staff Report
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ISLAMABAD–Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui of the Islamabad High Court has formally dropped contempt of court proceedings against veteran journalist Matiullah Jan and the management of Waqt News, following unconditional apologies and an undertaking from the parties involved.
The contempt case stemmed from an episode of the current affairs program Apna Apna Gareban, aired on February 5, which discussed the alleged illegal occupation of a football ground in Islamabad's Sector F-8 by members of the legal community. During the broadcast, the name of Justice Siddiqui was mentioned in a context the court deemed inappropriate and unverified.
Justice Siddiqui had initially taken strong exception to his name being linked without proper verification, calling it an act of irresponsible journalism. However, during a hearing on Wednesday, he stated that he was dropping the matter “by showing grace and kindness.”
Waqt News CEO Rameeza Majid Nizami and Islamabad Bureau Chief Sardar Hameed appeared before the court and submitted an unconditional apology. Journalist Matiullah Jan also tendered a written undertaking expressing regret for airing information that had not been independently verified. He assured the court of greater caution in his future broadcasts.
