JournalismPakistan.com | Published October 07, 2017 | JP Staff Reporter
Join our WhatsApp channel
ISLAMABAD – Islamabad Police have registered a FIR against anchor Arshad Sharif following his explosive revelation about an Intelligence Bureau (IB) document that said 37 parliamentarians had links with militant organizations.
The move came as a surprise as the matter was still being heard by Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) and the Islamabad High Court.
The IB wrote to the Islamabad Police seeking registration of FIR against Sharif who hosts the program Power Play on ARY News.
In its complaint filed with PEMRA, the IB claims the document displayed in Sharif’s show was a fake. The program aired on September 25 and 27.
In his reply submitted to the PEMRA Council of Complaints by his lawyers on his behalf, Sharif said the document and the list shown in his program were obtained from a credible journalistic source.
It said that “the information disclosed and journalistic analysis made by the Host in the programme was his professional responsibility, that information regarding the illegal conduct of the Intelligence Bureau should be available in the public domain.”
The reply said Director General Intelligence Bureau Aftab Sultan “was the originator and architect of the document. Mr. Sultan wrote this letter on the directions of then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif following a series of meetings.
“Mr. Aftab Sultan tried to use institutional resources for the benefit of the Sharif family…..Sharif was worried about formation of a forward block in PML-N which was ready to ditch the ruling party.”
Meanwhile, the journalist unions across the country announced they would not take this action lying down. The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) was to meet later in the day to chart its course of action.
April 08, 2025: Journalist Arzoo Kazmi alleges that Pakistan's state agencies, including the FIA, have blocked her CNIC, passport, and bank account while threatening her. She calls it a direct attack on journalism.
November 28, 2024: Senior journalist Matiullah Jan has been abducted in Islamabad while investigating PTI protest deaths. Rights lawyers have filed a habeas corpus petition as charges of drug possession and terrorism spark outrage.
May 26, 2022: PTI supporters attack Jang/Geo offices in Islamabad & other cities amid D-Chowk protests—DSNG vans damaged, stones hurled amid anti-media slogans. Political-media tensions escalate.
May 16, 2022: Journalist Zahid Abbas Malik disappears in Lahore amid suspected agency involvement. PFUJ, press clubs demand action as nationwide protests loom over Pakistan's press freedom crisis.
April 30, 2022: DawnNews anchor Adil Shahzeb faces death threats & harassment, allegedly from PTI leaders. Journalists rally behind him as #JournalismIsNotACrime trends. Details on the escalating media safety crisis.
April 17, 2022: PTI supporters harass journalists, including women reporters, at Imran Khan's Karachi rally. Samaa TV's Zam Zam Saeed shares footage of abuse—cameraman injured, shirts torn. Media outcry grows.
March 15, 2022: Haripur Press Club President Zakir Tanoli attacked by masked assailants—struck with knives and pistol butts after chili powder assault. Journalists demand immediate action.
February 16, 2022: FIA arrests journalist Mohsin Jamil Baig after Islamabad raid over alleged cybercrime violations. The incident followed Murad Saeed's complaint under PECA 2016. Details on the confrontation and charges.
April 23, 2025 Discover Dr. Nauman Niaz’s In A Different Realm: Story of Quadruple & Triple Centuries 1876–2025, a profound exploration of cricket's most monumental innings, blending historical analysis with poetic narrative.
April 23, 2025 Pakistani journalists respond in unison to a post hinting at a possible Indian military strike. Citing the 2019 ‘Swift Retort,’ they warn of a stronger response if provoked again.
April 22, 2025 Once a beacon of hope for Pakistan's cricket revival, the Pakistan Super League now grapples with stagnation and moral compromises. Can this cultural symbol reclaim its lost soul?
April 21, 2025 An Italian newspaper, Il Foglio, successfully published a month-long AI-written insert and praised its irony and analytical abilities, while affirming that AI will complement—not replace—quality journalism.
April 21, 2025 After being expelled from PTI, MNA Sher Afzal Marwat launches personal attacks on journalists and Aleema Khan, sparking outrage on social media over his offensive remarks.