Pakistan Today sued for defamation over Jehangir Siddiqui story

JournalismPakistan.com | Published: 29 August 2023

Pakistan Today is being sued for defamation by JS Bank regarding a story about Jehangir Siddiqui's banking acquisitions. Given the complexities of criminal defamation cases, the newspaper asserts its commitment to continuing its journalism.
Summary

ISLAMABAD—The publishing editor of Pakistan Today has said a defamation case has been registered against the newspaper for a story regarding business tycoon Jehangir Siddiqui acquiring two banks.

In a note, Babar Nizami said JS Bank, owned by Jehangir Siddiqui, has filed a case of criminal defamation at a police station in Thatta, Sindh against the paper.

The story is regarding Jehangir Siddiqui’s bid to buy BankIslami, the alleged foul play, and the rivalry with another leading stockbroker Aqeel Karim Dhedi.

The story—Jehangir Siddiqui will soon own two more banks. Not everyone is happy—was filed by Babar and published in March this year.

“Criminal defamation cases, as discerning readers might already know, require the accused to be physically present during hearings and investigations, making them a more calculatedly tedious affair than the civil defamation case.”

He added that at a time when civilized societies are doing away with criminal defamation laws and making the matter entirely a civil matter, “we are still stuck with laws that are clearly a tool to suppress independent journalism.”

He asked: “Would we have liked the legal system not be granted against us, that too, more than a thousand miles away from our office in Lahore? Yes.”

However, Babar made it clear that the newspaper had no plans to change its journalism. “Would we do it all over again? Yes.”

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