PEMRA Council adjourns hearing on IB complaint against Arshad Sharif

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 5 October 2017

The PEMRA Council has postponed the hearing regarding the Intelligence Bureau's complaint against anchor Arshad Sharif. The adjournment follows a request from ARY News' legal team, allowing more time for preparation.

Summary

ISLAMABAD – The Council of Complaints of electronic media regulator PEMRA Thursday adjourned the hearing on a complaint by Intelligence Bureau against prominent anchor Arshad Sharif on the request of ARY News’ counsel’s request.

A PEMRA press release said that Barrister Shoaib Razzaq argued for Sharif while the counsel for ARY News, Barrister Masroor Shah sought one week’s time for preparation.

According to the regulator, Sharif in his program Power Play aired on September 25 and 27 alleged “initiation of a report by the IB and displayed a fake document with regard to linkages of 37 parliamentarians with militant organizations.”

An IB director had filed the complaint with PEMRA last week.

Meanwhile, PEMRA said there were similar complaints lodged before the Council of Complaints separately by Murtaza Javed Abbasi, Deputy Speaker National Assembly, and Pir Aslam Bodla, Chairman National Assembly Standing Committee on Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage. The Council issued summons to both of them and adjourned the hearing till October 13.

KEY POINTS:

• PEMRA adjourned hearing on IB complaint against Arshad Sharif.
• ARY News' counsel requested additional time for preparation.
• Sharif's allegations involved a fake document linking parliamentarians to militancy.
• Similar complaints were filed by Deputy Speaker and Chairman of a National Assembly Committee.
• Next hearing is scheduled for October 13.