NA panel seeks report by 20th

August 4, 2016
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INQUIRY INTO DR ASIM’S LEAKED VIDEO

By Nasir Mahmood

KARACHI: The spokesman of the former petroleum minister Dr Asim Hussain said that Dr Asim Hussain has welcomed the decision of the sub-committee of National Assembly’s Standing Committee seeking Sindh government’s response on Dr Asim’s leaked video.

He urged the Sindh government to investigate this matter seriously and find out the reasons behind the media trial. Earlier, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar had also deplored the leakage of this video and instructed to hold transparent inquiry but no action was taken, the spokesman added.

It may be mentioned here that the sub-committee of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting on Tuesday have asked the Sindh government to submit a detailed report with regard to the agency in whose custody Dr. Asim Hussain was when his video was made.

The sub-committee met in Islamabad with its convener Imran Leghari of the PPP in the chair. The panel had detailed deliberations on the leaked video of Dr. Asim and other issues. Imran Leghari raised a number of questions on the leaked video issue: how and who made a video of Dr. Asim and in whose custody was he at that time? Why are such videos made at all? Is it legal or illegal to make such videos? And are these videos needed in a court of law?

The committee members insisted that the Sindh government should explain its position on the matter. PML-N’s Talal Chaudhry asked if the Sindh government had complained to Pemra or any other institution about the leaked video. The panel has sought a report by August 20. On this, a representative of the provincial government informed the forum guardedly that investigation was under way on this count.

Pemra Chairman Absar Alam said a ban on the running of such videos could not be clamped, as the media had the right to have access to information. However, it could be seen what exactly were the analysis and comments made on the content. The committee members were of the view that they fully respected the freedom of expression but when a matter was in a court of law, should the media intervene in this way? Pemra also presented a list of TV channels that had aired the video. Pemra officials told Imran Zafar Leghari that 20 TV channels had broadcast the leaked video. The committee also directed the Additional IG Sindh to investigate and submit a report.

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