Jang Group petitions against ARY News: IHC says media can't be stopped from telling truth

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) resumed the hearing of Jang Group's petitions against ARY News earlier today, whilst Justice Riaz Ahmed Khan has said that media cannot be prevented from telling the truth and bringing forth the facts – ARY News reports.

During the hearing, the counsel of Mir Shakeel ur Rehman and others, said that during the ARY News program Khara Such, anchorperson Mubashir Luqman is damaging the repute of his client through propaganda and requested the court to stop the broadcast of the program.

He further pleaded the IHC to order ARY News not broadcast any kind of program against Mir Shakeel ur Rehman and Mir Ibrahim Rehman, nor to pass any sort of remarks.

The attorney of ARY News and Mubashir Luqman took the stance that whatever is broadcasted against Mir Shakeel ur Rehman, that is aired with documentary evidence and the forum is also available for Mir Shakeel ur Rehman and Mir Ibrahim Rehman to come and present their clarification.

It was told that whatever is revealed in 'Khara Such', it was aired with concrete evidences.

Justice Riaz Ahmed Khan in his remarks, said that media cannot be prevented from telling the truth with documentary evidence supporting it too, nor the court can issue any such verdict against anyone.

He said that the law demands us not to broadcast anything against facts.

The attorney of ARY News further stated that the Geo News program, 'Hum Sab Umeed Sai Hain', humiliates the President, Pak-Army, ulema and scholars, religious and political leaders, and ARY News reserves the right of consulting the courts against it.

The IHC while issuing interim verdict, advised not to air defamatory content against the petition and adjourned the hearing.