{"id":32140,"date":"2023-12-06T11:36:04","date_gmt":"2023-12-06T11:36:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/journalist-asma-shirazi-says-faith-in-justice-system-restored-after-ihc-asks-ary-news-to-apologise-to-her\/"},"modified":"2023-12-06T11:36:04","modified_gmt":"2023-12-06T11:36:04","slug":"journalist-asma-shirazi-says-faith-in-justice-system-restored-after-ihc-asks-ary-news-to-apologise-to-her","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/journalist-asma-shirazi-says-faith-in-justice-system-restored-after-ihc-asks-ary-news-to-apologise-to-her\/","title":{"rendered":"Journalist Asma Shirazi says faith in justice system restored after IHC asks ARY News to apologise to her"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div dir=\"auto\">\n<p>Two days after the Islamabad High Court reprimanded and directed <em>ARY News<\/em> to apologise to journalist Asma Shirazi for using her image alongside a news report unrelated to her, Shirazi expressed her renewed faith in the justice system and hailed the verdict as a \u201clandmark decision\u201d for media professionals subjected to online and mainstream media intimidation and harassment.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI am extremely emotional and yet this decision has restored my faith in justice system,\u201d she said in a statement. \u201cThis is landmark decision not only for me but for all journalists who faced intimidation and harassment online and on mainstream media.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Speaking to <em>Dawn.com<\/em>, Shirazi recalled that she was put under an \u201cunfair and unjust media trial\u201d two years ago when <em>ARY News<\/em> used her photos in their headlines while reporting a suo motu case pertaining to the highhandedness of journalists by the Federal Investigation Agency.<\/p>\n<p>She elaborated that the said was case taken up for hearing after two journalists were \u201cpicked up\u201d for allegedly commenting on former first lady Bushra Bibi. During the proceedings, Shirazi continued, then-judge Qazi Amin had expressed his displeasure on rumours of black magic associated with Imran Khan\u2019s wife.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThroughout the proceedings, my name was never brought up, neither was I mentioned, there were no comments on me or any other such thing,\u201d she highlighted.<\/p>\n<p>Shirazi added that she had written a <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"link--external\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/urdu\/pakistan-58964024\">column<\/a> criticising the then-PTI government around the same time, but did not name Bushra Bibi or any other individual in it.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"media  sm:w-1\/2  w-full  media--right  media--embed  media--uneven\">\n<p>    <iframe class=\"nk-iframe\" onload=\"setInterval(()=&gt;{try{this.style.height=this.contentWindow.document.body.scrollHeight+'px';}catch{}}, 100)\" width=\"100%\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" style=\"height:400px;position:relative\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dawn.com\/news\/card\/1653214\" sandbox=\"allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-popups allow-modals allow-forms\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p>However, the journalist said a campaign \u2014 without any evidence \u2014 was launched against her by former PTI cabinet member after which she approached the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) and the IHC.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn my CMA (civil miscellaneous appeal) to Islamabad High Court \u2018Asma Shirazi vs Pemra Council of Complaints\u2019, IHC\u2019s Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani passed an order in my favour and ordered <em>ARY News<\/em> to broadcast an apology for their actions against me back in 2022 alongside paying damages to me,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p>Shirazi said a precedent has been set with the aforementioned verdict and Pakistan\u2019s journalists have gotten a \u201cline of action\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf someone is defaming you, whether on television channels or social media, you can now take them to court,\u201d she added and requested incumbent CJP Qazi Faez Isa to introduce laws on defamation cases and their timely hearing.<\/p>\n<h2><a id=\"court-order\" href=\"#court-order\" class=\"heading-permalink\" aria-hidden=\"true\" title=\"Permalink\"\/>Court order<\/h2>\n<p>In its verdict on Shirazi\u2019s appeal, the court directed <em>ARY News<\/em> to pay the journalist Rs50,000 of nominal damages and broadcast an apology for her for the clarity of the public.<\/p>\n<p>It noted that the news content and photos aired by <em>ARY News<\/em> \u201cmake no sense or justiciable impression as to why the photograph of the appellant has been placed along with remarks\/ticker in the news repeatedly flashed on the particular day\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe court is of the view that editorial side and the airing committee of the licensee\/respondent No.3 [the TV channel] is not vigilant enough that picture of the appellant was wrongly placed along with the news content, when she has nothing to do with that particular news item on aired by respondent No.3 [\u2026],\u201d the verdict, a copy of which is available with <em>Dawn.com<\/em>, said.<\/p>\n<p>It further highlighted that TV channels were bound to broadcast news and reports in the right way under Pemra laws.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis Court is also mindful of the fact that every citizen shall have right to freedom of speech and expression, and there shall be freedom of the press, subject to any reasonable restrictions imposed by the law as defined in Article-19 of the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973, but that does not mean any news item has been aired in such a manner that appellant would be exposed to unjust criticism for no fault rather put to trial by media,\u201d the IHC ruled.<\/p>\n<p>The court added that the appellant still had the right to approach the competent court to seek damages under defamation law if advised.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Two days after the Islamabad High Court reprimanded and directed ARY News to apologise to journalist Asma Shirazi for using her image alongside a news report unrelated to her, Shirazi expressed her renewed faith in the justice system and hailed the verdict as a \u201clandmark decision\u201d for media professionals subjected to online and mainstream media 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