F.P. Report
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court bench remarked that the proceedings will be proceed according to the law against the anchorperson Dr Shahid Masood, who made surprising allegations about the Zainab rape and murder case.
Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar headed three-member bench took up its suo motu notice of the anchorperson’s claims made in a TV show.
In Monday’s hearing, Chief Justice Saqib Nisar rejected the anchorperson’s reply and remarked that the time is over for apologizing.
CJP asked the Additional Attorney General for how long the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority can ban a channel for such a violation.
Rejecting the ‘unconditional apology’ submitted by Masood’s counsel, Justice Ijazul Ahsan observed that the anchor should have realized his responsibility. The case was then adjourned for a week, with directions to the attorney general to submit his response on the matter.
The chief justice also remarked during the hearing that the court will determine whether the matter falls under the purview of the Anti-Terrorism Act.
The apex court also appointed noted lawyer Faisal Siddiqui as amicus curiae (friend of the court) to assist it in the case.
At the last hearing on March 7, the Supreme Court had warned the anchorperson to submit his objections to the joint investigation team (JIT) report laying bogus his claims regarding the Zainab murder case convict.
On March 1, the JIT had submitted its report to the Supreme Court and dismissed all of the anchorperson’s allegations regarding the high-profile case.
Addressing Masood in court that day, Chief Justice Nisar had observed that the anchorperson spread sensationalism through his claims.
Seven year-old Zainab, who was kidnapped on January 4 in Kasur and found dead five days later from a garbage pile. The post-mortem revealed Zainab had been raped. Later, the authorities succeeded in nabbing the suspect, Imran. He has since been sentenced to death by the trial court.
On Jan 25, Dr Masood had claimed in a TV show that the convict had links with an influential figure and was part of an international ring. The chief justice had taken notice of the claims and sought a subsequent inquiry by a JIT.
In its report to the apex court, the JIT declared baseless all of the 18 allegations leveled by the anchorperson.
