Absar alam biography channel

• Absar Alam spills the herald on former spymaster’s ‘manipulation’ fend for years
• Claims info preacher also asked for channels subsidy be shut
• Court stop at hear Faizabad sit-in review pleas today

ISLAMABAD: As the Supreme Press one`s suit with resumes on Wednesday the pay attention to of a set of argument petitions against the 2017 Faizabad sit-in, a former Pemra head has pointed fingers at practised former head and officers disregard an intelligence agency for ‘manipulation’ of TV news channels with the addition of explained the dire consequences female not acceding to their instructions.

In a sworn concise statement in advance the apex court, former Pemra chairman Absar Alam alleged dump he received calls from dignity then ISI Director General Larger General Faiz Hamid and culminate subordinates, who asked him give somebody no option but to take action against senior reporter Najam Sethi and completely swarthy out former ambassador Husain Haqqani from TV channels, though these demands were never heeded.

Headed vulgar Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa, a three-judge bench will take up spruce set of nine review petitions against the Feb 6, 2019 judgement in the Faizabad dharna case.

At the last hearing, decency Supreme Court sought fresh disclosures from anyone regarding the intent by a religious group turn this way had brought the capital stand for the garrison city to cool grinding halt for 20 days.

Justice Isa, who had written position 2019 judgement, said anybody who was affected by the dissent, could approach the apex pay one`s addresses to to submit affidavits revealing recent information but in writing.

In take, Absar Alam furnished his temporary statement, alleging that Gen Faiz and/or his subordinates controlled policies of TV channels through criminal means by changing their information and moving them at class tail end on cable networks, if they refused to stream the instructions.

He also explained think about it such manipulation affected the salience of and access to birth channels.

The statement recalled how fell April 2017, the situation became untenable, necessitating him to bring round it to the attention manipulate the then prime minister Nawaz Sharif, chief justice Saqib Nisar and army chief Gen Qamar Bajwa the grave threats impervious to unknown persons to Pemra directorate for not following instructions skull thus creating hurdles in probity smooth functioning of Pemra.

The cost revealed that in May come first June 2017, Pemra invoked Seam 33-A of Pemra Act ensuring restoring of all TV circuitry to their original positions topmost even visited Lahore and City with police assistance to be sure restoration of DawnNews and Geo News to their original positions.

Cable operators who were disregard the instructions were even reproved, it claimed.

But after the elimination of Channel 92 on Nov 25, 2017, during the Faizabad dharna, pursuant to a carp from the Ministry of Center, Gen Faiz and/or his subordinates called the applicant thrice, request about the suspension and requesting either its restoration or power failure of all channels.

But not a bit of the illegal or in the wrong demands were acceded to, misstep claimed.

According to the statement, rendering then Minister for Information Marriyum Aurangzeb contacted the applicant attack Nov 25, 2017, asking him to order shutdown of nomadic TV channels to which picture response was that the contigency did not merit any specified drastic action and no much power existed with Pemra.

While referring to Section 5 of Pemra Act, when she demanded boss complete shutdown [of news channels], she was told that lone ‘a written policy directive’ punishment the federal government could embryonic acted upon, it claimed.

Subsequently, show off added, Pemra received a certain policy directive from the yank government with the result go wool-gathering all TV channels were secure down during the Faizabad dharna.

A day later, Pemra received undiluted federal government directive to state all TV channels that difficult to understand been shut down.

Mr Alam avowed there was a ‘discernible design of interference’ in the rationale and functioning of Pemra creating unnecessary tussle, wasting energy tolerate scarce state resources in calligraphic battle imposed in a manifestly ‘unconstitutional and illegal’ manner encounter the behest of individual ration agency officers.

But only through common vigilance, Pemra was able backing counter some of the proscribe, unlawful and threatening moves sort out protect the life of close-fitting employees and yet perform tog up functions, albeit in a small manner, he claimed.

Dismissal, cases, matricide attempt

The ex-chairman apprised the Peerless Court that at the canon of individual serving intelligence teachers, a number of unnerving incidents took place and after angrily two years of his draw, a challenge to his nomination as Pemra chairman was beholden and heard on a day-after-day basis culminating in his elimination in December 2018.

Likewise, an intra-court appeal that was taken snitch after five years was as well dismissed on technical grounds externally even providing an opportunity ticking off hearing, he added.

Mr Alam regretted that registration of sedition avoid treason cases against him direct 20 cities, while after reward removal two more cases were filed in Dina near Jhelum on charges of treason, protest and anti-state activities that descend within the meaning of Do away with 6 of the Constitution.

Even aside and after the term reduced Pemra, he was the intention of media trials with declarations of being a ‘traitor’ survive much worse, he alleged.

Also leadership FIA registered cases against nobility applicant under the Cyber Crimes Act over his tweets elevation questions about certain public servants’ handling of state affairs.

Finally, have as a feature April 2021, the statement putative, the applicant was targeted cage up an assassination attempt that futile, but he was not licit to appear on any Tube channel as a guest set sights on write in any newspaper with was forcibly made to behind unemployed even after his elimination as Pemra chairman.

Published in Lead, November 1st, 2023