The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has set up a committee on Thursday to investigate Maryam Nawaz’s admission that a viral audio clip in which she can be heard giving instructions to someone to stop ads to certain TV channels was authentic.
It is pertinent to note that a day earlier, Maryam had admitted in a presser that the audio related to stopping the advertisements for certain channels was her’s. Her admission has garnered strong reactions.
It the audio that went viral on social media, Maryam can be heard instructing someone that no advertisement will go to certain channels that she named.
Hours after PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz confirmed the authenticity of the audio clip, the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) came out to vehemently condemn what it described as the act akin to “stifling the media and financial exploitation of journalists”.
In a statement, Rana Muhammad Azeem, secretary-general of the PFUJ, went on to announce that the organisation would move the Supreme Court against the PML-N leader, seeking a trial against her.
Following the incident, minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry had lashed out at the PML-N vice president alleging that the she has doled out Rs18 billion from national kitty to reward blue-eyed journalists and media channels at federal and Punjab levels during the party’s last tenure.
Fawad went on to state that Maryam’s confession of controlling advertisements was another admission of serious financial irregularities and hoped that she would also confess to her properties abroad.
A day earlier, Fawad had said admission of Maryam of curtailing or blocking advertisements for specific television channels was certainly an immoral and illegal act.
It is pertinent to note that the inquiry committee would report its findings on any irregularities found in the allotment of advertisements issued to media organisations during the PML-N government’s last tenure.
