Jibran Nasir moves PEMRA against Amir Liaquat over blasphemy allegations

Social activist says the Bol TV host has been running a life-threatening campaign against him and missing bloggers

Social activist Jibran Nasir has filed a an official complaint with the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) against TV anchor Amir Liaquat Hussain for 'maligning' him.

In his complaint letter to the media watchdog, Jibran said the anchor of BOL Network had started a “malicious, defamatory and life endangering campaign” against him and the bloggers who went missing between January 4 to 8.

“…on 19 January, Amir Liaquat carried on this vicious campaign against me asserting accusations of blasphemy and went to accuse me of being the admin of the Facebook page “Bhensaa” and associated all its blasphemous content and posts to me,” Jibran wrote in his letter available with the The Express Tribune.

Families of missing activists deny blasphemy charges

Copy of my complaint filed with @reportpemra against Amir Liaqat & Bol for his malicious, defamatory & life endangering campaign against me pic.twitter.com/gGkH1dhe18

— M. Jibran Nasir 🇵🇸 (@MJibranNasir) January 20, 2017

“He further attacked me on my faith and beliefs and declared me an atheist,” he added in it.

The rights activist said Liaquat accused him of having an anti-state agenda and also maligned Kathak dancer Sheema Kermani since she participated in a protest demanding safe recovery of the missing persons.

“The above baseless allegation is hate speech in its most blatant form being propagated to arouse contempt, hatred and endanger lives on the basis of religion,” Jibran remarked.

He demanded immediate action from the regulatory authority to restrict the TV anchor from spreading false information since he said he has already received several death threats via social media.

“In addition to the damage already caused to the reputations of all Pakistanis accused by him including myself, if any danger comes to my life I will hold Pemra equally responsible for failing to take necessary action against Amir Liaquat and the management of Bol News,” he added.