Guessing game: All eyes on the Supreme Court

Journalists demanded the SC make public the names of the private TV channel that received Rs300 million from the govt.

LAHORE:

Supreme Court Judge Jawwad S Khawja remarked during the April 11 hearing of the information ministry secret funds case that Rs300 million was apparently given away to a private television channel.

These remarks triggered a scathing debate among the journalist community on the internet, especially on [e-mail] under the title “Supreme Court likely to expose govt-funded journalists on April 17.”

Journalists and members of the civil society demanded the Supreme Court make public the names of the private TV channel that received Rs300 million from the information ministry and of all those journalists who allegedly received huge payments from the ministry.

It is the right of every citizens under Article 19 A of the Constitution, which says, “Every citizen shall have the right to have access to information in all matters of public importance subject to regulation and reasonable restrictions imposed by law.”


Published in The Express Tribune, April 17^th, 2013.