Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) spent no time in banning Khara Sach host Mubasher Lucman after Lahore High Court passed an order against the outspoken anchor. He was banned from appearing in any capacity on any channel of Pakistan.
The Lahore High Court Judge, Justice Mazhar Ali Naqvi called Mubashir Lucman’s Khara Sach program a nonsense. He issued arrest warrants of Mubasher Lucman, producer of his program and ARY’s CEO Salman Iqbal. Even so, Justice Naqvi ordered that Mr. Lucman’s name be placed on the Exit Control List (ECL).
Court had taken suo motto action against Mr. Lucman for airing the interview of Asim Malik in a way that was seen as an attempt to malign the superior judiciary and its judges.
Asim Malik had claimed that he had documentary proof of corrupt judges who took bribes from him and other people he knew. He video recorded one of those transactions in which, allegedly, the son-in-law of a judge could be seen taking bribe from him in return of a favourable decision. Mubasher Lucman showed that video on his Khara Sach program.
On the other hand, police thrice raided the house of Mr. Luqman to arrest him even though he had received a bail before arrest. According to reports police entered his house, took photos of his family and house without authorization.
Mubasher Lucman also took to twitter and expressed his fear for the safety of his family.
The lives of my children and myself are in serious danger now.. Anything can happen. Need your prayers…
— Mubasher Lucman (@mubasherlucman) October 19, 2014
The police went into my home when i had the bail from court a day before..Then they went into ARY studio and an SP flew to KHI ARY. — Mubasher Lucman (@mubasherlucman) October 19, 2014
Mubasher Lucman considers the ban a conspiracy of the Nawaz Sharif government to silence him. He has regularly been giving different kinds of evidences against different PMLN and government officials on his Khara Sach program.
Even if I am silenced or sent to prison the evidences i gave on television against so many including the PM must be taken up by courts
— Mubasher Lucman (@mubasherlucman) October 19, 2014
Khara Sach show of Mubasher Lucman is a top rated show of Pakistan. The news of ban on Mr. Lucman did not go well with the regular audience of his show. Fans protested the decision of Lahore High Court and PEMRA to ban him. Some called it an attempt to silence freedom of speech.
The ban on Mubasher Lucman is an affront to democracy.Truth cannot be hidden by gagging investigative journalism & curbing freedom of speech — Anam Hanif (@AnamHanif28) October 19, 2014
Some protesters were holding placards demanding justice for Mubasher Lucman.
@mubasherlucman #WeWantKharaSach #WeStandWithMubasherLucman Love u sir…we’ll never let u alone! pic.twitter.com/kK7E4cbDfb
— Sheeza Kousar (@sheezakousar007) October 19, 2014
