Tag: Umar Cheema

  • More audio leaks of judges coming soon, claims journalists

    More audio leaks of judges coming soon, claims journalists

    Veteran journalists Azaz Syed and Umar Cheema have claimed on their YouTube show “Talk Shock” that more audio leaks which have the potential to plunge the country into further crisis, might surface soon.

    The two journalists discussed the recently leaked audio recordings which allegedly feature former Chief Minister (CM) Punjab Pervaiz Elahi talking about a sitting Supreme Court (SC) judge. The two journalists said that according to their well-informed sources, there are some audio leaks that may release soon.

    Syed said that some of the recordings are also related to former Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Saqib Nisar.

    However, both of them clarified that the information is not confirmed yet.

    Azaz added that judges’ phones are not being taped and highlighted that the recording of someone’s call is highly immoral and condemned the audio leaks.

    Moreover, they thoroughly discussed Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senior Vice President Maryam Nawaz’s heavy criticism of the judiciary, claiming that government might know about the contents of the upcoming audio leaks.

  • Two dozen Pak journalists prosecuted under Peca in two years

    Two dozen journalists in Pakistan have been prosecuted (2019-21) over the past under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca), states a report by the Freedom Network. November 2 marks the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists.

    Most complainants against journalists charged under the Peca sought punishment rather than settlement.

    Investigative Journalist Umar Cheema reported for The News that the report’s findings were based on the analysis of cases of 23 journalists and information practitioners who were either sent notices by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) under Peca or charged with offenses under the same law.

    The report states: “Opinions or criticism of the military and the intelligence agencies is the most frequent complaint against journalists pursued under the Peca. Criticism in general – whether against the executive or the judiciary triggered the most complaints against journalists pursued under the Peca law. The prime nature of the complaint was alleged defamation.”

    The report provides evidence that Peca has emerged as the primary legal instrument to silence Pakistani journalists because it criminalises online expression.

    The executive director of Freedom Network Jean Bruggeman has said that Pakistani journalists are increasingly using online spaces to share independent news and critical commentary that is suppressed on traditional media.

    According to the report, Punjab has turned out to be the most dangerous region as 10 of the 23 cases were reported in the province. Federal capital Islamabad comes second when it comes to being targeted under the Peca with eight cases.

    Two-third of them are private citizens whereas opinions or criticism of the military and the intelligence agencies is the most frequent complaint pursued under the Peca.

    Furthermore, it found that the cases were registered against 56 per cent of journalists and informational practitioners who were involved in conflict with Peca between 2019 and 2012. Out of the individuals who were formally charged, around 70 per cent were arrested and half of them were tortured in custody.

    Over a third of the freelancers were targeted as they are almost equally likely to be targeted under Peca.

  • Fact check: Is Junaid Safdar’s name in Pandora Papers?

    Fact check: Is Junaid Safdar’s name in Pandora Papers?

    Claim: PMLN Leader Maryam Nawaz’s son Junaid Safdar’s name came up in the Pandora Papers.

    Fact:

    Following the revelations in the Pandora Papers, featuring names of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) ministers as well as Opposition members, some channels shared the news that Junaid Safdar, who is the son of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Maryam Nawaz, also has five offshore companies registered in his name.

    As per reports, the government-run channel, Pakistan Television Network (PTV), aired the news of Junaid Safdar’s offshore companies.

    Prime Minister Imran Khan’s aide, Dr Shahbaz Gill, shared an image of PTV News with his tweet about Junaid Safdar’s offshore companies.

    Shahbaz Gill, while speaking on ARY News programme ‘Sawal Yeh Hai’, backed the news stating that PTV broke the news of Maryam Nawaz’s son owning offshore companies. “It is not possible that when it comes to theft or hiding information, we don’t see Maryam Baji’s [Maryam Nawaz’s] name there. Her son’s three to five companies have also been uncovered.”

    Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry also took to Twitter and tweeted, “The latest information is that there are five offshore companies in the name of Junaid Safdar, son of Maryam Nawaz. How much money does this family need?”

    Chaudhry also claimed the same in Nadia Mirza’s programme on Dawn News.

    In response to the news, which was shared by a section of the media quoting state-run PTV, Maryam Nawaz issued a statement saying that if the TV channel that ran the news does not apologise immediately, she will take them to court and file a defamation lawsuit.

    Responding to a suggestion by someone to seek legal action in the UK, she said that if the UK desk aired it, the family will sue them there too.

    However, Aoun Sahi from PTV — in response to senior journalist Nasim Zehra — refuted the claims of the news of Junaid Safdar being run on the channel and tweeted, “PTV hasn’t run the story. It’s photoshopped ma’am.”

    Umar Cheema and Fakhar Durrani, the two journalists from The News who participated in the Pandora Papers investigation from Pakistan, were asked by Geo News about Junaid Safdar’s name in the Pandora Papers. They both said they did not come across Junaid Safdar’s name during their investigation.

    “We checked the names of each member of the Sharif family,” Durrani said.

    Umar Cheema also tweeted that a Twitter account by the name of ‘PandoraLeaks’ is fake. The account tweeted: “Our research has found out that Junaid Safdar, grandson of former PM Nawaz Shareef has 3 shell and 2 offshore companies in Seychelles and Virgin Islands.”

    The account has since been deleted.

    The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), which has been investigating international finance and tax havens, has released a detailed list of public figures with offshore companies called the ‘Pandora Papers’ as part of their new investigation.

    VERDICT: FAKE