While adjudicating a complaint regarding violation of Electronic Media Code of Conduct (CoC) 2015 on Monday Chairman of the Council of Complaint Muhammad Ali Bukhari observed daughters are respectable so no one is allowed disrespect to them.
Filing complaint on behalf of Mehdi Ali Kazmi, father of a minor girl, victim of abduction and sexual abuse Barrister Umer Ijaz Gilani has invoked jurisdiction of the CoC.
He urged the Pemra to take action against private television SAMAA which allegedly aired interview of a minor girl without consent of the victim’s guardian. Gilani informed the Authority that the television has violated provisions of the Electronic Media Code of Conduct 2015.
Appearing before the Council, Advocate Gilani argued that law of the land prohibits victim details revelation in electronic media. Citing provisions of the Child Marriage Restrained Act 1929 he apprised minor means a person of either sex who is under eighteen years of age.
It is pertinent to mention that a minor of around 14 years of age who is daughter of the complainant had entered into marriage contract with a Zaheer Ahmad after having been tempted. To which the complainant launched an FIR 159/2022 at police station Al-Falah Karachi. The case when surfaced on media attracted the attention of the general public and the matter of underage marriages along with the victim’s family background became talk of the town in no time.
Both social and electronic media extended coverage to the event. This situation got the victim parents worried about the exposure of their minor daughter’s identity to the general public.
During this illegal media coverage a reporter of the SAMAA Tv revealed complete identity of the victim in the clear contravention and violation of Clause 8(6) of the Electronic Media Code of Conduct, 2015.
According to the provision, “Identity of any victim of rape, sexual abuse, terrorism or
kidnapping or such victim’s family shall not be revealed without prior permission of the victim or victim’s guardian where victim is a minor.”
After a brief hearing of the matter, the Chairman Pemra Muhammad Ali Bukhari said the Council shall decide the matter during next date of hearing.
The writer heads a leading news wire service ‘The Law Today Pakistan’ commonly known as TLTP. He has a special focus on news relating to superior courts adjudication, access to right of information, civil, political, social and economic rights under the approach that existing cyber regime realization ensures procedural fairness in administrative law. He can be reached at editor@tltpnews.com
