Media persons have tendered an unconditional apology before the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency after being summoned in a defamation case related to alleged false and misleading claims about renovation expenditures of the Punjab Chief Secretary’s official residence. The case emerged after Punjab Chief Secretary Zahid Akhtar Zaman initiated action through NCCIA against three media figures over content shared on social media and digital platforms that allegedly misrepresented public spending figures and damaged the reputation of a senior government official.
According to details shared in the complaint, NCCIA issued notices to media persons Irshad Bhatti, Anwar Sumra, and Salman Haider over allegations that they circulated defamatory material claiming that Rs225 million had been spent from public funds on the renovation of lawns at the official residence of the Punjab Chief Secretary. The agency stated that such content was harmful to the dignity and public standing of the official and had the potential to undermine public trust in government institutions by linking the senior civil servant to accusations of misuse of public funds and personal extravagance. The notices further stated that the alleged statements exposed the official to public criticism and negative sentiment through repeated circulation across digital platforms, prompting formal legal proceedings under relevant cybercrime provisions.
In response to the NCCIA summons, Irshad Bhatti and Anwar Sumra appeared before the agency and submitted written statements acknowledging their position in the matter. Salman Haider did not appear before NCCIA as he was reported to be in Gilgit-Baltistan at the time of proceedings. During the hearing, Anwar Sumra submitted an unconditional apology for sharing what was described in the proceedings as false information targeting the Punjab Chief Secretary and the provincial government. Irshad Bhatti also submitted an apology, stating that his commentary was based on information aired by a private television channel and was presented as analysis derived from what was later described as unverified claims.
In addition, the Lahore bureau chief of the news channel that broadcasted the original programme also submitted an unconditional apology regarding the dissemination of the contested information. The media representatives involved have requested that the complaint be disposed of following their apologies. The development comes after earlier warnings from the Punjab government indicating that legal action would be pursued against individuals and groups allegedly involved in circulating misleading narratives regarding senior officials and government expenditures, reinforcing the administrative stance on addressing defamation concerns through formal regulatory channels.
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