ISLAMABAD: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain Friday said PEMRA should take notice and initiate action against the spread of baseless and false news against Finance Minister Asad Umar and State Minister for Interior Shehryar Afridi.
In a statement, the minister strongly condemned the creation of a negative situation by airing false news. PEMRA should investigate who spread the false news, why it was aired and whom it wanted to damage, he added. He said Asad Umar was a respectable personality of Tehreek-i-Insaf, adding the airing of a baseless news attributed to the Prime Minister was based on ill intention.  He said some elements were trying to create political and economic instability.
Under a specific agenda, a certain group of media was being used to defame the PTI government, Fawad added. He said the false news of renovation of the house of State Interior Minister Shehryar Afridi was condemnable.  The character assassination of the minister active against land occupiers and the land mafia was unfortunate, he noted.  The minister said PTI will not withdraw from its reform agenda by getting fearful of the media trial.