SC Staff Permitted Only One Particular Channel For The Coverage Full-Court Reference

Supreme Court of Pakistan's staff on Wdnesday flouted relevant constitutional provision by providing footage of full-court reference to only one particular private TV channel (Geo TV). A full-court reference was held in honor of outgoing chief justice of Pakistan Iftekhar Muhammad Chaudhry. The reference was held in-camera. But according to the journalists staff of supreme court facilitated only one channel to have video coverage of the event depriving other media outlets including state-run Pakistan Television. Journalists from other channels are not pleased with the incident, saying fundamental rights of journalists were violated. They demanded action against those rsponsible for the act. Some say it is a conspiracy to create controversy on the last day in the office of chief justice of Pakistan. Abdul Hameed staff officer of the chief justice, failed to satisfy the journalists during his brief media talk after the full court reference. He strangly, maintained that one cameraman ran away with the footage of the event. Senior journalists demanded inquiry into the incident. They regretted the partisdan approach of the administration of supreme court, saying favouratism should be avoided in such types of important events. Reacting on the incident justice )retd) Saeed Uz Zaman Siddiqui said that supreme court do not have prerogative to provide footage to only one channel. He remonded that under srticle 25 of the constitution every citizen enjoys equal rights.