PBA prays to SHC to become party in Axact’s TV case

KARACHI: The Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA) has filed an application with the Sindh High Court (SHC) to become party to the lawsuit filed by the BoL TV management submitting that the plaintiffs had leveled serious allegations against the association and its member broadcasters without documentary evidence.
The applicant submitted that the Bol TV management had alleged that the impugned action of Customs and FBR authorities against them was taken on the dictation, command and behest of the applicant and its member TV broadcasters as they were rivals of the plaintiffs.
The PBA requested the court to allow the applicant to become party to the instant suit so that the applicant on behalf of all its member TV broadcasters clarify their position and defend them against the allegations leveled by the plaintiffs.
The plaintiff counsel waived notice on the application and sought time to seek instructions on the application.Zain A Jatoi filed power of attorney on behalf of Directorate of Intelligence and Investigation FBR and assistant directors and sought time to file counter an affidavit on the lawsuit.
Meanwhile, an official of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) told the court that the agency had not taken into possession any document or equipment of M/s Labaik (Pvt) limited Karachi or Bol TV except the documents and other articles concerning the Axact under proper seizure memo, says a report submitted by the FIA to the Sindh High Court (SHC) in the lawsuit of Bol TV against the seizure of its equipment.
Plaintiff Labaik and Bol TV management had approached the court for initiating proceedings against the customs authorities for seizing the equipment procured and installed by the channel and the FIA officials for taking important documents into custody.
Plaintiff counsel Abid S Zuberi submitted that a substantial part of documentation in respect of BoL equipment had been seized by the FIA in connection with proceedings against a sister company of the plaintiff, named Axact Private Limited under the FIR No. 7/2015 which had been registered by the FIA.
The court Nazir submitted a 15-page detailed inventory with regard to the equipment installed or available at 7th and 9th floor of the BoL building as well as the vehicles present there.Assistant Director FIA Corporate Crime Circle Saeed Ahmed Memon submitted that that agency had not taken into possession any documents, equipment etc regarding M/s Labaik (Pvt) or Bol TV except the documents and other articles pertaining to alleged accused persons of M/s Axact under proper seizer memos.
The SHC’s single bench headed by Justice Munib Akhtar granted time to the parties to file objections if any to Nazir’s report.The court directed the counsel for defendants and provincial law officer to file counter affidavit continuing the interim order till June 24.
The court directed the Customs Intelligence officer Mohammad Akmal Hashmi to remain in attendance on every date of hearing until exempted by the court.It is pertinent to mention that on the previous hearing the SHC had directed the customs authorities to continue their proceedings under Section 26 of Customs Act with regard to Bol TV. However, it restrained the customs authorities from taking any action or initiating proceedings in respect of equipment of Bol TV without seeking prior permission from the court.