Zainab murder case: Anchor doesn’t seek SC pardon

ISLAMABAD: Anchorperson Dr Shahid Masood on Saturday told the Supreme Court that he does not contest the findings

of the inquiry committee, dismissing all of his allegations regarding the high-profile Zainab murder case and will observe due diligence and remain cautious in his conduct in future.

He submitted his written statement to the Supreme Court after his claims regarding the Zainab murder case convict were proved false.

On March 1, the JIT had submitted its report to the Supreme Court and dismissed all of the allegations of the anchorperson.

"I further submit that whatever the inquiry committee has concluded, I do not contest and refute the same," wrote the anchor, who had earlier offered to be hanged if his allegations were proven incorrect.

He said although the committee had included him and others in the investigation, he "could not comment on the veracity of its (the committee) findings" because the court had itself selected members of the probe team.

Shahid Masood had claimed during a late night show in January that convict Imran Ali was a member of a pornography gang which also includes a Punjab minister. During earlier hearings of the case, he had also told the court that the suspect has 37 foreign accounts.

Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar, who had taken a suo motu notice of the TV programme, had on Wednesday refused to accept a verbal apology from Shahid Masood, saying it was too late after the inquiry committee in its report found the anchor's allegations to be untrue.

The chief justice had said that the court would proceed in the case in accordance with law and had subsequently issued a notice to News One channel and sought a reply from its management for airing the misleading programme related to the Kasur rape-murder case.

The anchorperson while thanking the apex court for taking a "prompt action" against his programme that was broadcast on January 24, said that since Zainab's murder was a highly sensitive issue, he not only being an anchor and journalist but also a father was highly concerned and emotionally upset.

He assured the apex court that he will observe due diligence and care before making any such statement in the future.