Ofcom decides in favour of late Mushahidullah in defamation complaint

LONDON: The late Senator Mushahidullah Khan has won a defamation complaint in the UK against a private TV channel over a programme in which the channel’s analyst had made false allegations against the PML-N’s late Senator that he used Pakistan International Airline’s money to stay and get treatment in London.

The private channel aired a news programme on 24th June, 2020 in the UK about the findings of a report into a PIA plane crash in Karachi in May 2020. The private channel’s employee claimed that Mushahidullah Khan was ‘treated’ and stayed at a hotel in London at the expense of PIA. Mushahidullah Khan complained that he was treated unjustly or unfairly in the programme. He challenged the private TV to present any proof and prove him guilty and told Ofcom that he was ready to face any penalty if allegations against him could be proven true or any witness or evidence could be shown.

Ofcom declared that the analyst’s comments about Mr Mushahidullah Khan had the clear potential to materially and adversely affect viewers’ opinions of Mushahidullah in a way that was unfair to him. Ofcom said: “The broadcaster did not take reasonable care to satisfy itself that material facts had not been presented, disregarded or omitted in a way that resulted in unfairness to Mushahidullah. Ofcom has upheld Mr Mushahidullah Khan’s complaint of unjust or unfair treatment in the programme as broadcast.” Mushahidullah Khan died in February this year.