Audio, video leaks being used to hide graft: SACM

LAHORE:Special Assistant to CM (SACM) on information Hasaan Khawar has warned that using audio and video leaks for political objectives is a decades-old practice.

Ironically the inventors of such videos are always afraid of taking these leaks into courtroom because they can't prove them. All they want is to make hue and cry to hide their corruption in the cover of these videos but they are unable to do so since the corruption too big, the SACM said.

Talking to the media here on Sunday, he said that these audio and videos come from the same foundry and the masterpieces of the same artist. One can also call it "Ittefaq", he added. He said such people pressurise others for their vested political interests and they are not ashamed of putting national honour at risk. These people can do anything for entering and prolonging their stay in the corridors of power. Unfortunately, they consider the country a political theatre and play their role according to their interests. In case of a clash of their interests they start attacking institutions and personalities and blackmail them, he said and added the government will eradicate polio-affected politics from the province like the polio disease was wiped out.

Hasaan Khawar stated that it is very important for people to understand the script of political theatre. To a question, he said all necessary steps are being taken to ensure transparency in NA-133 elections.

Addressing a media training workshop for girl students, Hassan encouraged the students and said that they have an important role to play in the media industry. He said that freedom of expression is utmost necessary for the development of any country and considers oxygen for society in democracies. He termed it a wrong perception that there is no freedom of expression in Pakistan. He said no other country has that much freedom which is in Pakistan.

Numbers of print, electronic, social and digital media reflect freedom of expression in Pakistan. More than 40 national and100 private TV channels, 1,500 newspapers and journals as well as social and digital media are freely reporting in Pakistan without any interference. Journalists are also secure here in Pakistan, said SACM.

While counselling the students, he said that in their professional life, they should differentiate between criticism and humiliation and should not become the part of humiliating someone and propagation of fake news. Hasaan disclosed that the government is establishing 15 new hospitals, 21 universities, 4 dams and 9 underground rainwater storage tanks.