List of 19 Pakistani Journalists bribed by Malik Riaz: Some Journalists Respond to Allegations

After the embarrassing footage leak of Dunya TV’s interview of Riaz Malik, which was conducted by Mubasher Lucman and Meher Bokhari, the former Dunya TV host has come out in an unexpected manner defending his actions by rationalizing the events of the leaked footage and announced his resignation from the TV channel.

Responding to all the questions he faced in social media, Mubasher Lucman in his YouTube video, started off by saying that he ‘owes it to his family and fans’ to give an explanation regarding the leaked footage incident and his name being mentioned in the list of 19 senior Pakistani journalist who were allegedly bribed by Riaz Malik.

He said that false allegations have been made against him and his channel. Showing clips of his past TV shows and interviews he tried to rationalize the incidents that occurred during the commercial breaks of Malik Riaz interview.

Defending the phone call of Abdul Qadir Gillani, he said that receiving a call or SMS during a live show is not something that is out of the normal in Media and journalism. He then went on to play video clips of his previous shows where he is seen ‘grilling’ Ali Musa Gilani, son of Yusuf Raza Gilani and brother of Abdul Qadir Gillani also known as the ‘media-spin-doctor’ of PPP.

He revealed how a planted interview is conducted and that his show was not a “Planted Interview” in fact, it was an investigative interview. Revealing his ‘rocky relationship’ with Meher Bokhari, he taunted that this was not the right mix of journalists to conduct a planted interview.  He said that him and Meher Bokhari -obviously- lacked the chemistry needed to conduct a planted interview, he said that both of them prepared separately for the interview and that every journalist in Pakistan wanted to be in his place.

He said that most guests try to pressure the host into asking questions that he or she wants to talk about. Blaming Dunya TV management for the off-air row between him and Meher Bokhari. Mubasher said that there was no angling in the interview, the only thing unfair about the interview was that he was told to do the interview with Meher Bokhari.

Mubasher Lucman raised allegations on the journalists who knew about Malik Riaz’s plans to go against the Cheif Justice’s son. He said that people who knew about this affair months ago have not been held accountable. He said that they should be asked “Why didn’t they inform the Chief Justice about what Malik Riaz has told them 5 months ago?”

Mubasher also presented himself and his next to kin for accountability in the Supreme Court.

Renowned political talk show anchor Hamid Mir, in a private TV talk show on Friday, stated his connection with Malik Riaz was merely exaggerated as he had only met the business tycoon only twice. He further added that during both those meetings, Mir asked Malik Riaz to show him the documents regarding Arsalan Iftikhar’s case. “After witnessing the document, I was not convinced,” added Hamid Mir.

Talking about the bribery accusations and pointing towards another TV anchor, Mir added that he had been regularly targeted by a few journalists; even during the leaked interview.

“This is not the first time that I have been framed; I have been blamed to have received a villa from Malik Riaz. A couple of years earlier, I was blamed of owning a farm house near Islamabad. I have faced such baseless allegations in front of the concerned courts and have come out clean,” said the renowned TV anchor.

Talking about the fixed interview, Mir said it was a very serious issue in the form of a fixed interview to ridicule the judiciary.

Mir further stated that he would present himself for accountability whenever required. He stated that it was high time when each and every columnist, anchor and media owner should also come forward and present ‘themselves’ for proper accountability

Mir urged that a commission should be formed in order to investigate such matters. He also said that working journalists and media owners should come forward and present themselves for accountability via the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalist and APNS/PBA platform.

Hamid Mir is also one of the nineteen journalists named on the alleged bribery list.

A Private TV channel anchor, Talat Hussain, came forward with his talk show on Friday while interpreting the leaked interview of Malik Riaz. He termed his talk show as one of the difficult most programs in his career. He said that the leaked interview seemed an attack on judiciary and it seemed ‘fishy’ right from the beginning.

Mr. Hussain critically scrutinized the off-line interview leaked on You Tube. He mentioned that it was really difficult to go over time in any particular show as time is similar to gold within the TV industry and Malik Riaz was allowed the extra time, indicating support by the management of the TV channel interviewing the business tycoon.

Talat said that the management of the private TV channel interviewing the business tycoon had severe influence over Riaz’s interview. Besides the management, as per Talat’s comments, Malik Riaz had strong authority within the entire interview and he was dictating the questions to be asked from him.

Talat termed the interview as a pre-set rehearsed interview stating that both the interviewer and the interviewee knew their questions and answers very well. He further stated that the entire off-line video illustrated as if the interview was a meeting between relatives within the guest room of a house with the only exception that questions and face expressions were intensified and changed as soon as the camera was turned on to make the show go live. Talat labeled the interview as fabricated stating that “if this interview was not fabricated and planted than there would be no interview in the world to be deemed as fabricated or planted.”

“This is not the professional way to interview a person who is defaming the judiciary of a country,” stated Talat.

Talking about the anchors of the show, Mubashar Lucman and Mehar Bukhari, Talat stated that the behavior did not seem appropriate. “No professional interview allows the guest to dictate the terms of an interview,” added Talat.

Talat in his TV show also pointed out towards two separate incidents within the leaked video whereby the association of Malik Riaz with the powerful families of Pakistan (Gilanis and the Sharifs) came as a major surprise for the people of the country.

Talat, while concluding his program, stated that he was hurt by the leaked interview as a journalist and further added that the credibility of both the judiciary and the journalists had been immensely dented by the leaked interview.

Earlier, a list of 19 journalists made a buzz within the social media and the local TV channels with respect to accusations of receiving money from Bahria town owner, Malik Riaz.

The notorious “Media Gate” scandal involving business tycoon Malik Riaz and private TV anchors Mehar Bukari and Mubahsar Lucman has created a wave within the nation. Many questions have been posed with a finger being pointed onto the credibility of journalists.Almost 19 journalist are mentioned on the so-called “Media Gate” list.

Mehar Bukhari, the main accused in the video leaked on YouTube, came forward with a TV program show on Thursday. The private TV anchor, during her TV show, clarified her position while labeling the video posting on the internet as an act of robbery.

Mehar Bukhari said that is a normal ritual within the media industry to listen to the demands of the guest who is being interviewed. “Whoever comes to an interview do have their own requirements, they want to be asked certain questions and we as anchors have to oblige them,” said Mehar.

“If the interview was planted, then why me and Lucman had to co-ordinate the entire program during the break of the live show. If it was a planted interview, it should have been planned way earlier,” stated Mehar Bukhari

Mehar Bukhari added that her name on the letter head of Bahria Town would be investigated and the other journalists mentioned on the list would also take appropriate action against the accusations. She added that the entire list of journalists, after proper legal consultation, may file for defamation against Malik Riaz and she in person would go to court against the business tycoon

Qamar Zaman Kaira was brought in to help with the clarification of Mehar Bukhari. The Federal Information Minister stated that during breaks of live TV programs, politicians and journalist chat normally, joking as if conversing with friends. This is because they know each other quiet well.

Kaira further stated that this interview could not have been planned because if the program would have been planted then why the two anchor, Mehar and Mubashir, were found arguing with each other with respect to the pattern and the questions to be asked during the talk show.

Kaira attested Mehar’s claim that questions are asked on the request of the guest and the anchors of such talk shows do oblige these requests, stating it to be a normal procedure.

The video posting on the internet was deemed illegal and unconstitutional by Kaira.

Khawaja Mohammad Asif was also called upon during the show and he also defended Mehar Bukhari by stating that although a nexus seemed somewhat visible between Lucman, Malik Riaz and Abdul Qadir Gilani; Mehar Bukhari seemed a victim to fall under the eclipse of the entire scenario.

Mehar Bukari ended her clarification by adding that she did not receive any instructions with respect to the questions, the only instructions that she was given was no to harass the guest and give him space to talk freely. She added that normal discussions were made during the interview; such discussions are a normal routine work during such interviews. She finally swore that neither her management nor ‘she in person’ were involved in planting the interview.

“If I lie or if I have received a single penny or a single yard of any land from Malik Riaz, may Allah reveal His wrath upon me,” she added.

After the leaked videos of Mubasher Lucman and Meher Bukhari’s live show with Malik Riaz became public via YouTube. A feeling of confusion and mistrust has taken over the country. It wasn’t just the leaked footage that manifested this political sandstorm which has forced every powerful and influential man or woman in Pakistan to sit duck and let it pass.

Breaking this newly formed pattern, one of the most senior journalist of Pakistan, Kamran Khan went live on TV last night and gave his point of view about the “MediaGate” scandal.

On his live TV show Aaj Kamran Khan Kay Saath, Kamran Khan denied the allegations that he has been paid by the real estate kingpin, Malik Riaz, who is the owner of Bahria Town Housing Scheme and accuser, in Arsalan Iftikhar graft case.

Kamran Khan kicked off by firstly suggesting that the people of Pakistan should calm down and grab this window of opportunity to hold everyone accountable once in for all.

He said, “Why not start with accountability of media first” followed by clipped recordings of the leaked footage of Meher-Lucman show.

He presented key parts of the leaked footage in his show where Meher and Lucman are clearly seen taking instructions from both PPP and PMLN “spin-doctors”, while repetitively trying to exceed each other in Malik Riaz’s good books.

After airing the footage Kamran Khan said that, “as media representative, our heads are held down in shame.”

With a smirk-like tone of voice Kamran Khan aired a key moment in the footage where Meher Bukhari refers to him and his colleague Hamid Mir by saying that she didn’t care  what the “Hamids and Kamrans” were getting (as bribe).

Kamran Khan then proposed Accountability of every institutions, claiming that a better opportunity will not come again.  He said that Media should be held accountable first and that he presents himself for accountability before anyone else.

He proposed that the time has come when Media, Lawyers, Politicians, Judges and Army Generals should be accountable for their actions. He went on to claim that he is willing to be the first media personality to submit his own financial records and even of people related or close to him.

He also mentioned that people will be gravely shocked if he revealed the names of journalists who claimed to fight against dictators, but at the same time were having the time of their life by going on foreign trips with the same dictators.

Kamran Khan went on to suggest a board of people who will judge and hold everyone accountable. He proposed the names of former Supreme Court judge, (retd) Justice Nasir Aslam Zahid, (retd) Justice Fakhruddin Ibrahim and former Foreign Minister Dr Mubashir Hassan.

Kamran Khan assured his fans and followers that he was innocent of the allegations brought against him and proclaimed that if every media personality was held accountable a very few would turn out to be “cleaner” than him. However he did not talk about or mention the list.

The list that features names of 19 most senior journalists of Pakistani News Television industry, also includes Kamran Khan’s name in it. Names of nineteen senior-journalists are in that list along with the alleged payments and “gifts” given to them supposedly in return for Media related favors by Bahria Town owner Malik Riaz.