LAHORE: Urdu language television channel 92 News has shut down its operations and broadcasts in the UK following a defamation suit filed by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif in the UK High Court against the channel.
The case was filed following a programme aired in the UK by the channel, which made false accusations against Maryam, alleging that she accepted gifts from Toshakhana in violation of rules and in collusion with bureaucrats.
92 News/Glaxy He had earlier apologised to Senator Ishaq Dar in the UK in his defamation case and also lost a similar case to PML-N UK chapter vice president Nasir Mahmood.
Sources in 92 News (also know as 92 HD Plus News) in the UK and Pakistan confirmed that the channel will end its services on 31 July 2024 in the UK after being informed by its UK lawyers that it will lose the defamation case against Maryam at trial in the UK High Court later this year with potential costs of over £250,000 in legal fees and award of damages to the CM of Punjab.
Last month, the channel sent a notice to the UK government's television regulator and Sky management saying it was liquidating the company (Glaxy Broadcasting Network Limited) that owned it. 92 News in the UK and would stop broadcasting in the UK after 31 July 2024.
CM Maryam initiated a case against 92 News/Glaxy after hosts Amir Mateen and Sarwat Valim, on their talk show Muqabil on November 17, 2022, accused her of accepting gifts from Toshakhana.
The anchors claimed that Maryam took a watch worth one million from Toshakhana for just Rs 45,000 with the help of bureaucracy in a corrupt scheme.
The allegation was false as Maryam Nawaz never received such a gift, her lawyers argued in the lawsuit, seeking an apology and damages.
Her lawyers said in court papers to the UK High Court that Maryam had suffered serious reputational damage from the allegations in the broadcast and the channel should therefore apologise.
The channel admitted during the communications that it had no defence against the accusations, but argued on technicalities and that the presenters received news from social media after the Toshakhana scandals broke.
Maryam was represented in the case by Stone White Solicitors.
Maryam's case in the UK High Court was listed for trial hearings later this year and ahead of the trial in the same court in just a few months, the channel decided to close its operations and go into liquidation to avoid paying large damages and costs.
The program aired in 92 News in the UK and Pakistan after the federal government made public the list of state officials who received gifts from Toshakhana since 2002 through directives of the Lahore High Court (LHC).
The record stated that by depositing just Rs 20.17 crore in Toshakhana, former Prime Minister Imran Khan was able to keep a watch (Graff No. AU750) set in 18-carat gold and diamonds worth around Rs 85 crore, a pair of cufflinks worth over Rs 5.6 crore, a pen worth Rs 1.5 crore and an engagement ring worth Rs 8.7 crore.
Former President Asif Ali Zardari also pocketed several items after depositing a total of about Rs 16.1 million, including a BMW 760 Li with an estimated value of Rs 57,828,705 and a Toyota Lexus LX 470 with an estimated value of Rs 50,000,000.
According to the record, by depositing Rs 0.243 crore with Toshakhana in 2013, former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was able to pocket a Rolex Oyster Perpetual N Series 0835D018 watch, a pair of cufflinks with a pen (valued at Rs 0.025 crore) and four commemorative coins of the Central Bank of Kuwait (valued at Rs 0.015 crore). Kulsoom Nawaz, the wife of Nawaz Sharif, was able to pocket a bracelet worth Rs 12.7 crore and a pair of earrings worth Rs 41.6 crore by depositing Rs 10.8 crore in 2016.
A PMLN spokesman in Lahore said Maryam had never benefited from Toshakhana and the allegation was false.
“Maryam Nawaz filed the case in the UK against 92 News to clear her name and she is vindicated as 92 News “The channel made it clear during the proceedings that it had no evidence. The channel confirmed that the accusation was false and knew that it would be severely punished for spreading fake news. It therefore decided to liquidate itself and end its activity in the UK.”
