Fawad slams Mubashir Lucman, calls for NA committee probe into media laws

Federal minister Fawad Chaudhry on Monday raised concerns over slanderous and defamatory statements targeting elected representatives on mainstream and social media, urging Parliament to take notice of the loopholes in existing media laws.

"Is it a precondition for us politicians contesting elections that every passing individual drag our honour and dignity through the streets?" the federal minister for science and technology remarked, speaking on the floor of the National Assembly.

"First there was a race for ratings between TV channels. Now we are hounded by the beasts that are YouTube channels," he said.

Referring to his recent spat with Mubashir Lucman, he said that the TV anchor had falsely claimed on his Youtube channel that he possessed illicit videos of him and another minister.

"Two days ago, a TV anchor did a show on his Youtube channel. He claimed that there are pornographic videos of me, a fellow female minister, and some other women," Chaudhry said.

"When I asked him where those videos were, he replied with a smirk on his face that he did not have them, and that he had only heard of them," he added.

Also read: Fawad Chaudhry defends 'right to slap' Mubasher Lucman

"Mr Speaker, this is a major problem. Every MNA sitting here represents at least half a million voters. The people who vote for us trust and respect us. Then why, only for the sake of ratings and likes, are we ridiculed and disrespected?" he remarked.

The minister urged the National Assembly Speaker to constitute a special committee to investigate loopholes in existing media laws.

"PTA never takes notice when it comes to politicians. Why does the FIA cyber-crime wing not take notice? When it comes to the courts, they quickly move towards contempt proceedings. But the people sitting in this house and the Senate, they too have honour and respect. They also represent hundreds of thousands of people."

"I request you to take notice of this and form a special committee of the House with equal representation of government and opposition members to discuss why laws governing the media are not implemented," he added.

Chaudhry defends 'right to slap' Lucman

Earlier speaking to talk show host Shahzad Iqbal on Geo News' programme Naya Pakistan, the federal minister said he was a human being first before anything else. 

"Ministries come and go," he said. "I have been a minister earlier as well. I will not tolerate personal attacks against myself. We are all human beings and will react when someone makes such false allegations."

In one of his shows on YouTube, Lucman had invited another anchorperson who salaciously linked Chaudhry to social media star Hareem Shah.

The minister had reportedly taken exception to the allegation and, according to sources close to the matter, confronted and slapped Lucman at the wedding of provincial minister Mohsin Leghari’s son.

Read more: Chaudhry lambasts Lucman after reportedly slapping him

Claiming he had no regrets for hitting Lucman, Chaudhry said he did not believe in the principle that one should not hit another person just because they were a federal minister.

Lucman approaches police for legal action against Chaudhry

Lucman later filed an application against Chaudhry in Lahore’s Model Town police station, alleging that the minister and his guards pushed him and subjected him to torture at PTI MPA Mohsin Leghari’s son’s wedding.

Lucman claimed that PTI leaders Jahangir Tareen and Ishaq Khakwani helped resolved the matter between the two.

He has also alleged that he was subjected to harassment and requested the police to launch legal action against the minister.