TV channel shuts down in UK over Maryam Nawaz defamation case

LAHORE: A private Urdu-language TV channel has shut down operations and transmission in the UK following a defamation case filed by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif at the UK High Court against the channel.

The case was filed over a programme aired in the UK by the channel, which made false accusations against Maryam, alleging she took Toshakhana gifts in violation of rules and cahoots with bureaucrats.

The TV channel has previously apologised to Senator Ishaq Dar in the UK in his defamation case and also lost a similar case to PML-N's UK chapter's vice president Nasir Mahmood.

It is understood that the channel is currently under the UK High Court order to pay around £170,000 to Senator Nasir Mahmood after losing the defamation case to him.

Sources in the TV channel in the UK and Pakistan confirmed that the channel terminated its services on July 31, 2024, in the UK after being advised by its UK lawyers it would lose the defamation case to Maryam at the trial in the UK High Court later this year with the potential costs of over £250,000 in legal fees and damage reward to the Punjab CM.

Last month, the channel sent out a notification to the UK government's TV regulator and Sky management that it was winding up the company that owned TV channel in the UK and would stop broadcasting in the UK after 31st July 2024.

CM Maryam started a case against TV channel after anchors Amir Mateen and Sarwat Valim, in their talk-show Muqabil on November 17, 2022, accused her of taking Toshakhana gifts.

The anchors alleged that Maryam took a watch from Toshakhana worth a million for only Rs45,000 with help from the bureaucracy in a corrupt scheme.

The allegation was false as Maryam Nawaz never received any such gift, her lawyers argued in the claim, seeking apology and damages.

Her lawyers stated in court papers at the UK High Court that Maryam had suffered serious harm to her reputation by the imputations in the broadcast and therefore the channel should apologise.

The channel accepted during the communications that it had no defence of the allegations but argued on technicalities and that the anchors were fed news by the social media after the Toshakhana scandals broke out.

Maryam was represented in the case by Stone White Solicitors.

Maryam Nawaz’s case at UK High Court was registered for trial hearings later this year and before the trial in the same court in just a few months, the channel has decided to shut its operations and avoid paying heavy damages and costs.

The show was aired on TV channel in the UK and Pakistan after the federal government made the list of state officials who received Toshakhana gifts since 2002 public by the Lahore High Court's (LHC) directives.

The record stated that by depositing just Rs20.17 million in Toshakhana, former premier Imran Khan was able to keep a watch (Graff No. AU750) set in 18-karat gold and diamonds valued at about Rs85 million, a pair of cufflinks worth over Rs5.6 million, a pen worth 1.5 million rupees, and an engagement ring worth Rs8.7 million.

Former president Asif Ali Zardari also kept several items after depositing a total of about Rs16.1 million, including a BMW 760 Li with an estimated value of Rs57,828,705 and a Toyota Lexus LX 470 with an estimated value of Rs50,000,000.

The record said by depositing Rs0.243 million in Toshakhana in 2013, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif was able to keep one Rolex Watch Oyster Perpetual N Series 0835D018, one pair of cufflinks with a pen (worth Rs0.025 million), and four commemorative coins from the Central Bank of Kuwait (worth Rs0.015 million). Kulsoom Nawaz, the wife of Nawaz Sharif, kept a bracelet worth Rs12.7 million and a pair of earrings worth Rs41.6 million by depositing Rs10.8 million in 2016.

A PMLN spokesman in Lahore said Maryam had never benefitted from Toshakhana and the allegation was false.

"Maryam Nawaz launched the case in the UK against TV channel to clear her name and she stands vindicated as TV channel made it clear during proceedings it had no evidence. The channel confirmed the allegation was false and knew it would be heavily punished for running fake news. Therefore it has decided to liquidate and end business in the UK."

In a statement, lawyers acting for the channel confirmed that the channel had been sued by Maryam Nawaz Sharif in the UK. It said that “the matter is pending in the court” and “we believe that our client has a formidable defence in this case”.

The lawyers confirmed that the TV channel has shut down its operations, taken off from the Sky platform “due to administrative issues and has been shifted to other digital media platforms”.