ISLAMABAD, Feb 19 (APP): Islamabad High Court’s (IHC) Chief Justice Aamer Farooq on Monday said that journalists should do court reporting with more responsibility.
He said the media was the fourth pillar of state and today was an era of electronic and social media after the print media.
He was addressing the oath-taking ceremony of the newly elected office-bearers of Islamabad High Court Journalists Association (IHCJA).
The chief justice congratulated the new-elected body of IHCJA and said that the role of media was imperative to aware the public about court proceedings. The reporters should, however, avoid reporting of unnecessary and irrelevant discussions during the hearings.
He said that when a court gave a verdict it became a matter of public domain. The verdicts could be criticized but at the same time the facts should be reported correctly.
The chief justice said that they were answerable as public office-holders.
Errors in decisions could be possible and that was the reason that the people used to approach the apex court.
“Every institution has its own respect,” he said, adding that only the facts should be reported instead of personal criticism.
Chief Justice Aamer Farooq reiterated that he could understand the compulsion of the media-persons that they required some “spicy content”, but it was important for them to do a responsible and standard journalism.
TV channels mostly did discussions on court remarks instead of the judgments, he added.
The chief justice, however, appreciated the court reporters for doing responsible and quality journalism.
IHC’s Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, President Islamabad High Court Bar Association (IHCBA) Naveed Hayat Malik, Additional Attorney General Munawar Dogal, Deputy Attorney General Raja Arsahd Kayani, Assistant Attorney General Azmat Bashir Tarar, Secretary General RIUJ Asif Bashir Chaudhry, senior journalists Saghir Ahmed Chaudhry, Aamer Saeed Abbasi, Afzal Javed, President Supreme Court Press Association Aqeel Afzal and others also attended the ceremony.
