NA urged to curb fake news as house stands with Raja Pervaiz Ashraf over allegations

ISLAMABAD, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th May, 2026) Federal Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar on Wednesday said that the entire House stood with Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and any inappropriate campaign against a respected parliamentarian would be dealt with at the government level.

On the floor of the House, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf informed members about a social media clip circulated on May 18 in which a woman under investigation for drug smuggling allegedly mentioned his name during a court appearance.

Speaking in the National Assembly of Pakistan, the minister said reactions over the past two days from the public and lawmakers had already demonstrated that the allegations against the respected member were “frivolous and baseless” and were not taken seriously by the public.

Azam Nazeer Tarar appreciated the Speaker of the National Assembly for referring the matter to the Interior Committee, calling it the appropriate forum for deliberation and inquiry.

He said that based on his 30 years of legal practice, particularly in criminal law, it appeared that “petty criminals” often use the Names of prominent personalities to divert attention from their own cases.

The minister urged electronic media outlets and regulatory authorities to exercise caution while reporting sensitive matters, emphasizing that decency, morality, and the fundamental rights of individuals must be respected.

He said repeatedly airing scandalous content without verification could damage the dignity, honour, and privacy of individuals.

He added that while the public had the right to information, the media must ensure that reporting does not violate the constitutional rights and personal dignity of any citizen.

He further noted that several members of the House had themselves faced similar situations in the past and therefore understood the consequences of irresponsible reporting.

The minister assured the House that the matter would be thoroughly investigated, including examining why the statement in question had been issued and whether it was based on facts.

He said that if any wrongdoing was established, those responsible would be held accountable and the House would be informed accordingly.

Azam Nazeer Tarar also stressed the need for effective implementation of existing laws against the spread of false and scandalous news, saying the government would consult political parties and relevant stakeholders to strengthen safeguards against such practices in the future.

He warned that if such unverified rumours continue to circulate without proper investigation, many more individuals could suffer reputational damage, urging preventive measures to stop the spread of such content.

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Earlier, former prime minister and senior parliamentarian Raja Pervaiz Ashraf urged the government and parliament to formulate an effective mechanism to curb fake news and character assassination on social media, saying unverified allegations could seriously damage the dignity and reputation of innocent people.

He referred to a social media clip circulated on May 18 in which a woman under investigation allegedly mentioned his name during a court appearance.

He said that shortly afterwards, the woman’s lawyer clarified that she had been pressured to mention his name.

He added that although the clarification came within half an hour, the initial clip had already gone viral, with individuals and vloggers widely commenting on it.

He thanked the Speaker of the National Assembly for immediately taking notice of the matter and appreciated the support expressed by his party leadership, fellow parliamentarians, family members, and even political opponents who publicly rejected the allegations.

Raja Pervaiz Ashraf said he had served an honourable political career, including as prime minister, Speaker of the National Assembly, and as a four-time member of parliament.

He added that his purpose in raising the issue was not personal defence but to highlight the growing misuse of fake news and social media to malign individuals and divert attention from actual investigations.

He observed that in many cases sensational allegations were circulated against politicians and public figures before investigations were completed, resulting in public humiliation even if they were later acquitted by courts. “After ten years, someone may be declared innocent, but who restores the dignity damaged during those years?” he said.

The senior politician stressed the need for legislation and regulation to define limits for social media platforms and prevent the spread of baseless accusations, adding that false allegations without evidence were against societal values as well as Islamic teachings.

He urged lawmakers across party lines to jointly develop a legal and institutional framework to ensure punishment for the guilty while protecting innocent individuals from character assassination and reputational damage caused by fake news and irresponsible reporting.

APP/tsw-sra