KARACHI: A local court has issued warrants for the arrest of a reporter associated with the Samaa TV channel in a defamation case filed by Pakistan Peoples Party leader and Sindh Information Minister Saeed Ghani against Leader of the Opposition in the Sindh Assembly Haleem Adil Sheikh.

       When the matter came up before Additional District and Sessions Judge (South) Shahid Ali Memon, the reporter, Sanjay Sadhwani, was called absent.

       Issuing a bailable warrant for his arrest, the judge asked the reporter to appear in court on Feb 12.

       Haleem Sheikh also did not appear in court but his counsel, Advocate Abdul Wahab Baloch, informed the judge that his client was at present out of the country, and pleaded to condone his absence for the day. The judge allowed the request.

       Saeed Ghani has stated in his suit that Haleem Sheikh, during a talk show aired on Samaa TV channel, had accused him of patronising drug peddlers.

       Published in Dawn, January 28th, 2022