Television commentator and analyst Irshad Bhatti has appealed to the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) to close the case against him after he apologised for talking about a report in which he said that Rs220 million has been spent on the lawn of the Punjab Chief Secretary’s residence.
The application filed with the NCCIA read that Bhatti had talked about the report in one of his vlogs following its airing on Public News and posting on its social media after it was aired. He said that journalists Anwar Hussain Samra and Salman Haider had filed the report.
Bhatti has consistently urged the Punjab government to come out with its side in his vlog and social media updates while discussing the story. The report was later clarified by Public News as being false and incorrect, he said.
Bhatti stressed that he had read the report in good faith and did not intend to make fun of or harm anyone’s reputation, whether it be of a person, institution or any government official. He suggested that his investigation was aimed at finding the official story and that he was trying to come up with a balanced story.
He also added that the release of the report caused distress to some and hurt the reputation of some individuals, officials and institutions and fully apologised for the same.
Bhatti asked the authorities to consider his clarification and apology and to close his complaint and case.
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