New scam rocks Pakistan

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Pakistan has plunged into a new scandal — Mediagate — with prominent journalists being accused of receiving millions of rupees for fixing things, after shocking behind-the-scenes video footage was leaked and uploaded on YouTube, now doing the rounds in the social media showing business tycoon Malik Riaz Hussain answering planted questions in an interview that went out live.

The footage — which has seen the Supreme Court taking notice and Dunya TV’s well know current affairs chief Nasim Zehra quitting — shows the television hosts appearing to be helping the tycoon prepare his answers, and in certain cases even spoon-feeding him the answers.

The storm began with the son of Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, Arslan Iftikhar being accused of receiving millions of rupees from Mr Hussain, in return for a favourable decision from the Supreme Court headed by his father.

After appearing in a news conference, which in itself spurred the Supreme Court to initiate contempt of court proceedings, the real estate tycoon and central character of ‘Bahriagate’ (named after Mr Hussain’s Bahria Town), the business tycoon, appeared in an interview on Dunya News, hosted by Mehar Bukhari and Mubashar Lucman, which has rumbled the foundation of Pakistani media.

But a leaked video of the preparation for the programme, shows political scions of Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani and Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) chief Nawaz Sharif interrupting and giving their input to the hosts on points relevant to them.

“Why don’t you start talking about it yourself, otherwise [if we ask] it will seem planted, which it is, but I don’t know if it should look planted,” an otherwise ferocious Ms Bukhari at one point is heard suggesting to Mr Hussain while Mr Lucman says, “I’ll say it on air that I’ve been ‘pressurised’ by Mian Amir Mehmood (Dunya News’ owner) and Malik Riaz to do this programme.”

Mr Lucman then names Hamid Mir, host of a well-known TV talk show, for “taking a villa” from the tycoon.

Mr Sharif’s daughter Maryam Nawaz is seen texting Ms Bukhari clarifying the situation regarding allegations that Mr Hussain had given Hamza Shahbaz — Mr Sharif’s nephew — a bullet-proof car.

A list allegedly published on official letterhead of Bahria Town contains the names of 19 journalists with the amount of money, vehicles, property and other favours received.