Peshawar ( The COW News Digital) The Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Ali Amin Khan Gandapur, has issued a legal notice to ARY News journalist Hassan Ayub under the Defamation Ordinance 2002. The move comes after allegations of corruption in mining lease allocations were aired on the television program The Reporters, which ran between August 25 and 29, 2025.
According to the legal notice, the televised allegations suggested that CM Gandapur was involved in corrupt practices relating to mining licenses. The Chief Minister’s legal team has described these claims as “baseless, malicious, and damaging to the reputation” of the province’s top political office. The notice emphasizes that such accusations not only harm the personal standing of the Chief Minister but also undermine public trust in the provincial government.
The notice directs journalist Hassan Ayub to tender an unconditional public apology within seven days. Failure to comply, it warns, will result in legal proceedings under Pakistan’s cybercrime laws in addition to a damages suit for reputational harm.
Officials from the Chief Minister’s Office underscored that the government supports responsible journalism but will not tolerate what it perceives as targeted character assassination. “Constructive criticism and accountability are essential in a democracy,” one spokesperson said, “but spreading false narratives with malicious intent is unacceptable.”
This development highlights growing friction between political leaders and segments of the media in Pakistan, where debates about press freedom and accountability frequently surface. Media watchdogs argue that legal actions against journalists, if not handled with transparency, risk curbing freedom of expression. However, government officials maintain that such steps are necessary to protect individuals and institutions from defamatory attacks.
Legal experts note that the Defamation Ordinance 2002 provides public figures the right to seek redress against false accusations. At the same time, they emphasize that courts must carefully balance these claims with constitutional protections for free speech. In this case, the outcome may set a precedent for how political figures respond to critical reporting in Pakistan’s evolving media landscape.
As of now, ARY News and journalist Hassan Ayub have not issued an official response to the legal notice. The case is likely to spark debate in both journalistic and political circles, raising questions about the limits of investigative reporting and the legal protections available to public officials.
