The Islamabad High Court ruled in favour of senior journalist Asma Shirazi in a defamation case against ARY News on Monday. The judgement has ordered the channel to pay damages as well.

The judgement, authored by Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, has ordered ARY News to broadcast an apology to the journalist on TV. Shirazi has also been given the option of approaching the court to claim more damages.

Shirazi had filed a complaint against the channel for using her photo along with a headline “Suo Motu action regarding highhandedness of journalists by FIA…”

The journalist had initially approached PEMRA against the criticism that she had been subjected to because of the use of her photo in connection with a headline that implied that the Federal Investigation Agency was taking action against her.

However, PEMRA had dismissed the complaint, leading her to file an appeal in the Islamabad High Court. She was represented by Nighat Dad and Irum Shujah.

Justice Kayani’s decision said that while freedom of speech and expression was a consitutional right, news should not be aired in a way that exposes a person to ‘unjust criticism’ and subjects them to a media trial.

Responding to the verdict, Shirazi said she was ‘emotional’ but had had her faith restored in the justice system.

“This is landmark decision not only for me but for all journalists who faced intimidation and harassment online and on mainstream media like ARY,” she wrote on X.