Fawad Chaudhry says group of seths dominating media houses, govt in Pakistan
PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry claimed that a group of seths (business personalities) were dominating media houses, governments in Pakistan.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Fawad Chaudhry claimed that a group of seths (business personalities) were dominating media houses, governments in Pakistan and powerful institutions by using their other businesses to control and censor media.
He said in a Twitter message, “Situation is worse in Pakistan where a group of aeth’s are dominating media and government and powerful institutions use their other businesses to control and censor media in Pakistan this has proved most effective tool in recent times.”
Situation is worse in Pakistan where group of Seth’s are dominating media and Govt and Powerful institutions use their other businesses to control and censor media in Pakistan this has proved most effective tool in recent times https://t.co/WX5CZQNUZ3
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) September 19, 2022
He was commenting on an Indian media report, saying, “As of January 2016, Mukesh Ambani, Mahendra Nahata and Abhey Oswal’s control over five media companies—NDTV, News Nation, India TV, News24 and Network18—varied from 20 to over 70%. This is a cause for concern for the freedom of speech in this country.”
As of January 2016, Mukesh Ambani, Mahendra Nahata and Abhey Oswal’s control over five media companies—NDTV, News Nation, India TV, News24 and Network18—varied from 20 to over 70%.
This is a cause for concern for the freedom of speech in this country. https://t.co/WyeEPlahTL
— The Caravan (@thecaravanindia) August 25, 2022
The 2016 report revealed, “Filings with the registrar of companies in the ministry of corporate affairs have revealed that five Indian news media companies—NDTV, News Nation, India TV, News24 and Network18—are either indebted to Mukesh Ambani, the richest Indian and the owner of Reliance Industries, or to Mahendra Nahata, an industrialist and associate of Ambani’s, who is also on the board of Reliance’s new telecom venture, Reliance Jio.
“Through loans and investments, Ambani, Nahata and the industrialist Abhey Oswal have given the five media companies funds that range from tens to hundreds of crores of rupees. As a result, the control that the three businessmen wield over these media networks varies from 20 to over 70 percent. This is a cause for concern for the freedom of speech in this country. The state of affairs also raises questions about monopolistic practices that may be in conflict with the competition laws of India,” the report said.
Analysts said that Fawad Chaudhry highlighted the fact that several influential business personalities have owned media houses to secure their personal interests instead of truly highlighting the national issues.
They added that media censorship was also being encouraged in Pakistan by not making the business personalities accountable for using the media houses as their personal benefit tools.
