By Urdu Report Editorial Team
Punjab Information Minister Uzmi Bukhari appeared before the district courts in Lahore on Wednesday to record her statement in the fake video case. However, the main accused, Falaq Javed, could not appear before the court.
Appearing before Judge Naeem Wattoo, Uzmi Bukhari recorded her statement and clarified that she is not an accused in the case but the complainant. She said she had been wronged in the matter.
The Punjab information minister said a fake video featuring her had been created and circulated. She said she could not fully describe the distress she had suffered because of the incident.
Court Emphasizes Respect for Women
During the hearing, Judge Naeem Wattoo remarked that respecting a woman is particularly important for the court. He said court decisions demonstrate how such cases are handled by the judiciary.
The judge also said the delay in the case had not been caused by the courts and noted that the judiciary had also faced criticism over the matter.
Heated Exchange Between Uzmi Bukhari and Lawyer
A heated exchange took place during the hearing between Mian Ali Ashfaq, counsel for Falaq Javed, and Uzmi Bukhari.
Uzmi Bukhari told the lawyer, “Don’t act like a dictator. Lower your voice while speaking.”
The court also ordered jail authorities to produce Falaq Javed before the court within 20 minutes after she was not brought to the hearing.
Uzmi Bukhari Raises Question of Arrest Warrants
During the proceedings, Uzmi Bukhari said a YouTuber had posted on X that arrest warrants had been issued for her. She asked the court to question the YouTuber about when the warrants had allegedly been issued.
Pointing toward the YouTuber present in the courtroom, she asked that he be questioned about whether arrest warrants had actually been issued against her.
The YouTuber subsequently apologized to Uzmi Bukhari inside the courtroom.
Uzmi Bukhari said the matter concerned the dignity of a woman and was not an ordinary civil case.
She also said she had security concerns and had therefore requested the court to record her statement through video link.
Respect Falaq Javed’s parents
The provincial minister said she respected Falaq Javed’s parents but regretted the language used about her.
She questioned the situation, saying that if matters continued in this manner, courts might as well be closed. She added that if such treatment was being faced by a minister, it raised concerns about what ordinary citizens might experience.
Uzmi Bukhari also told the court that many people wanted to accompany her to the hearing, but she had stopped them because she did not want supporters from either side to confront each other or create an unpleasant situation.
