[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text dp_text_size=”size-4″]LAHORE: The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) had prohibited satellite TV broadcasters from airing live or recorded talks by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Imran Khan, but the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday lifted the restriction.
The former premier’s plea to overturn the prohibition on PEMRA was heard by Judge Shams Mehmood Mirza, who also issued the reserved decision. He also suggested that a full bench be assembled to hear the matter.
Imran was accused of making “baseless claims and fomenting hate speech through his aggressive utterances against state institutions and personnel, which is detrimental to the preservation of law and order and is liable to disturb public peace and tranquilly,” according to the restriction order.
PEMRA had said the airing of hateful, slanderous and unwarranted statements against state institutions is “in sheer violation of Article 19 of the Constitution and a judgment of the Supreme Court”.
It has been observed that such content was telecasted by TV channels without effective utilisation of time-delay mechanism in violation of provisions of PEMRA laws as well as judgments of the apex courts, the media regulator added.
Challenging the order, Imran had filed a petition with the LHC through barrister Muhammed Ahmed Pansota, contending that in the judgment reported as “Imran Ahmad Khan Niazi Vs PEMRA”, then chief justice of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) Athar Minallah had declared a similar PEMRA prohibition order as “ultra vires the Ordinance” (over-stretching itself beyond the powers conferred upon it) on similar grounds.
Also Read: PEMRA bans ARY NEWS for airing Imran Khan’s speech despite ban.
Imran’s counsel had stated in the petition that PEMRA has issued the impugned order in excess of the jurisdiction vested in it and without having regard to the constitutional rights guaranteed under Articles 19 and 19-A of the Constitution.
Justice Shahid Bilal Hassan had on Wednesday recused himself from hearing the case and sent the case file to the LHC chief justice, requesting to fix it to another bench.
Justice Shams Mehmood Mirza heard the case today (Thursday).
Imran’s attorney asserted that PEMRA issued the contested order on March 5, 2023, as the proceedings got underway, claiming that the regulatory body’s claims were unfounded.
“How can the ban may be put on a leader’s talks,” the court questioned adding that such a prohibition “is against freedom of speech”.
The law enforcement official informed the court that this subject is not within the purview of this court in the interim. The law officer continued by saying that the entire bench should hear this case.
The prohibition, according to Imran’s attorney, is an infringement on his client’s right to free expression. He asked the court to overturn the illegal decree.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
