By Adnan Rafique
ISLAMABAD: The ban of the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority on the broadcast of speeches and interviews of proclaimed offenders and absconders has been challenged in the Islamabad High Court. Chief Justice Athar Minallah has summoned arguments from Advocate Salman Akram Raja at the next hearing on December 16.
The court said that it has said in the case against Pervez Musharraf that there will be no relief for any person that is absconding in any case. The petitioners should tell the court who are they seeking relief for, said Justice Minallah. “Has PEMRA imposed a ban on anyone?â€
Advocate Raja said that PEMRA has not placed a ban on any politician or person. The people who feel that PEMRA ban violates their rights can file an appeal against it, remarked the chief justice. Those who are absconding have no right to challenge any ban. They should surrender first and then ask for legal protection.
The court cannot be expected to suspend PEMRA’s notification as it will provide other absconders and proclaimed offenders with an opportunity to broadcast their speeches too. PEMRA banned the speeches of proclaimed offenders and absconders on October 2 after former PM Nawaz Sharif addressed a PML-N press conference.
“A self-explanatory complaint received from Muhammad Azhar Siddique against the several news channels in particular who aired the interview/speech/ public addresses of an absconder or a proclaimed offender,†read the authority’s notification. The authority said that it found that news channels had violated its May 27, 2019 instructions on giving coverage to proclaimed offenders. The notification reminded news channels that they were bound to comply with PEMRA laws.
