-IHC says can’t provide relief to fugitive
By Ajmal Khan Yousafzai
ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) declined on Thursday to provide any relief to former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif who has been declared a proclaimed offender in a number of graft cases.
Hearing a petition filed by renowned journalists and anchorpersons against the Pemra’s ban on the broadcast of speeches and interviews by proclaimed offenders and absconders, IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah stated in clear terms that this court couldn’t extend relief to any fugitive from justice.
“We can’t give relief on the plea even if the Pemra’s notification [regarding the ban] was illegal,” he remarked, recalling the court didn’t provide any relief to former military dictator Pervez Musharraf when he was an absconder.
The top Islamabad judge noted the notification was issued under Section 31 of Pemra Ordinance. A relevant forum can be approached for redressal of grievance if any channel or individual has been affected by the ban, he suggested.
Justice Minallah said the former prime minister’s CNIC and passport had been blocked. If the plea is granted, all absconders will be entitled to such relief, he pointed out to the petitioners.
The hearing was adjourned until December 16.
The petition contends that the order of the electronic media watchdog is “unconstitutional and illegal prohibitions have been imposed on the electronic media of Pakistan with respect to the dissemination of information. This prohibition is a constitutional wrong in its own right and amounts [to] nullifying the rights made available under Article 19A of the constitution”.
According to the petition, it is the right of the petitioners and of the print and electronic media in general to express, publish, disseminate, relay and broadcast the views and words of any person, including a convict, proclaimed offender or an absconder.
“Is a convict, proclaimed offender or absconder deprived of the fundamental rights guaranteed by the constitution including the right to express, the petition asks.
