LAHORE: The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) on Wednesday imposed banned on coverage of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) rallies, days after the authority banned broadcast of ‘live or recorded’ speeches of the party’s Chairman Imran Khan.
The Pemra issued a notification on Wednesday, imposing a ban on the coverage of PTI election rallies on all satellite TV channels with immediate effects.
پیمرا نے پی ٹی آئی کی انتخابی ریلی کی کوریج پر پابندی عائد کر دی،
جمہوریت معطل ہو گئے کیا؟ #Fascist_PDM pic.twitter.com/KUu5PMUO9a— PTI (@PTIofficial) March 8, 2023
Following the issuance of the Pemra notification, PTI Vice President Fawad Chaudhry took his twitter handle and wrote that “Media has been banned from covering police brutality on protestors as Punjab is under East India Company and Mohsin Naqvi is the new Gen Dyer of Punjab.”
Media has been banned to cover police brutality on protestors, Punjab is under East India Company and Mohsin Naqvi new Gen Dair of Punjab…. pic.twitter.com/IQiEJgS9xn
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) March 8, 2023
Last week, the Pemra imposed a ban on broadcasting ‘live and recorded’ speeches and press conferences of former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan on all satellite TV channels with immediate effect.
“It has been observed that Imran Khan [Chairman PTI] in his speeches/statements is continuously alleging state institutions by levelling baseless allegations and spreading hate speech through his provocative statements against state institutions and officers which is prejudicial to the maintenance of law and order and is likely to disturb public peace and tranquility,” stated the notification issued by the regulatory authority.
Pemra noted that airing of “baseless allegations, the hateful, slanderous and unwarranted statement” against state institutions and officers was in sheer violation of Article 19 of the Constitution of Pakistan and a judgment of the Supreme Court of Pakistan (SC) passed in Suo Moto Case.
The authority further said that after analysing the content of Imran’s speech, it has been observed that the content was aired live by the licensees without an effective time delay mechanism which is a violation provision of Pemra laws and in disobedience of judgements passed by the courts.
