IHC serves discover to PEMRA on court docket protection ban

The Lahore Excessive Court docket (LHC), through the listening to of pleas carried out by Justice Abid Aziz Shaikh, additionally ordered the digital media watchdog to reply to its discover on Could 29.

The discover comes after the digital media watchdog issued two notifications ordering TV channels to not run reporting of court docket proceedings and for reporters to solely report courts’ written orders’ on Could 21.

It ought to be famous that the proceedings of the petition within the LHC and IHC aren’t being reported following the Pemra ban.

One petition has been filed by Azhar Siddiq and the opposite was filed by Advocate Samra Malik.

Petitioners argued that Pemra’s ban is in violation of Article 10-A, 19 and 19-A of the Structure of Pakistan. One of many pleas additionally requested the court docket to reject the prosecutor’s plea and declare it “inadmissible”.

Article 10-A pertains to the suitable to honest trial, whereas 19 and 19-A pertains to freedom of speech and proper to info.

The petitioners talked about Pemra and the federal authorities as events in its pleas.

Petitions requested the LHC to declare the notification “null and void”, looking for its suspension till a verdict is pronounced.

One other petitioner, Advocate Nadeem Sarwar, has additionally filed a plea, which has not but been fastened for listening to.

The petitions, difficult the Pemra ban, have been filed in Sindh, Lahore and Islamabad excessive courts in addition to the Supreme Court docket.

In a notification issued on Could 21, the media watchdog directed all satellite tv for pc information channel licensees that no content material, together with commentary, opinions, or options concerning the potential destiny of such sub-judice matter which tends to prejudice the willpower by a court docket shall be aired.

“Additional, TV Channels are directed to chorus from airing tickers/headlines with regard to court docket proceedings until the ultimate order,” it added.

All satellite tv for pc TV channel licensees have been additionally directed to make sure strict compliance to the Pemra legal guidelines in step with the judgment of the Supreme Court docket “in Suo Moto Case No. 28 of 2018 (reported as 2019 PLD SC 1) in letter and spirit”.

The media watchdog additionally warned of authorized motion in case of any violation.

IHC additionally points discover to Pemra

In the meantime, the IHC additionally issued discover to Pemra and secretary info on the petition by the IHC Court docket Reporter’s Affiliation difficult its determination.

PFUJ moved the IHC towards Pemra’s determination with the petition filed by Vice Chairman Islamabad Bar Council Adil Aziz Qazi.

The listening to was carried out by IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq who additionally restrained Pemra from taking disciplinary motion towards TV channels.

The court docket additionally issued a discover on the miscellaneous utility to droop the watchdog’s notification.

The court docket adjourned the listening to on petition until Could 28.

Then again, the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists’ (PFUJ) additionally moved the IHC towards Pemra, requesting to annul the media watchdog’s notification banning reporting of judicial proceedings.

“Pemra ought to be restrained from issuing any notification or order towards elementary human rights,” the plea learn.

PFUJ maintained that Pemra violated the general public’s proper to entry info, whereas it additionally misinterpreted the SC judgment.

The plea additionally said that Pemra’s notification violated Article 19 and 19A of the Structure whereas additionally it is towards the spirit of PEMRA Ordinance 2002.