Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) on Sunday imposed a complete ban on the broadcast of speeches, talks, or public addresses of former prime minister Imran Khan.
In a notification issued on Sunday, the regulatory body claimed Imran Khan is constantly making baseless allegations and hate speech through his provocative statements against state institutions and officials, was in sheer violation of Article 19 of Pakistan’s Constitution, and a judgment of the Supreme Court passed in Suo Moto Case.
The authority stated that Imran Khan’s speeches are prejudicial to maintaining law and order and are likely to disturb peace and tranquility.
Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority has instructed all satellite television channels not to air the PTI chief’s statements, addresses, and conversations, recorded or live or from a press talk.
It imposed the ban under Section 27 of the PEMRA Ordinance 2002.
“The competent authority, i.e., the Chairman, in view of the above-mentioned reasons and background, in the exercise of delegated powers of PEMRA vested in Section 27(a) of the PEMRA Ordinance 2002, hereby prohibits the broadcast of live speech of the PTI Chairman on all satellite TV channels with immediate effect,” it added.
PEMRA warns of action against TV channels
The regulator said in the notification that “airing of baseless allegations, a hateful, unwarranted, and slanderous statement against state institutions and officers are in sheer violation of Article 19 of the Pakistan’s Constitution”, Supreme Court and high court judgments, as well as the relevant sections of the PEMRA Ordinance.
PEMRA further said that after analyzing the content of Imran Khan’s speech, it had been observed that the content was aired live by Television channels without an effective time delay mechanism, which violates PEMRA rules and is in disobedience of judgments passed by the courts.
It further directed all satellite Television channels to ensure that an unbiased and impartial Editorial Board be constituted as needed under Clause 17 of the Electronic Media (Advertisement and Program) Code of Conduct 2015 to ensure that their platform is not used by someone for uttering remarks in any manner “which are contemptuous and against institutions and prejudicial, hateful to law and order situation.”
The authority warned of legal action according to PEMRA rules in case of any violation of the orders.
