The Lahore High Court has suspended the electronic media regulator’s notification banning the broadcast of the speeches of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan.
The former prime minister had challenged the notification issued by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) after zeroing in on an army official – after a speech at Zaman Park, his Lahore residence.
In a notification issued on Sunday, the regulatory body claimed that Imran Khan has been continuously making baseless allegations and hate speeches against state institutions and officials through his inflammatory statements, which are detrimental to the maintenance of law and order. is biased, and is prone to disruption. Peace and tranquility.
The PTI chairman approached the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday against PEMRA’s ban on telecasting of his speeches, statements and public addresses on all satellite television channels.
In the petition filed through Barrister Muhammad Ahmed Pansuta, it was held that in a judgment reported as “Imran Ahmad Khan Niazi v. PEMRA”, the then Chief Justice of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) Athar Minullah, PEMRA. A similar injunction was termed “ultra vires”. Ordinance on similar grounds” (extending itself beyond the powers conferred).
Imran’s counsel said in the petition that PEMRA issued the injunction in excess of its jurisdiction and without regard to constitutional rights under Articles 19 and 19-A of the Constitution.
