PEMRA Bans Live Broadcast of Imran Khan’s Speeches

The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) has imposed an immediate ban on the live broadcast of speeches of former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on all satellite TV channels.

In a detailed six-page order, the regulator said that the PTI Chairman is continuously alleging state institutions by leveling 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.

پیمرا نے ٹی وی چینلز پر عمران خان کی تقاریر براہ راست نشر کرنے پر پابندی عائد کردی۔ تاہم ٹی وی چینلز ریکارڈ شدہ تقاریر موثر تاخیری نظام کے نفاذ اور پیمرا ضابطہ اخلاق 2015 کی پاسداری کرتے ہوئے نشر کر سکتے ہیں۔ pic.twitter.com/vucXt3Lf0r

— Report PEMRA (@reportpemra) August 21, 2022

It said that airing hateful, slanderous, and unwarranted statements against state institutions and officers is in violation of Article 19 of the Constitution.

The regulator said recorded speeches would be permitted to be aired after an effective delay mechanism is put in place in order to ensure effective monitoring and editorial control in conformity with PEMRA laws.

PEMRA also directed all satellite TV channels to ensure that an impartial and independent Editorial Board is constituted in order to ensure that their platform is not used by anyone for uttering remarks in any manner which are contemptuous and against any state institution and hateful, prejudicial to law and order situation in the country.

It is pertinent to mention here that while addressing a protest in Islamabad on Saturday, the PTI Chairman warned the IG and DIG of Islamabad police, saying that he will not spare them and register a case against them for their treatment of Shahbaz Gill.

He also called out the Additional District and Sessions Judge who had approved the police request for physical remand of Gill.