Court Allows Live Broadcast of Imran Khan’s Speeches on TV Channels

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has overturned the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority’s (PEMRA) decision regarding the live broadcast of Imran Khan’s speeches.

The development comes hours before Imran Khan’s international telethon to raise funds to help millions of victims of floods resulting from record-breaking torrential rainfalls.

According to details, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), through barrister Ali Zafar, filed a petition in IHC earlier today, seeking a reversal of PEMRA’s directive under which TV channels were barred from airing the former premier’s live speeches.

While suspending PEMRA’s order till 5 September, Chief Justice (CJ) IHC, Justice Athar Minallah, observed that PEMRA doesn’t have the authority to order TV channels to from airing someone’s live speech. He also served notices to PEMRA and Attorney General.

It is worth mentioning here that PEMRA imposed a ban on Imran Khan’s live speeches on 21 August after the former PM lashed out at state institutions and government officials.

Subsequently, PEMRA issued a notification, mentioning that Imran Khan’s speech violated Article 19 of the 1973 Constitution, which states:

Every citizen shall have the right to freedom of speech and expression, and there shall be freedom of the press, subject to any reasonable restrictions imposed by law in the interest of the glory of Islam or the integrity, security, or defense of Pakistan or any part thereof, friendly relations with foreign States, public order, decency or morality, or in relation to contempt of court, [commission of] or incitement to an offense.

PEMRA’s notification noted that Imran Khan’s live speeches have been banned under Section 27 of the PEMRA Ordinance 2002, which states:

The Authority [PEMRA] shall by order in writing, giving reasons, therefore, prohibit any broadcast media or distribution service operator from:

a) broadcasting or re-broadcasting or distributing any program or advertisement if it is of the opinion that such particular program or advertisement is against the ideology of Pakistan or is likely to create hatred among the people or is prejudicial to the maintenance of law and order or is likely to disturb public peace and tranquility or endangers national security or is pornographic, obscene or vulgar or is offensive to the commonly accepted standards of decency;

b) engaging in any practice or act which amounts to abuse of media power by way of harming the legitimate interests of another licensee or willfully causing damage to any other person.