The Pakistan Electronic Media Authority (Pemra) on Saturday imposed a ban on live broadcast of former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party chairman Imran Khan’s speeches on all satellite television channels with immediate effect.
Speaking at a protest rally in Islamabad today, Imran alerted the Islamabad IG and DIG police, saying he would not spare them and press charges against them for “torturing” party leader Shahbaz Gill during his physical detention.
He also asked Additional Circuit and Sessions Judge (ADSJ) Zeba Chaudhry to approve the police’s request for physical custody, even though he knew that Gill had been “tortured”. “We will not leave you [Zeba] and we will file a case against her as well.”
Soon after Imran’s speech, coalition parties demanded action against the former prime minister. Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah also vowed to prosecute Imran for making “threats” against a female judge and police officers.
“Mr. Imran Khan, President Tehreek-e-Insaf Pakistan, in his speeches/statements, has been observed constantly asserting the institutions of the state through baseless allegations and spreading hate speech through his provocative statements against the institutions and officials of the state, which is to the detriment of maintaining law and order and may disturb public order and tranquility,” the regulator said in a statement.
Pemra said that after analyzing the content of Imran’s speech, it was observed that the content was broadcast live by the licensees without any effective delay mechanism, which is in violation of the provisions of Pemra laws and contrary to the decisions of the respected courts. .
“The Competent Authority, i.e. the Chair of PEMRA, having regard to the foregoing and the reasons, in exercising the delegated powers of the Authority conferred in section 27(a) of the PEMRA Ordinance of 2002, as amended by PEMRA (Amendment) Act 2007, hereby prohibits live broadcast of Mr. Imran Khan’s speech on all satellite TV channels with immediate effect,” the statement said.
However, the media watchdog stated that the former prime minister’s recorded speeches could only be aired after an effective delay mechanism was put in place to ensure effective monitoring and editorial control in accordance with Pemra’s laws.
“Furthermore, all satellite television channels are mandated to ensure that an impartial and independent editorial committee is established in accordance with Article 17 of the Electronic Media (Programming and Advertising) Code of Conduct 2015 to ensure that their platform is not used by anyone to create any disparaging and directed against any state institution and hateful, damaging the rule of law in the country (in any case, even repeatedly in programs / talk shows / mailing lists).”
He warned of legal action under Pemra’s laws in the event of any violation of the directives.