Islamabad: The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) has prohibited all satellite television channels from airing live or recorded speeches of former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Imran Khan.
An order issued by the media regulatory authority on Sunday read, “It has been observed that Mr Imran Khan, Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, in his speeches/statements is continuously…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 tranquilly.”
PEMRA stated that broadcasting hateful, slanderous, and unwarranted statements against state institutions “violates Article 19 of the Constitution and a Supreme Court ruling”
In violation of provisions of PEMRA laws and apex court rulings, it has been observed that such content was broadcast by television channels without the effective use of a time-delay mechanism, according to the media regulator.
The PEMRA order stated, “Therefore, the competent authority, i.e. Chairman PEMRA, prohibits the broadcast/rebroadcast of speech(s)/press talks (recorded or live) of Mr Imran Khan on all satellite TV channels with immediate effect.”
As required by Clause 17 of the 2015 Electronic Media (Programmes and Advertisement) Code of Conduct, the regulatory body also instructed all satellite TV channels to form impartial editorial boards to ensure their platforms are not used to broadcast contemptuous remarks or hateful or prejudicial statements against state institutions or in the interest of public law and order.
The authority warned the television stations that their licence would be revoked if they did not comply.
PEMRA had prohibited the broadcast and rebroadcast of the PTI chairman’s speeches and press conferences in November of last year, but the federal government revoked the ban the same day.
