By Special Correspondent
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) on Monday banned live and recorded coverage of public gatherings and rallies in Islamabad ahead of former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan’s appearance in the federal capital court.
According to the details, PEMRA issued a notification, stating that the ban has been extended to cover public meetings and rallies in the Islamabad area for March 27. The notification said that the licence of satellite TV channels would be revoked for violating the instructions. The PEMRA further said the live broadcast of violent mobs and attacks on law-enforcement agencies, spread panic and chaos.
Pemra ban
PTI chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan departed for Islamabad to appear before an Islamabad court today morning to seek interim bail in five cases related to vandalism in the judicial complex here.
Khan will be accompanied by his senior lawyers Naeem Panjotha and Salman Safdar. The PTI chairman will seek interim bail based on security concerns. Cases were registered against the PTI chairman at CTD, Golra, and Ramna police stations for vandalism on his arrival at the judicial complex in Islamabad.
Imran Khan and 17 other party workers have been booked in two cases under terror sections for attacking the judicial complex on March 18. Sources said that Imran Khan has also been issued notices to appear at the Golra police station. A police official said that legal action will be taken against those who will resort to violence during the court appearance of Imran Khan.
Previous PEMRA bans on coverage
On March 05, 2023, PEMRA imposed a blanket ban on broadcasting live or recorded speeches of former prime minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan on all satellite TV channels. “It has been observed that Mr Imran Khan, Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, in his speeches/statements is continuously…levelling 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,” read an order issued by the media regulatory authority on Sunday.
Then on March 8, 2023, PEMRA imposed ban on coverage of the PTI rallies. The PEMRA issued a notification imposing a ban on the coverage of PTI election rallies on all satellite TV channels with immediate effects. Following the issuance of the Pemra notification, PTI Vice President Fawad Chaudhry took his twitter handle and wrote that “Media has been banned from covering police brutality on protestors as Punjab is under East India Company and Mohsin Naqvi is the new Gen Dyer of Punjab.”
