Pemra bans Imran speeches: After PTI chairman Imran Khan criticized former army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa for what he called “protecting incumbent rulers in their alleged corruption cases,” the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) on Sunday imposed a ban on the broadcast of his speeches and press conferences. After a few hours, Pemra suspended ARY News’ license to broadcast clips of his speech at Zaman Park.
The authorities have issued a third prohibition on Mr. Khan’s speeches and press conferences on all satellite TV channels, following the overturning of the first limitation by the Islamabad High Court on September 6, 2022, and the lifting of the second one a few hours later.
In its most recent “Prohibition Order,” Pemra ordered all licensees to stop immediately airing, transmitting, or rebroadcasting any speeches or press conferences (whether recorded or live) by Imran Khan.
The ruling stated that if there is non-compliance, Section 30 of the Pemra Ordinance, 2002 will be invoked to suspend the license in the interest of the public.
Imran Khan was “levelling bogus claims and propagating hate speech through his aggressive utterances against state institutions and personnel,” according to the authority, which was detrimental to the upkeep of law and order and was likely to disturb public peace and tranquilly.
PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry referred to the Pemra action as “an attempt to muzzle Imran’s speech” and made the decision to file a legal challenge, urging the media community to follow suit.
PEMRA SUSPEND ARY NEWS
Consequently, Pemra suspended ARY News in a late-night development for “wilful violation” of the restriction order. “It is also obvious that Mr. Ammad Yousaf, senior executive vice president, had shared Pemra’s Order on his Twitter account at 8:26 pm,” the suspension decision noted.
In light of the aforementioned, the competent authority, the Pemra chairman, acting by the provisions of Section 30(3) of the Pemra Ordinance 2002 as amended by the Pemra (Amendment) Act 2007, hereby suspends the broadcast satellite TV channel license granted to M/s ARY Communications Ltd. However, (ARY News) with immediate effect, pending additional directives.
