ISLAMABAD - The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Wednesday issued notices to the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) and Special Assistant to the PM on Information and Broadcasting in a case related to the closure and relegation of Geo News to lower placements on TV channel ordering.
A single bench of IHC comprising Chief Justice of IHC Justice Athar Minallah conducted hearing of the petition filed by Raja Ahsan Mahmood Satti through his counsel Barrister Jahangir Jadoon.
The IHC bench said in its written order that the petitioners are aggrieved because they assert that transmissions of one of the electronic media channels i.e. “GEO Network” have been disrupted due to illegal interference by the PEMRA.
It added that the learned counsel has placed reliance on the judgments of the august Supreme Court rendered in the cases titled “Independent Media Corporation and others v. Federation of Pakistan and others” [PLD 2014 S.C. 657] and “Dr Shahid Masood and others v. Federation of Pakistan and others” [2010 SCMR 1849] in order to highlight that on previous occasions the same channel had faced illegal disruptions pursuant to instructions given by the Authority.
The court order further said that the learned counsel has stressed that fundamental rights guaranteed under Articles 19 and 19-A of the Constitution of Pakistan, 1973 are being violated and he further argued that the Authority is being dictated by the federal government which has compromised its independent status.
It maintained that it is the case of the petitioners that the Authority has failed in discharging its statutory obligations and to protect freedom of expression found being violated. The IHC bench said, “Let notice be issued to respondents no. 2 (Secretary Information Technology, 3 (Special Assistant to PM on Information) and 5 (Chairman PEMRA) for filing report and para-wise comments within a fortnight.
It added, “The Chairman, Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority is directed to nominate an authorized officer to appear before this Court on the next date of hearing. Moreover, as a regulator the Authority shall ensure that any complaint regarding interference with the transmission of its Licensee shall be removed before the date fixed. The authorized officer shall satisfy this Court on the date fixed that the Authority is fulfilling its statutory obligations as an independent regulator by safeguarding the constitutional rights of the Licensees as well as the general public.”
Later, the court adjourned the hearing till March 24 in this matter.