ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) has barred television news channels from live and recorded coverage of rallies or public gatherings by any party, organization and individual in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad, the regulator said on Monday, ahead of a court appearance by former prime minister Imran Khan.
The court ban comes after Khan supporters clashed with police earlier this month outside his Zaman Park residence in Lahore as well as outside a judicial complex in Islamabad where the former premier had appeared before a judge. The scenes of violence and chaos were widely televised
On Monday, in an advisory titled “Prohibition order on live coverage under Section 27 of PEMRA Ordinance 2002,” the regulator said it had observed that satellite TV channels were showing live footage and images of violent mobs attacking police and law enforcement agencies.
PEMRA said such footage or images were broadcast on TV “without any editorial oversight” during a recent standoff between supporters of a political party and law enforcement agencies in Lahore and Islamabad, wherein a violent mob used petrol bombs, injured unarmed policemen and torched police vehicles.
The live telecast of such footage on different satellite TV channels “created chaos and panic among the viewers and police,” the electronic media regulator said.
“The competent authority while exercising powers vested under Section 27(a) of the PEMRA Ordinance 2002, as amended by PEMRA (Amendment) Act 2007, hereby prohibits live/recorded coverage of any kind of rally, public gathering, procession by any party, organization and individual, etc. in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) for today i.e. March 27, 2023,” PEMRA said.
In case of non-compliance, the media watchdog said the license of the TV channel would be suspended under Section 30(3) of PEMRA Ordinance 2002 without any show-cause notice, along with other enabling provisions of law.
The development came ahead of Khan’s appearance before an Islamabad court today, Monday, to request pre-arrest bail in cases registered against him over March 18 clashes between his supporters and the police in the Pakistani capital.
On March 18, hundreds of Khan supporters clashed with police as the former premier led a motorized caravan to the Pakistani capital from the eastern city of Lahore to appear before an Islamabad district court in a graft case.
Several people were injured on both sides during the clashes that forced the court to adjourn proceedings of the case, popularly known as the Toshakhana reference, until March 30.
Prior to that, Khan supporters had clashed with police in Lahore, when law enforcers attempted to arrest the ex-PM following the issuance of his non-bailable warrants in the Toshakhana case.
