LHC directs Pemra to ensure free media access to PTI founder, candidates

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) has directed the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) to ensure that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and candidates of all political parties are given free and unrestricted access to media platforms/channels in view of the general elections.

In a 10-page written verdict released here on Wednesday, Justice Shams Mehmood Mirza passed the directions on a petition filed by PTI founder last year against Pemra’s ban on broadcast of his live and recorded speeches.

On January 4, 2023, the court disposed of the petition in the light of a statement by Pemra’s counsel and observed that it would issue appropriate directions to the authority and TV channels in the written order.

The Pemra’s counsel had stated that there was no ban on airing speeches of the PTI founder and the authority would fully comply with the directions passed by the court in the matter.

On March 5, 2022, the Pemra imposed a ban on airing the speeches of PTI founder due to his provocative statements against the state institutions.

The PTI founder had challenged the ban imposed by the regulatory body in the LHC. On March 9, 2022, Justice Shams Mehmood Mirza suspended the ban.