SC restrains SHC from proceeding against Pemra chairman

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court Tuesday restrained the Sindh High Court from contempt proceedings against the chairman Pemra filed by a private TV channel.

A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Ameer Hani Muslim, heard the appeal filed by chairman Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority against the stay order granted by the Sindh High Court on January 28 against the decision of Pemra, discontinuing the program of Amir Liaquat Hussain on the private TV channel.

The court issued notice to the channel and retrained the Sindh High Court for a week from contempt proceedings against the chairman Pemra. The court observed that as the Sindh High Court was taking up the mater today (Wednesday) hence they don’t want to dictate the High Court as well without hearing the other party.

The Pemra counsel however told the court that the SHC had also issued a contempt notice to the Pemra chairman. 

On Tuesday, counsel for Pemra submitted that the regulator had received over 100 applications about the hate-based contents of the programme adding that the channel violated the order passed by the regulator.