SHC suspends ban on private TV programme

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Wednesday suspended the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority’s ban on anchor Amir Liquat Hussain's programme on a private TV channel till February 22.

The court also directed Pemra and other defendants to submit their replies on the next date of hearing. The channel counsel Anwar Mansoor Khan submitted that Pemra had banned the programme without giving any show cause notice besides also blocking the transmission of the channel. He submitted that the impugned notice was challenged earlier before the SHC’ single bench in an appeal whereby the operation was suspended.

However, Pemra assailed the court order in the Supreme Court which disposing of the appeal has held that the impugned letter was a fresh cause, which ought to have been challenged independently and not in appeal which already served its purpose.

He undertook to file a copy of the Supreme Court’s order and submitted that after the SC's order, the impugned letter issued on January 26 has come into the field again and in case the impugned letter is not suspended, the petitioner would proceed to shut the transmission on their TV channel.

An SHC’s division bench, headed by Chief Justice Sajjad Ali Shah, issued notices to Pemra, deputy attorney general and others for February 22 and suspended the impugned notice till the next date of hearing.