Judgment reserved on petition against talk shows on sub judice matters

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Monday reserved its judgment on the maintainability of a petition seeking direction to restrain private TV channels from talk shows on sub judice matters including the Panama case.

A local lawyer, Amjad Farooq Bismil, had moved the petition through  his counsel A K Dogar. The petitioner’s counsel argued that under Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) rules, no one was allowed to hold programmes and debate on matters pending before a court of law. 

He asserted that it was a universally accepted principle that when a case was pending in court whether subordinate or superior the matter was considered to be sub judice. He submitted that in Pakistan anchors daily acted like judges and participants in their programmes argued like lawyers of parties and even remarks made by judges were subjected to criticism on television.

He requested the court to issue directions to the Pemra to enforce its law and stop all television channels from holding programmes on sub judice matters.  The judge after the preliminary hearing of the petition reserved the decision on maintainability of the petition.

Earlier on May 3, Justice Shahid Karim, on a petition of lawyer M H Mujahid, had sought replies from the federal government and the Pemra on a similar matter.