LHC orders Pemra to submit report on 28th

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court Thursday ordered Pemra to convene its meeting regarding complaints against contemptuous matter being aired on TV channels and submit a report on February 28.

Justice Shahid Karim was hearing a petition against alleged contemptuous and anti-judiciary speeches of former premier minister Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and other leaders of the PML-N.

In pursuance to court’s order, Pemra’s counsel Azam Zia told the court that the complaint council of the authority received complaints against the speeches of the PML-N leadership. He said the authority would take action if recommended by the complaint council.

The petitioner’s counsel Azhar Siddique pleaded that Nawaz Sharif started a campaign against the state institutions since his disqualification in Panama Papers case by the Supreme Court. He said Maryam also joined the campaign of her father and launched a tirade of criticism against the judiciary.

Justice Karim observed that the Pemra should have taken action itself instead of waiting for the recommendations of the complaint council. The judge directed the petitioner’s counsel to transmit all the record of alleged contemptuous speeches to the Pemra’s counsel and also asked the authority to convene a meeting on the issue and submit a report by February 28.