Debate on court proceedings in Nawaz bail plea: IHC issues showcase notice to TV anchors

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Saturday expressed serious concern over debate on court proceedings in Nawaz Sharif bail plea on TV channels and asked several TV anchors and Pakistan Electronic Media Regulator Authority (Pemra) to submit their reply.

The bench served showcase notice to CEO of private TV and its anchor regarding the contempt of court for maligning the court proceeding regarding Nawaz's bail.

The court also asked other TV anchors to submit their reply on the matter. A division bench comprising Chief Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Mohsin Akhter Kiyani conducted hearing on contempt of court matter against the TV anchors.

The bench observed that the court had been maligned in TV debate where several anchors had claimed an alleged ‘deal’ regarding the bail plea of Nawaz Sharif.

The court also expressed displeasure with the director general (DG) Pakistan Electronic Media Regulator Authority (Pemra) for not demonstrating its duty properly.

Chief Justice Athar Minallah remarked that elected prime minister, judiciary and other state institutions had been maligned during talk shows of TV channels, however, the Pemra had turned blind eyes to it.

The chief justice said an anchor of a private TV channel had confidently claimed in the TV show that a deal had been done on the matter. Whether prime minister and judiciary were part of this alleged deal, he questioned. He said such baseless claims used to make the cases proceeding as controversial.

Expressing displeasure with Pemra DG, Justice Kiyani said the department’s people just enjoy the criticism on courts on TV channels while sitting at their homes.

Justice Athar Minallah remarked that everyone had played its role to damage the country.

A TV anchor said he had not used word of ‘deal’ in his programme. After this, the court asked the all anchors to submit their answers to the bench. However, an anchor of a private TV channel had been directed to provide the evidence of deal which he had claimed in his programme.