Rabbani slams Pemra ban on Nawaz speeches

ISLAMABAD: PPP Senator Mian Raza Rabbani on Saturday said the Pemra restrictions on airing the speech of former prime minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and reporting on the motorway rape case was a clear violation of Articles 19 and 19(A) of the Constitution.

“The federal government continues to violate Articles 19 and 19(A) of the Constitution, and the recent order of Pemra is a continuation in this regard,” he said in a statement. Rabbani said the double standard being followed by Pemra was evident from the fact that it did not ban the speeches of General (retd) Pervez Musharraf, who was a proclaimed offender.

He said it was unfortunate that an anti-terrorism court passed a restraining order on airing or publishing news pertaining to the motorway rape case. He said there was a growing censorship of the media in the country and journalists were being harassed, kidnapped and jailed for performing their professional duties.