Imran Khan, a former prime minister and the leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, is not permitted to give live or recorded addresses, according to the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA).
PEMRA Order On Banning of Imran Khan’s Speeches
“It has been observed that Mr. Imran Khan, Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, in his speeches/statements is continuously…levelling baseless allegations and spreading hate speech through his provocative statements against state institutions and officers which is prejudicial to the maintenance of law and order and is likely to disturb public peace and tranquility,” read an order issued by the media regulatory authority on Sunday.
“The Supreme Court’s ruling and Article 19 of the Constitution are both clearly violated,” according to PEMRA, when hateful, slanderous, and unjustified words are broadcast about state institutions.
According to observations, such content was broadcast by TV channels without effectively utilizing the time-delay mechanism, in contravention of media regulator statutes and top court rulings, the media regulator continued.
“Therefore, the competent authority i.e., Chairman PEMRA…hereby prohibits broadcast/rebroadcast of speech(s)/press talks (recorded or live) of Mr. Imran Khan on all satellite TV channels with immediate effect,” read the PEMRA order.
The regulating body further ordered all satellite TV channels to establish impartial editorial boards in accordance with Clause 17 of the Electronic Media (Programs and Advertisement) Code of Conduct 2015 in order to prevent the airing of hateful or negative remarks against public institutions or in the interest of public law and order on their platforms.
The authority informed the TV networks that if they did not comply, their license would be suspended.
The PTI chairman’s remarks and press conferences were not permitted to be broadcast or rebroadcast by the media regulator in November of last year, but the prohibition was later overturned by the federal government the same day.
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