Satellite television channels were prohibited from broadcasting live coverage of events outside the Islamabad court where former Prime Minister Imran Khan is scheduled to appear in a corruption case on Saturday by Pakistan’s electronic media watchdog.
The 70-year-old leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, Khan, is scheduled to appear before the court of Additional District and Sessions Judge (ADSJ) Zafar Iqbal to participate in the hearing on the complaint filed by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) alleging that he concealed information regarding gifts in his declarations of assets.
In a warning given Saturday, the Pakistan Electronic Media Administrative Power (Pemra) expressed that it has been seen with worry that satellite Television slots are showing live film and pictures of a savage horde, and assaults on police and policing.
“Such film/pictures were seen on television screens with no publication oversight during a new stalemate between ideological group laborers and the regulation implementing organizations in Lahore wherein, a vicious crowd utilized petroleum bombs, harming armless cops and blasting police vehicles. The viewers and the police were thrown into chaos and panic by the live broadcast of this footage on various satellite television channels.
According to the Pemra letter, this kind of mob activism not only puts the law and order situation in jeopardy but also puts lives and public property in jeopardy.
According to Pakistan’s electronic media regulator, the dissemination of such content is in violation of a Pakistani Supreme Court decision.
Pemra said in a statement that it had “observed with concern” that satellite TV channels were “showing live footages (sic) / images of a violent mob, attacks on police and law enforcing agencies” in relation to the clashes that took place outside Khan’s Zaman Park residence.
Pemra, in its structure, said that it has denied live/recorded inclusion of any sort of meeting, public social event, or parade by any party, association, and individual for Walk 18, including from the legal complex, Islamabad.
In addition, the regulator stated that the license would be suspended if the order was not followed. Khan has come under fire for selling gifts for profit from the state depository known as Toshakhana, including a pricey Graff wristwatch that he had received as premier at a discount. After losing a no-confidence vote in April of last year, Khan was removed from power. He claimed that the vote was part of a US-led conspiracy against him because of his independent decisions regarding Russia, China, and Afghanistan.
Sharif has maintained that elections will be held later this year once the parliament completes its five-year tenure. Khan has been clamoring for immediate elections to oust what he referred to as an “imported government” led by prime minister Shehbaz Shar.
