The Supreme Court on Monday granted four weeks to Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) to submit a report over alleged obscene and vulgar TV channel programmes after taking input of all stakeholders and their viewpoints under the relevant rules and laws.
Resuming hearing of a plea moved by former amir of Jamaat-e-Islami, Qazi Hussain Ahmed, over airing of obscene and vulgar contents by TV channels, a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry noted in its order that without PEMRA’s cooperation, application of rules was not possible. The PEMRA was directed to furnish copies of the report and hand it over to counsels for parties for their further replies.
The bench also admitted applications of Javed Jabbar, former federal minister for information and broadcasting, Cable Operators Association of Pakistan chairman and Pakistan Broadcasters Association for becoming party in the instant proceedings. During the course of proceedings, PEMRA Chairman Abdul Jabbar appeared and submitted a report. He apprised the bench that they were endeavoring to monitor all TV channels and implement PEMRA rules.
Jabbar maintained that the TV channels violating PEMRA rules were served notices while transmission of various channels was taken off the air. The bench observed that PEMRA had not taken any action during the last 10 years and now swung into action after petitions were filed in the court. The bench termed PEMRA’s actions as an eyewash and told the chairman to take all effective measures with the help of stakeholders to stop alleged obscenity on TV channels.
The PEMRA report submitted with the bench said monitoring of the contents of the TV channels was a continuous practice which was also a difficult and challenging task. The illegal channels were taken off the air and steps were taken to ensure that no violation of PEMRA rules took place.
The report said several channels operated through satellite and could be downloaded anywhere in the country. He said that 95 percent of cable operators were operating through analogue technology and it was not possible to monitor all cable operators due to technological constraints. The PEMRA said if any illegality was noticed, airing of that channel was stopped through prompt action and so far 97 illegal channels were taken off the air, 218 inspections were conducted in which 94 violations of rules had been detected, whereas 65 show-cause notices were served upon violators. The report said PEMRA held meetings with all the stakeholders over a code of conduct for the electronic media which was originally promulgated through PEMRA Rules of 2002.
Fakharudin G Ebrahim headed the committee and prepared a draft but it could not be finalized. Meanwhile, the Cable Operators Association of Pakistan chairman and Pakistan Broadcasters Associations moved separate petitions, seeking to become interveners and party in the instant matter.