A full bench of the Lahore High Court (LHC) has ordered the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) to ensure that the PPP’s advertisement regarding alleged conversation between Justice (r) Malik Qayyum and PML-N leader Shahbaz Sharif is not aired on any television channel till May 4 (today).
The bench also issued notice to the PPP and sought reply besides adjourning the matter till May 4.
The bench headed by Justice Ijaz ul Ahsan passed the orders on a petition filed by PML-N leader Shahbaz Sharif through his counsel Sulman Ghani Butt.
Earlier, the petitioner’s counsel submitted that the PPP had started a defamatory campaign against the petitioner through a fabricated conversation between him and Justice (r) Malik Qayyum
The counsel contended that the advertisement was against code of conduct set by Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
The alleged talks between Qayyum and Shahbaz is said to have been recorded by intelligence agencies during Benazir Bhutto’s regime, due to which Malik Qayyum and one judge had to wash their hands of their positions.
Meanwhile, the PPP has also decided to head for a showdown with the PML-N to prove veracity of its advertisement and according to latest position, also intends to file its petition challenging the formation of a bench to review the petition filed by the PML-N, as the bench allegedly has a close relative of Malik Qayyum on the seat.
The PPP also intends to highlight the veracity of the video content, over the recording being already used as a proof in previous (1990s) court hearing(s), and the airing of this recording was in no way a violation of ECP’s code of conduct.