KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Friday withdrew a stay order suspending the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority’s (Pemra) ban on Amir Liaquat’s show on Bol TV ‘Aisay Nahi Chahlay Ga’, ruling that the programme will remain off air until further notice.
A two-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Sajjad Ali Shah also issued notices to the petitioner and deputy attorney general to file their respective replies on the case by Feb 22.
The show had resumed airing Wednesday evening (Feb 8), even though the Supreme Court had ruled earlier in the day that the regulator’s decision will be upheld.
During Friday’s hearing, Pemra’s counsel Kashif Kashmiri placed the SC’s order before the bench, arguing that the TV channel had procured a stay order from the SHC by concealing facts.
The apex court had stated that the channel’s management could only appeal Pemra’s decision before the Sindh High Court if it was aggrieved by the regulator’s final decision on the matter, and had added that the court would have to decide the case after hearing all parties involved.
In response to Kashmiri’s arguments, the SHC withdrew its stay order, directing Bol News to stop airing the show and honour the Supreme Court’s Feb 8 order regarding the same.