- Directs PEMRA to exercise vigilance
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has directed Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) to exercise extreme vigilance of the electronic media in order to ensure its strict compliance with PEMRA Ordinance 2002.
During the hearing of a suo moto case on Faizabad sit-in on Saturday, the SC bench comprising Justice Mushir Alam and Justice Qazi Faez Isa directed the PEMRA to submit a comprehensive report with pertaining to all the electronic media channels regarding their broadcasting of “inflammatory content, provocative or abusive statements that incited violence”.
“Since we have made observations, which some in the media may consider adverse to their financial interest,” the court said, as it further noted that those, who had a different understanding of the Constitution, the ordinance and the laws of Pakistan, might file their concise statements.
The court also directed the Ministry of Information, Broadcasting, and National Heritage to send a copy of the order to all electronic media outlets contemplated in the ordinance and to all newspapers and magazines published in Pakistan for information and compliance and report on January 3, 2018.
Quoting the police report, the Supreme Court observed that it was a matter of grave concern when inflammatory, provocative or abusive statements were broadcast as those had the effect of fanning the flames.
The apex court’s order said,”The freedom of speech and expression and independence of the media was cherished by the people of Pakistan guaranteed as it is under the Constitution; however, there was no place in the public discourse to propagate the commission of an offence or to incite people to resort to violence.
“It is also a matter of considerable concern that some people are propagating views broadcast which maligned the armed forces by projecting them as something wholly apart from the executive or constitution,” the apex court said, adding that such actions were a violation of Article 5 of the Constitution.
The court also directed the ministries of interior and defence to provide information related to the particulars of law enforcement personnel who lost their lives; number of injured law enforcement personnel; number of innocent bystanders or members of public who lost their lives; the number of innocent bystanders or members of public who were injured; the particulars of the protesters who lost their lives; number of protesters who were injured; and the particulars of public and private property destroyed and damaged by the protesters, with their approximate value.
