ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday rejected a petitioner’s appeal to withdraw his request for a ban on televangelist Aamir Liaquat and upheld an interim ban on the television host who is accused of using television, social media and print media to allegedly spread discord and hatred in the country.
During the hearing, Justice Siddiqui rejected Mohammad Abbas’ appeal against the IHC’s restrictions on Liaquat and upheld its earlier decision. The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) also submitted its reply to the court during the hearing.
In the last hearing of the case, the judge had directed PEMRA to ensure that the TV host did not appear “on any TV channel or radio programme in any capacity for any type of talk, programmes, shows and advertisements” till further orders were issued in this respect.
Petitioner Abbas’ lawyer, Barrister Shoaib Razzaq, had argued in court in the last hearing of the case in December 2017 that Liaquat does not have any Islamic degree or certification and yet calls himself an aalim (religious scholar), a title he seems to have appropriated since hosting television show Aalim Online.
He urged the court to ban the televangelist from appearing on television and social media or using print media to spread his views.