ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday reserved verdict in the case pertaining to ban on special Ramzan transmission and morning and lottery shows for violating the regularity authority’s act.
The appeal was filed by PBA and a private TV channel. A two-member bench led by IHC judge justice Amir Farooq heard the case.
Barrister Ali Zafar appeared in the court on behalf of Pakistan Broadcasting Association (PBA) and took a stance that freedom of speech is everyone’s fundamental right.
During the hearing, the court ordered all TV channels to broadcast the Islamic call to Prayer (Adhan) five times a day. The court also imposed a ban on the broadcast of foreign content, lottery and morning shows and other entertainment programs.
During the hearing, Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani sought whether Pakistan has imposed a ban on Indian and other foreign content. Subsequently, Justice Amir Farooq sought about PEMRA censorship policy regarding foreign content.
Ali Zafar informed the court that all TV channels have their own censor boards for their commercial and other contents. Zafar further informed the court the regularity authority has established limitations regarding TV content and all channels broadcast their content within the PEMRA set parameters.
The petitioners’ lawyer further informed the court that PEMRA issues notice to the TV channels for violating its any clause. He said the ban on TV channels regarding programs is illegal in the presence of the regularity authority, adding the court can interfere and give directs if PEMRA would be not fulfilling its due responsibility of monitoring content of the programmes.