KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday stopped some private channels from airing news against an assistant professor of Karachi University (KU) who had allegedly harassed a student of Mass Communication Department of KU.
A SHC bench, headed by Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi, heard a petition filed by Assistant Professor Osama Shafiqаof KU against some private channels and a student who levelled harassment allegations against him.
The bench stopped some private channels to not arrange talk shows on the issue and it also barred the student, Tehamas Ali Khan, who had failed in three papers, from issuing statements against his professor.
The court issued notice to chairman Pakistani Electronic Media Regular Authority (PEMRA) and council of complaint of PEMRA. It also issued notices to some private channels, Geo news, Samaa TV, Hum News, and student Tehamas Ali Khan and sought a reply from them.
The court directed the all respondents to submit their reply until 27th May.
The bench expressed annoyance over the media coverage before the decision of the issue and it also annoyed over the interview given by affected students to a private news channel.
The Justice questioned that did alleged affected student appeared before the registrar of KU. “Are TV channels right forum of justice?”
Counsel of the assistant professor, Muhammad Ayaz Ansari, submitted that without any confirmation and investigation, media produced as hero a failed student.
He pleaded the court that PEMRA be given instructions to take strict inquiry against TV channels.
