ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) on Saturday issued notices to 14 news channels for commenting on references filed in the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) against senior judges in spite of an advisory issued in this regard by the media regulator.
According to PEMRA, the channels that received the notices include Geo News, Dawn News, Dunya News, ARY News, Channel 24, 92 News, Express News, Aaj News, Ab Tak News, GNN, Samaa TV, Sach News and Koh-i-Noor.
PEMRA directed the news channels to ensure that orders issued by the Supreme Court and SJC as well as advisories issued by the regulatory authority are acted upon and warned against further violation.
The body also ordered the aforementioned channels to submit a response by June 11.
On Friday, PEMRA had barred all television channels from airing news, discussion or analysis on the issue except the news on the reference filed by the government against the judges for allegedly owning undeclared properties abroad.
Citing the July 7, 2018 judgement of the Supreme Court, PEMRA recalled that through the judgement directives were issued to media that no media discussion, articles or editorials would be written or published and no public comments would be made on the proceedings of the SJC and only the proceedings would be reported.
Moreover, the Supreme Court through Sept 12, 2018 suo motu case had also prohibited discussions on sub judice matters.
PEMRA warned that in case of non-compliance, the authority would proceed in accordance with the PEMRA Ordinance 2002.
