No airtime for absconders, says high court

islamabad — Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Athar Minallah has said that there would be no relief given to any absconder for airing their speeches on Pakistan’s television channels.

Minallah’s remarks came while hearing a petition against the electronic media watchdog, Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra), for ordering a complete ban on airing of speeches of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

“It was not in public interest to give relief to an absconder,” said Minallah.

The petition was filed by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) along with some journalists, who contested that Pemra has barred all electronic media outlets from airing, broadcasting and rebroadcasting of speeches of Sharif and former finance minister Ishaq Dar.

Both Sharif and Dar have been declared as absconders by the courts.

The petition was virtually brushed aside by the IHC chief justice, who made it clear that no absconder would be allowed to get any relief and the electronic media will continue to be barred from airing their speeches.

The Islamabad High Court observed that if the Pemra order was done away with, all absconders would be granted the relief of going live on air.

On the other hand, the petitioner contested that the Pemra orders have affected thousands of people from their right to information.

“The ban has affected the citizens’ right to information which had been granted by the Constitution,” the petitioner maintained. —