On Monday, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) questioned PTI Chairman Imran Khan about whether he intended for his anti-military remarks to damage the morale of the armed forces.
These comments were made by IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah at a hearing challenging a ban on live broadcasts of Khan’s speeches by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA).
The IHC CJ postponed enforcement of the order until September 5 during the previous hearing, stating that the regulatory authority “does not have the authority” to make such orders.
At today’s session, Khan was represented by attorney Ali Zafar, and a PEMRA representative was present to explain the agency’s position to the court.
The judge dismissed the lawsuit after hearing both sides’ arguments. After the PTI chairman threatened state institutions and government personnel on August 21, the PEMRA banned any public gatherings by the group.
According to PEMRA’s notification, Khan’s addresses are a flagrant breach of the organization’s policies and Article 19 of the Pakistani Constitution.
The agency imposing the restriction cites Section 27 of the PEMRA Ordinance 2002 as the legal basis for the decision to ban the practice. The speech Khan gave in Islamabad’s F9 Park was highlighted in the PEMRA announcement as the reason for the restriction.
Khan was also charged with contempt of court for making threats at Additional District and Sessions Judge Zeba Chaudhry during the same speech that led to the ban.
Mahnur is MS(development Studies)Student at NUST University, completed BS Hons in Eng Literature. Content Writer, Policy analyst, Climate Change specialist, Teacher, HR Recruiter.
