Justice Athar Minallah of the Islamabad High Court while hearing a case pertaining to ‘obscene’ advertisements, morning shows and dramas here on Thursday remarked that the court cannot restrict the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) from taking action against a channel for violating its rules.
During the hearing, Pakistan Broadcasters Association counsel Barrister Ali Zafar argued that PBA has moved the Supreme Court against PEMRA on Ramazan guidelines issued by the regulatory body. However, the apex court has ordered the Islamabad High Court to hear the case and decide the matter.
“The court has also restrained PEMRA from taking any action till the case is sub-judice,” he argued. Even after the clear directions by the apex court, PEMRA was still sending them notices, he said and stressed that these notices were against the orders of the Supreme Court.
“We are not challenging the rules and regulations of PEMRA, we are against the notices,” he contended. In his remarks, Justice Minallah said that the order by the Supreme Court was still valid. Advocate Waqas Malik, who is applicant in this case, said that they were not talking about wearing burqas on TV channels. “We are talking about wearing full kameez (shirt) at least,” he said after the judge remarked that courts cannot order TV channels to wear burqas.
The case was adjourned till July 4 when Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui will resume hearing. Justice Siddiqui who was hearing the case is currently in Saudi Arabia to perform Umra.
