Pakistan’s media regulatory authority suspends ARY News licence

Islamabad [Pakistan], March 6 (ANI): Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) has once again suspended the license of ARY News for airing clips of the speech of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief and former prime minister Imran Khan, which was earlier banned by the regulatory body, Dawn reported.

Interestingly, this is the third time that a ban on broadcasting and re-broadcasting of Khan’s speeches and press talks after he lashed out at former army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa. Coincidentally, ARY news’ license was also revoked for the second time. According to PEMRA, airing of “baseless allegations, the hateful, slanderous and unwarranted statement” against state institutions and officers was in sheer violation of Article 19 of the Constitution of Pakistan and a judgment of the Supreme Court of Pakistan passed in a Suo Moto case.

PEMRA issued an order on suspension of ARY News’ license and stated, “It is also evident that Ammad Yousaf, senior executive vice president, had shared Pemra’s Order on his Twitter account at 8:26 pm.”

“Foregoing in view, the competent authority i.e. the Pemra chairman in the exercise of powers vested in Section 30(3) of the Pemra Ordinance 2002 as amended by Pemra (Amendment) Act 2007, hereby suspends broadcast satellite TV channel licence conferred to M/s ARY Communications Ltd. (ARY News) with immediate effect, till further orders,” it added.

Earlier, PEMRA issued a statement, “It has been observed that Imran Khan [Chairman PTI] in his speeches/statements is continuously alleging state institutions by levelling baseless allegations and spreading hate speech through his provocative statements against state institutions and officers which is prejudicial to the maintenance of law and order and is likely to disturb public peace and tranquillity.”

The authority further said that after analysing the content of Imran’s speech, it has been observed that the content was aired live by the licensees without an effective time delay mechanism which is a violation provision of Pemra laws and in disobedience of judgements passed by the courts.
“The competent authority i.e., Chairman PEMRA in view of the above-mentioned background and reasons, in the exercise of delegated powers of the Authority vested in Section 27(a) of the PEMRA Ordinance 2002 as amended by PEMRA (Amendment) Act 2007, hereby prohibits the broadcast of live speech of Imran Khan on all satellite TV channels with immediate effect,” the authority added, according to ARY News.