Private TV Channel Suspended for Airing Imran Khan’s Speech in Pakistan
The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) suspended ARY News’ broadcasting license for Imran Khan’s speech in Lahore just hours after prohibiting television networks from airing his speeches and press conferences.
On Sunday night, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) banned satellite television channels from broadcasting live and recorded speeches of the 70-year-old former cricketer-turned-politician after Islamabad police failed to arrest him.
The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) notified that Imran was “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”.
It said the airing of abusive, defamatory and unjustified words against state institutions is “in direct contravention of Article 19 of the Constitution and a judgement of the Supreme Court”.
After the TV station disobeyed PEMRA’s decision, the organization chose to suspend ARY News, which is regarded as supportive of Ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan. However, the ARY TV channel official rejected all the allegations.
“The PEMRA statement came after 8 pm, and almost all the channels ran clippings of Imran Khan’s speech in their 9 pm bulletins. However, the regulatory authority suspended only our licence,” Al Jazeera quoted the official.
This is the third time PEMRA has prohibited TV networks from airing Imran’s remarks since he began holding large protests to call for direct national elections after being removed from the PM’s office.
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