On Monday, Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) issued a ban on media coverage of any rallies or public gatherings taking place in Islamabad that day. The ban was imposed under Section 27 of the PEMRA Ordinance in response to the current law and order situation in the federal capital.
PEMRA’s official notification cited live footage and images of violent mobs attacking police and law enforcement agencies (LEAs) being aired on satellite TV channels “without any editorial oversight” during a recent confrontation between a political party’s workers and LEAs in Lahore and Islamabad. The broadcast of such content was deemed a violation of a Supreme Court ruling passed in the suo motu case in 2018.
In exercising its powers under Section 27(a) of the PEMRA Ordinance 2002, the authority banned both live and recorded coverage of any type of rally, public gathering, or procession by any party, organization, or individual for that day. Non-compliance could result in license suspension under Section 30(3) of the PEMRA Ordinance 2002 without any show cause notice in the public interest, along with other enabling provisions of the law.
PEMRA’s decision to ban live media coverage of protests and rallies was made to maintain law and order in Islamabad. Meanwhile, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief and former Prime Minister Imran Khan departed for the federal capital to seek interim bail in five cases related to vandalism in the judicial complex and is expected to appear before the Islamabad High Court.
