Imran Khan requests IHC to overturn PEMRA live telecast ban of his speeches

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Monday challenged the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) ban on live coverage of his speeches in the Islamabad High Court (IHC).

The petition was filed by the party chief’s lawyers who requested the court to set aside the order of the ban.

“While referring to the violence against party member Shahbaz Gill, Imran had requested to take legal action against those responsible,” the petition read.

It furthered that as a citizen the law has given the right to take legal action and that the PTI chief’s speech was mistaken as hate speech.

The petition added that Imran’s stance to call for legal action against those responsible in Gill’s “torture” does not fall under hate speech.

The PTI lead asked the IHC to view his statements against the backdrop of violence that his chief of staff suffered at the hands of Islamabad police during physical remand.

He pointed out that an exclamation for taking legal action does not equal hate-mongering therefore, the court should overturn the decision of PEMRA to inhibit the live broadcast of his speeches which was meant as a punishment for his F9 park speech.

Separately, PEMRA submitted the record of Imran Khan’s “speech at F9 park” in the Islamabad High Court today (Monday).

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman, in a jalsa, had threatened to take “legal action” against the inspector general of Islamabad police, his deputy and a female judge who had approved PTI leader Shahbaz Gill’s physical remand despite ‘evidence’ of torture on him.

Subsequently, the IHC summoned Imran Khan to court in a contempt case and directed PEMRA to submit the record of his speech.

According to the PEMRA, the ban has been put in place under Section 27 of the PEMRA Ordinance 2002. The PEMRA notification mentioned Khan’s speech at the F9 Park, Islamabad.

The notification said the former PM’s hate speech is against the Supreme Court’s verdict in the suo motu case. The contents of Imran Khan’s speech are also against the Lahore High Court verdict, says the PEMRA.

The PEMRA also warned news channels of strict action if the directives were not followed.

In the meantime, sources said the government has lodged an FIR against Imran Khan under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) for threatening a judge and two top police officials during an above-mentioned public gathering.