LAHORE: Three separate petitions filed in the Lahore High Court(LHC), Islamabad High Court(IHC) and Sindh High Court(SHC) Sukkur Bench seeking withdrawal of notification issued by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority(PEMRA) restricting the TV channels from broadcasting tickers and headlines of court proceedings.
In the petitions filed by the representative organizations of the Supreme Court and High Court Reporters in the Islamabad High Court, it has been stated that PEMRA's notification is a violation of Article 19 and 19A, and the notification should be declared unconstitutional and annulled.
The petition was filed by the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists(PFUJ) in the Sindh High Court Sukkur Bench. According to the petitioner's counsel, PEMRA, the Federal Government and the Information Secretary have been made parties in the petition.
PEMRA's guidelines on reporting cases pending in courts state that tickers and headlines related to court proceedings should be avoided.
The petitioner said that PEMRA's notification regarding the judicial proceedings is illegal.
[embedpost slug="pemra-bans-reporting-of-court-proceedings"]
It should be noted that the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) has banned the broadcasting of court proceedings other than written orders.
PEMRA's guidelines on reporting cases pending in courts state that tickers and headlines related to court proceedings should be avoided.
PEMRA has said that only written orders should be reported.
According to PEMRA guidelines, TV channels can show live court proceedings.
The TV channels should refrain from airing any content, conversation, suggestion or opinion that may influence judicial decisions.
