The Islamabad High Court has issued notices to PEMRA and the information secretary in response to a petition challenging the authority’s ban on reporting court proceedings.
The court halted PEMRA from taking any disciplinary actions against television channels under the current notification.
The court also issued a notice regarding a miscellaneous petition seeking to suspend the PEMRA notification entirely. This action reflects the ongoing legal contention surrounding the regulation of media reporting of judicial proceedings and the balance between media freedom and judicial integrity.
Lahore High Court
The Lahore High Court has issued a notice to the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) regarding a petition challenging the ban on reporting court proceedings.
The hearing, presided over by Justice Abid Aziz Shaikh, addressed the petitions filed by local lawyers Samra and Zain. The court issued a notice to the attorney general for assistance and sought responses from other parties.
The petitioners argued that no formal complaint had been lodged with PEMRA that would justify any restriction on court reporting. They asserted that the Lahore High Court holds the jurisdiction and authority to hear their application.
The lawyers emphasized that tickers and headlines about court proceedings are prepared in accordance with PEMRA’s established rules and regulations. They further contended that if court proceedings are misreported, PEMRA's Council of Complaints and the court concerned have the authority to address such issues, including initiating contempt of court proceedings.
The petitioners noted that there have been no cases of misreporting of court proceedings to date, underscoring the right of every citizen to a fair trial. If a court asks for its remarks not to be reported, it gets a reaction.
PEMRA’s legal representative argued that the regulatory body had issued the notification in accordance with the law and maintained that its head office, located in Islamabad, is the appropriate jurisdiction for such matters. Following these arguments, the court postponed the hearing.
