ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) on Wednesday imposed banned on coverage of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) rally.

PEMRA issued a notification on Wednesday [March 08] and imposed a ban on the PTI election rallies on all satellite TV channels with immediate effects. In this regard, PTI vice president Fawad Chaudhry stated on his social media platform that, “Media has been banned to cover police brutality on protestors, Punjab is under East India Company and Mohsin Naqvi new Gen Dair of Punjab.”

Last week, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) imposed a ban on broadcasting ‘live and recorded’ speeches and press conferences of former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan on all satellite TV channels with immediate effect.

“It has been observed that Imran Khan [Chairman PTI] in his speeches/statements is continuously alleging state institutions by 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 tranquility,” stated the notification issued by the regulatory authority.

PEMRA noted that airing of “baseless allegations, the hateful, slanderous and unwarranted statement” against state institutions and officers was in sheer violation of Article 19 of the Constitution of Pakistan and a judgment of the Supreme Court of Pakistan (SC) passed in Suo Moto Case.

The authority further said that after analysing the content of Imran’s speech, it has been observed that the content was aired live by the licensees without an effective time delay mechanism which is a violation provision of PEMRA laws and in disobedience of judgements passed by the courts.