IHC issues contempt notice to Pemra chairman.

Byline: Malik Asad

ISLAMABAD -- The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday issued a contempt of court notice to Pakistan Electronic Media ReguAlatory Authority (Pemra) chairman Saleem Baig for using the court's name to issue strict guidelines to media houses and anchorpersons.

Pemra recently issued a notice to private TV channels, restricting appearance of anchorpersons on different television channels as analysts.

Since the court has already issued show cause notices to the chief executive officer of BOL TV and anchorperson Sami Ibrahim, IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah appointed the advocate general for Islamabad 'for prosecuting the persons against whom show cause notices have been issued'.

The court appointed eminent journalists I.A. Rehman, M. Ziauddin, Javed Jabbar, president of his own faction of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists Afzal Butt and Pakistan Broadcasting Association President Shakeel Masood as amici curiae in the matter related to regulations for private media houses.

Media regulator asked why it used court's name to issue strict guidelines to TV channels and anchorpersons

Chief Justice Minallah was hearing a contempt of court case against anchorperson Ibrahim for linking the bail granted to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif to a deal.

The IHC on Oct 26 grilled Pemra for not taking action against the broadcasters who were violating the code of conduct for them.

Subsequently, Pemra issued a directive to private media outlets in which contrary to what the court had ordered, the regulator imposed a ban on anchorpersons' appearance as analysts in talk shows of different television channels.

When Chief Justice Minallah resumed hearing, he called the Pemra chairman to the rostrum and asked if the court directed the regulator to impose a ban on anchorpersons' appearance on television channels as analysts.

Mr Baig responded in the negative.

When the court asked why then Pemra issued such directions to TV channels by giving an impression as if this court had given instructions in this regard, Mr Baig could not give a plausible explanation.

The Pemra chairman was also not able to show any provision which empowers the regulator to impose such restrictions.

The court observed, 'the conduct of the chairman and the restrictions imposed through guidelines by giving the impression that these were pursuant to directions given by this court, prima facie appears to...