LHC restores 24 News HD's license.

LAHORE -- The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Tuesday stayed a decision by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) to suspend the license of news channel 24 News HD over 'non-compliance with its terms of license'.

The media regulatory body had on July 3 suspended with 'immediate effect' the channel's license for 'illegal transmission of news and current affairs content'. Following the Pemra decision, the management announced to shut down the channel and issued one-month notices of termination of services to its 965 staffers.

The court while issuing notices to the authority and the federal government sought their replies on the matter during Wednesday's hearing.

According to a press release issued by the media regulatory body the other day, the license was in fact issued to Central Media Network (Pvt) Ltd. for its sister concern Value TV which 'illegally' changed its name to 24 News HD.

The channel was granted the license to air entertainment content but instead, it was 'persistently illegally and unlawfully airing news and current affairs in continuous violation of Pemra laws', the statement said.

Subsequently, the Central Media Network had challenged Pemra's suspension in the LHC, terming it 'illegal' and nominated the federal government and the authority as respondents.

In its petition, the media house said Pemra had issued a show-cause notice to the channel on May 5, adding that the channel's representative had attended a hearing on the matter on June 1 and a written reply had also been submitted.

However, the petition said, after a decision issued by the Pemra chairman on July 3, the channel's license was suspended on 'alleged violation in a change of logo and content without permission'. The petition also stated that the channel had applied for a change in license category in 2015, which was 'partially approved'.

The...