SC restrains Pemra from taking action against Neo TV.

Byline: Nasir Iqbal

ISLAMABAD -- The Supreme Court on Monday resAtrAaAined the Pakistan ElecAtronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) from taking any coAAercive measures against Neo TV channel for a period of 15 days until the channel challenges the vires of the Pemra-TeleAvision Broadcast Station OperaAtions Regulations 2012.

A two-judge Supreme CouArt bench headed by Justice Mushir Alam had taken up an appeal of Neo TV channel against the Islamabad High Court's rejection last month of its plea to change its category from entertainment to current affairs and news.

Barrister Syed Ali Zafar, representing the TV channel, argued that Pemra had given a licence to Neo TV under the Pemra OrdinAance, 2002, but when the channel applied for change of programming-mix, the authority rejected its application on the grounds that under the Regulations 2012, there could be no change in category of the licence.

The appeal filed by Neo TV against the decision of Pemra was also rejected by the high court.

The counsel argued that the judgement of the high court as well as the decision of Pemra were illegal, unlawful and void ab initio.

Under the 2002 OrdinanAAce, change in the category or the programming-mix was speAAAAcifically allowed and couAld only be refused by Pemra on the ground of public interest, the counsel said, adding that this was an established law that rules and regulations could not override a law.

While banning the change of...