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LHC blacks out Altaf in electronic, print media

The court adjourned the hearing of the case till September 18 and ordered chairman Pemra to personally appear in court

Rana Yasif/our Correspondent September 08, 2015

Lahore High Court. PHOTO: LHC.GOV.PK

LAHORE/ KARACHI: The Lahore High Court (LHC) has ordered blacking out Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain in print and electronic media.

A full bench of the LHC heard on Monday petitions filed against Altaf’s speeches allegedly critical of state institutions, including the Pakistan Army and the paramilitary Rangers, following which coverage of the MQM chief’s speeches and publishing or broadcasting of his pictures and clips and his activities in the media were banned.

The bench — comprising Justices Mazhar Ali Akbar Naqvi, Mazhar Iqbal Sidhu and Erum Sajjad Gul — observed that “there is sufficient material available on record to issue direction to the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) chairman to black out Altaf’s activities, including hate speeches, any news regarding his activities and displaying his pictures in the media”.

Read: MQM to challenge LHC verdict against Altaf Hussain's speeches

The court also directed a Punjab additional advocate general (AAG) to convey the order to the Press Council of Pakistan chairman for immediate compliance.

However, he sought time to submit a report in light of the court’s August 31 order and assured the bench that he would submit it soon. The court accepted the plea and adjourned the hearing until September 18.

In the previous hearing, the LHC had also sought the comments of the interior ministry regarding the MQM chief’s nationality.

On Monday a Punjab AAG told the bench that despite his intimation, a report regarding Altaf’s nationality had not been received from the federal government.

A Pemra legal adviser presented to the court a May 1 notification according to which the regulatory body had ordered that all TV channels stop airing the MQM chief’s speeches.

The counsels for the petitioners said the directive was of a generic nature and it did not specify if the order was against Altaf’s speeches.

Petitioners Abdullah Malik, Aftab Virk and others had filed petitions against the MQM chief for his speeches allegedly critical of the army, the Rangers and the state.

They also stated that Altaf was a British national; therefore, a foreigner could not head a Pakistani political party according to law. He also has no right to deliver live speeches on Pakistani TV channels, they added.

MQM to approach SC

After the LHC’s decision, the MQM decided to challenge the verdict in the Supreme Court. “We shall also file a review petition in the LHC,” Barrister Farogh Naseem, the party’s lawyer, announced in a press conference at the Karachi Press Club.

Read: Arrest warrants stack up against Altaf Hussain

He said that while the MQM respected the LHC’s decision, the order was in breach of natural justice. Senior MQM leader Farooq Sattar said the party deserved a fair trial. “The decision was taken without hearing our side. While the premier, the federal cabinet and the federal government were also asked to respond, the verdict was issued without their comments. Our lawyer was provided no opportunity to respond. What was the hurry?”

Meanwhile, the MQM also staged protest demonstrations in Hyderabad, Nawabshah, Tando Allahyar and Mirpurkhas.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 8^th, 2015.

COMMENTS (9)

SK | 8 years ago | Reply With due respect, this adds to the growing list of the darker and opaque decisions given by a high court in Pakistan. It would certainly not be a judicial precedent except to be cited for the lack of respect it gave to the judicial process by not even giving the aggrieved side a chance to respond. What next: banning Modi's speeches and photographs in the print and electronic media or whichever villiain who is the flavor of the month. This would only lead to a theater of the absurd.

Tahoe | 8 years ago | Reply Good riddance!