Pakistan: High court petitions against the ban on court coverage by a media watchdog

May 24, Islamabad, Pakistan: Geo News, a Pakistan-based news outlet, said that three distinct petitions were filed in Sindh, Lahore, and Islamabad high courts, contesting the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority’s (Pemra) directive that prohibited TV broadcasters from airing news of court proceedings.

In a notice published on May 21, the PEMRA directed all licensees of satellite news channels to refrain from airing any material that might sway a court’s decision, including views, comments, or recommendations on the future of such a subjudice issue.

“Further, TV Channels are directed to refrain from airing tickers/headlines with regard to court proceedings till the final order,” it said.

The licensees of satellite TV channels were also directed to guarantee that the Pemra regulations are strictly followed, in line with the ruling of the Supreme Court “in Suo Moto Case No. 28 of 2018 (reported as 2019 PLD SC 1) in letter and spirit,” as reported by Geo News.

Legal action was threatened by the media watchdog in the event that any orders were broken. A petition was filed in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) by the court’s reporters’ association. The petitioner claimed that Pemra had imposed a general ban on live reporting of statements made in open court by judges, attorneys, parties, and witnesses.

“By imposing a blackout on court proceedings without even consulting the judiciary, Pemra is effectively committing an assault on the independence of the judiciary, in addition to violating the public’s right of access to information, journalists’ freedom of speech and litigants’ right to a fair trial,” the petition stated.

The report noted that the petition also claimed that the notifications amounted to a violation of the members of the petitioners’ organizations’ rights under Article 18 of the Constitution and that they threatened the livelihood of those individuals, sounding like the death knell for the field of courtroom journalism.

The petitioner asked the IHC to halt the “operation” of the Pemra notification in order to get temporary relief. According to Geo News, similar applications were filed with the Lahore High Court (LHC) and the Sindh High Court (SHC) Sukkur bench.

In the SHC, the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has submitted a plea. PFUJ has designated Pemra, the information secretary, and the federal government as respondents in the petition. Nonetheless, the Pemra chairman and information secretary were designated as respondents in the case filed with the Islamabad High Court.

According to Pakistan-based Dawn, earlier this month, media organizations expressed worries about the situation of free media in Pakistan, focusing in particular on mainstream media and social media limitations during election days.

The Association of Electronic Media Editors and News Directors (AEMEND) has vowed to confront unfavorable situations head-on and to carry on Pakistan’s constitutional and legal fight for freedom of speech.

According to a statement from AEMEND, state and non-state actors have been imposing restrictions on television shows, stopping broadcasts, calling for the dismissal of journalists, inciting needless pressure, and making unlawful demands, posing serious challenges for journalists and media outlets in Pakistan.

AEMEND said, “Such tactics are increasing by the day,” stating, “Character assassination of journalists, especially women journalists, is part of this campaign, and political party workers are also part of such malicious campaigns,” according to a Dawn article. It claimed that these strategies are intended to stifle journalists and limit their right to free speech.

According to AEMEND, actions taken to deny people their right to information go against the spirit of democratic societies. These actions include sending notices to journalists and other institutions, shutting down internet and mobile phone services on significant occasions, restricting the coverage of certain political and non-political activities, and issuing further illegal restrictions on social media.

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) said in its South Asia Press Freedom Report that there had been four murders of journalists and that female journalists in Pakistan were being harassed both online and off.