|
The Sindh High Court on Wednesday ordered the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) to immediately restore the ARY News transmission across the country.
The news channel, "ARY News" went off the air in different parts of Pakistan on Monday evening without any prior notice by authorities. In the 10-page order, the Sindh High Court suspended the show-cause notice issued to ARY News by PEMRA. The court also stopped the media regulatory authority from suspending the license of TV channels till the next hearing. The court also issued notice to PEMRA and the deputy attorney general and adjourned the hearing until August 17, ARY News reported. Soon it was revealed that PEMRA had ordered the suspension over a statement given by a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shehbaz Gill among other reasons, the ARY News distanced itself from Gill's statement and issued a statement on the matter. The statement added that comments or opinions of any individual televised by the network do not represent the channel's policy. Shahbaz Gill's statement was his personal opinion not ARY's editorial policy, it added. Earlier on Monday, the PEMRA issued a show-cause notice to ARY News for airing what it called "false, hateful and seditious" content." Meanwhile, the Supreme Court of Pakistan and Lahore High Court (LHC) has moved against the suspension of transmission of ARY NEWS and the arrest of the channel's head of news Ammad Yousaf. The journalist community across the country also staged protests against the unjust suspension of ARY News's transmission throughout the country and the arrest of Head of ARY News Ammad Yousuf. The petition was filed by Advocate Azhar Siddique along with PFUJ President Shahzad Butt, ARY NEWS reporter and members of civil society before the Lahore registry of the apex court. The petition stated that two FIRs were registered on a similar complaint in Islamabad and Karachi against the decision of the Supreme Court of Pakistan. It further said that the CEO of ARY NEWS and administration has also been booked in the case while head of news Ammad Yousaf was arrested in a similar case. Earlier on Wednesday, Head of ARY News, Ammad Yousaf, who was picked up without a warrant late-night raid, has been handed over to the Memon Goth police station. Meanwhile, President and CEO of ARY Digital Network Salman Iqbal, Anchor persons, Arshad Sharif and Khawar Ghuman have been booked under sedition charges. Moreover, President of Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) Afzal Butt announced to set up a camp outside ARY offices across the country on Friday to show solidarity, reported ARY News. (ANI)
|
