ISLAMABAD, April 23: Political parties, lawyers, mediapersons and civil society organisations on Monday lashed out at the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) for serving a show-cause notice on the Aaj TV channel and termed it an attack on the freedom of the electronic media.
The Alliance for Restoration of Democracy (ARD) submitted an adjournment motion to the National Assembly to discuss the issue on a priority basis.
The motion said the notice was issued to the TV channel because it was airing talks shows and programmes on the ongoing judicial crisis in the country.
The adjournment motion submitted by parliamentary secretary of the People's Party Parliamentarians Azhar Amrohi was signed by MNAs Chaudhry Manzoor Ahmad, Khwaja Asif, Qamaruzaman Kaira, Khurshid Ahmad Shah, Nahid Khan, Zamarud Khan, Aitzaz Ahsan and Fozia Wahab.
DBA: The District Bar Association Rawalpindi in its general body session passed a resolution condemning the government action against the channel for giving detailed coverage to the judicial crisis.
The resolution moved by Zafar Mehmood Mughal Advocate criticised the government for serving notice to the TV channel through Pemra. Speaking on the occasion, High Court Bar Association president Sardar Asmatullah termed the move an attempt to curb the freedom of expression.
He offered free legal support in case litigation ensued after the show-cause notice by Pemra.The president of the Divisional Union of Journalists Malik Wazir Mohammad said the issuance of notice to Aaj TV channel was an attempt to put pressure on the press.
At a meeting of the Potohar Press Club, Gujar Khan, he said the action against the TV channel was an attack on the freedom of the media.
PILDAT: The Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT) also condemned the show-cause notice served on the TV channel.
In a statement, PILDAT executive-director Ahmed Bilal Mehboob said it was regrettable that a government championing the cause of freedom of the information should take such steps against the news media.
No democratic polity can flourish through curtailing the freedom of information and of news media, he added.
CDPI: The Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives also condemned the show-cause notice and threat to the channel with closure in view of its extensive coverage of the judicial crisis.
