ISLAMABAD, Sept 26: The Election Commission (EC) on Wednesday barred private TV channels as well as the print media from covering the filing of nomination papers for the presidential election on Thursday.
EC secretary Kunwar Muhammad Dilshad said in a statement that only authorised persons, including the presidential candidates, their proposers and seconders and authorised agents, would be allowed to enter the EC secretariat.
Only the state-run PTV will be allowed to cover the event.
From the security point of view, he said, mobile phones, cameras, handbags, laser key chains, calculators and batteries would not be allowed inside the EC secretariat.
Mr Dilshad also referred to rule 4 of the Presidential Election Rules, 1988, which read: “At any time before noon on the day fixed for nomination any member of the Majlis-e-Shoora (parliament) or of a provincial assembly may nominate for election as president a person qualified for election as president by delivering to the presiding officer a nomination paper, signed by himself as proposer and by another member of the Majlis-e-Shoora (parliament) or, as the case may be assembly as seconder, together with a statement signed by the person nominated that he consents to the nomination: provided that no person shall subscribe, whether as proposer or as seconder, more than one nomination paper at any one election”.
Pemra directive
Meanwhile, Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) has directed the satellite TV channels not to air programmes, talk shows, discussions and interviews (on issues) which are sub judice before the courts, including the apex court, and warned anchors against playing the role of judges.
In a statement, a Pemra spokesman said that debates were being held and comments were made sometimes in a manner that was tantamount to media trial.
He said that this was not only objectionable but also against the ‘terms and conditions of licences’ issued to TV channels.
He said Pemra took a notice of the matter after it was observed that various speakers were called and loaded questions were asked by the anchors who then passed judgments. Anchors were moderators and not judges, he said.
He said that in certain cases anchors took up topics in which they were neither qualified nor authorised. He said that such practices contravened the Pemra code of conduct for media broadcasters and the spirit of various directions of the courts issued from time to time. Pemra, as a regulator, has always believed in ‘self-regulation’ by electronic media but there are certain norms, limits and bounds beyond which freedom becomes anarchy.
Reiterating the authority’s resolve, the spokesman said that independence, responsibility and maturity went hand in hand and unbridled freedom, irresponsible comments and transgression of law and code ‘cannot and should not be allowed’.
He said the step had been taken to urge media operators to understand their prime responsibility to abide by the law.
