Altaf media blackout: LHC decision challenged in SC

ISLAMABAD: The Lahore High Court (LHC) decision to ban the broadcast of images and speeches of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain has been challenged on Monday in the Supreme Court.

The petition was filed in the apex court on behalf of the MQM supremo by human rights activist and former Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) president Asma Jahangir.

The petition requests the apex court to declare the LHC decision null and void as the verdict handed out on September 7, 2015 is unjust and given without hearing the counsels of the other party.

It further says that the ban imposed on Altaf Hussain's images and speeches is against freedom of speech and expression guaranteed under Article 19 of the Constitution of Pakistan.

Read: Broadcast of Altaf Hussain's images, speeches banned by LHC

The LHC on September 7, directed the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) and Additional Attorney-General Naseer Ahmed Bhutta to implement a ban on the broadcast of images and speeches of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain across all electronic and print media till further orders.

The ruling was made after a hearing of three petitions seeking a ban on media coverage of Altaf following his alleged remarks against state institutions, including the army and Rangers.

The court observed that there was sufficient material on record to order a complete blackout of the activities of Altaf Hussain, including what it called his hate speech, news regarding his activities as well as display of his picture across electronic media.

The petitions had been filed by Advocate Aftab Virk, Abdullah Malik and others.

Also read: Lawyers demand cancellation of Asma Jahangir's license for representing Altaf

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Comments (18) Closed

Pak Citizen

Oct 05, 2015 03:53pm

Under which article of constitution of Pakistan he asked for help from our enemy and said "thay" to rangers men

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Parvez

Oct 05, 2015 04:12pm

Asma Jahangir has never shied away from controversy.......

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Kabeer

Oct 05, 2015 04:19pm

@Pak Citizen "Under which article of constitution of Pakistan he asked for help from our enemy and said "thay" to rangers men" we have functioning courts we are not living in caves or under Taliban rule your above question is also very pertinent but it should also be asked in the courts I think we are a civilized society not a tribal society

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Arabian Sea

Oct 05, 2015 04:23pm

One may disagree as much as one wants with the political views of Altaf Hussain but it is again all tenets of democracy, freedom of expression, plain justice and common sense to black out the views of a person one does not like. This is an ostrich like attitude completely in discordance with the wisdom and sagacity one will expect from the custodians of our law. We do not like what Modi or his ministers state about Pakistan; should we banish him and his sidekicks from the print and airwaves. Counter MQM by all means but politically; go against any mqm related criminals but not through a media trial; and certainly exercise the rule of law but not with swaggering arrogance laced with bias. Else we would be giving rise to a permanent sore on our body politics.

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S. Haider

Oct 05, 2015 04:34pm

Pakistan is not so weak, that it's existence can be threatened by political speeches. A politician should be fought by political means, and not by bans and censorship.

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khanm

Oct 05, 2015 04:37pm

one should oppose the ban on freedom of speech specially in a country like Pakistan...If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter....

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S. Haider

Oct 05, 2015 04:47pm

@Kabeer . You comment is a good clarification. Thank you. I agree with you.

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zain

Oct 05, 2015 05:19pm

@Arabian Sea Excellent response and intellectually well balanced

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Kashif Syed

Oct 05, 2015 05:25pm

Rangers are not angels. They have been in Karachi for 20 years. What have they done? Criticizing the rangers, or government is not against the law. Especially if that government is persecuting and discriminating against an ethnic group. There is ample proof that this government causes great disharmony amongst the many ethnic groups in Pakistan.

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Mansoor Sajid

Oct 05, 2015 06:43pm

Supreme Court should not be wasting its time in undertaking this application and put it in queue when they deem it appropriate.

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Sab Se Pehle Pakistan

Oct 05, 2015 08:53pm

The blackout against MQM and its leadership is illegal and is based on biasness and ism. Why there was no ban on Khuwaja Asif, Asif Zardari, Imran Khan, Sharifs etc. All of them passed derogatory remarks against our great armed forces? Just because they are so called son of the soil?

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Sab Se Pehle Pakistan

Oct 05, 2015 09:29pm

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Haque Parast

Oct 05, 2015 09:37pm

About time supreme court take notice or selective justice, injustice and discrimination in Karachi operation. Thanks to Asma Jahangir for taking up the matter to SC.

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M.Saeed

Oct 06, 2015 12:41am

@Arabian Sea : To find a filth you will have to get down into filth. It is no fair fight of rights on principles because, to get help from your nation's enemy makes you partner of enemy and a serpent of arm-pit.

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Sleepless in Sahiwal

Oct 06, 2015 01:08am

@M.Saeed Who's going to decide on that? Pemra?

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Cyrus

Oct 06, 2015 01:52am

Case in brief. Altaf Hussain is a foreign national interfering in Pakistan's internal affairs who must cease and desist from doing so.

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Reza

Oct 06, 2015 05:35am

A similar news blackout was implemented by the UK during its fight with the IRA, when even non militant Sunni fein leaders' speech and images were not allowed to be shown on media. Freedom of speech without responsibility may lead to anarchy, which is why most countries media don't give space to hate speech and xenophobia, even if coming from a 'political' party

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Keti Zilgish

Oct 06, 2015 07:25am

@Arabian Sea Ever since the Death Penalty that was declared by the LHC on ZAB this court and the SC have declared war on each other and so far the SC has lost.

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