ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday dismissed a petition filed by a private television channel against the suspension of its licence for a week.

Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb also upheld the imposition of Rs1 million fine on the management of Neo TV for airing ‘contemptuous’ contents against a sitting judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

Pemra on November 26 suspended the licence for seven days and imposed a Rs1 million fine on the TV channel.

Before the court, the counsel for the TV channel argued that the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) had condemned the channel unheard, which was against the principles of justice.

He also said that at the behest of the ruling political party Pemra punished the television channel for airing the ‘unwanted’ news items.

The counsel said the alleged contemptuous contents were not aired during the routine transmission but were broadcasted in a talk-show which did not represent the policy of the management of the television channel.

Advocate Hassan Rana, former legal adviser to Pemra, said airing of a defamatory content against judges and the army was a violation of the Pemra code of conduct. The authority can suspend the television channel for violating its code at the outset. The rules also allow Pemra to ultimately revoke the licence, he added.

He said instead of approaching the court the management of the TV channel should have file comments with Pemra to contest its case.

Published in Dawn, December 2nd, 2016