End to ‘indecent’ coverage of judiciary sought

The Newspaper's Staff Reporter Published December 27, 2017

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday sought reply from electronic and print media bodies, their regulators and ministry of information on a petition seeking end to ‘indecent’ coverage of the judiciary.

IHC Justice Aamer Farooq on the petition of Sardar Shahbaz Khosa directed the ministries of information and broadcasting, information technology, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra), All Pakistan Newspaper Society (APNS), Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA), Pakistan Press Foundation and the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) to submit their reply within a fortnight.

The petitioner adopted before the court that he recently noticed through print, electronic and social media that the judgments of the superior courts were being purposely and by design being targeted to malign the judicial system and the judges of the superior courts.

Without naming anyone, he said that “the ruling elite of the country is ridiculing the judicial system of Pakistan and making a mockery of it”.

He added that persons having no experience/legal background were purposely being allowed to come on print, electronic and social media for their opinion on matters pertaining to the judicial determination.

In addition, he said that live telecasting of contemptuous speeches by political persons and by laymen without any check to its contents had caused irreparable damage to judiciary.

The petitioner said that the lack of check by respondents and allowing printing and publishing of such speeches shows the inaction on part of the state institutions.

He requested the court to direct the respondents to enforce conditions of licenses, code of ethics.

Published in Dawn, December 27th, 2017

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Shaukat Ali Khan

Dec 27, 2017 10:30am

I have a some experience of judicial system. What I understand is that the judicial system must be transparent. Due consideration is to be given to all aspects and no one should be convicted if there is even an iota of doubt. If this aspect is not regarded, the decisions are bound to be questioned.

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Shaukat Ali Khan

Dec 27, 2017 10:33am

Just decisions don't need explanations.

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Naseem Altaf

Dec 27, 2017 10:59am

Judiciary, itself, through its conduct, lawfulness & quality of judgements, is the most potent and important entity/factor in establishing and maintaining a high level of respectability and loving esteem in the eyes of public and global observers. In civilised world judiciary does not need any crutches to acquire "respect" from the watching public.

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Philosopher (from Japan)

Dec 27, 2017 02:31pm

@Shaukat Ali Khan not agreed with you. I’ve also seen/ experienced judicial systems of other countries including Japan. NS might have serious consequences of contempt of court what he does here would have have done in any other country. The only question is how he earned money or his children became billionaires just at the age of 18-19 years. Even Bill Gates was not smart enough to accumulate such wealth in shortest possible time. Secondly it’s not allowed anywhere in the world to have a job in abroad while selected as a prime minister of a country. Can you show us any example from the world of prime ministers. Even the worst political countries of African continent don’t do that what our disqualified ousted pm did. Working as a manager on merely 10,000 DHMS. Pathetic.

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