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