Ex-servicemen body supports Pemra’s restrictions

Published April 8, 2019
Pemra has imposed restrictions on the appearance of retired military officers on TV talk shows. ─ Dawn/File
Pemra has imposed restrictions on the appearance of retired military officers on TV talk shows. ─ Dawn/File

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Ex-Servicemen Society (PESS) has supported the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority’s (Pemra) decision to impose restrictions on TV channels over inviting retired military officers to their talk shows and other programmes as defence analysts.

A statement issued by the PESS on Sunday said that the society distanced itself from a decision taken by the Ex-Servicemen Legal Forum to challenge in court the Pemra’s directives that retired officers take permission from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) before appearing on television.

Retired Lt Col Inamur Rahim Khawaja, convener of the Ex-Servicemen Legal Forum, told Dawn on Saturday that his group had decided to challenge the Pemra notification in the Islamabad High Court.

The PESS reiterated that the ISPR director general was the only voice of the armed forces. The decision was in national interest and the PESS stood behind it wholeheartedly, it added. According to the society, it has three million members.

The PESS disassociated itself from any ex-servicemen forum which did not agree with this decision. “Such forums/groups only wish to serve their own vested interest and that of their paymasters,” the statement said.

In a notification issued on Thursday, Pemra instructed all TV channels to seek prior clearance from the ISPR before inviting retired military officers on news and current affairs programmes “to solicit their views on matters of national security”.

The notification stated: “It has seriously been observed by the concerned quarters that retired military officers are frequently being invited in different news and current affairs programmes / talk shows as defence analysts to solicit their views / opinions on matters of national security and related affairs. Such invitees are usually not fully conversant with latest defence and security related developments due to their service background and post retirement time. Moreover, the discussion mostly switches from security-related matters to politics which inadvertently embroils military officers into political debate which is felt undesirable.”

The Forum is an association of retired army officers-turned-lawyers.

Mr Khawaja said that there were five associations and forums of retired officers and soldiers of the country’s armed forces and his Forum was one of them.

Published in Dawn, April 8th, 2019

Opinion

Editorial

‘Source of terror’
Updated 29 Mar, 2024

‘Source of terror’

It is clear that going after militant groups inside Afghanistan unilaterally presents its own set of difficulties.
Chipping in
29 Mar, 2024

Chipping in

FEDERAL infrastructure development schemes are located in the provinces. Most such projects — for instance,...
Toxic emitters
29 Mar, 2024

Toxic emitters

IT is concerning to note that dozens of industries have been violating environmental laws in and around Islamabad....
Judiciary’s SOS
Updated 28 Mar, 2024

Judiciary’s SOS

The ball is now in CJP Isa’s court, and he will feel pressure to take action.
Data protection
28 Mar, 2024

Data protection

WHAT do we want? Data protection laws. When do we want them? Immediately. Without delay, if we are to prevent ...
Selling humans
28 Mar, 2024

Selling humans

HUMAN traders feed off economic distress; they peddle promises of a better life to the impoverished who, mired in...