KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Tuesday restrained Geo TV Network and Geo Super from airing and broadcasting Pakistan Super League (PSL) matches till Feb 17.

A single-judge bench headed by Justice Mohammad Shafi Siddiqui also issued notices to the Independent Media Corporation (IMC), the parent company of Geo TV Network, and other defendants for the next date.

The bench was hearing lawsuits filed by ARY Communication and Independent Music Group Limited (IMGL or Geo Super) in connection with the broadcast rights of the 8th edition of PSL.

The bench in its order stated that in the tender process of the Pakistan Cricket Board, the PTV and ARY Communication emer­ged as joint successful bidders and a licence was accordingly executed descr­i­bing them as licensee.

The PCB executed the licence on Jan 9, 2022 whereby authorising PTV, A Sports and ARY to air and broadcast the 7th and 8th editions of PSL and sub-licensee was Ten Sports as agreed by licensee independently to generate additional revenue, it added.

The bench noted that now the PTV intending to extend a sub-licence to the IMGL without consent of co-licensee ARY Commun­ica­tion. Restraining the IMC and IMGL from “airing and broadcasting PSL Edition-8, currently in progress directly through its TV channel”, the bench also restrained ARY Comm­­unication and PTV from making adverse/defamatory comments in their broadcast against Geo TV.

Published in Dawn, February 15th, 2023