LAHORE: A Lahore High Court (LHC) full bench on Monday extended the stay against suspension of a ban imposed by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) on the broadcast of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan’s speeches and press talk on the television channels.

A single bench had last week suspended the impugned ban and referred the matter to the full bench for further proceedings.

The full bench headed by Chief Justice Muhammad Ameer Bhatti directed the counsel for the Pemra to submit written arguments on the territorial jurisdiction of the LHC to hear challenges against the orders passed by the authority at Islamabad.

The bench adjourned further hearing till March 20.

Pemra had slapped the ban after PTI chief lashed out at the former army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa for, what he called, protecting incumbent rulers in their alleged corruption cases.

Barrister Ahmad Pansota, on behalf of the PTI chairman, argued the Pemra had issued the impugned order in excess of its jurisdiction without having any regard for the constitutional rights guaranteed under articles 19 and 19-A of the Constitution.

He said a plain reading of section 27 of the Pemra Ordinance, prima facie, showed that it did not empower the authority to issue a blanket prohibition order. He said the prohibition order appeared to be in violation of the principle of proportionality.

The counsel stated that a judgment passed by the Islamabad High Court had declared a similar prohibition order against the petitioner on similar grounds as ultra vires of the Ordinance.

Published in Dawn, March 14th, 2023