LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Friday allowed an opportunity to the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) to submit a reply to a contempt petition of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, questioning the alleged violation of a stay order against the ban on coverage of his speeches.

A lawyer representing the authority sought more time to submit the reply and the court adjourned the hearing till next week.

The petition contended that the court had suspended the ban imposed by the Pemra on the broadcast of Imran Khan’s speeches and press talks on the television channels.

However, it said, the ban was still intact as the speeches and press talks of the petitioner had not been covered by the news channels.

The petition asked the court to initiate contempt proceedings against authorities responsible for the non-compliance of the order. The Pemra had slapped the ban after Imran Khan lashed out at former army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa for, what he called, protecting incumbent rulers in their alleged corruption cases.

The court had suspended the notification of the ban and referred the matter to a full bench already seized with similar matters.

Published in Dawn, April 29th, 2023