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KARACHI, Nov 16: The Sindh High Court on Friday asked the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to submit their comments on a petition challenging ban on four television channels by Nov 20.
The petition, moved by the Independent Media Corporation (Pvt) Limited against the blackout imposed on Geo and sister channels, came up before a division bench comprising Justices Munib Ahmed Khan and Abdur Rehman Farooq Pirzada.
Pemra counsel Kashif Hanif said that he had not been furnished with a copy of the petition and had no knowledge of the averments made in it. He said that he was not even aware whether the petitioner organisation had a valid licence or a suspended or expired one.
The Deputy Attorney-General, Rizwan Ahmed Siddiqui, who accused the channels of creating sensationalism, also sought time for filing comments. Advocate Mohammad Ali Mazhar, petitioner’s counsel, opposed the request.
May 12 mayhem
The May 12 mayhem case was delisted on Friday for hearing on May 19. A new five-member bench comprising Chief Justice Mohammad Afzal Soomro and Justices Munib Ahmed Khan, Ms Qaiser Iqbal, Nadeem Azhar Siddiqui, A.R. Farooq Pirzada and Rana M. Shamim has been constituted to conduct the inquiry instituted by the court into the May 12 incidents in Karachi, including condoning of the roads approaching its premises. The case was previously heard by a seven-member bench.
Another five-member bench comprising the CJ and Justices M.A. Khan, Ms Yasmin Abbasy, Ms Qaiser Iqbal and Rana Shamim is due to hear Pakistan People’s Party chairperson Benazir Bhutto’s petition for membership of the National Assembly. It would also hear a suo motu contempt case against Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim for justifying graffiti against Justice Sabihuddin Ahmed, former chief justice of the Sindh High Court.
Oct 18 blasts
Justice Khwaja Naveed Ahmed, who is the administrative judge for Karachi division anti-terrorism courts, asked the investigation officer to expedite the probe into the twin blasts in the welcome procession of PPP leader Benazir Bhutto near Karsaz on Oct 18 midnight. The blasts claimed 140 lives and left over 500 injured.
The investigation officer, DSP M. Nawaz Ranjha, said that several eyewitness accounts had been recorded but the police was still looking for suspects. No arrest could be made so far.
DNA test and chemical examination reports were still awaited from the forensic laboratories. He sought more time for completion of the investigations. The judge accepted the interim report and granted the IO’s request.
