*ISLAMABAD – A retired officer has challenged in the Islamabad High Courtthe notification which requires retired officers from seeking clearancefrom the Pakistan Army’s media wing before appearing on talk shows asanalysts. *
The court issued notices to the information secretary, PEMRA and otherrespondents in the case. Chief Justice Athar Minallah remarked that therespondents should submit their replies by the next hearing.
Colonel (retd) Inamul Raheem, the petitioner, argued that the restrictionis against Article 19 of the Constitution (Freedom of speech). “The saidarticle gives everyone the right to express their opinion,” his lawyer said.
Retired officers as ordinary citizens should not be required to takepermission from the ISPR, according to the petitioner. He wants thenotification issued on April 4 to be taken back.
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On April 4, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority requestedtelevision channels to seek “prior clearance from ISPR” before invitingretired military officers as defence analysts in news and current affairsprogrammes.
In a notification, Pemra stated: “it has been seriously observed byconcerned quarters” that retired military officers “are usually not fullyconversant/abreast with the latest Defence and Security developments due totheir service background and post-retirement time.”
