ISLAMABAD – The Islamabad High Court has summoned a number of TV presentersand the management of different television channels to appear in person ina contempt case tomorrow (Wednesday).
The TV hosts, belonging to TV One, ARY, GEO, BOL News and Filmazia, includeSahir Lodhi, Nabeel Zafar, Fahad Mustafa and Amir Liaquat Husain.
The constitutional court issued these directions in response to thecontempt of court petition filed by Muhammad Waqas Malik advocate throughhis counsel Inamul Rahim, alleging the TV channels were violating the IHCorder dated May 9 wherein they were directed to follow the PEMRA guidelinesfor Ramazan transmissions.
A single bench of Judge Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui IHC issued show cause noticesto the said respondents, saying why contempt of court proceedings shouldnot be initiated against them.
The court has also directed, Director General (DG-Operations) PakistanElectronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) to also appear before thecourt.
The petitioner has contended that on May 9 order the IHC bench had issuedcertain declarations and directions to regulate the advertisements dramasand other TV programs as per the Islamic code of life.
In the said order, the IHC bench had imposed a complete ban onadvertisement, dramas and films of foreign origin, Indian in Pakistan. Andit was also directed that “No program suggestive of containing lottery andgambling, even apparently for the noble purpose like Hajj/Umrah tickets etcshall be promoted to air either live or recorded. The program like NeelamGhar and those appear to be like circus show must be stopped”.