A constitutional petition has been filed in the Supreme Court on Thursday, praying for restraining a TV channel and its two anchorpersons along with a newspaper from airing and printing malicious propaganda against armed forces and premier spy agency - ISI.
Petitioner Sardar Muhammad Ghazi, former Deputy Attorney General for Pakistan, submitted the application under Article 184 (3), naming seven respondents; including the Federation through Secretary Ministry of Information, Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra), Najam Sethi and Hamid Mir, anchors of private TV channel Geo, and Ijaz Haider, a writer of Express Tribune and Publisher/Editor of Daily Tribune, Islamabad.
The petitioner contended that after the incident of May 2, 2011, which resulted in the killing of Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad by US forces and the attack on Mehran Naval Base, Karachi, a well organised campaign was launched in the world of media, targeting Pakistan Army and the ISI. "The anchorpersons of TV channel and the writer jointly and severally are trying to run down the Army generals and as such their command stands eroded in the eyes of the force being commanded by them," the petitioner stated.
Sardar Ghazi claimed that the petition involved enforcement of fundamental rights as guaranteed in Article 9, 19, 27A of the Constitution. He prayed the Court to declare that the freedom of press and expression was not absolute and was subject to certain restrictions and limitations imposed as mandated in Article 19 of the Constitution of Pakistan.
The federation through Ministry of Information and Pemra may be directed to enforce in letter and spirit the constitution, relevant law, rules and regulations including the code of conduct contained in Pemra rules. He prayed the court to initiate the proceedings for cancellation of licence of the TV channel network and also cancel the declaration of the newspaper for allowing such programmes and publishing in the newspaper. He requested the court to take immediate measures that in future no anchorperson and writer be allowed to malign the Armed Forces and security agency.
He further stated in the petition that the apex court being the custodian of fundamental rights may graciously lay down guidelines so that the defence and security of Pakistan may not be endangered and armed forces and spy agencies may be secured and guarded from mala fide, baseless allegations and criticism.
The petition added that Pakistan is facing internal turmoil and deep-rooted conspiracies externally against the very existence of the country, which is the only nuclear power in the Islamic world. Being the nuclear power the foreign agencies are spending colossal amounts to create rift and schism in Pakistan Army through "pseudo-intellectuals" to weaken this most disciplined and organised institution of the country.
He pleaded that the constitutional provisions needed to be enforced at this critical juncture when the polity of Pakistan feels threatened particularly, armed forces and the ISI, responsible to protect and defend the geographical as well ideological boundaries. "The pen pushers and category of anchor persons are spitting venom against the ISI and the Armed Forces."
Comments
Comments are closed.