LAHORE: A division bench of the Lahore High Court (LHC) would proceed with a petition of PTI Chairman Imran Khan on March 13 challenging ban imposed by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) on the broadcast of his speeches and press talks on the television channels.

Justice Shams Mahmood Mirza on March 09 had suspended the impugned order and referred the petition to Chief Justice for its disposal by any larger bench.

The Chief Justice constituted the division bench for disposal of the petition in accordance with the law.

Pemra had slapped the ban after Imran lashed out at former army Chief Qamar Javed Bajwa for what he called, protecting incumbent rulers in their alleged corruption cases.

The petitioner through his counsel argued that the Pemra had issued the impugned order without having regard to the constitutional rights guaranteed under Articles 19 and 19-A of the Constitution.

He said a plain reading of section 27 of the Pemra ordinance, prima facie, showed that it did not empower the authority to issue a blanket prohibition order. He said the prohibition order appeared to be in violation of the principle of proportionality.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023