Government lifts PEMRA ban to broadcast Imran Khan’s speeches

The federal government of Pakistan has overridden the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA)’s decision to ban speeches and press conferences of former prime minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan.

PEMRA had stated that airing “hateful, slanderous, vilifying and unwarranted statements” against the country’s leadership and state institutions is in sheer violation of Article 19 of the Constitution.

It further added that “airing of such content is likely to create hatred among the people or is prejudicial to maintenance of law and order or is likely to disturb public peace and tranquility or endangers national security is a serious violation of Article 19 of the Constitution and Section 27 of PEM RA Ordinance 2002 as well as Electronic Media Code of Conduct 2015.”

An hour after PEMRA released its statement, the government said it was removing the ban after applying Section 5 of the PEMRA Act. It empowers the federal government to suspend the authority’s powers in certain circumstances.