Pakistan’s media watchdog, Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) has debarred broadcasting live speeches of former Prime Minister Imran Khan on all satellite television channels with direct effect. The decision came hours after he threatened state institutions and government officials while giving a speech at a rally in Islamabad.
Khan, while addressing a public gathering on Saturday, threatened to register cases against top police officials, a woman magistrate, the Election Commission of Pakistan, and political opponents over the improper behavior of his aide Shahbaz Gill, who was detained last week on charges of sedition.
PEMRA in a communiqué released on Saturday announced that television channels even after continuous warnings had abortive to implement a time-delay method to control the broadcast of material against “state institutions”.
“It has been observed that Mr. Imran Khan, Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, in his speeches/statements is continuously alleging state institutions by leveling baseless allegations and spreading hate speech through his provocative statements against state institutions and officers which is prejudicial to the maintenance of law and order and is likely to disturb public peace and tranquility,” communiqué mentioned.
The regulator underlined that Khan’s speeches were in violation of Article 19 of the Constitution and overrule the code of conduct for the media.
“The competent authority i.e. Chairman PEMRA in view of the above-mentioned background and reasons, in the exercise of delegated powers of the authority vested in Section 27(a) of the PEMRA Ordinance 2002 as amended by PEMRA (Amendment) Act 2007, hereby prohibits the broadcast of live speech of Imran Khan on all satellite TV channels with immediate effect,” it further mentioned.
PEMRA, however, said Khan’s recorded speech would only be allowed to be aired after a successful delay mechanism to ensure monitoring and editorial control.
Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party had organized the rally to show solidarity with Gill and exhibit a protest against what Khan termed was “blatant fascism” going on under the “imported regime” of current Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Khan went on to target Pakistan’s Army, naming it “neutrals”, and urged his supporters to stand with the nation and not with the “gang of thieves”, in an obscure reference to the coalition government in the Saturday rally.
He also commented on the judiciary, titling them as “biased”.
While the Pakistan Army has not retorted to Khan’s allegation, political parties such as Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Pakistan People’s Party, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl, and Mutahida Quami Movement Pakistan have urged the judiciary to take legal action against Khan and his aides for threatening a female judge and daunting police officers.
Meanwhile, Khan has announced that he will hold a rally at Rawalpindi’s Liaquat Bagh ground later on Sunday.
Khan, who had been ousted from power since April, has repeatedly claimed that the no-trust motion against him was the consequence of a “foreign conspiracy”.
Khan has also underlined that his party would not compromise with or accept the “imported government” headed by Prime Minister Sharif.
(With inputs from agencies)