ISLAMABAD - Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) Friday refrained television (TV) channels from airing contents regarding Sialkot Motorway incident following the direction of Anti Terrorism Court, Lahore.
“All satellite TV Channels (News & Current Affairs) are, therefore, directed to comply with the above orders of the Anti Terrorism Court, Lahore regarding Sialkot Motorway incident in letter and spirit and refrain from airing any content with regard to the instant case, in future,” the media regulatory body said while reproducing the operative para of the court’s order in a news release. The operative para said; “Instant case one of the accused has been shifted to the judicial lock up for the purpose of identification parade and if media coverage of the instant case is not stopped it will certainly be diminished the evidentiary worth of the material collected by the prosecution.
“It is an offence related to sex and certainly due to media coverage concerned victim and his family will also be disgraced. So PEMRA chairman is hereby directed to stop the coverage of case FIR No.1369/2020 dated 09.09.2020, offence u/s 392, 376 (Il), 427, 34 PPC and anti terrorism Act, 1997 Police Station Gujerpura, Lahore, immediately on electronic, print and social media.”
In case of non-compliance, PEMRA shall be constrained to initiate legal action under enabling provision of PEMRA Ordinance 2002 as amended by PEMRA Amendment, Act, 2007, said the PEMRA.