SC orders revival of suspended TV channels' service

ISLAMABAD The Supreme Court on Friday ordered Chairman Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) and Secretary Information to ensure revival of the suspended transmission of the two private television channels. The two-member bench of the apex court took exception to the irresponsible and ignorant role of Chairman PEMRA Mushtaq Chaudhry and directed him to ensure smooth transmission immediately and take a strict notice against the cable operators who have blocked the transmission of private TV channels in Sindh and Punjab. Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry remarked that blocking the transmission of television channels was a criminal act. What are law enforcement agencies officials doing? he made these remarks during a hearing of a petition challenging the restrictions against television channels. How does a cable operator decide whether to block a particular transmission? he said. We must go to the core of the matter, why is the law not being implemented? How does the PEMRA regulate cable operators? Why has the PEMRA not taken any serious action in this regard? he said. The Chairman PEMRA could not reply these very basic queries raised by the bench regarding his department. The court also observed that the Authority head was making false statements that in the wake of law and order situation cable operators had created hindrances in the smooth transmissions of the said channels. The court ordered the Chairman PEMRA Mushtaq Chaudhry to restore the banned channels, otherwise he would be put behind the bars. The Chief Justice told the Secretary Information, I know the government is not involved in it. Federal Secretary Ministry of Interior Qamar Zaman Chaudhary, Federal Secretary Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Mansoor Sohail and Chairman PEMRA Mushtaq Chaudhary appeared before the court on the short notice. The channels representatives complained that the cable operators in certain cities of Sindh including Karachi halted their transmissions. The Chief Justice asked the Chairman PEMRA that why so far the licences of the cable operators have not been cancelled. The said channels were penalised for broadcasting a news story regarding Zardaris shoe-hurling incident and eventually the people were kept deprived of any access to the information for six days. The Chief Justice scolded the Chairman PEMRA Mushtaq Chaudhry, saying why the licences of cable operators involved in suspending the transmission, were not cancelled, addressing him, 'You are violating the Constitution and neglecting your duty. The CJP warned, if law and order situation breaks down in the country, then its ramifications will go far beyond, adding that cable operators in Patoki would not be held for violating Article-19 and 19-A, instead the concerned Federal Secretary would be nabbed. The Chief Justice elicited a written assurance from the PEMRA chief, saying, 'If the channels are not restored back on wire, then you would be put behind the bars. After this warning from the higher judiciary, transmissions of the said channels began to be on air in some areas. Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammed Chaudhry held it an offence to stem the telecast of channels by force and termed it terrorism to attack on cable-operators with petrol bombs. Akram Sheikh, counsel for Dr Shahid Masood, pleaded before the court that the media in Pakistan was harassed. He further said that the petrol bombs were flung at the offices of cable operators and these circumstances run counter to the freedom of access to the information. The Chief Justice remarked that it is a crime to stem the telecast of the channels thus, asking whether there is any agency present in the country to maintain law and order. He also asked why the law did not come into motion on these incidents. Akram Sheikh Advocate pointed out the lax attitude on the part of police department encouraging those who were harassing and terrorising the media.