LAHORE -  The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday directed the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) to convene a meeting to decide complaints it had received on contemptuous material being broadcast by television channels, and submit a report.

Justice Shahid Karim passed the order on a petition challenging alleged anti-judiciary speeches of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and other leaders of the PML-N.

Azam Zia Butt, the counsel for the authority, told the court that the authority would take action if recommended by the complaint council as it had received complaints against the contemptuous speeches.

On this, Justice Karim observed that the authority should have taken action itself rather than waiting for the recommendations of the complaint council. He directed the authority to hold a meeting with its complaint cell.

Amna Malik of Civil Society Network had moved the petition, submitting that Nawaz Sharif initiated a campaign against the state institutions after his disqualification in Panama Papers case by the Supreme Court on July 28, 2017. He said Maryam Nawaz also joined the campaign of her father and launched into a tirade of criticism against the judiciary.

She said the former premier and his daughter had not been targeting the superior judiciary and criticising the apex court. She asked the court to order Pemra to ban broadcasting of hate speeches by the respondents as it could lead to anarchy in the country.

The petitioner also said that the respondents had committed an act of sedition. She prayed the court to suspend licences of TV channels for airing hate material, hate speeches, derogatory remarks and remarks against the state institutions. The court adjourned further hearing until Feb 28.

MAYOR TOLD TO DECIDE BASANT CASE

The Lahore High Court on Thursday directed the Lahore mayor to decide an application challenging ban on Basant and the alleged harassment to kite flyers within seven days after hearing their point of view.

Justice Shahid Karim passed the order on a petition moved by District Kite Flying Association President Lalarukh Jamshed. The petitioner made chief secretary, deputy commissioner and lord mayor as respondents.

Representing the association, Advocate Umar Khokhar contended that celebration of Basant was a lawful right of citizens of Lahore. However, he said, the government put a ban on the kite flying event and had been harassing the people related to business of kites and string. He said an application had also been filed to the lord mayor to this effect but no decision had been taken so far. The counsel submitted that thousands of people who used to earn their bread by selling kites and twine had been forced to live miserable lives.

He asked the court to lift the ban on the kite flying so that the poor people associated with the kite business could earn money for their families in a respectable manner and people could celebrate Basant.