PEMRA bars TV channels from live telecasting Imran Khan speeches

• PEMRA imposes ban on live telecast of Imran Khan's speeches.
• Imran Khan's addresses are in open violation of PEMRA rules, notifications reads.
• Only pre-recorded speeches can be broadcast now with effective monitoring, editorial control, per new PEMRA notification. 

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) has imposed a ban with immediate effect on the live telecast of speeches of former prime minister Imran Khan after he threatened state institutions and government officials with serious consequences, Geo News reported Sunday.

Imran Khan's addresses are in open violation of the PEMRA rules, according to the PEMRA notification issued in Sunday's wee hours. The PEMRA further said that Imran Khan's speeches are a violation of Article 19 of the Constitution.

Only pre-recorded speeches can be broadcast now with effective monitoring and editorial control, per the new PEMRA notification. 

PEMRA issued a six-page notification, stating it has been observed that Imran Khan is persistently levelling baseless accusations in his speeches and statements against national institutions and spreading hatred in his speeches.

According to the PEMRA, the ban has been put in place under Section 27 of the PEMRA Ordinance 2002. The PEMRA notification mentioned Khan's speech at the F9 Park, Islamabad. 

The notification states that the PTI chief's statements are detrimental to the maintenance of law and order as he is constantly inciting citizens against institutions and officers in his speeches. 

The notification said the former PM's hate speech is against the Supreme Court's verdict in the suo motu case. The contents of Imran Khan's speech are also against the Lahore High Court verdict, says the PEMRA. 

The PEMRA also warned news channels of strict action if the directives were not followed. 

The PEMRA notification also carries the excerpts from Imran Khan's speech on August 20 in Urdu. 

In the meantime, sources said the government has lodged an FIR against Imran Khan under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) for threatening a judge and two top police officials during an above-mentioned public gathering. 

Imran Khan threatened Additional Sessions Judge Ms Zeba Chaudhry, saying, “Zeba! Be ready, we will take action against you.” He also hurled threats to the IGP and DIG Islamabad, by calling out them, “IGP and DIG! We will not spare you.” 

Imran Khan threatens govt officials over Gill torture

On August 20, Imran Khan warned that he would “not leave” Islamabad's inspector-general, deputy inspector general, and female magistrate, saying he would file cases against them for torturing his aide Shahbaz Gill.

“We will not spare the IG and DIG,” he said while addressing a public gathering at the F-9 park in Islamabad. The former prime minister called out Additional District and Sessions Judge Zeba Chaudhry, who last week had approved Gill’s two-day physical remand at the request of the capital police, and said she too should prepare herself as the case will also be registered against her.

The PTI chief led a rally in Islamabad from Zero Point to F-9 Park in support of incarcerated leader Shahbaz Gill, who the party said was subjected to alleged “gruesome torture” in police custody.

He further said that if a case can be registered against Gill, then, Fazlur Rehman, Nawaz Sharif, and Rana Sanaullah will also face judicial proceedings.

“They [coalition government] are trying to scare us by torturing Gill,” he said, adding that this is a “decisive moment” for the people of the country.

Reiterating his stance not to bow down before the idol of fear, he said: “If we bow down then we will have to face slavery although in the garb of Gill’s arrest they are trying to enslave the people.”

Khan maintained that what happened to Gill wasn’t because of what he said since the PDM leaders in the government had “said much more than that."