'Proclaimed offenders': Pemra bans airtime for 11 people, including Hammad Azhar

• Pemra cites SHC decision on petitions in order.
• It says such people cannot enjoy certain rights.
• People banned under section 27 of Pemra Ordinance.

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) has directed news broadcasters to give no airtime to 11 "proclaimed offenders" or absconders, which include former military and media personnel, The News reported Monday.

In a directive issued Saturday, Pemra announced the names of 11 politicals and journalists who were banned from being aired.

Citing a decision from the Sindh High Court (SHC) in constitutional petitions, Pemra said that such people cannot enjoy certain rights such as appearing on television.

The names mentioned by the Pemra include:

• Moeed Peerzada: A Pakistani-British political commentator, geostrategic analyst, and television news journalist.
• Syed Akbar Hussain Shah: Anchorperson.
• Sabir Shakir: Anchorperson.
• Wajahat Saeed Khan: A US-based Pakistani journalist.
• Adil Farooq Raja: A social media activist and YouTuber.
• Haider Raza Mehdi: Journalist and geopolitical analyst.
• Shaheen Sehbai: Pakistani-American journalist
• Ali Nawaz Awan: A Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) member and former Member of the National Assembly.
• Murad Saeed: PTI member and former minister of postal services.
• Farrukh Habib: PTI West Punjab president and ex-state minister.
• Hammad Azhar: PTI senior leader and former energy minister.

The Pemra directive banned the media coverage of the above-mentioned individuals under section 27 of the Pemra Ordinance 2002, terming them proclaimed offenders.

Section 27 of the ordinance states: "The Authority shall by order in writing, giving reasons therefore, prohibit any broadcast media or distribution service operator from –

(a) broadcasting or re-broadcasting or distributing any programme or advertisement if it is of the opinion that such particular programme or advertisement is against the ideology of Pakistan or is likely to create hatred among the people or is prejudicial to the maintenance of law and order or is likely to disturb public peace and tranquility or endangers national security or is pornographic, obscene or vulgar or is offensive to the commonly accepted standards of decency; or

(b) engaging in any practice or act which amounts to abuse of media power by way of harming the legitimate interests of another licensee or willfully causing damage to any other person."

The Saturday directive added that any news, reports, statements, or tickers of these individuals on electronic media and broadcast was prohibited.