The Lahore High Court received a petition challenging the prohibition on PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s live remarks. On Wednesday, the court’s proceedings were heard by Justice Anwar Hussain.
The court ordered additional evidence to establish that this matter is cognizable. Since freedom of expression is a fundamental human right, the petitioner who complained about the restriction on Imran Khan’s speeches claimed that the ban is illegal.
Furthermore, it was claimed that the government is using these political ploys to muzzle Imran Khan’s voice. It was also stated that it is crucial for political party leaders to offer live speeches to the public in order for the party to express its viewpoint.
It was claimed that Imran Khan’s speech ban is an attempt to influence his standing in the impending by-elections. Therefore, the court ought to reject the restriction on Imran Khan’s live speeches. The council also asked the court to guarantee that PEMRA won’t make any decisions that are against the law so that Imran Khan’s remarks can be broadcast.
Imran Khan’s lectures had previously been prohibited from being broadcast live after the former prime minister lambasted the police and other state institutions in a speech in the nation’s capital, Islamabad, on Saturday.
In a statement released on Sunday, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) charged Khan with making “baseless accusations” and “promoting hate speech” against “state institutions and officers.” In its six-page announcement, the PEMRA claimed that Khan’s address was “in breach of Article 19 of the constitution” and ruled that only his “recorded speech” would be allowed to be aired, with an “effective delay mechanism” to maintain editorial control.
After his close aide Shahbaz Gill was detained on August 9, Khan promised to bring cases against senior police officers while speaking to a large gathering in Islamabad on Saturday night. In addition, he stated that while Gill was in police custody, the officers tortured him. He maintains that there was a plot to pit his party against the military by accusing his former chief of staff.
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