PEMRA imposes ban on live telecast of Imran Khan’s speeches

The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) has imposed a ban with immediate effect on the live telecast of speeches of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Khan after he threatened the police, bureaucracy, and Additional District and Sessions Judge (ADSJ) Zeba Chaudhry.

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

According to PEMRA, the ban has been put in place under Section 27 of the PEMRA Ordinance 2002. PEMRA also warned news channels of strict action if the directives were not followed. 

According to various news reports, the government has lodged a first information report (FIR) against Khan under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) for threatening a judge and two top police officials during his speech yesterday (August 20). 

Be ready, we will take action against you: Khan

On August 20, addressing a party rally in the federal capital’s F-9 park to express solidarity with Shahbaz Gill, Khan threatened Additional District and Sessions Judge (ADSJ) Zeba Chaudhry.

“Zeba! Be ready, we will take action against you.”

ADSJ Zeba Chaudhry had approved Gill’s two-day physical remand at the request of the capital police.

Khan threatened that he would “not spare” Islamabad’s inspector-general (IG), deputy inspector general (DIG).

“IGP and DIG! We will not spare you.” 

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.

We did nothing: Police tells Khan

Khan again called on the “neutrals” (military establishment) to stand with the nation rather than the “gang of thieves”, in reference to the ruling coalition. He said he wanted to ask the neutrals if they were “really neutral”. He also alleged that the Islamabad police was taking orders for action against his party leaders from ‘someone’.

“When I asked the police to tell me what did they do to Shahbaz Gill’ they said: ‘We did nothing, we got a boot from behind to follow orders’,” Khan said while announcing to move the Supreme Court against the alleged torture of Gill.