Resident Files Petition In LHC To Prohibit TV Shows From Discussing Panama Papers Case

Resident Files Petition In LHC To Prohibit TV Shows From Discussing Panama Papers Case

LAHORE: Amjad Farooq Bismil, a local resident, has filed a petition to the Lahore High Court (LHC) seeking the prohibition of television shows from airing talk shows related to the Panama Papers case.

A K Dogar, the petitioner’s counsel, argued that, “The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) rules bar all television channels to broadcast programmes and hold debates on the matters pending before courts.”

He added that when a verdict for a case is yet to be decided upon, the matter is said to be sub-judice and hence cannot be discussed on TV talk shows. This universally recognized principle deters TV show anchors and their participants from making judgments on the case, acting like the counsels or supervisors of the case. Unfortunately, this is not the case in Pakistani media.

Hence the petitioner urged PEMRA to strictly enforce this law and see to it that no TV channel broadcasts shows on the aforementioned matter.

 

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Maneha Tariq

Author: Maneha Tariq

The writer is a graduate of Lahore Grammar School Defence and is currently pursuing the LLB degree from Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS). She has previously worked for DIL organization (Developments in Literacy) as their New York correspondent and for Paperazzi Magazine as a summer intern.