LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Tuesday sustained an office objection to a petition of PTl chief Imran Khan challenging a ban imposed by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) on the broadcast of his speeches and press talks.

Justice Shahid Bilal Hassan took up the petition as an objection case.

The registrar office had questioned the unavailability of the impugned notification of the Pemra with the petition.

The judge upheld the objection and dismissed the petition.

Pemra had slapped the ban after Imran lashed out at former army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa for, what he called, protecting incumbent rulers in their alleged corruption cases.

Court to hear his plea for attending proceedings thru’ video link today

The petition filed through Barrister Ahmad Pansota argues that Pemra had issued the impugned order in excess of its jurisdiction without having regard to the constitutional rights guaranteed under Articles 19 and 19-A of the Constitution.

It says a plain reading of Section 27 of the Pemra ordinance, prima-facie, shows that it does not empower the authority to issue a blanket prohibition order. It says the prohibition order appears to be in violation of the principle of proportionality. It points out that a judgment handed down by the Islamabad High Court declared a similar prohibition order against the petitioner on similar grounds as ultra vires of the Ordinance.

The petition argues that the impugned ban is violation of Article 10-A of the Constitution and liable to be set aside.

SECURITY: The Lahore High Court will hear on Wednesday (today) as an “objection case” a petition of PTI chairman Imran Khan seeking a foolproof security and a facility of attending the proceedings of the cases against him through a video link.

The registrar office raised two objections to the petition of Khan and fixed its hearing before Justice Shahid Karim as an objection case.

The office asked the petitioner (Khan) to approach the relevant court of law as the cases mentioned in the petition were pending before the courts of Islamabad. The office also objected to the unavailability of the certified copies of the documents attached with the petition.

The petition filed through Barrister Salman Safdar states that the petitioner is a former prime minister of Pakistan. It says the petitioner is at the advanced age of 71 years, not fully recovered from the physical trauma inflicted after the Wazirabad attack.

The petition says the limbs of Imran Khan are weak and he is unable to walk without support and he is practically immobile without assistance.

“All these make him an easy target in chaotic and crowded venues of court premises. His physical circumstances along with vulnerability seek humanitarian grounds that the petitioner be kindly allowed to participate in court proceedings through modern scientific devices,” it adds.

Citing constitutional rights and different judgments of the Supreme Court, the petition asks the court to provide Khan a foolproof security arrangement. It also claims that the life of the PTI chairman is still under threat since his survival in the Wazirabad attack.

It further asks the court to allow the petitioner to get his attendance marked in the proceedings against him through video link.

The petition urges the court to restrain the authorities from taking any adverse action against the petitioner till he is properly facilitated and provided security arrangements for the court appearances.

Published in Dawn, March 8th, 2023