IHC and LHC Challenge Pemra Notification on Court Reporting

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) and the Lahore High Court (LHC) have taken up separate challenges to a notification issued by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) that imposes restrictions on court reporting. The notification has sparked legal debates regarding the freedom of the press and the public's right to information.

In response to petitions filed by journalist associations, Chief Justice Aamer Farooq of the IHC has called for responses from Pemra and the information secretary by May 28. Meanwhile, Justice Abid Aziz Sheikh at the LHC has issued notices for a hearing on May 29 without granting a stay order against the notification. Both courts are actively engaging with the legal arguments presented against the Pemra notification.

Challenges to the notification center around its prohibition on broadcasting court proceedings on TV channels, including limitations on airing tickers and headlines related to legal cases. Petitions filed in both courts argue that these restrictions violate constitutional articles, specifically Articles 19 and 19A, which guarantee freedom of speech and the right to information.

Justice Sheikh of the LHC has acknowledged the legal significance of the case and has suggested coordination between the two courts to avoid simultaneous hearings. The upcoming sessions of both the IHC and the LHC are expected to delve deeper into the constitutional implications of the Pemra notification and its potential impact on media freedom.

The legal challenges to the Pemra notification highlight the ongoing debate surrounding the balance between media regulations and constitutional rights. The decisions of the IHC and the LHC in this matter will have far-reaching implications for press freedom and access to information in Pakistan.