IHC Reserves Verdict On Plea Against PEMRA Notification

Mohammad Ali (@ChaudhryMAli88) Published July 03, 2024 | 11:51 PM

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday reserved its verdict in the petitions against PEMRA notification with regard to court reporting

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 3rd Jul, 2024) The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday reserved its verdict in the petitions against PEMRA notification with regard to court reporting.

Chief Justice Aamer Farooq reserved the decision after the respondents concluded their arguments.

The petitions were filed by the Islamabad High Court Journalists Association (IHCJA) and Press Association of Supreme Court (PAS).

During the hearing, lawyer Azhar Saddiqui gave references of various judgments and said that the notification was aimed at hampering access to information.

He said that the court could not ignore the fundamental rights of the citizens.

PEMRA’s lawyer Saad Hashmir argued that the Authority in the notification had permitted the reporters to report the written orders of the court.

The chief justice remarked that today was a modern era. There was no incident of misreporting in the case of this high court, he added.

The lawyer said that the instructions were issued to the media houses, adding that the media did not implement the guidelines of the top court.

The chief justice questioned that whether there was any complaint with the PEMRA which lead to the issuance of the notification.

He said that the court observations being part of the proceedings, could be reported.

After hearing the arguments, the court subsequently reserved its verdict.