ARY NEWS transmission: 'Cable operators, PEMRA to face action' for defying SHC order

KARACHI: Barrister Ayan Memon, the counsel representing ARY NEWS, said Wednesday that the order from the Sindh High Court (SHC) to restore the channel on cable has not been implemented and they will now move courts against chairman PEMRA and cable operators.

Speaking to ARY NEWS, Barrister Ayan Memon said that they have challenged the closure of the news channel on cable and despite the SHC order for immediate restoration, the transmission is yet to be restored.

“Watch ARY News live on live.arynews.tv“

“Therefore, we have decided to initiate action against chairman PEMRA and cable operators for defying court orders,” he said while demanding the chairman and cable operators to restore the transmission to avoid a legal action against them.

He lamented that the PEMRA has shifted blame of closure on the cable operators, however, as per rules, no channel could be shut down without the approval from PEMRA.

The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Monday directed Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) to submit written assurance with regard to resumption of transmission of ARY NEWS after the authority said that it has not suspended the transmission.

During a hearing on a petition for restoration of ARY NEWS transmission, the court directed the PEMRA to submit a two-line assurance stating that they have no objection on the transmission of the channel.

“We have already directed to restore the transmission of ARY NEWS,” the SHC bench observed and directed the authority to submit a report on implementation upon the court orders.

The PEMRA representative in the court stated that it has not suspended the transmission rather it was cable operators who have shut it down.

On August 10, the Sindh High Court (SHC) ordered Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) to immediately ARY News transmission across Pakistan.

Read More: ARY NEWS TRANSMISSION NOT RESTORED DESPITE SHC’S ORDER

The news channel went off air in many parts of the country on Monday evening without any prior notice by authorities.

In a 10-page order, the court also suspended the show-cause notice issued to ARY News by Pemra. The SHC also stopped media regulatory authority from suspending the license of TV channel till the next hearing.

The court also issued notice to Pemra and deputy attorney general and adjourned the hearing until August 17.