Back on November 08, 2017, Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) organized a sit-in at Faizabad interchange against the amendments in the Election Bill 2017, changing the word oath to declaration.
Faiz Hamid pressurized PEMRA during Faizabad sit-in, Absar Alam tells SC
- By Raja Mohsin Ijaz -
- Oct 31, 2023
ISLAMABAD: Ex-chairman of the media regulatory body said that former ISI chief Faiz Hamid pressurized Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) during Faizabad sit-in, ARY News reported.
As per details, former chairman of PEMRA Absar Alam submitted his statement to Supreme Court in Faizabad sit-in case.
Absar Alam stated that Ex-ISI chief General retired Faiz Hamid pressurized him to take action against senior journalist Najam Sethi and ban the former US ambassador Husain Haqqani however his demands were not met.
In his statement, the former chairman of the media regulatory body said that a letter was also written to ex-prime minister and Chief Justice of Pakistan in April 2017 regarding the pressure on the TV channels by Faiz Hamid and officers working under his command.
Absar Alam stated that he held a press conference to expose the threatening calls he was receiving and the harassment of PEMRA officials.
He added that one channel was banned for violating the PEMRA rules during the Faizabad sit-in but the ex-ISI chief demanded to ban more channels meanwhile on November 25, 2017 Marriyum Aurangzeb asked the media regulatory body to ban all TV channels.
Related: Faizabad sit-in: Govt constitutes fact-finding committee
Furthermore, all TV channels were ultimately banned during Faizabad sit-in on the directions of the then Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and “I was stripped from the chairmanship of PEMRA two years after the decision” Absar Alam added.
Earlier, the federal government constituted a fact-finding committee to determine those responsible for the Faizabad sit-in.
The Supreme Court of Pakistan (SC) in its detailed four-page written order invited all the concerned parties to clarify their positions in the Faizabad sit-in case.
A three-member bench of the Supreme Court (SC) would take up Faizabad sit-in review petitions for hearing on November 1.