Pervaiz Elahi castigates PEMRA's ban on broadcast of Imran Khan's speeches

LAHORE: Former Punjab chief minister (CM) Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi on Monday lambasted Pakistan Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) for banning broadcast of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chief Imran Khan’s speeches on TV channels, ARY News reported.

In a statement, Pervaiz Elahi lambasted PEMRA’s ‘double standards’, saying that Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) chief organizer Maryam Nawaz has criticised the sitting judges and levelled allegations against the judiciary.

He said that the restrictions of the incumbent government cannot reduce the popularity of PTI Chairman Imran Khan among the people. “The ruling coalition doesn’t want to conduct elections in the next 10 years,” Elahi said.

The senior political leader said that the coalition government was well aware of general election results, and that’s why they are running away from the polls.

He added that Imran Khan gave overseas Pakistanis the right to vote but the current rulers have taken away this legal right from them.

It is pertinent to mention here that the PEMRA has imposed a ban on broadcasting ‘live and recorded’ speeches and press conferences of former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan on all satellite TV channels with immediate effect on Sunday [March 05].

“It has been observed that Imran Khan [Chairman PTI] in his speeches/statements is continuously alleging state institutions by levelling baseless allegations and spreading hate speech through his provocative statements against state institutions and officers which is prejudicial to the maintenance of law and order and is likely to disturb public peace and tranquility,” stated the notification issued by the regulatory authority.