SHC orders restoration of ARY News transmission

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Wednesday ordered Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) to immediately restore ARY News transmission across Pakistan.

ARY News went off air in many parts of the country on Monday evening without any prior notice by authorities.

The SHC bench heard the plea related to the suspension of ARY News and issued directives to cable operators for the immediate restoration of TV channel’s transmission.

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.

Soon it was revealed that Pemra had ordered the suspension over a statement given by a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shehbaz Gill among other reasons, the ARY News distanced itself from Gill’s statement and issued a statement on the matter.

The statement added that comments or opinions of any individual televised by the network do not represent the channel’s policy. Shahbaz Gill’s statement was his personal opinion not ARY’s editorial policy, it added.

The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) on Monday issued a show-cause notice to ARY News for airing what it called was “false, hateful and seditious” content.”

PEMRA bans ARY News transmission. Blames ARY “for airing objectionable, hateful, seditious, based on absolute disinformation with clear and present threat to national sec by instigating rebellion within the armed forces with malafide intent to cause rift between govt and forces” pic.twitter.com/ySRFvp8KKg

— Ammad Yousaf (@AmmadYousaf) August 8, 2022

The suspension of ARY News transmission was a clear violation of Islamabad High Court (IHC) orders which barred PEMRA and cable operators from closing TV channel transmission and relegation of ARY News to lower numbers on TV channels sequence.

The journalist community across the country also staged protests against the unjust suspension of ARY News’s transmission throughout the country and arrest of Head of ARY News Ammad Yousuf.

Moreover, a petition was also filed in the Supreme Court of Pakistan and Lahore High Court (LHC) against the suspension of transmission of ARY News.

The petition was filed by Advocate Azhar Siddique along with PFUJ President Shahzad Butt, ARY NEWS reporter and members of civil society before the Lahore registry of the apex court.

Also Read: Head of ARY News Ammad Yousaf arrested from Karachi

The petition stated that two FIRs were registered on a similar complaint in Islamabad and Karachi against the decision of the Supreme Court of Pakistan. It further said that the CEO of ARY NEWS and administration has also been booked in the case while head of news Ammad Yousaf was arrested in a similar case.

It further highlighted that no criminal proceedings could be initiated after the launch of PEMRA proceedings in a matter. It asked the court to stop actions against the administration of the channel and order immediate release of Ammad Yousaf.

Earlier today, Head of ARY News, Ammad Yousaf, who was picked up without a warrant late-night raid, has been handed over to the IO of Memon Goth police station.

The local police said Ammad Yousaf was taken into custody over a case registered at the Memon Goth police station in Karachi.

Meanwhile, President and CEO ARY Digital Network Mr. Salman Iqbal, Anchorpersons, Arshad Sharif and Khawar Ghuman have been booked under sedition charges.

The FIR has been registered at Karachi’s Memon Goth police station on the complaint of SHO. It has been learnt by ARY News that the First Information Report (FIR) against President and CEO ARY Digital Network, Salman Iqbal, Arshad Sharif, Khawar Ghuman, Adeel Raja was registered just an hour before the arrest of ARY News head Ammad Yousaf.