LHC temporary ban to air anti-judiciary speeches of Nawaz, Maryam, PM Abbasi & other party leaders

Court orders PEMRA to decide on the petitions within 15 days & until that time refrain from airing any contemptuous remarks; The 3-member full bench also rules that court will personally monitor PEMRA's conduct in next 2 weeks to see how it implements order

The court had reserved the verdict earlier in the day after hearing arguments from counsels of PEMRA, former premier, petitioners; PEMRA's counsel said the authority gave a verdict but the judge said that petition was later dismissed by it on technical grounds

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) ordered on Monday a temporary ban on the airing of contemptuous speeches by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and other party leaders.

Giving the decision on over two dozen petitions filed against 'anti-judiciary' speeches by Nawaz, Maryam, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and other party leaders, the court ordered the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) to decide on the petitions in 15 days and until that time refrain from airing any contemptuous remarks.

LHC bench hearing contempt case against Sharifs dissolved for third time Justice Mazahir Ali Naqvi, who headed a three-member full bench, also ruled that the court will personally monitor PEMRA's conduct in the next two weeks to see how it implements the court's order.

More than a dozen petitions had been filed in the LHC contending that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leadership had been making derogatory speeches against Supreme Court judges since the verdict of Nawaz's disqualification in the Panama Papers case last year.

The petitions, which seek a ban on the anti-judiciary speeches, will now be decided by PEMRA.

The larger bench, headed by Justice Mazahir Ali Akbar Naqvi, gave this verdict on petitions seeking initiation of contempt cases against former premier Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz and other PML-N leaders for criticizing the judiciary.

It had reserved the verdict earlier in the day after hearing arguments from the counsels for Pemra, the former premier and petitioners.

During the proceedings, Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) was directed to security of all judges, including Justice Ijazul Ahsan, following the firing incident outside the residence of Justice Ijazul Ahsan. Meanwhile, the Joint Investigation Team was investigating the incident from different aspects.

The team also visited the crime scene and recorded statements of officials performing security duties.

The five-member team was formed to probe the firing incident on Monday a day after the gunshots were fired outside the house of the SC judge.

Additional Inspector General (Welfare and Finance) Muhammad Tahir is the convener of the team. However, Deputy Inspector General (Investigation) Chaudhry Sultan and members of ISI, MI and IB are also part of the JIT.

A search operation was also conducted in adjacent areas, while record of hotels was also investigated. - NNI