The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday suspended Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority’s (PEMRA) notification of a ban on telecasting speeches and statements of the former prime minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

Justice Shams Mehmood Mirza forwarded the case to full bench of the court, which will take up the petition for hearing on March 13, 2023. 

Former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan had three days ago, on March 6, 2023 (Monday), challenged the PEMRA’s notification of a ban on telecasting his speeches in the Lahore High Court.

The petition, filed by Ahmed Pansota and Ishtiaq A Khan, said that the PEMRA notification was a violation of Article 10(A) as the constitution of Pakistan gave the right to free speech.

Imran Khan’s Counsel maintained that PEMRA had slapped the ban on the instructions of the government. He termed all the PEMRA allegations baseless. 

Furthermore, the petition stated that the PEMRA order was a violation of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) verdict.

A few days earlier, the PEMRA had 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.