The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has issued a notice to Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) for slapping a ban on court coverage, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq heard the petition filed by Journalists Association on Friday, challenging the Pemra’s notification and restrained the Authority from taking disciplinary action against TV channels.

The court later adjourned the hearing until May 28.

The court issued notices to Pemra and federal information secretary. The President of the Islamabad High Court Bar Association, Riasat Ali Azad, also appeared before the court.

The development came after four petitions were filed against Pemra notification barring TV channels from coverage of news regarding court proceedings. The petitions mentioned as respondents the Pemra chairman and director general, the federal government through the secretaries for interior and law and parliamentary affairs.

The petitions called for the Pemra notification to be suspended, set aside and declared illegal.

According to the notification issued by the ele­ctronic media regulator on Tuesday last, all news channels have been barred from airing material about ‘ongoing court cases’ until a final verdict is announced.

The Authority imposed ban on news regarding subjudice cases and directed the TV channels to only air information that is in the public interest. The Pemra also directed the media outlets to avoid expressing their ‘opinions on subjudice cases’. It also warned against discussing ongoing court cases in TV programmes in a way that could ‘influence’ investigations or the trial.

The regulatory body has emphasised that only information that is deemed necessary for the public will be allowed to be disseminated through media channels.

Reporter Ehtisham Kiyani