IHC sets aside Pemra fines on TV channels over Faizabad sit-in

The Islamabad High Court has set aside penalties imposed by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) on television channels over allegations that they broadcast hate speech during the 2017 Faizabad sit-in, Dawn and Daily Times reported.

Justice Raja Inaam Ameen Minhas issued a 15-page written verdict on the appeals filed by the affected channels. The court accepted the appeals and sent the matter back to Pemra for a fresh decision. The regulator was directed to give all concerned channels a full opportunity to present their cases and to decide the matter again strictly according to the law.

Pemra had earlier imposed a fine of Rs1 million on each of several television channels. The penalties followed complaints that the channels had aired hate speech while covering the Faizabad sit-in. The sit-in took place in November 2017 at the junction of Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

The Supreme Court's judgment in the Faizabad sit-in case also issued directives concerning the media and Pemra. With the high court's ruling, Pemra must now reconsider the penalties after hearing the channels. The court did not uphold the fines, but returned the matter to the regulator for a lawful fresh decision.

The channels that were fined had appealed to the Islamabad High Court against the regulatory action. Their appeals have now been accepted, and the matter stands remitted to Pemra for a decision in accordance with the law. The ruling means the fines cannot be enforced until Pemra completes fresh proceedings after hearing the channels.