Lahore High Court (LHC) Justice Shahid Bilal Hassan has refused to hear a plea of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf Chairman Imran Khan challenging PEMRA’s ban on airing his speeches.  

According to the 24NewsHD TV channel, a petition was filed by PTI Chairman Imran Khan in the LHC against the PEMRA for the imposition of a blanket ban on broadcasting live or recorded speeches of former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan on all satellite TV channels.

The PTI chairman had filed the petition through Barrister Muhammad Ahmad Pansota. 

He maintained in the petition that the order issued by PEMRA is “illegal, unlawful, more than its jurisdiction, and contrary to the fundamental rights as enshrined under the Constitution of Pakistan.”

He prayed to the court to set aside the order, adding that “the truth is that the petitioner Imran Khan has not delivered such hate speech or given any such statements against the state institutions which entailed such penal consequences.”

 The petition was marked to Justice Shahid Bilal Hassan. However, the learned court recused himself from hearing Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan’s plea challenging PEMRA’s ban on airing his speeches owing to personal reasons. 

Justice Shahid Bilal Hasan sent the file to the Chief Justice recommending to transfer the case to another court. 

Pertinent to mention here, the PEMRA had issued the order on March 5, under Section 27 of the PEMRA Ordinance 2002 purportedly declaring that Imran in his speeches and statements is continuously alleging state institutions by “leveling baseless allegations and spreading hate speech through his provocative statements against state institutions and officers, which is prejudicial to the maintenance of law and order and is likely to disturb public peace and tranquility”.