Petition against Altaf Hussain: LHC issues notices to MQM, PTA, PEMRA

LAHORE: Justice Khalid Mahmood Khan of the Lahore High Court (LHC) has issued notices to Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) and the federal government on a petition seeking legal action against Altaf Hussain for allegedly speaking against the ideology of Pakistan in his speech on May 12.

Although the petitioner had not made the PTA a respondent in the petition, the judge advised him to do so as it was also responsible for providing the opportunity of live speech in Pakistan from abroad.

Along with including PTA in the petition, the petitioner also filed a civil miscellaneous application for interim stay on Hussain’s speeches.

The application would be taken up on the next date of hearing which would be decided by the registrar’s office of the LHC within two weeks.

Advocate Fayyaz Ahmed Mehr had filed a petition on Wednesday, stating that Altaf Hussain is a foreigner claiming to be the chief of MQM and his demands are against the constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and also against the ideology of the country.

On May 12, during Altaf Hussain’s address to his party workers, he had threatened the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), establishment, media, workers of the political parties and politicians and also demanded that Karachi be detached from Pakistan, said the advocate in his petition.

The petitioner termed it a “conspiracy” and a move to destabilise and create unrest in the country.

He said according to the Political Party Order 2002, only an individual belonging to Pakistan or association of citizens of Pakistan can form, organise, continue or set up a political party in the country.

The petitioner stated Altaf Hussain is not a citizen of Pakistan and cannot claim to be the chief of a political party.

He added that the MQM Chief’s speech was anti-state and amounts to treason, therefore he [Altaf] should be brought back to Pakistan and be punished in accordance with the law. He also said that those working for Altaf should also be punished in accordance with the law.

He had also urged to stop all media outlets from giving coverage to the speeches of Hussain.

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Supreme Court forms committee to probe leaked video & CJ questions PEMRA chairman during full court session

ISLAMABAD: The full court session of the Supreme Court presided over by Chief Justice Ifitkhar Muhammad Chaudhry formed a two-member committee to look into the media scandal,

The panel, comprising Justice Jawwad S. Khawaja and Justice Khilji Arif Hussain will investigate the matter.

Today, the SC Registrar briefed the meeting over property tycoon Malik Riaz’s interview on a private news channel and the off-air conversation between the two anchors and Riaz which was published on Youtube.

The Registrar informed the apex court judges that the interview was an attempt to malign the judiciary and the leaked video show that the questions were planted.

The Chief Justice said that during the last week there were several attempts to undermine the judiciary and now it has to be figured out as who was behind this wicked activity.

Chairman PEMRA Abdul Jabbar submitted the videos and report of the interview to the meeting. What action the authority has taken, and what’s the media regulatory framework, the CJ asked the chairman.

The chairman informed the meeting that channels which violate the law are issued notices and action is taken when complaints are received. He added that their licenses’ are even cancelled.

The Chief Justice also inquired the PEMRA boss if he was aware of what was being broadcast on television channels and if there was any violation in the Malik Raiz interview.

He further said the judiciary was being maligned day and night, adding that not even the Parliament could say anything against the judiciary.

 

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