The Lahore High Court has allowed Channel 24 to resume transmission while suspending the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority's (PEMRA) ban on the TV channel.
During the hearing, PEMRA's counsel told the bench that the ban on the channel was imposed on the orders of the competent authority.
The bench, however, demanded the minutes of the meeting to be presented in the court, asking if PEMRA was a bigger authority than the high court.
“Meeting minutes should be presented tomorrow, then the court will decide [on the matter],” said the LHC. Justice Sajid Mahmood issued the order to lift the ban and adjourned the hearing till Wednesday.
Channel 24 had decided to shut down its operations and sack all of its 965 employees, owing to 'blackmailing from the government'. The license of the channel was earlier cancelled by PEMRA for a ‘violation’ of conduct.
The regulatory body had said that the channel was granted the license to air entertainment content, but it was 'persistently illegally and unlawfully airing news and current affairs in continuous violation of laws'.
During the hearing, PEMRA's counsel told the bench that the ban on the channel was imposed on the orders of the competent authority.
The bench, however, demanded the minutes of the meeting to be presented in the court, asking if PEMRA was a bigger authority than the high court.
“Meeting minutes should be presented tomorrow, then the court will decide [on the matter],” said the LHC. Justice Sajid Mahmood issued the order to lift the ban and adjourned the hearing till Wednesday.
Channel 24 had decided to shut down its operations and sack all of its 965 employees, owing to 'blackmailing from the government'. The license of the channel was earlier cancelled by PEMRA for a ‘violation’ of conduct.
The regulatory body had said that the channel was granted the license to air entertainment content, but it was 'persistently illegally and unlawfully airing news and current affairs in continuous violation of laws'.