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Saturday, August 24, 2013
SC seeks mechanism to control TV channels’ transmission* Court says programmes against armed formed and judiciary should be discouraged
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Information Ministry to evolve a mechanism that could help regulating live coverage of terrorist incidents such as
Islamabad standoff.Hearing a petition, filed by Tariq Asad against the media/all TV channels for telecasting the August 15 incident involving on Jinnah Avenue, the apex court also made it clear that programmes against armed formed and the judiciary should also be discouraged.
The apex court also observed that live coverage of such incidents not only create panic and sensation among general public but also promote violence and terrorism in the society.
A three-judge bench comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Jawwad S. Khawaja and Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed resumed hearing in a case regarding the firing incident at Jinnah Avenue.
During the course of proceeding, Secretary Interior Qamar-uz-Zaman Chaudhry, assured the court that no such incidents would take place in future as the government was evolving a strategy to avert such incidents in future.
Zulfiqar Malooka, counsel for Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) also appeared before the court and apprised the bench that several incidents occurred but Sikander’s firing incident was over blown due to five-hour non-stop live coverage by electronic media.
The bench expressed great displeasure for not filing reply by the Chairman PEMRA.
The bench observed that PEMRA seemed helpless in front of tv channels to stop the live coverage of the incident.
The chief justice remarked that it was an administrative issue and should have been solved at administrative level.
He further remarked that the police could not take action without orders from the magistrate adding that as per the rules of PEMRA channels were also to be controlled by the district magistrate.
The chief justice mentioned that the Chairman PEMRA seemed powerless in the Ziarat incident and now again PEMRA was helpless.
The CJ suggested that there should be such a mechanism that PEMRA could block the coverage by itself.
Justice Jawwad S. Khawaja while criticizing the role of PEMRA maintained that Sikander earned publicity which he could not get even spending millions of rupees.
Counsel for PEMRA informed the court that chairman PEMRA made calls to tv channels for terminating the live coverage but in vain.
He further stated that action could be taken against the violators but Article 19A is the biggest hurdle in this way. The chief justice responded that PEMRA needed not to make requests for imposing law at anyone as the terrorist and violent incidents should not be telecasted as it gives courage to terrorists.
Inspector General Police Islamabad Sikander Hayat further puzzled the court when he admitted that the capital police had only one stain gun that too was out of order.
The court directed the Secretary IT to submit a report containing mechanism to stop live coverage of such incidents on the next date of hearing and adjourned the case till September 5. Hasnaat malik/app
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk