Islamabad HC to hear plea for banning Sharifs' speech

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) will on Monday hear a plea seeking a ban on airing speeches of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif on television channels.

The plea was filed by a citizen, Amir Aziz, who has made the Sharif brothers, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) Chairman and others, respondents.

In the petition, Aziz said that the convicted former premier during his recent speeches, especially the one delivered via video link during the all parties conference on September 20, had maligned the state institutions and a "convict's speech cannot be allowed to be broadcast on media".

The petitioner stated that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo was also a convicted criminal and he cannot speak to the media.

Aziz pleaded the court to oblige PEMRA that Sharif's next speech should not be aired on any TV channel.

On September 22, Pemra banned broadcast and rebroadcast of any speech, interview or public address of absconders or proclaimed offenders.

The decision came at a time when the former Prime Minister, who left for London late last year after securing bail for medical treatmen, has been targeting the incumbent Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-led government as well as many state institutions, including the judiciary and the military..