Supreme Court of Pakistan (SC) on Tuesday expressed exasperation over fake news that Lahore High Court (LHC) has barred TV channels from airing ‘alleged anti-judiciary speeches’ of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN) supreme leader Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz.
As per details, SC resumed hearing of sou motu notice pertaining to LHC’s ban and termed the fake news as second ‘attack on judiciary’.
Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Saqib Nisar during hearing remarked that every newspaper had printed the aforementioned news. “Let us know where order of ban is written in the verdict”, CJP remarked while adding, “Fake news was aired on all TV channels”.
“[Judiciary] suffered an attack earlier while second attack was launched by airing fake news”, remarked CJP.
CJ remarked airing of fake news tantamount to denigrate judiciary and that news was quoted out of the context.
Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) interim chairman also appeared in the court. CJP inquired PEMRA chairman about action taken against media outlets over airing fake news.
“There are several complains pending before PEMRA since 2017. What action PEMRA has taken against the complains being media-regulator?”, inquired Justice Ijazul Ehsan.
“Will any outsider apprise PEMRA about their [assigned] duties? Court issued a different verdict while channel aired another version of the verdict”, stated Justice Azmat Saeed.
Earlier, almost all the media outlets yesterday [April-16, 2017] aired the news that LHC had slapped a 15-day ban on airing on airing anti-judiciary speeches of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and other PMLN leaders.
