TV analyst Hafeezullah Niazi challenges Pemra’s ban in LHC, terms it ‘illegal’ – Pakistan

Television analyst Hafeezullah Khan Niazi challenged on Wednesday in Lahore High Court a 30-day ban on his appearance on television channels imposed by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra).

The appeal was filed by Niazi against Pemra, the agency's regional general manager, the information ministry and Senator Azam Khan Swati. On Tuesday, Pemra had banned the analyst from allegedly making "defamatory" comments against Swati on the "Report Card" program issued on Geo TV July 6

Niazi made certain accusations against Senator Swati that the channel could not substantiate before the Complaints Council. The council extended enough time to the channel to prove the veracity of its comments made by the analyst during the program. But, the channel could not find a satisfactory answer.

Niazi, in his petition, declared the ban as "illegal, unjustified and therefore liable to be eliminated." In addition, he argued that he had not been issued a justified cause notice and that he had not been convened by the Complaints Council of the regulatory body and that he had been "convicted without precedent in violation of Article 10 (a) of the Constitution," which grants all citizens the right to justice trial.

The analyst said Pemra's order was approved "without any reasoning or proof." Niazi said the comment, about which it has been banned, referred to a "statement made by Imran Khan's relative and was not his own personal statement and this relative mentioned in that statement was never cited for his testimony."

He urged the court to set aside Pemra's order and "in the interest of justice" verify the authenticity of the report of a joint investigation team and convene the "relative" of the prime minister, whose statement Niazi had referred to.

He asked the court to suspend Pemra's order until a verdict is issued on the petition. He also asked the court to "restrict" the regulatory body from taking any "coercive action" against the petitioner.

Swati says the comments damaged credibility

Niazi, in Geo TV & # 39; s Report Card of the program, had claimed that a relative of the prime minister had said that Swati's entry was prohibited in the United States because he had committed insurance fraud.

In response to Niazi's claims, Swati said Niazi's statements had damaged his credibility.

He had said at the time that he had filed a case against Niazi, as well as Geo TV with Pemra and he intended to file a defamation suit against them claiming Rs1 billion in damages.

In addition, he said that Niazi would have to apologize to the viewers on the same show to avoid further legal action or prove the accusation.

Swati had said that he had gone to the United States in 1978 and remained there until 2001. "I have no case against me for the past 45 years," the minister said.