Pemra recommends suspension of Axact TV’s license till security clearance

KARACHI: The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority’s (Pemra) Council of Complaints (CoC) Sindh Tuesday recommended the suspension of Bol TV license till finalization of security clearance.
The 24th meeting of the council was held at the Pemra Sindh office here to discuss various items on the agenda mainly to decide the fate of Bol TV license under a direction of Islamabad High Court (IHC) to provide an opportunity of hearing to the petitioner, PBA, to decide representation in the matter of W.P.No.2413/2015 titled “Pakistan Broadcaster Association Vs Federation of Pakistan etc”, says a press release.
In compliance of the IHC directives, the representation/writ petition number 2413/2015 of PBA was placed before the council.An opportunity was provided to the PBA to attend the meeting and present its reservations/complaints before the council.
After detailed deliberation, the council went through the final judgment of constitutional petitions (D-2867 of 2013 and D-3224 of 2015 dated 3rd July, 2015) passed by a division bench of Sindh High Court (SHC).
The operative part of the judgment is reproduced below:-“In the circumstances, the first petition bearing Const. Petition No. D-2867 of 2013 being premature, without cause and is therefore dismissed. However, in the circumstances, we direct the Ministry of Interior to process the security clearance as per practice in vogue and once the issue of security clearance is finalized either way the Authority would proceed in accordance with the law”.
That through the above judgment it came on record that the directors of Labbaik Pvt. Ltd., Axact Pvt. Ltd., so also of BOL Enterprises are common and same and further it is a known fact that there are a number of cases pending against the directors of Axact Pvt. Ltd., which as stated above are also directors of the Labbaik Pvt. Ltd.,
The Council of Complaints, Karachi, therefore recommended in the prevailing circumstances and also in consonance to the Judgment of Constitutional Petitions No. D-2867 of 2013 and D-3224 of 2015 dated 3rd July, 2015 passed by the Divisional Bench of the Honourable High Court of Sindh, that till security clearance is processed by the Ministry of Interior as per practice in vogue and the issue of security clearance is finalized; and so also, upholding public policy and public interest, till such time the guilt or otherwise with respect of the Directors of M/s. Labbaik Pvt. Ltd, are competently adjudicated by the Court of law; the license of M/s. Labbaik Pvt. Ltd., may be suspended till any future change in the circumstances.
Note: Under Section 26 of Pemra (Amendment) Act 2007, the Council of Complaints are recommendatory bodies and the recommendation of the COCs with regard to BOL TV shall be presented before the Authority for decision.
Other recommendation of the COC on other agendas are as follows,
2. Issue advices to all satellite TV channels and warning notice to M/s. Independent Media Corporation Pvt. Ltd. (Geo TV) for showing a wrong map of Pakistan in the programmes.
3. The COC called the CEO/Director of M/s. ARY Communication Pvt. Ltd., to appear in person in the upcoming COC meeting to clarify their position on different complaints.
4. Issue advice to all news channels to activate Time Delay Mechanism especially while taking interviews of rival political parties/groups.
5. The case against Dawn News for relaying the defamatory news against Mr. Sharjeel Inam Memon. The case was deferred for next COC meeting.