ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry directed on Tuesday the federation to produce the transcript of a contemptuous programme of PTV that was aired on Aug 13 after the Supreme Court ruled in a case of closure of private TV channels which covered an incident involving shoe-hurling at President Asif Ali Zardari in Birmingham last week.
Akram Sheikh, the counsel for president of the ARY group Dr Shahid Masud, apprised the court that PTV had aired a programme on the said date which was against the apex court’s verdict, contending it was an “obvious contempt of court”.
The chief justice also directed the chairman of Pemra, secretary information, chief secretaries and inspector-generals of all provinces to submit a detailed reply upon the imposition of illegal ban on private TV channels.
The bench also observed irregularities and misconduct on part of the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) in issuance of licences to cable operators.
“Time has now come to send you behind the bars for making contradictory and false statements before the court,” the chief justice observed.
He also observed that prima facie Information Secretary Anwar Sohail Mansoor also committed a contempt of court by allowing PTV to telecast a programme against the court’s decision. The case was adjourned till Aug 24.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 18th, 2010.
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