Imposition: Rasheed moves LHC against PTV fee

LAHORE:

Leader of the Opposition in the Provincial Assembly (PA) Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed on Thursday moved the Lahore High Court (LHC) against the collection of a Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV) fee in electricity bills and the airing of “indecent” advertisements, soap operas and other programmes across television channels.

Rasheed, who filed a writ petition through Advocate Sheraz Zaka, said the imposition of the monthly fee lacked justification. Most citizens, he said, no longer even saw the transmissions of the state-run broadcaster.

Rasheed said it was common knowledge that the broadcaster served no meaningful purpose other than disseminating official propaganda.

The PTI leader said the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) had failed to do justice to its statutory obligations and its failure to enforce the Indecent Advertisement Prohibition Act 1963 had culminated in the youth being led astray. Rasheed said cable operators often tended to promote black magic and pornography across their own channels.

The petitioner requested the court to overturn the imposition of the fee and order the Pemra to take punitive action against cable operators who had violated its code of conduct.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 15^th, 2016.