Reply sought about PTA powers

The Lahore High Court (LHC), declaring unsatisfactory the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority's (PTA) rules regarding interviews of accused persons in custody, has called them nothing more than a mockery.

Hearing petitions seeking contempt proceedings against police officials for uploading videos of under-custody accused persons on social media and humiliating them, LHC Justice Ali Zia Bajwa sought a report from the PTA by May 13 regarding its suo motu power to remove the content from digital media.

The judge closed the contempt proceedings against police officials and the anchorpersons in the case.

Justice Bajwa remarked that he was closing the contempt proceedings against the police officials in response to the constitution of a committee ordered by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz regarding the matter. He also directed the anchorpersons to be very careful in future.

The LHC had in an order on December 13, 2023 prohibited the practice of recording and broadcasting interviews or making footage of accused persons under custody, prior to the completion of legal proceedings.

As the proceedings commenced, the Punjab Police submitted its social media policy before the court, signed by the inspector general.

Justice Bajwa observed that accused persons under custody must not be exposed before media persons.