LHC dismisses contempt case against cable-operators

Also rejects request to be positioned higher in the spectrum of cable TV channels

LAHORE: Justice Aijazul Hasan of the Lahore High Court (LHC) dismissed contempt of court petitions against cable operators on Friday while hearing pleas against the suspension of Geo News.

Rejecting Geo News’ pleas to be positioned higher in the spectrum of cable TV channels, the judge instructed Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) to take a decision on Geo News’ request according to the law. The court noted that Pemra would decide whether any channel could be aired on the number of its choice.

A day earlier, cable operators’ lawyer Dr Amjad Bukhari had said no court, including the apex court, had given any instruction to position Geo News on any particular spot, adding that if the channel’s lawyers had any such order they should present it in the court. The LHC judge later asked the Geo News lawyer to show the order, which they failed to present.

Later the judge dismissed contempt notice against cable operators and asked Pemra to decide the matter.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 22^nd, 2014.