Imran Khan s live speeches banned from satellite TV channels by watchdog for threatening state institutions

Pakistan : Live telecast of speeches of former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has been banned. The ban comes hours after Khan, while addressing a rally in Islamabad, threatened government establishments and government officials. The ban on rallying speeches in Islamabad has come into force with immediate effect.

Imran Khan had on Saturday threatened to file cases against top police officials, a woman magistrate, the Election Commission of Pakistan and political opponents at a public meeting in Islamabad. He made the threat over the treatment of his colleague Shahbaz Gill, who was arrested last week on sedition charges. The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) said in a statement on Saturday that television channels have failed to stop broadcasting of content against government establishments despite repeated warnings.

It has been seen that Imran Khan, President of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is continuously making baseless allegations against government establishments in his speeches/statements and propagating hate speeches through provocative statements. Which can make it difficult to maintain law and order and there is a possibility of breach of public peace.

PTI opposes ban

The regulator said Khan's speeches are violative of Article 19 of the Constitution and against the media's code of conduct. "In view of these reasons, the Competent Authority i.e. Pemra President hereby suspends the live telecast of Imran Khan's speech on all satellite TV channels with immediate effect," it said. Reacting sharply to the ban imposed on the PTI chairman, the party said Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif's government is a fascist government. Meanwhile, Khan said that he will address a rally at Liaquat Bagh ground in Rawalpindi today i.e. Sunday.