Pakistan: In a recent rally, Imran Khan threatened to bring legal action against senior police officers, a female magistrate, the Pakistani Election Commission, and political rivals.
After threatening state institutions and government officials while speaking at a rally in Islamabad, Pakistan's media watchdog has with immediate effect banned all satellite television channels from airing live speeches of the former prime minister Imran Khan.
Speaking to a large crowd in Islamabad on Saturday, Mr. Khan threatened to file lawsuits against high-ranking police officers, a female magistrate, the Pakistani Election Commission, and political rivals over the treatment of his aide Shahbaz Gill, who was detained last week on sedition-related charges.
In a statement released on Saturday, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) claimed that despite repeated warnings, television networks had not implemented a time-delay mechanism to halt the broadcast of content critical of "state institutions."
It has been noted that Mr. Imran Khan, the leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), frequently makes hateful statements against public officials and institutions in his speeches and public pronouncements. This undermines the upkeep of law and order and threatens to disturb public peace and tranquilly, according to the statement.
The regulator claimed that Mr. Khan's speeches were against both the media code of conduct and Article 19 of the Constitution.
The statement continued, "The competent authority, i.e. Chairman PEMRA, in view of the foregoing background and reasons, in exercise of delegated powers of the authority vested in Section 27(a) of the PEMRA Ordinance 2002 as amended by PEMRA (Amendment) Act 2007, hereby prohibits broadcasting of live speeches of Imran Khan on all satellite TV channels with immediate effect.
However, PEMRA stated that in order to ensure monitoring and editorial control, the recorded speech of Mr. Khan would only be approved for airing after an efficient delay mechanism.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, led by Mr. Khan, organised the rally on Saturday to show support for Mr. Gill and to protest what Mr. Khan called the "imported regime" of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Mr. Khan, in a covert allusion to the coalition government, called the Pakistani Army "neutrals" during the rally and urged his supporters to support the country rather than the "gang of thieves."
He also criticised the judiciary, calling it "biassed."
Political parties like the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Pakistan Peoples Party, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl, and Mutahida Quami Movement Pakistan have requested the judiciary to take legal action against Mr. Khan and his aides for making threats against a female judge and intimidating police officers, despite the Pakistan Army's lack of response to Mr. Khan's jab.
Meanwhile, Mr. Khan has announced that he will speak at a rally at the Liaquat Bagh grounds in Rawalpindi later on Sunday.
Mr. Khan, the former cricketer-turned-politician who was removed from office in April, has asserted time and time again that the no-trust motion against him was the result of a "foreign conspiracy."
Additionally, Mr. Khan has made it clear that his party will not cooperate with or recognise the "imported government" led by Prime Minister Sharif.
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