Petitions challenging PEMRA amendments: SHC annoyed with ill-prepared petitioners
KARACHI: In identical petitions challenging the recent amendment to the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) Ordinance, the inability of the petitioners to argue their case annoyed a division bench of the Sindh High Court Tuesday.
The bench comprising Chief Justice Sabihuddin Ahmed and Justice Faisal Arab put off the hearing of the three petitions to a date to be given later by the office of the court.
Earlier, when the petitions were taken up, Mustafa Lakhani, counsel for petitioners Salahuddin Gandapur and Muhammad Aqil, and Syed Iqbal Kazmi, a petitioner appearing in person, said they were not ready to argue the case.
It also transpired that the petitioner also failed to comply with an order of the court under which they were required to submit a chart or draft enumerating the alleged violations and legality of the 23 amendment introduced by the federal government aimed at gagging the electronic media and stopping it from telecasting different events live.
The bench said that the petitioners have failed to expressing their stance and were unable to show the court what irregularities were committed by the government and which of their fundamental rights were being infringed on as alleged by them.
The bench observed that the issue involved was of a very serious nature and that the petitioners were wasting the time of the court.
Adnan A Karim, counsel representing Shahadat Awan of the Peoples Lawyers Forum, said that he was ready with a brief and could argue the case but unless all counsel were ready, no headway could be made.
The bench directed the petitioners to comply with the orders of the court and to come prepared.
Source: Daily Times
Date:9/26/2007
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