Seizure of equipment by Pemra case hearing today
Asim Javed
ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) will take up today the application of a cable operator for lifting of his costly equipment by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) after he refused to obey its verbal orders to disrupt the broadcasts of Geo Super television network.
Regional Manager Pemra Islamabad Muhammad Farooq will appear in person and explain his position before the IHC Judge, Justice Muhammad Anwar Khan Kasi.
An application was filed by DHA Teleman (cable operator) through Raja Inam Amin Minhas, advocate, before the IHC, thereby, stating that Pemra asked the cable operator to block the telecasts of Geo Super and also disrupt the signal of other private television channels in violation of the Supreme Court order. He refused to obey the illegal order of Pemra following which the government regulatory authority took away new and costly equipment of the DHA Teleman in violation of its own rules and without any show cause notice on March 17, 2011. Under the Pemra rules, a show cause notice has to be served on a cable operator before seizing his equipment. After realising the illegality, Pemra prepared a show cause notice on March 18, 2011 and issued it on March 21. The applicant received the same on March 24.
The court was prayed to declare the seizure of costly equipment of the cable operator on March 17 as illegal, order recovery of the same and direct the respondents to make up for the losses inflicted on the applicant.
After preliminary hearing of the case, the learned judge had sought a reply from Regional Manager of Pemra, Islamabad, Muhammad Farooq, and directed him to appear before the court in person on April 5, 2011.
Source: The News
Date:4/5/2011
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