Geo Super licence: SHC orders Interior Ministry to file comments
KARACHI: The Sindh High Court directed the Ministry of Interior to file comments on the Independent Music Group’s petition for issuance of a satellite media licence to its sports channel Geo Super.
Petitioners Independent Music Group submitted in the petition that an application
has been moved to the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) for issuance of satellite media licence to its sports channel Geo Super however Pemra was not issuing the same on ground that Ministry of Interior refused to give security clearance to the petitioner channel.
Petitioner counsel Saim Hashmi and Jam Asif Mehmood submitted that Pemra has bound to decide the application within 100 days from receiving the application but despite lapse of couple of years it had failed to comply the Pemra Ordinance and Rules which is serious breach and violation of the Pemra Ordinance. They submitted that there is no legal requirement regarding security clearance by the Ministry of Interior under the Pemra Ordinance therefore refusal of the ministry for security clearance to petitioner is unlawful and declared to be void.
The counsel submitted that non-issuance of licence to the petitioner is discriminatory as other TV channels were issued licence by the Pemra. They also filed miscellaneous application for urgent hearing of the petition as in case petition is not decided the petitioner could suffer irreparable loss. SHC‚s division bench headed by Justice Gulzar Ahmed directed office to fix the matter on April 18 and in meantime intimation be sent to Pemra and Ministry of Interior. The court directed the Ministry of Interior to file its comments on next date of hearing.
Source: The News
Date:4/12/2011
” 
” 
” 
” 
