Islamabad High Court Suspends PEMRA’s Notification on Defence Analysts’ Prior ISPR Approval for TV Appearances
On December 19, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) suspended a notification by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) that required defense analysts to seek permission from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) before participating in television programs.
The court’s decision comes after PEMRA’s notification, issued in April 2019, faced criticism for restricting retired defence personnel from appearing on TV without prior approval from ISPR.
During the hearing, Justice Babar Sattar noted the absence of PEMRA’s legal counsel and proceeded on the basis of the arguments presented. An associate lawyer had sought a postponement, citing the senior counsel’s illness.
The IHC stated that the suspension of the notification would continue until the court delivers a final verdict. The case has been adjourned till February 11.
In a previous session on September 25, Justice Sattar had raised questions regarding the authority of the military’s media wing, the ISPR, to exclusively determine who qualifies as a defence analyst.
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