The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday ordered the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) director genera (DG) to appear before the court on June 20 in a plea seeking ban on the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM).
During the hearing, Barrister Shoaib Razaq in his arguments said the PTM was not a registered party and pleaded the court to pass a ruling to slap a ban on it over anti-state statements from its leaders.
The social media accounts of the PTM leaders namely, Manzoor Pashteen, Mohsin Dawar, Ali Wazir and Gulalai Ismail should be banned, he continued.
The internet protocol DG of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) appeared before the court. No one would be allowed to give anti-state statements under the name of freedom of expression, the court observed.
“Why no one from the PEMRA appeared before the court in today’s hearing,” the bench asked.
The court, while ordering the PEMRA DG to appear before it in person, adjourned the hearing of the case until June 20.
Last week, a petition was filed in the IHC against the PTM leaders for speaking against national institutes, including the Pakistan Army, in the wake of 10-year-old Farishta Muhmand rape case in the federal capital.
The PTM leaders along with their supporters had attacked an army checkpoint in the former tribal region of Miranshah, martyring one soldier and injuring five others.
