Supreme Court bans Amir Liaquat show on" Bol" News

The Supreme Court has temporarily banned Aamir Liaquat Hussain’s programme, ‘Aisay Nahi Chalay Ga’ on Bol News, which was first barred by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) last month for “preaching hate”.

This was followed by a a show cause notice to Bol News for defying the media regulator’s orders. However, the channel managed to get a stay order from the Sindh High Court (SHC).

A three-judge bench on Monday headed by Justice Amir Hani Muslim issued a warning, stating that if BOL’s management does not stop airing the programme, the bench will initiate contempt of court proceedings against the channel as well as the anchor.

The hearing of the case was adjourned till Wednesday.

Last week, the apex court set aside contempt notice issued to Pemra chairman by the SHC, and summoned BOL news management on February 6.

“Aamir Liaquat is prohibited from delivering, on all other channels, any hate speech, declaring anyone as ‘kaafir’ or ‘ghaddar’, as under the Constitution of Pakistan, it is the exclusive jurisdiction of parliament or the honourable Superior Judiciary,” Pemra had said in its first order.

The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) on Thursday banned with immediate effect anchorman Aamir Liaquat’s programme ‘Aisay Nahi Chalay Ga’ on Bol News TV channel for delivering hate speech.

According to the order conveyed to the channel’s management, “Aamir Liaquat shall not host any programme, or appear on TV in any manner (fresh, old or repeat) including (but not limited to) as a guest, analyst, reporter, actor, in audio, video beeper, promo/advertisement of his programme or in person, in any manner whatsoever, on Bol News screen with immediate effect.” The authority warned that if the management of Bol News failed to comply with the order, it would suspend the licence of the channel as well.

“Aamir Liaquat is prohibited from delivering, on all other channels, any hate speech, declaring anyone as ‘kaafir’ or ‘ghaddar’, as under the Constitution of Pakistan, it is the exclusive jurisdiction of parliament or the honourable Superior Judiciary,” Pemra added in a statement.

Meanwhile, Rawalpindi police registered an FIR against Amir and the top management of Bol News.

The FIR, registered on complaint of activist Jibran Nasir, charged Amir, Bol CEO Shoaib Sheikh, Senior Executive Vice-President Amir Zia, Bureau Chief Faysal Aziz Khan and various others with “criminal intimidation, insult with intent to provoke breach of peace, acts of terrorism, inciting hatred, and creating civil commotion” under the Pakistan Penal Code and the Anti-Terrorism Act.

PBA condemns Amir Liaquat, Bol

The Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA) on Thursday also condemned the hate-speech and incitement to violence by Axact’s TV channel Bol and its host Amir Liaquat against leading journalists, civil society activists and members of the PBA.

“PBA condemns all forms of hate speech and stands by civil society and journalists,” a PBA statement noted. “PBA encourages the government, Pemra, law enforcement authorities and judiciary to play their legal role in protecting those victims and prosecuting those who use it as a weapon for their own vested interest.” The association pointed out that Axact is already being prosecuted for running a worldwide fake degree scam.