A citizen on Saturday moved a petition in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) seeking directives for the government to ban broadcast of speeches by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.
Aamir Aziz filed the petition citing the government, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regul
atory Authority (PEMRA), Nawaz S
harif and Shehbaz S
harif as respondents.
He stated in his petition that Nawaz levelled false allegations against state ins
titutions to defame them.
The petitioner submits: “The speeches made by Mian Muhammad Nawaz S
harif cannot in any way be termed as fair criticism or within the parameters of the fundamental right of freedom of speech.
The fundamental right of speech guaranteed by the Cons
titution is not an absolute right but is subject to reasonable restrictions.”
He pleaded with the high court to “issue writ of prohibition against the Respondent No. 03 [Nawaz] and others restraining them from malig
ning, scandalizing, ridiculing, defaming, and disrespecting the state ins
titutions including the judiciary, members of the Judiciary and the judicial system.”
The petitioner further demanded that the govern
ment ban the broadcast of any such speech or state
ment by Nawaz.
