‘Aisay Nahi Chalay Ga’ banned again as SHC withdraws stay order

The Sindh High Court on Friday withdrew a stay order suspending the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority’s (Pemra) ban on Bol TV’s ‘Aisay Nahi Chahlay Ga’ programme, ruling that the programme will remain off air till further notice.

A two-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Sajjad Ali Shah also issued notices to the petitioner and deputy attorney general to file their respective replies on the case by Feb 22.

‘Aisay Nahi Chalay Ga’, hosted by anchor Aamir Liaquat Hussain, had resumed airing Wednesday evening (Feb 8), even though the Supreme Court had ruled earlier in the day that the regulator’s decision will be upheld.

It was reported that the channel’s management had approached a SHC division bench headed by Chief Justice Sajjad Ali Shah the same day, who, while issuing notices to the respondents and the deputy attorney general, had issued another stay order on Pemra’s notification.

During Friday’s hearing, Pemra’s counsel Zahid Ebrahim, assisted by Kashif Hanif, placed the SC’s order before the bench, arguing that the TV channel had procured a stay order from the SHC by concealing facts.

In its missive, the Supreme Court had also ordered the channel’s management to respond to the regulator’s show-cause notice for ignoring the ban on the show.

The apex court had stated that the channel’s management could only appeal Pemra’s decision before the Sindh High Court if it was aggrieved by the regulator’s final decision on the matter, and had added that the court would have to decide the case after hearing all parties involved.

In response to Pemra counsel’s arguments, the SHC withdrew its stay order, directing Bol News to stop airing the show and honour the Supreme Court’s Feb 8 order regarding the same.

Source: Dawn