Rabbani directs PEMRA to take action against journalist

ISLAMABAD, Nov 5 (APP): Senate Chairman Mian Raza Rabbani
Thursday directed the Secretary Senate to write a letter to
PEMRA for taking action against a senior journalist under the law,
who had committed contempt of Parliament.
Giving his ruling after debate by the lawmakers in Senate
about the uncalled for remarks by the journalist, the Chairman
also directed the government, to follow up the matter
with Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA)
under intimation to this House.
The Chairman said that Senator Shahi Syed on a point of order raised
the question of a TV programme aired live on October 27,
wherein the journalist had used abusive language against not an
individual, but against the whole institution of Parliament.
It is correct that Article 19 of the Constitution 1973
provides for freedom of speech, but it is also provided in the said
Article, “subject to any reasonable restrictions imposed by law,” he said.
He said Article 19 guarantees the right of freedom of expression
to a citizen of Pakistan, but it does not grant him a license for the
use of abusive language.
Rabbani said it was a very severe question where Parliament
without any cause or provocation, as an institution, has been abused, slandered and brought into disrepute, stricto senso it constitutes a
severe breach of the privilege of Parliament. The Parliament would be
well within its constitutional and legal right to proceed against such person or individual in the manner provided for under the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Senate 2012.
Rabbani said, “Parliament being the custodian of the rights of the
people of Pakistan and the institutions functioning through or under the
Constitution and other institutions such as the media, would
expect that the media itself would check in future that such incidents
are not repeated and that individuals who are guilty of such acts do not find accommodation in their channels or columns”.