●PEMRA bars channels from airing Swati’s speeches
ISLAMABAD (Pakistan): Controversial leader of cricket player Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek -e-Insaaf (PTI) political party, Senator Azam Khan Swati has on Sunday morning been arrested once again for a tirade against senior military officers.
Mr. Swati was arrested from his farmhouse in the upscale Chak Shahzad locality in Islamabad by the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) Cybercrime Wing after a case was registered against him on a FIA technical assistant named Anis ur Rehman’s complaint, for libel and under The Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act.
The government has moved the Islamabad High Court seeking the cancellation of Swati’s bail in the case.
PEMRA bans: On the other hand, the Pakistan Electronic Media Authority (PEMRA) has barred television channels from airing any of Senator Azam Swati’s speeches and press conferences etc and from inviting him to any broadcast programmes, warning television channels it would revoke the licenses of channels that failed to comply.
Imran Khan shocked: The PTI’s chairmanImran Khan Tweeted that he was shocked “and appalled” at how “rapidly we are descending into not just a banana republic but a fascist state. How can anyone not understand the pain and suffering Senator Swati underwent with custodial torture and blackmailing video of him and his conservative wife sent to his family?”
The former prime minister called Senator Swati’s anger and frustration justifiable. “So, he tweets and is arrested again. Everyone must raise their voice against this state fascism,” said the PTI chief.
