SC suspends IHC’s decision to halt Lucman from hosting programmes

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Thursday suspended the Islamabad High Court’s (IHC) decision to restrict the TV anchorman Mubashir Lucman from conducting any programme. A three-member bench headed by Justice Nasir Malik was hearing Mubashir Lucman’s plea against IHC’s decision. Advocate Irfan Qadri said that the decision was suspended on the basis of the fact that Lucman's point of view was not heard before the imposition of the restriction on him to conduct any programmes. The court also issued notices to the respondents including Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), Geo/Jang group, Attorney general of Pakistan regarding Lucman’s case for deriding the superior judiciary. The TV anchorman had been accused to have engaged in a character assassination campaign against former chief justice of Pakistan Justice (r) Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry. Lucman was also alleged to have discredited Justice Jawwad S. Khawaja while he was hearing a case in relation to the conduct of a television channel. Previously, IHC had put a restriction on Lucman from conducting any programmes on the basis of a petition filed by the Lal Masjid Shuhada Foundation.