IHC bars Mubashir Lucman from hosting any program

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has restricted ARY anchor Mubashir Lucman from conducting any program on television, Geo News reported on Wednesday.

The court was hearing the petition filed by Lal Masjid Shuhada Foundation on Tuesday against ARY TV anchor Mubashir Lucman, pleading the court to restrain the infamous anchor from conducting contemptuous programs against the superior judiciary.

The IHC also asked the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) to ensure implementation of its order.

The court said that Lucman had crossed all the limits and his behavior was causing hatred against the judiciary. It also said strict action be taken against any channel who allows the anchor to conduct program.

The strongly worded petition filed through seasoned advocate M Tariq Asad alleged that the said anchor has crossed all ethical limits of journalism by conducting contemptuous programmes against the judges of the Supreme Court.

The petitioner said Pemra had failed to stop the anchor from conducting a serious of highly objectionable programmes despite an earlier order by the IHC.

“The comments made by the said anchor have an inherent tendency to intimidate, embarrass or obstruct the courts administration of justice and constitutes contempt of court,” read the petition.

“Mubashir Lucman on the ARY TV channel is extending the campaign against the former Chief Justice (R) Mr Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and judges of Supreme Court particularly Mr Justice Jawad S Khawaja in a clandestine manner.

Therefore, the petitioner requested the court to restrain Mubashar Lucman from conducting contemptuous programs against the judiciary.”

The list of respondents in the petition included chairman Pemra, secretary ministry of information and secretary ministry of interior.

The petitioner quoted an earlier order passed by IHC in an identical writ petition bearing No. 3373/2013, through which the court had ordered Pemra to ensure that no programme containing malicious and wicked material is telecasted by any of the channels in which person of the honourable Chief Justice of Pakistan and other honourable judges of the superior courts are criticised, ridiculed and defamed.

It said Pemra had taken no substantial steps to implement the said order.

While hearing the case today, the court barred Mubashir Lucman from conducting any show on any TV channel until the next hearing of the case.